Description
Homemade Hamburger Helper is a comforting, easy-to-make one-pot meal featuring browned ground beef, savory spices, tender elbow macaroni, and melted cheddar cheese. This copycat version is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner packed with flavor and customizable to your taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (80 or 85% lean recommended)
- 1 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni pasta, uncooked (8 ounces by weight)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil and brown beef: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, large skillet, or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion, crumble the beef while cooking, and cook until beef is browned. Drain excess grease as needed.
- Add spices and broth: Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until combined. Pour in the beef broth and mix well.
- Cook the pasta: Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a moderate simmer. Cover the pot and cook, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender, about 12 minutes. The sauce will still be slightly brothy.
- Add cheese and serve: Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and combined. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use 80 or 85% lean ground beef for richer flavor compared to leaner options.
- Add extra vegetables like finely chopped carrots, bell peppers, or celery by sautéing them before browning the beef, or stir in frozen peas or fresh spinach near the end.
- For a lighter beef flavor, substitute half of the beef broth with water.
- Make the dish creamy by replacing 1 to 1 ½ cups of broth with whole milk.
