This homemade Hamburger Helper is a great weeknight meal that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish and only uses one pan! The best part is that you can customize the ingredients to fit your family’s taste and it’s a little healthier than the boxed stuff you ate as a kid.
Most weeknights, we are looking for something quick and easy that everyone loves. This checks all the boxes for me. It uses ingredients that are easy to keep on hand and doesn’t take a lot of prep.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Ground beef – you can also substitute any ground protein you love
- Seasoned Salt – if you don’t have it on hand, you can make your own
- Garlic – use the dried stuff, chop your own, or use that jarlic to make your life easier
- Broth (or bouillon and water) – this can also be subbed out with your favorite broth to make the sauce extra flavorful
- Pasta – we use elbow macaroni, but you can use any short-cut pasta you like
- Milk – if you don’t use milk, just add some extra broth at the end (star with 1/2 the amount)
- Cheese – we love cheddar or colby jack, but make it your own with your favorite cheese
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
Season the beef, brown it in a large pot and drain any excess fat. If your family likes onions, this is a great time to add them in for some extra flavor. Stir in the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. You can use any garlic you like here. If you go with granulated garlic, you can skip this step and add it directly to your meat.
Add in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. We were out of broth this day, so I used some bouillon and followed the directions on the package to get four cups of of broth. Once your broth is simmering, add in your pasta. Cook the pasta in the broth, stirring occasionally, until your pasta is al-dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat, stir in the shredded cheese and milk. Shredding your own cheese is best, but most times we end up going with the pre-shredded stuff. You will notice a slightly creamier sauce if you shred your own. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes to let the sauce cool and thicken.
Serve with some fresh chopped parsley and whatever other toppings you’d like. My husband loves to add a little hot sauce to his. I like to add a little sour cream and chopped green onions. My kids usually go with a little extra cheese. That’s one of the reasons everyone loves homemade hamburger helper!
Questions and Modifications
As I shared throughout, there are many ways to add extra flavor or switch out ingredients to make this dish your own.
- Change out the protein with ground chicken or turkey. Use the broth that fits your family’s flavor profile.
- Add flavor with your favorite seasonings. A little dash of red pepper flakes or hot sauce will add a little spice.
- If you change up your pasta, you may also need to play around with the liquid measurements. We have only tried this with macaroni and rotini and both worked great. I can’t say with any other type of pasta.
What do I serve with homemade hamburger helper?
We like to serve this with garlic bread and a green salad or vegetable. On this particular night, we had some roasted green beans on the side.
How do I store homemade hamburger helper?
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. The pasta may continue to absorb the sauce in the fridge, so the noodles may get soft after a day or two.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or sauté pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 tbsp seasoned salt
- 1 tbsp Granulated garlic or two cloves, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 16 oz elbow macaroni or short cut pasta of your choice
- 1 cup milk
- 4 c Colby jack cheese or cheese of your choice
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley Optional for garnish
Instructions
- Add ground beef and seasoned salt to a large skillet or sauté pan. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in garlic. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the beef broth and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in uncooked pasta and simmer for 10-15 minutes until noodles are cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and stir in milk and shredded cheese. Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes to cool and let the sauce thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with chopped parsley, hot sauce, or any other toppings your family loves.
For more easy weeknight dinner recipes, check out the posts below.