Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2024)

Home Beef Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

By Natasha

Aug 03, 2022, Updated Feb 22, 2024

4.9

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This easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe has ground beef, macaroni, and a flavorful cheesy cheddar sauce! It’s total comfort food that’s inexpensive and ready in about 30 minutes.

Try my Simple Ground Beef Casserole or Simple Chili Mac next.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2)

Why you’ll love it

When I was little, my mom made everything from scratch. I do fondly remember a few boxed meals from visiting friends’ houses in the ’90s, though. One was Hamburger Helper, and that brings up all the nostalgia. Naturally, I had to recreate an even better Hamburger Helper from scratch! I like mine because you have total control over the seasonings and know exactly what goes into it.

This ground beef recipe is super simple to make with affordable pantry ingredients, doesn’t take much longer than the packaged kind, and it’s cooked all in one pot for fewer dishes. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with eating packaged foods every now and then, but a LOT of people crave homemade Hamburger Helper, so I am here to bring you the best version.

What you’ll need

  • Ground beef – I like to use extra lean ground beef, at least 90%
  • Onion – our kitchen prefers Vidalia (sweet) onions
  • Tomato paste – it’s an easy, economical way to get concentrated tomato flavor
  • Garlic powder and chili powder – our simple seasoning blend to infuse savory flavor, and they’re ingredients I always keep in my pantry
  • Elbow macaroni – the classic pasta shape for this
  • Beef broth – for a deeper, richer flavor to the sauce
  • Sharp cheddar cheese – my version of Hamburger Helper has no milk to make it that much easier, and the cheddar makes the dish creamy enough all on its own!
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (3)

Pro tip

One pot recipes can vary depending on your particular stove and ingredients, so if you seem to be running out of liquid with a lot of time still left, feel free to add in a bit more. Try 1/2 cup at a time.

How to make Hamburger Helper

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (4)

Start by browning the beef and onion in a large pot and draining any excess fat, then stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder. Add in the beef broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s boiling, stir in the uncooked macaroni.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (5)

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is soaked up. Grate the cheddar while it’s simmering away. Stir in the cheese, and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Substitutions and variations

  • Feel free to tweak seasonings to your tastes. You can always increase the chili powder, add some hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes, more garlic, and so on to make it perfect for your taste buds!
  • Some readers like to sneak in a bit of spinach. Just add it in near the end of the cooking time until it wilts. Finely chopped bell peppers would work great as well.
  • If you want to jazz it up, change up the cheese variety. Monterey Jack, smoked cheddar, etc. make some fun variations.
  • You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead if that’s more your thing.
  • If you want to use another pasta shape (e.g. shells), you may need to adjust liquid measurements and/or cooking time (this has only been tested with macaroni).

What to serve with Hamburger Helper

  • It’s definitely a meal in and of itself, but it would go great with a salad on the side. Try one with my Simple Homemade Ranch Dressing or Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing.
  • Making Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread at home is another fantastic pairing everyone will devour.
  • Want to serve it with some veggies? These Easy Roasted Green Beans are a cinch to make and caramelized to perfection.

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers of this Hamburger Helper will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container, but keep in mind that the pasta will continue to absorb the broth over time. It’ll still be tasty, though.
  • Reheat in a small saucepan over a low heat for best results, giving it the occasional stir, and warm it through. Add in a splash of beef broth to thin it if desired.
  • I don’t recommend freezing leftovers. Cooked pasta doesn’t have the same texture once thawed.

More family friendly recipes

  • Instant Pot Hamburger Mac and Cheese
  • Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe
  • Tater Tot Casserole
  • Easy Cheesy Taco Pasta
  • Cheeseburger Soup
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (6)

Let me know if you give this cheesy Hamburger Helper recipe a go!Questions? Made it? As always, I love it when you leave me comments.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (7)

4.90 from 296 votes

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

By Natasha Bull

This easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe has ground beef, macaroni, and a flavorful cheesy cheddar sauce! It's total comfort food that's inexpensive and ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the beef and onions to a soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the beef has browned (about 7-10 minutes), breaking the meat up with your spoon as you go along. If there's a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.

  • Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder.

  • Add in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Once it starts boiling, add in the macaroni.

  • Reduce the heat so it's not furiously boiling (a rapid simmer is good). I ended up cooking mine over medium heat. Let it cook uncovered until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 13-15 minutes). I stir it every couple of minutes.

  • While it's cooking, grate the cheese (this saves prep time at the start of the recipe).

  • Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt & pepper as needed. I let it sit for a couple minutes prior to serving (soaks up the sauce and flavors more), but you can serve it right away.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6 depending on the portion size.
  • As with any one pot meal, ingredients and stoves vary. If you’re running out of liquid (like it’s in danger of sticking and burning) when you still have a while to go before the pasta is done, feel free to add in more liquid, 1/2 cup at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 130mg, Sodium: 1106mg, Potassium: 624mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 640IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 437mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This recipe was originally published on January 17, 2020. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!

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Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (8)

Hi! I’m Natasha.

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676 Comments

  1. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (9)
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. This is one of our family favorites and we make it once a week with no problems. I haven’t had any issues with the noodle to liquid ratio (for other readers 🙂 )

    Reply

    1. I’m thrilled it’s a hit, Brittnie!! I’d love to beam into their kitchens and help them figure out what’s gone wrong… that is for sure!

      Reply

  2. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (10)
    Flavor is 5 stars! However, I was not looking for hamburger soup which is what it turned out to be. Wayyyyyyy too much water~

    Reply

    1. Hi. This is a very highly rated recipe where thousands readers have had a lot of success with it, and it’s definitely not meant to be a soup. Did you read the troubleshooting tips in the blog post? It sounds like you either added too much liquid or didn’t reduce it for long enough.

