Description
This Homemade Hamburger Helper is a quick and comforting one-pot meal featuring browned ground beef, savory spices, tender elbow macaroni, and melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a family-friendly dinner that mimics the classic boxed version but with wholesome, fresh ingredients and customizable options.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (80-85% lean)
- 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 the Beef: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, large skillet, or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Cook while crumbling the beef, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease as needed to reduce fat.
- Add Spices and Broth: Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Then pour in the low sodium beef broth and stir thoroughly to combine all the flavors.
- Cook Pasta in Broth: Add the uncooked elbow macaroni pasta to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to maintain a moderate simmer. Cover the pot and cook, stirring every few minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking, for about 12 minutes or until the pasta is tender and cooked through. The sauce will remain slightly brothy.
- Incorporate Cheese and Serve: Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and creamy. Serve hot and enjoy your homemade, flavorful meal.
Notes
- Use 80-85% lean ground beef for the best flavor and juiciness; leaner beef tends to be drier and less flavorful.
- Add extra vegetables like finely chopped carrot, bell pepper, or celery before browning the beef to boost nutrition. Alternatively, stir in frozen peas or fresh spinach near the end of cooking.
- For a milder beef flavor, substitute half the beef broth with water.
- Make the dish creamier by replacing 1 to 1 ½ cups of beef broth with whole milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
