Homemade hamburger helper is a from-scratch version of the classic boxed meal. Beef and macaroni come together in a cheesy and flavorful seasoned sauce - all you need is a single pan and thirty minutes!
Looking for a nostalgic comfort food meal? If you grew up on hamburger helper, you'll love this homemade version that's made entirely from scratch.
Macaroni and ground beef are coated in a cheesy, creamy, seasoned sauce. The best part? This skillet meal is ready in 30 minutes or less and comes together in a single sauté pan.
Love one pan pasta meals? Try my ground beef stroganoff or chicken bacon ranch pasta next. They're perfect for quick weeknight meals!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Beef broth - Can be substituted with vegetable broth or chicken broth if needed, but this will change the flavor slightly.
- Milk - I recommend whole milk for best flavor and a creamy, thick sauce. However, lower fat milks will work in a pinch (sauce will turn out thinner).
- Macaroni - Can be substituted with any medium sized pasta. Shells are a great alternative.
- Canned crushed tomatoes - Can be substituted with tomato sauce if you don't want tomato chunks in your recipe.
- Ground beef - Could be substituted with your favorite ground meat, like ground turkey or ground bison.
- Onions - Add flavor to the dish. I don't recommend omitting them.
- Seasoning - Chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, pepper, and salt add savory flavor to the dish. We're adding a bit less salt than usual due to the addition of beef broth. If you're using a low sodium broth, you may want to add an extra pinch of salt.
- Cheese - I highly recommend using freshly grated cheese from a block for best consistency and even melting. Cheddar cheese or monterey jack are my favorites in this recipe.
Tips and tricks
If you've never made a homemade skillet meal before, here are a few tips for success.
Food sticking? - Add a bit of liquid and turn the heat down - your stove is too hot. Stoves all run at slightly different temperatures, even if they're turned to the same setting.
Sauce look thin? If your sauce looks thin when you're done cooking, allow the pan to sit uncovered for 5 minutes. The pasta continues to absorb liquid as it stands.
Properly measure liquids and pasta - Everything is cooked in a single pan, so you'll need an exact amount of liquid to cook your pasta. Improper measuring can lead to a runny sauce.
Shredded cheese - Use fresh shredded cheese (ex: cheese grated from a block) instead of pre-shredded cheese in a bag. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-clumping powder that can make your sauce grainy as it melts.
Frequently asked questions
There are no thickening agents in this recipe (like flour or cornstarch). Instead, we're using the starches released from the pasta to thicken the sauce naturally. As long as the pasta and liquids are measured exactly, you'll have just enough liquid to cook your pasta and create a sauce. If your sauce looks thin, remove the finished dish from the heat and allow it to set, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Your sauce will continue to thicken as it stands.
Yes. If you'd like to make this recipe without ground meat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan to cook the onion, then continue with the recipe as written. Ground meat could also be substituted with a can of rinsed and drained black beans or kidney beans for some extra bulk.
Leftover hamburger helper will keep for 4 to 5 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave.
This skillet meal is saucy and cheesy, so it's great served with some crusty bread, garlic bread, or cheese stuffed biscuits.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces beef broth
- 8 ounces whole milk
- 8 ounces macaroni, uncooked
- 14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Crumble ground beef into pan and add onion. Cook until beef is browned. Drain excess grease from pan if needed.
- Add paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, salt, beef broth, milk, crushed tomatoes, and macaroni. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 8 minutes, or until macaroni is al dente (refer to macaroni package directions). Stir once halfway through to prevent sticking.
- Remove lid. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and allow to set for 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Serve and enjoy.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Freshly shredded cheese is highly recommended for this recipe. Packaged, pre-shredded cheese often contains powder coating the cheese to prevent clumping. This can cause your sauce to become gritty.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator and reheated for 4 to 5 days.
Tasted really good! I salted mine at the end and next I will try sharp cheddar instead of mild.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Kathy!
Flavor was good but it was super runny. Maybe next time add some flour to the beef and extra noodles 😉
Hi Tanya, this recipe has been adjusted to call for less broth now, so this should no longer be an issue. Glad to hear you enjoyed the flavor!
I'm making this exactly the way your recipe calls and it smells soooo good,be back with end results,thank you
omg i made this at leasty 5 times now because we love it,what is really funny to me is a person in your comments asked if they could make this without meat in it,why? that would be just mac and cheese,lmao now thats funny
Husband loved it. Only had stewed tomatoes (28oz juice and all.) and threw in leftover cooked bell peppers. Added 4oz. of Velveeta cheese because I used packed shredded cheddar. Made a very large skillet - 13"? Will make again. Thanks for sharing. Loved the spices!
Okay I followed directions exactly and mine looks like chili w cheese. Very soupy and did exactly as directions said
mine came out soupy as well but let it sit and cool just a little ,it will thicken up,or just add less tomatoes and juice and more cheese
This recipe has been adjusted to call for less broth, so this should no longer be an issue. I recommend allowing the pasta to rest after cooking because it thickens up substantially during that time.
I’m searching for a cheeseburger Mac recipe I used to make — this recipe seems so close, except mine called for cream cheese as well. Can cream cheese be added along with the cheddar cheese In this recipe?
Hi Rachel, cream cheese should work in this recipe. I'd recommend maybe replacing half of the shredded cheese with 4 ounces of cream cheese.
Brings me back when hamburger helper was a weekly staple in my house. Thanks for sharing!