This easy, cheesy homemade hamburger helper recipe is a one-pot meal ready in just 30 minutes! Every bite features tender pasta and savory ground beef smothered in a rich, creamy tomato and cheese sauce. This homemade version brings all the nostalgic flavors of the boxed kind, but with a richer, fresher taste!
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Why I Love This Cheesy Comfort Food
Jorge and I have very fond memories of hamburger helper, as the boxed kind was one of our staple dinners in our early days. We quickly figured out we could make it taste so much better from scratch and have made it this way ever since! Here’s why we think you will love this easy recipe too:
- So Creamy: Made fresh with heavy cream and real cheddar cheese, the lusciously creamy homemade cheese sauce is what sets this hamburger helper recipe apart.
- Quick and Easy: Just like the boxed version, everything is cooked together in a single skillet and ready in 30 minutes. Yay for easy cleanup!
- Affordable: This budget friendly recipe utilizes pantry staples and affordable ingredients to keep it easy on your wallet.
- Hearty: This is one of those great stick-to-your-ribs dinner that is so good everyone wants seconds. My kids are always fighting over the last bite!
Prefer to use your instant pot? Check out my instant pot hamburger helper! You may also love my copycat hamburger helper stroganoff recipe!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this homemade hamburger helper recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Ground Beef: I prefer lean ground beef, but any ground meat, like ground turkey or chicken, will work! If you use a fattier cut, drain any excess grease.
- All Purpose Flour: See the ‘Cook’s Notes’ section below for a gluten free option.
- Small Pasta Shells: This recipe also works well with elbow macaroni noodles. Just make sure to use a small bite-sized pasta for the best pasta to sauce ratio.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream will give you the creamiest results, however you can use half and half or even evaporated milk.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: For best results, I recommend using freshly shredded cheese versus the bagged pre-shredded cheese. The bagged cheese has anti-caking agents on it that will thicken the sauce more than desired. If you do use it, you may want to add a little extra cream or broth to thin out the sauce!
How to Make Hamburger Helper
This homemade version is ready in just a few quick steps! Have all your ingredients out and ready to go as this dish moves fast. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Beef: Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Set cooked ground beef aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of grease in the skillet.
- Sauté: Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
- Roux: Add the flour and stir to cook for about 1 minute to make the roux for the cheese sauce. Slowly stir in the beef broth and bring to a boil.
- Pasta: Add the tomato sauce, seasonings, and pasta, stirring to combine. Place the lid on top and simmer for 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
- Cream: Add in the cream and cheese and stir until all the cheese is melted.
- Add Beef: Add the ground beef back in and cook for 5 minutes until warmed through.
- Enjoy: Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately!
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Gluten Free: Use your favorite gluten free pasta and swap the flour for cornstarch. Most gluten free pasta needs a little longer to cook with a little extra broth, so keep this in mind. Once the pasta is cooked, whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch into 1 tablespoon of water and stir it into the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, until thickened and continue on with the recipe.
- Make Double: Feeding a crowd or large family? Use a large deep sided pot (like a Dutch oven) to double, or even triple, this hamburger helper recipe.
- Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce for mild heat, or cayenne pepper for a good punch of heat. I also make a Tex-Mex version with an added can of the hot version of Rotel!
- Different Cheeses: While cheddar cheese is traditional, sometimes I like to switch it up and use smoked gouda or white cheddar!
- Sour Cream: Many readers have commented that you can stir in a 1/2 cup of sour cream at the end, right before serving, for an even creamier sauce!
What to Serve with Hamburger Helper?
This hearty cheeseburger hamburger helper recipe doesn’t require sides, it’s filling enough on it’s own! However, I like to serve it with a side salad, like my favorite Greek salad or refreshing cucumber tomato salad. To get some extra greens in, these sautéed green beans or sautéed Brussel sprouts are great on the side. Don’t forget a slice of garlic bread, or some homemade garlic knots, to soak up the sauce!
Depending on the type of noodles, your skillet, and how high you turn up the heat, you may need to add a little extra broth. If your noodles are not cooked through and you’re running out of liquid, add an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup broth as needed.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef, or ground turkey
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, or chicken broth
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz small pasta shells, or small elbow pasta (Keep in mind 8 oz is half of a normal 1lb box of pasta.)
