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My whole family gets excited when they see this Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe on the menu for the week! All the flavors of the popular box mix, but made from scratch!
You know, my kids get awfully bossy around lunch time every day.
Everything is fine, they’re doing school (we’re homeschoolers), they’re leaving me alone, I’m getting some work done. Life is good.
And then they both come barging into my office and, before they even say a word, I know what they want. Food. Lots of it. Right this minute.
I can only fend them off for so long before I’m forced to come up with some sort of lunch plan. We do my Dorito chicken casserole more than I should admit. My pizza rolls are a total staple. This chili mac recipe is always a hit. Of course, I always try to have some homemade brownies on hand for dessert.
Of course, this Homemade Hamburger Helper is high up there on their list of demands. 😉
This is a one pan meal, which means that there aren’t a ton of dirty dishes to clean up and prep work is minimal. You’re going to love this one!
Ingredient Notes:
Ground Beef – We prefer lean ground beef, but ground chicken or turkey would also work fine.
Macaroni – We like large elbows, but regular sized are also acceptable.
Tomato Paste – We buy this in a tube and keep it in the fridge. It’s very handy and packs in loads of flavor.
Seasoning – You’ll need a mix of salt, black pepper, sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder.
Liquids – Some hot water, two cups of milk, and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The liquid will reduce as it cooks, leaving lots of flavor!
Cheese – A whole cup of shredded cheddar cheese will add just the right amount of cheesiness to this hamburger helper recipe.
Corn Starch – It’ll help to thicken up the liquids and coat the macaroni and ground beef in all the cheesy goodness!
What Readers are Saying!
“Wow! Just made this and it’s absolutely wonderful! It’s nice to have a new ground beef recipe, and I’m glad I found yours! Thank you.” – Carol B.
How to Make Hamburger Helper:
Hamburger: Brown the beef and drain off excess fat.
Macaroni: Add the hot water, milk, and vinegar to the pan with the macaroni.
Season: Add in the tomato paste and the seasoning. Stir to combine.
Cook: When the hamburger helper seasoning is mixed up well with the other ingredients you can bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and let it cook and the liquid reduce for 12 minutes.
Helpful Tip!
If it seems like the sauce is too thin or watery you may need to either cook it a little longer with the lid off. Also keep in mind that it will thicken up nicely when you add the cheese.
Cheese: Remove the skillet from the heat and then stir in the cheddar cheese. Cover the skillet back up after adding in the cheese and let it melt for a couple of minutes.
Serve: Finally after the cheese has melted, give it a stri and sprinkle with some fresh parsley and then dish it up.
Homemade Hamburger Helper Seasoning:
We’ve based this recipe off the Cheeseburger Macaroni flavor. It’s the most popular Hamburger Helper flavor and the one we love most. Our seasoning blend does a nice job of mimicking those flavors.
FAQs:
Keep it stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
If you’ve never had the store bought boxed mix, you’ve been missing out! It’s pretty much just a seasoned, cheesy mixture that you cook with macaroni and hamburger. This homemade hamburger helper is a great copycat recipe!
While this is beef, pasta, and cheese, our version of Hamburger Helper does contain less sodium and preservatives than the boxed mix, so we consider this to be a healthier option.
MORE EASY WEEKNIGHT DINNER RECIPES!
- One Pot Spaghetti Recipe
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Fried Tacos
- Baked Chicken Legs
- Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry macaroni
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain grease.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the skillet with the beef, except for the cheese. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the cheddar cheese, and cover for 2 minutes.
- Stir well, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This post was updated in May 2022. Original photo below:
Paul says
Much better than the box
Cathy says
We loved this recipe! I was in the mood for a one-dish-wonder and this was perfect. All ingredients were already on hand and the clean up was a breeze. Thank you! My favorite dishes seem to always come from you, Karly!
Karly Campbell says
Thank you so much, Cathy! I’m so glad you like our recipes! <3 Really appreciate the star rating too - helps our site more than you know!
Amy Lewis says
I make my own version of this (I cheat and use the blue box stuff!l I like to add tomatoes to mine, my husband prefers his without. I will have to try this recipe next time!
Melissa Mandella says
I have made this probably 30 times and every time I realize I am missing one ingredient but every time it stills comes out delicious! It is my go to recipe to share when someone’s beds quick cheap and yum
Karly Campbell says
Haha, sounds like me! So glad you enjoy it anyway though!
Rebecca Hackney says
This sounds good! Could you make it with potatoes instead? Or do you have a recipe for potato hamburger helper?
Karly says
Hi Rebecca! I don’t have a recipe for this using potatoes, but that sounds tasty!
Dee Dee Matthews says
This recipe is BAD BAD BAD. The ratio of spices is unreal and with 1 TABLESPOON of paprika, it tasted TOXIC. I threw the whole thing away. The dog wouldn’t eat it. Those people who claimed it to be good must be ‘plants’ who are hired to give reviews.
Karly says
It’s completely fine to dislike a recipe and leave a review saying so, but really? You think I hire people to leave reviews? I make this for my family regularly and it’s always a big hit. I’ve never paid for a review in my life and wouldn’t even know where to go to hire that kind of work.
Paprika is just dried and ground pepper – like bell pepper, so not sure what would taste toxic about it. Maybe it was off?
LJ says
Very confused by this review. I’ve been making this dish for years, and it’s DELICIOUS.
Patty B says
I disagree with you Dee that 1 tablespoon of paprika is too much, my chili recipe calls for 2. Perhaps yours was way out of date? This recipe was great and we loved it! I also agree with the author…..you didn’t like it, fine, not every recipe is loved by everyone but to accuse her of planting reviews….
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Patty! 🙂
Allison Smith says
I doubled recipe except cheese and pasta— used 1 cup cheese and I tripled past. The consistency was spot on! I read comments about salt so I cooked my ground beef like I always do: salt, pepper, diced onion and garlic. The taste was missing some acid/vinegar bite I thought— so I added some mild taco sauce( because it’s what was handy) and it turned out great!!! Thanks for the recipe Karly!
Karly says
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the changes you made. 🙂
Richard M says
I made this for an easy recipe to follow and it’s a very tasty 1 pot dish!
Karly says
Love to hear that!
Amy says
I made this at my step daughters suggestion. We loved it and so easy! Making it again tonight.
dave richards says
This meal brings special memories of joy to me. As a child this Hamburger Helper dish was my favorite thing in the world for dinner. The home made version has an adult sophistication that is a home run!
Kelsey says
LOVED THIS! Way better than the boxed stuff but similar enough to scratch that nostalgia itch. I doubled it and added an onion. I look forward to making this again.
Kevin wooddell says
Where the measuring cups
Karly says
I don’t understand your question.
Nick says
Tried it today. I needed a ton of salt. There wasn’t a lot of flavor either. I would probably get some onion and garlic first then do the hamburger (not powder but actual garlic and onion). It’s okay, but it is just missing something. Don’t know what.
Martha Turek says
Just made this for dinner ! Will definitely make it again. Only complaint came from my husband…said to cut back on the pepper alittle !
lmd says
It was okay. There wasn’t enough cornstarch to properly thicken it. The next time I make it I will use only one cup of milk and 2 TBSP of cornstarch.
Karly says
Sorry this wasn’t thick enough for you. I wouldn’t recommend reducing the milk next time or you won’t have enough liquid to cook your pasta.