Homemade Hamburger Helper
My Homemade Hamburger Helper is easy to make, requires no fancy ingredients, ready in 30 minutes, and is a meal the whole family will love.
We also love this Creamy Taco Soup and Homemade Sloppy Joes for quick and easy meals!
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and some success tips.
One reader, Anna says “I’ve made this recipe numerous times. We absolutely love it. My twist is adding a splash of Worcestershire sauce.”
Another reader, Rob says “Whole family loved this meal. It was so quick and easy to make and even my fussiest eater cleared his plate!”
Substitutions and Variations for Making Hamburger Helper
Feel free to add in extra vegetables! Grated zucchini, grated carrot, peas, spinach, and fresh tomatoes are all great options for this hamburger helper recipe.
Change up the flavor using different spices or add more. Also, if you don’t like some of the spices listed in the ingredients, feel free to leave them out.
Don’t like cheddar cheese? No problem — this recipe works great with Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or any easy-to-melt cheese.
Readers have used other shapes of pasta without needing to change the liquids.
This recipe also works great with ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. One reader even used lentils for a unique plant-based hamburger helper homemade version.
Brief Overview on How to Make Hamburger Helper
I love how simple and easy it is to make hamburger helper! When browning ground beef, I like to add the seasonings to help awaken their flavor.
However, if you have really fatty beef, I suggest waiting until you drain off the grease before adding in the seasonings so you don’t pour off all those delicious herbs and spices.
Be sure to brown the ground beef really well because this will also add more flavor to the meat and overall dish. It caramelizes the meat and makes it so delicious!
PRO TIP: After you stir in the pasta and let it simmer if the liquid is evaporating too quickly, feel free to add more as needed.
FAQs
No, it is not recommended to freeze this dish as the pasta gets too mushy.
While this tastes best fresh, reheat on the stovetop and add a little broth. Reheat over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. You can also reheat this in a microwave if preferred.
A traditional homemade hamburger helper recipe will call for ground beef, but as you discovered above, that’s not the only option! You could also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a plant-based protein like lentils.
Serving Suggestions:
My homemade hamburger helper recipe is a great stand alone dish, especially if you have added in extra vegetables. However, it is great with a simple side salad and these Buttermilk Biscuits too!
I have also served it with these Simple Roasted Green Beans which are one of my kid’s favorite vegetables.
And if you are looking for something sweet to add alongside this retro dish, this Creamy Key Lime Fruit Salad is perfect.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500g) lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch to ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1½ cups (355ml) milk
- 1½ cups (355ml) beef broth
- 2 cups (260g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 (8oz) (227g) can tomato sauce
- 2 cups (225g) shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground beef, onion, paprika, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne powder, salt and pepper. If using a ground beef with a higher fat content add in the seasonings after draining the grease.1 pound (500g) lean ground beef, 1 small onion, finely chopped, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, pinch to ½ teaspoon cayenne powder, salt and pepper to taste
- Stir in the milk, broth, macaroni and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.1½ cups (355ml) milk, 1½ cups (355ml) beef broth, 2 cups (260g) elbow macaroni, uncooked, 1 (8oz) (227g) can tomato sauce
- Stir in cheddar cheese until melted.2 cups (225g) shredded cheddar cheese
Video
Notes
- If using whole wheat elbow pasta you may need to add more liquid while cooking.
- STORAGE: Store cooled hamburger helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Nutrition Facts: Nutrition is calculated for the entire batch. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate. This website is not intended as nutritional advice, or a diet or health plan. Readers of this website are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to their health.
This is absolutely helpful and just makes my cooking a lot easier, thank you!
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate it!
Made this gluten-free for my guys and it worked well. Added an extra half cup of GF elbow noodles since they aren’t as big as regular wheat noodles. Lots of possibilities for spices too.
So glad you liked it!! And thank you so much for sharing your changes!!
I made this as a quick dinner tonight after a late grocery trip. Didn’t have tomato sauce so used about half as much tomato paste…. This was very good and everyone ate it up!
Thank you very much!!
Would spaghetti sauce work as a replacement for tomato sauce?
Sure! It will add a little different flavor but it will still be good.
Whole family loved it!
YAY! Thanks for sharing!
Great fast flavourful recipe;
Thanks!
Delicious, This dish was PERFECT for a warm & comforting dinner with ingredients I already had in my pantry! Thank you so much!
Thank you very much!! So glad you liked it!
This is probably one of my kid’s favorite meals.
Thank you very much! It’s one of my kid’s favorite meals too!
Pretty good! I didn’t have liquid beef broth so I just used a hefty spoon of the beef base. Later (after a few minutes) I forgot about the base and added a healthy does of salt, lol! Needless to say it was well salted but next time I’ll be more cognizant and it should be perfect. Fast and easy.
Lol, I am glad you still enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!!
Great fast flavourful recipe; ty! Only changes were using chopped onion and minced garlic for the powders.
Thank you so much Sam!! I am so glad you liked it and thanks for sharing!
This was a little bland. I added more spices plus a can of fire roasted tomatoes, chopped up green pepper and celery for a boost
Sorry this wasn’t how you hoped it would be. But thank you for sharing!
Simply fantastic and one of my favorite new additions to my cooking rotation. Leftovers freeze well also.
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you liked it and thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy that I found your recipe! I modified for vegetarians by subbing with Beyond Meat hot links and veg broth. Brought back fond memories of my latch key childhood days too. Can you do a Rice-A-Roni recipe too? 😉
I am so happy you liked it and that it brought back memories for you! Also, thanks for sharing your substitutions!! I will try some rice-a-roni recipes! Thanks for the suggestion!
Yum! This satisfies my craving for hamburger Mac and cheese! Sometimes I’ll add chopped onions instead of powder or spring onions at the end for some extra color.
That’s wonderful! And thank you for sharing your substitutions!! So glad you liked it!
I have dairy allergies so I substituted the milk with hemp milk, real cheddar cheese with dairy free cream cheese and Parmesan cheese! So delish and such a smooth texture!
Thank you so much for sharing your substitutions!! I really appreciate it and so glad you liked it!
Spot on! Loved it!
Thank you!! So glad you liked it!
This is DELICIOUS! A family favorite for sure!
Thank you so much!! So glad you liked it!!
Growing up, my mom never brought home and made boxed hamburger helper but the commercials made them look so good and I always wanted to try it. Once I started getting my own groceries I finally tried it out and it was such a disappointment! Some weird funky aftertaste in the cheese sauce, I can still remember how off putting it was 20 years later. Anyway, glad I used this recipe. I FINALLY fulfilled that childhood craving.
I looked through a few home hamburger helper recipes and ultimately chose this one because I had a can of tomato sauce and some milk on hand (other recipes generally called for tomato paste, some without milk). Did not have cayenne nor parsley, accidentally dumped a lot of paprika, used fresh minced garlic (I love garlic, so 4 cloves), and chopped up some fresh tomato and basil to throw in at the end. Otherwise, used the same measurements and this was really delicious and easy!
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment Diane!! So glad you liked it and fulfilled your childhood craving!!
Can this be frozen for later?
I haven’t froze this particular dish but if you do I recommend cooking the pasta just until al dente and no longer. Cool completely then freeze in a freezer safe container.
My family loved this! My husband asked me to save the recipe so it must be a good one!!
Lol! Thank you so much Kelsey!! So glad you liked it!!
Just made this, and it’s scrumptious! Will be a go-to for me 🙂
Thank you so much!! So glad you liked it!