Homemade Hamburger Helper
A creamy, cheesy one-pot pasta dish made from scratch, perfect for a quick and budget-friendly weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and chopped onion over medium-high heat until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir in the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and milk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- For a milder flavor, omit the red pepper flakes.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef.
- Add a handful of frozen peas or corn in the last 5 minutes of simmering for added vegetables.
- This recipe is a great base for customization. Feel free to add your favorite seasonings or vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg