Homemade Hamburger Helper

Looking for an easy one pot comfort meal that the entire family can enjoy? This baby and kid-friendly homemade hamburger helper is made with ground beef, veggies, and staple pantry items and guaranteed to be on the table in 30 minutes or less! 

Protein packed. Iron-rich. Healthy fats. Vegetables. Carbs. This ONE POT meal has it all!

Thanks to Cabot Creamery for sponsoring this post. I only work with companies that I love and believe in. All opinions are my own.

Cooked macaroni + cheese. Simple. Delicious. Throw in some ground beef, spices, and veggies and it becomes one hearty, irresistible comfort meal! Cheeseburger macaroni is one of my favorite childhood foods. 

Now if you’ve stocked up on boxed mac and cheese during these unprecedented times, by all means, enjoy them to the fullest with your family! If you have some frozen or canned veggies, throw some in there too! 

But if you want to try making a homemade version, this recipe includes common pantry items that you probably have on hand.

Ingredients

• Ground beef: you can certainly use chicken or turkey. If you want to make this vegetarian, I suggest adding a 15 ounce can of no-salt-added beans along with the vegetables.
• Mushrooms: white or crimini will work best.
• Green bell peppers: feel free to use whatever vegetable(s) you have on hand. Zucchini, carrots, peas, broccoli…
• Elbow macaroni: I have a very strong opinion that this childhood classic is best with this type of pasta. It just soaks up all the flavors so well. Other alternatives I suggest are rotini or fusili. 
• Cheese: it deserves its own section!

What Type of Cheese and How Much?

Let’s talk about cheese for a minute because it is a very important ingredient in this dish. It makes the dish melty, gooey, and rich, and because there’s no added salt in this baby-friendly recipe, it will add a nice sharp, salty bite for the rest of the family.

For years, our go-to cheese has been Cabot Creamery. There are sooo many varieties to choose from and each one has such distinct and delightful flavor and texture. And their cheddar cheese is 100% lactose-free.

I also love and admire this company for their structure. Cabot is a co-operative owned by farm families in New England and New York with 100% of their profits going back to the farmers. What an incredible community! 

I’m particularly fond of their block cheese, especially the Alpine cheddar cheese, but pre-shredded is so convenient to have around especially when you have a restless toddler by your side 24/7.

I’ve tried this recipe with both Rustic Pizza and Mac and Cheese, and I can’t say that I have a favorite. They’re all so scrumptious in their own distinct way. 

Step By Step Instructions

1. Brown beef and drain off any excess fat. 
2. Add veggies and flavorings. If you have a picky eater, try adding some of the vegetables that they’re learning to enjoy. I have a feeling when it’s combined with this beefy cheesy sauce (and pasta!), they just might give them some love! 
3. Stir in the liquids and the macaroni and bring the pot to a boil. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the brown bits to dissolve into the sauce. That’s flavor! 
4. After simmering for 10-12 minutes, stir in the cheese.
5. Dig in!

Serving Tips for Babies

Pasta is such a wonderful vehicle for getting lots of essential nutrients into your baby. For younger babies who haven’t quite developed their pincer grasp yet, I suggest using larger pasta shapes like fusili or penne to make it easier for them to grab and bring to mouth.

How much cheese should you add?

If the youngest member of your family is a baby, I would set aside a portion for them (they CAN have a little bit of cheese so you can add some if you wish, just not too much). The reason being, babies’ kidneys are not mature enough to handle excess sodium. You can read more about this in greater detail here. 

Add as much cheese as you want for the rest of the family. I’ve found that 2 cups seems to be the sweet spot. 

Storage Suggestions

Fridge: transfer to a closed container for 3-5 days.

Freezer: I recommend not adding the cheese if you know you’re going to freeze all or some (e.g. add cheese to 1/2 of the dish). Fresh cheese is ALWAYS best! Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Will keep for up to 3 months.

Here’s everything you need to know to safely store leftovers!

Other one pot healthy baby/toddler meal ideas

• Healthy Family Pantry Meals
• Korean beef and broccoli quinoa
• Instant Pot Korean chicken and potatoes
• Cheesy Vegetarian Orzo Primavera
• Kid Friendly One Pot Meals e-cookbook – contains 27 recipes