Skip the box! This Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe lets you DIY this comfort food favorite at home. This simple dinner is made with pantry staples and is ready in less than 30 minutes.
I’m a big fan of easy, one-skillet dinner recipes. This is the kind of easy dinner recipe that is great to have in your back pocket, especially for busy weeknights.
The great thing about how simple this recipe is is that if you can make Hamburger Helper with the box, you can make it from scratch.
This easy dinner is just browning ground beef, stirring in a few other ingredients, and letting it all cook! Plus it tastes so much better when you make it from scratch!
This hamburger helper recipe also makes a lot, and it reheats well for quick next-day leftovers.
How make homemade Hamburger Helper
Heat a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, and cook until browned.
Drain ground beef, and return to skillet. Stir in onion, and, stirring regularly, cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT cheese, and stir to combine. Bring to simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low. You want the mixture to simmer gently, not boil.
Cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed but mixture is still saucy. At this point, the pasta should be al dente. Stir in cheese.
Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired. Remove from heat, and serve.
Tips
- Ground beef: I like to use either 85% or 90% lean ground beef in this recipe. You could also use ground turkey or even ground chicken if you prefer.
- Pasta: You can use a similar type of pasta, but you may find that you need to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of pasta that you use.
- Broth: I like to use reduced-sodium broth in this recipe.
- Greek yogurt: If you prefer, you can use 2% or full-fat plain Greek yogurt, regular sour cream, and lite sour cream in this recipe.
- This recipe uses Greek yogurt (or sour cream) rather than milk. The yogurt adds just a bit of creaminess without thinning the sauce like milk would.
- Cheese: You can also use a similar cheese, such as mild cheddar or extra sharp cheddar.
- Dutch oven: If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use a similar, large pot (at least 5 quart) instead.
- In order to keep the pasta saucy, it’s important to keep it at a simmer. If you boil the pasta, you may end up with dry pasta.
- I sprinkled a little chopped fresh parsley over the pasta to brighten it up for the pictures. It isn’t necessary for the finished dish.
Storage
The leftovers will keep for up to 5 days when stored in a covered container in the fridge. The leftovers reheat well.
More ground beef dinner recipes!
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Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup finely diced yellow or white onion
- 16 ounces dry elbow macaroni pasta
- 3 cups beef or chicken broth
- 28 ounce can crushed tomato
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (plus extra for topping)
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add beef, and cook until browned.
- Drain ground beef, and return to skillet.
- Stir in onion, and, stirring regularly, cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT cheese, and stir to combine.
- Bring to simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low. You want the mixture to simmer gently, not boil.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed but mixture is still saucy. At this point, the pasta should be al dente.
- Stir in cheese.
- Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired.
- Remove from heat, and serve.
Notes
- Ground beef: I like to use either 85% or 90% lean ground beef in this recipe. You could also use ground turkey or even ground chicken if you prefer.
- Pasta: You can use a similar type of pasta, but you may find that you need to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of pasta that you use.
- Broth: I like to use reduced-sodium broth in this recipe.
- Greek yogurt: If you prefer, you can use 2% or full-fat plain Greek yogurt, regular sour cream, and lite sour cream in this recipe.
- This recipe uses Greek yogurt (or sour cream) rather than milk. The yogurt adds just a bit of creaminess without thinning the sauce like milk would.
- Cheese: You can also use a similar cheese, such as mild cheddar or extra sharp cheddar.
- Dutch oven: If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use a similar, large pot (at least 5 quart) instead.
- Cooking: In order to keep the pasta saucy, it's important to keep it at a simmer. If you boil the pasta, you may end up with dry pasta.
- I sprinkled a little chopped fresh parsley over the pasta to brighten it up for the pictures. It isn't necessary for the finished dish.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition Information
Originally published 5/28/18. Updated with new photos and additional tips 1/12/21.
Marge Baukema says
This looks so good. I can’t wait to cook it. Do you have something similar with chicken and noodles?
Kate says
Thank you so much! The closest recipe that I have to that would be my chicken spaghetti. =)
Emmy says
This was delicious! It really is better than the box, it was easy too. Thanks!
Kate says
Thank you! So glad you liked it. =) Thanks for commenting!