- ½ cup heavy cream, or half and half
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
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Instructions
- In a large sauté pan with a lid, brown the ground beef over medium high heat. Remove cooked ground beef from pan and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of grease in the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir to cook for about 1 minute, slowly stir in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and pasta, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover with lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the cream and cheese and stir until all the cheese melted. Add back in ground beef, cook for 2 to 3 minutes more to re-heat ground beef and serve immediately!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Categories:
Test Kitchen Review
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Super good! The only thing I suggest that I will change the next time I make this recipe is to not put as much cheese. But this was a big hit in my household!
Just finished making this and tasted right out of the pan. Sooo good! I followed the recipe with same ingredients just adjusted because I had 1.68lbs of ground beef so just added a little extra of the seasoning. Added some green bell pepper and added the red pepper flakes for a little heat. Made with protein pasta too. Fiancé is getting home and I know he is going to love it!
What is the serving size of this recipe?
Hi Brooke! This recipe serves 4 people. 🙂
This is SOOOOOO good! This is my go to for this kind of meal. Me being italian I double some things like tomato sauce n pasta and I adjust the seasonings accordingly. YUM
Can I use already made noodles?
Yes, but you will need to cut back on the broth added to just a couple of tablespoons and you will need to cook and thicken the sauce before adding your noodles. When cooking the noodles in the sauce, it absorbs a lot of the liquid and makes the sauce thicken. Hope this helps!
This was an awesome recipe! Will definitely be making it more! After a long day at the softball field, this was an easy dinner that was a hit with the kids! Thank you!
Great recipe thanks for sharing
Currently eating a bowl of this right now and it’s SOOOOO GOOD! Quick and easy so that’s a plus. The smoked paprika makes it just perfect. It’s what I always wanted the box version to be.
Just wanted to say I’ve been making this since the recipe was posted, and my kids love it. Great way to use up random pastas, super easy to double or triple and everyone is always happy to see for dinner. I don’t even bother to set the meat to the side. I do it all in one pot and turns out great every time. A simple, no fail recipe that kids and teens love. Thanks for this ☺️
My picky eaters loved this recipe! It will definitely be in our rotation. Thank you!
Wow was this good! I used elbow macaroni and added about a cup more water because I had the heat a bit too high in the beginning. This is definitely going in my rotation!
I currently have leftover beef stock in my fridge from when I cooked something else. Can I use beef stock instead of the broth?
Absolutely!
I just made this and with one bite, it became my picky eaters go-to food!
It’s so good! All 3 of my kids loved it!
I cook burger and veggies together, drain most of fat, and proceed with recipe, leaving meat and veggies in pan. Saves a lot of time.
For those having issues with flour, make sure you have the 2 tablespoons fat in pan before adding flour; you need the grease to cook flour and prevent sticking and burning. This is how you make a roux.
This was surprisingly very good and quite similar tasting to the boxed version. I had my doubts when I saw onions and tomato sauce on the list of ingredients, but the finished product was delicious. I did sub sour cream as someone else suggested since I did not have any heavy cream on hand. I’m thrilled that I can make this homemade version without all the mystery additives found in the boxed mix. Thank you!
Was at the end of making this and dropped the half and half, substituted some sour cream and it was amazing. Made it a 2nd time with half and half, the family prefers it with sour cream.
Do you have any recommendations for how to make this ahead and stick in the freezer? My family loves this meal and I’m going to be having a baby soon. I love to have this meal prepped and ready for those newborn days.
Hi Amanda! First off, congratulations! Sadly this recipe does not freeze well, the sauce can separate once you thaw it and the noodles usually become too mushy. I wish I had better news for you. Good luck with your delivery and recovery!
A Keeper! Every time I make this I think why don’t I make it more often because everyone in my family likes it and eats it with no complaints which is rare! So not only is it delicious and hearty but it’s simple to make and only dirties one dish…win-win!
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have tomato sauce on hand, so I used a can of tomato soup. It definitely made it a bit thicker but the flavor was not sacrificed. We will be adding this to our dinner rotation. So simple and yummy
This was very good! I had everything on hand to prepare. Thanks for a one-skillet weeknight meal idea!
We love this recipe. To cut down on fat I use almond milk instead of cream and if needs thickened, I use potato starch. It works just as well as corn starch and adds that prebiotic component.
I make this often.