Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper
Homemade Hamburger Helper is all of the simpleness and ease of the stuff in the box, without the box! This dish is a creamy, cheesy, pasta and hamburger recipe that’s super fast to make.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 ½ cup chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups medium shell pasta (8 ounces)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet or high sided saute pan add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and no longer pink, breaking it into pieces with a spoon as it cooks.
- When the beef is cooked through, add the cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Add the pasta and stir to combine. Bring the pan back up to a boil and reduce the heat so that it’s simmering steadily but not boiling hard.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the pasta is cooked al dente, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
- When the pasta is cooked through remove the lid and stir in the heavy cream.
- Add the cheese and stir to combine until the cheese melts. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from the pan and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Serve right away while still hot.
Notes
- You can use canned evaporated milk in a pinch when if you don't have heavy cream on hand.
- Letting the ground beef brown on one side before stirring it will give your hamburger helper more flavor.
- A good quality broth adds a lot of nice flavor to this dish. Make your own or buy a quality chicken stock for this recipe.
- Check on your pasta around around the 10-minute mark for doneness because you don’t want to let it get too soft.
- If your pasta isn’t fully cooked, add a few tablespoons of water at a time, while you continue to cook it, until the correct consistency is reached.
- Don’t be afraid to add some more salt to this recipe, especially if it’s tasting bland. The boxed version usually has a lot of sodium in it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 6 servings | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 898mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1130IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 314mg | Iron: 3mg
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