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This hamburger helper is the perfect meal that the whole family can enjoy. Made with ground beef, veggies, and pantry staples, it is oh so hearty, comforting, and guaranteed to be on your table in 30 minutes or less!
What is hamburger helper?
It’s basically elbow macaroni cooked in tomato meat sauce. What’s confusing is that there are so many names for this classic combination – Beefaroni, American goulash, cheeseburger macaroni, chili mac, hamburger helper…
Regardless of what you want to call it, one thing is for certain. It is a dish that will give you a hug with each bite.
And I can understand why it’s a childhood favorite for so many. It certainly takes me back to my childhood when I first moved to the States from Korea. My mom bought a can of Chef Boyardee, and my sister and I couldn’t eat it fast enough.
This homemade hamburger helper recipe is an upgraded version that tastes so much better than the canned stuff. Much much better!
And it doesn’t take much effort. Just dump, stir, and simmer! Simply perfect for those busy weeknights, just like all of these easy family meals!
I’ve been making this hearty meal for my kids ever since they were 8 months or so, and it continues to be one of our favorite comfort foods!
And it’s a slam dunk meal that, I have a feeling, will hold a special place in their hearts. They literally ask for it at least twice a month.
All this to say, make this ASAP!
Want to switch things up? Try making a hamburger bowl! It’s a fun, customizable twist on the classic meal that everyone in the family will love. Or go the cozy route with a veggie mac and cheese made with sweet potato and cauliflower—just as comforting, but with a healthy veggie boost built right in.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Lean ground beef: I recommend using 85-90% lean beef for best flavor. We personally love and trust ButcherBox’s commitment to delivering high-quality grass-fed, grass-finished beef straight to our door. You can certainly use ground turkey or chicken. 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...
- Beef broth – You can use chicken broth BUT I highly recommend using beef broth for this as it imparts bolder, more savory flavor.
- 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’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
- In a large pot, brown ground beef and drain off any excess fat.
- 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!
- 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!
- After simmering for 10-12 minutes, stir in the cheese.
- Dig in!
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, a big bowl of beefaroni is all you need for a well-balanced meal. That’s how we roll, but if you want to include an easy side, here are some suggestions:
- Roasted frozen broccoli
- Carrots
- Frozen green beans
- Frozen brussels sprouts
- Sweet potatoes
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini
- Healthy cornbread
- Cheesy garlic bread
- Simple side salad
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.
Is your baby 6 months old and up?
Learn all the secrets to starting solids safely while optimizing nutrition!
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). Here is more information about sodium for babies.
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 leftover beefaroni to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator 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). 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!
More one pot meals
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (cremini or white button mushrooms)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth
- 15 ounce tomato sauce
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded Cabot cheddar cheese (adjust amount to your liking)
Instructions
- Brown beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the vegetables. Give it a good stir. Add in tomato paste and seasonings and cook for 5 minutes or so until everything gets well incorporated. Stir frequently.
- Stir in the broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, making sure to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta, cover the pot, reduce heat and simmer. Cook 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally. At this point, set aside a portion for baby.
- Stir in cheese. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Notes
- The nutrition facts for sodium doesn’t include cheese.
- If you would like to make this creamier, replace 1 cup of broth with milk of your choice.
- 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.
- Will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Wonderful! So easy and delicious. I used pre-cooked penne (because I had a lot of it to use up) so I didn’t end up adding a lot of broth but it still tasted great in the end. Also used a red pepper instead of green, because that is what I had. Would like to try adding carrots next time. The whole family enjoyed this!
I just made this and it’s utterly delicious!! I can’t believe how much veggies I can pack into it without it looking like just a pile of veggies. My oldest is having a battle with mushrooms right now but I know he’s going to gobble this up. Thank you so much for your healthy recipes!
So good right?! You’re welcome!
Thank you so much! It’s the first time in months I’ve been able to get vegetables in my 3 year old. He’s starting to lose weight so I’m trying to figure out ways to get him to eat more and he is extremely picky and actually ate a few bites of this meal.
Oh I’m doing the happy dance with you!
I’ve made this recipe countless times now, and it’s always a hit! Thanks for sharing this excellent recipe!
Yay!! Yes we enjoy this at least twice a month too!
Another staple of ours!! Husband travels for work, so I make this at some point and we literally survive off of it. I sprinkle some cheese on my toddler’s and then serve to her, but I dump the remaining cheese into the main pot and she ends up getting those leftovers the next day 😆
Haha sounds familiar! I save leftovers for husband’s lunch but then kids end up eating them
Hamburger helper brings back so many memories from when I was kid, so I was excited to try this homemade version for our family. My 14-month-old loved it, along with the rest of the gang, and while I did set some aside for her before I added the cheese, I still ended up sprinkling a couple tablespoons on hers to give it that salty element / flavor since it is low on sodium as is. The cheese was the perfect finishing touch to create that creaminess and flavor, and my daughter had a huge smile on her tomato-stained face by the end of the meal 🙂 I subbed chickpea elbow pasta, and it was great too! Love your blog and your recipes and have been using them since my daughter started solids!
Oh I’m so glad this recipe filled your hearts and bellies with warmth and deliciousness :). Thank you so much for being here and for trying out my recipes!
I have not tried any of these yet, but I just want to say thank you for doing this. I’m a momma bear with a picky eater and its starting to get a little stressful. Thank you so much for the amazing meal ideas!
Thank you so much for being here and I hope you enjoy all the recipes!!
So delicious!! I am feeding triplets toddlers and this lasts for days and is one of their favorites (and mine!) Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 😊
Oh this makes my heart so happy! I’m so glad this recipe comes to the rescue for you!!
SO GOOD. This is a staple weekly dinner. Thank you so much
For us too! Thank you for sharing!
Love all of your recipes as recommendation on adjustment for using gluten free pasta such as chickpea, brown rice or red lentil? Our son has a wheat allergy and would love to make this for him. Thanks so much!
You are welcome!!