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–+ servings
Cooked pasta in a large dutch oven with fresh parsley and a large orange spatula
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5 from 113 votes

Homemade Hamburger Helper

By: Min Kwon | MJ and Hungryman
This easy hamburger helper recipe skips the box and uses real ingredients instead. A hearty, cheesy one-pot meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
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Equipment

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 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 15 ounce tomato sauce
  • 16 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 179mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: -17g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 4mg
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