      Reply

    2. That happened too me too, I even added 4x the noodles to try to fix it and it was still soup

      Reply

      1. 4X the pasta? 4 cups of uncooked macaroni makes a LOT of pasta. I am having trouble wrapping my head around this. Was it regular pasta that releases starch or a speciality pasta that was gluten-free or something like that? I just had a thought – did you pre-cook the pasta and then add it to the pot? It is meant to be uncooked pasta in this recipe.

        Reply

  3. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (11)
    I tried this as an alternative to the box recipe. Excellent!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Leanna!

      Reply

  4. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (12)
    This has become a weekly staple on our house. We will never ever go back to the box hamburger helper after trying this one. SO EASY and not many ingredients! So delicious

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Kayla!! 😀 Glad it’s a regular in your recipe rotation!!

      Reply

    2. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (13)
      Great recipe!! I also added some oregano and heavy cream in the dish and it was fantastic!!

      Reply

      1. Yay!! Thank you, Marianna!

        Reply

  5. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (14)
    Love this dish, I use meat-free beef and broth and add mushrooms and fresh garlic, it’s delicious! Also love how much protein is packed in it. It’s become a staple in our household ☺️

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad it’s a favorite, Ashley!! 😀 Thanks for your review!

      Reply

  6. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (15)
    Super fast, easy and froze well!

    Reply

    1. That’s great to hear, Deb!!

      Reply

  7. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (16)
    This was quick, easy, and tasted like my childhood without any of the funky ingredients and preservatives that you find in the boxed version. Might try throwing in some bell peppers or mushrooms next time. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply

    1. That’s so nice to hear! You’re very welcome, Ash!!

      Reply

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use beef broth instead of water in Hamburger Helper? ›

Easy Hamburger Helper ingredients

Water: or you can use beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth to add extra flavor. Milk: adds to the creaminess along with the cheddar cheese. You could sub sour cream if you were feeling like experimenting in the kitchen.

What can I add to Hamburger Helper to make it better? ›

Here are some recommended swaps and add-ins you can try: Add a boost of veggies: feel free to throw in shredded zucchini, sauteed chopped red bell pepper, or mushrooms or a few cups of chopped spinach! My kids usually never know that it's in there. Spice it up: if you'd like you can add some red pepper flakes on top.

What spices to add to Hamburger Helper? ›

Spices and herbs: spices and herbs are the best way to improve the flavors of any dish. Add cumin, cayenne, paprika, or Italian herbs to the hamburger helper to make it taste better.

What was the original Hamburger Helper? ›

The brand made its national debut in August 1971. With five flavors – Beef Noodle, Potato Stroganoff, Hash, Rice Oriental and Chili Tomato, it was an instant success.

What happens if you use water instead of milk in Hamburger Helper? ›

Water: If you're looking for a simple substitute, water can be used in place of milk. While it won't provide the same creaminess, it will still work well in the recipe [2]. Shredded Cheese: Adding shredded cheese to your Hamburger Helper can help thicken the sauce and add extra flavor.

Is Hamburger Helper better with milk or water? ›

Since milk adds a creamy texture to the Hamburger Helper sauce, it or its substitutes are recommended as a major ingredient to flavorful Hamburger Helper meals.

What happens if you don't have enough milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

You can try using vegetable or chicken broth, which will add flavor and liquid to the recipe. Additionally, you could mix a small amount of sour cream or plain yogurt with water to achieve a creamy consistency without milk.

How do you thicken homemade Hamburger Helper? ›

The secret to keeping this recipe easy AND achieving maximum creaminess is to cook the noodles in the pan with the other ingredients (just like my Chili Mac and Cheese). As the pasta starches release, they thicken the Hamburger Helper sauce, making it ultra rich and creamy.

What should I season my Hamburger Helper meat with? ›

The best seasonings to use for Hamburger Helper are salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning.

How do you make Hamburger Helper taste less bland? ›

How do I make Hamburger Helper taste better? Originally Answered: How do I make a hamburger helper taste better? Add fresh vegetables to the dish. Brown the ground beef and saute some onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic on the side.

What seasoning does Gordon Ramsay use on burgers? ›

Season all sides of the patties generously. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mayo, Sriracha sauce and salt together. Set aside. Oil the meat well on both sides and place onto the medium heat side of the grill.

Can you add mayo to Hamburger Helper? ›

If necessary, uncover and cook, while stirring, an additional 1 to 3 minutes to desired consistency. ADD – Remove from heat. Stir in mayonnaise. *Use the desired amount of mayonnaise or omit it.

Can you add butter to Hamburger Helper? ›

Cooking Instructions

STIR – Stir in hot water, milk, butter, Sauce Mix and Pasta. Heat to boiling. SIMMER – Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.

Do you use water or milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

Since milk adds a creamy texture to the Hamburger Helper sauce, it or its substitutes are recommended as a major ingredient to flavorful Hamburger Helper meals. For best results, choose plant milk or a milk substitute that is sweet or savory, depending on the meal type.

How many cups of water and milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

Add 2 1/4 cups of milk and 2 2/3 cups of hot water to the pan, along with the pasta and seasoning mix from the Hamburger Helper package. Stir everything well and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

How much milk and water for Hamburger Helper? ›

Stovetop Ingredients:
  1. 1 lb. hamburger meat.
  2. ½ cup milk.
  3. 2-1/3 cups hot water.
  4. For topping: 1/3 cup milk.

Do you use water and milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

Water can be used as a substitute for milk in Hamburger Helper. Keep in mind that using water will result in a more basic flavor profile compared to using milk, as milk adds creaminess and richness. However, it can still produce a tasty and satisfying dish.

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