This Homemade Hamburger Helper is an easy, comforting meal that you can have on your table in 30 minutes. It’s made in one pot with ground beef, macaroni pasta and cheese.

Homemade hamburger helper in a pot.

When you need a simple, delicious dinner idea that the whole family will love, give this homemade hamburger helper a try! I often make it when I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen but I still want to cook a nourishing, from scratch meal for my family. Like many of my favorite ground beef recipes (like this Taco Recipe and this Sloppy Joe Recipe), this one pot dinner comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients.

You may have grown up eating hamburger helper made from the box mix, but today we’re making this classic comfort food from scratch. Not only does this homemade version taste better, it’s better for you, too. This homemade hamburger helper is cheesy, saucy and so flavorful, made with a savory blend of spices to enhance the tomato-based sauce.

Serving of homemade hamburger helper in a bowl.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for homemade hamburger helper recipe.
  • Olive Oil: I like to add a little olive oil to the pan when cooking the beef and onion.
  • Ground Beef: To put the “hamburger” in hamburger helper!
  • Onion: For flavor. I like to finely chop it so that there aren’t any large pieces of onion in the dish.
  • Tomato Paste: Adds richness and flavor to the sauce.
  • Seasonings: We’re using paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.
  • Beef Broth: Most of the broth will be absorbed by the pasta as it cooks and what’s left makes the sauce.
  • Elbow Macaroni: I haven’t tested this recipe with other pasta shapes, but an equal amount of other similarly-sized short pasta shapes, such as small shells, should work.
  • Cheddar Cheese: I recommend buying a block of cheese and grating it yourself. It will melt better and give you a better texture than pre-shredded cheese from the grocery store.

The Best Ground Beef for Hamburger Helper

This is best made with 80 or 85% lean ground beef. I tested this recipe with 93% lean beef and it wasn’t nearly as good. Just like when you make Meatballs, you need some fat for flavor! Even if you drain off some of the excess grease, the higher fat beef still makes the dish more flavorful in the end.

How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper

Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. Find the full printable recipe with measurements below.

Cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned and the onion is soft.

Tomato paste and seasonings added to pot.

Stir in the tomato paste and seasonings. Then stir in the broth and finally, the uncooked pasta.

Broth and elbow macaroni pasta added to pot.

Bring the pot to a simmer. Cover it and simmer until the pasta is cooked, stirring occasionally.

Finally, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Then serve and enjoy!

Stirring shredded cheddar cheese into pot.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

  • While the hamburger helper simmers in the pot, stir it often to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • It will still look somewhat brothy/saucy once the pasta is cooked. Hamburger helper is the most delicious when it’s saucy, not dry.
  • To lighten it up, you can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef. If you do, swap the beef broth for chicken broth.
  • You can add extra vegetables to the dish to boost the nutrition. Sauté finely chopped carrot, bell pepper or celery in the pot before browning the beef, or stir in frozen peas or chopped fresh spinach during the last few minutes of cook time.
  • For less rich, beefy flavor, substitute half of the beef broth with water.
  • Make it creamy by substituting 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the broth with whole milk. Or, stir in a little heavy cream (I’d suggest 1/4 to 1/2 cup) after the pasta is cooked.

What to Serve with Homemade Hamburger Helper

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in short intervals in the microwave, stirring in between each interval.

Hamburger helper recipe in a pot with a wooden spoon.

More Favorite Ground Beef Recipes

Homemade hamburger helper in a pot.
5 from 1 rating

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Servings: 5 servings
Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This homemade hamburger helper is cheesy, saucy and flavorful, made with ground beef, pasta and a delicious mix of seasonings. It's a family-friendly one pot meal that's perfect for busy days!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef*
  • 1 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni pasta, uncooked, 8 ounces by weight
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, large skillet or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, crumbling the beef, until beef is browned. Drain excess grease as needed.
  • Add the tomato paste, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir. Then stir in the beef broth.
  • Stir in the pasta. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to keep the pot at a moderate simmer and cover the pot. Cook, stirring every few minutes to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until pasta is cooked through, about 9-12 minutes. It will still be a bit brothy/saucy.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Serve.

Notes

  • I recommend using 80 or 85% lean ground beef. The extra fat will make a more flavorful homemade hamburger helper than 93% lean ground beef.
  • You can add extra vegetables to the dish to boost the nutrition. Sauté finely chopped carrot, bell pepper or celery in the pot before browning the beef, or stir in frozen peas or chopped fresh spinach during the last few minutes of cook time.
  • For less rich, beefy flavor, substitute half of the beef broth with water.
  • Make it creamy by substituting 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the broth with whole milk.
Calories: 600kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 1049mg, Potassium: 986mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1011IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 363mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
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