The short answer: Homemade hamburger helper is a one-pot dinner of browned ground beef and pasta simmered in a seasoned, cheesy sauce, made from scratch without the boxed mix. **Brown 1 pound of ground beef with a chopped onion until it reaches 160°F, then drain it. Stir in 2 cups of beef broth, 1½ cups of milk, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and the seasonings.
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Prep time: 15 minCook time: 20 minTotal time: 37 minServings: 4 servingsTotal includes 2 min of resting, chilling or rising.
Bring it to a boil, add 2 cups of elbow macaroni and simmer it, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and stir in 1½ cups of shredded cheddar.** It serves four in about 30 minutes. Below are the amounts, a make-ahead seasoning mix, four flavor variations and storage tips.
I love cooking, and this is the kind of weeknight dinner that uses what's already in the pantry. One pot means fewer dishes, too.
Homemade hamburger helper ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount (serves 4) |
|---|---|
| Ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) | 1 pound |
| Yellow onion, chopped | 1 small |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves |
| Beef broth | 2 cups |
| Milk | 1½ cups |
| Tomato paste | 1 tablespoon |
| Elbow macaroni, uncooked | 2 cups (about 8 ounces) |
| Sharp cheddar, shredded | 1½ cups |
| Seasoning | Amount |
|---|---|
| Paprika | 1 teaspoon |
| Chili powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Garlic powder | ½ teaspoon |
| Onion powder | ½ teaspoon |
| Cornstarch | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt | ¾ teaspoon (less if your broth is salty) |
| Black pepper | ¼ teaspoon |
Shred the cheese from a block if you can. Bagged shredded cheese often has anti-caking starch, so it can melt less smoothly.
How to make homemade hamburger helper, step by step
- Brown the beef. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the beef and onion for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Check the temperature. Ground beef should reach 160°F, according to FoodSafety.gov's safe minimum internal temperature chart.
- Drain. Spoon off the extra fat.
- Add the liquid. Stir in the broth, milk, tomato paste and all the seasonings until the tomato paste dissolves.
- Boil, then add pasta. Bring it to a boil, stir in the macaroni and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick, until it's tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the cheese. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheddar until it melts. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes; the sauce thickens as it stands.
If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a splash of milk or broth. If it's thin, simmer it uncovered for another minute or two.
Make-ahead hamburger helper seasoning mix
The seasoning is the part that comes in the box's packet, and you can make it in a jar.
- Multiply the seasoning amounts above by four and stir them together.
- Store the mix in a small, labeled jar in the pantry.
- Use about 1½ tablespoons of the mix for each pound of beef.
With the jar ready, dinner needs only beef, pasta, broth, milk and cheese.
Four flavor variations
Use the same method and swap these ingredients.
| Variation | Change | Finish with |
|---|---|---|
| Beef stroganoff | Skip the chili powder and tomato paste; add 8 ounces sliced mushrooms with the onion; use egg noodles | ½ cup sour cream instead of cheddar |
| Lasagna style | Use 1 cup marinara and 1½ cups broth in place of the milk; add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; use mini shells or broken lasagna noodles | Mozzarella and a spoonful of ricotta |
| Taco | Use taco seasoning in place of the paprika and chili powder; add a can of drained black beans | Pepper jack, then top with salsa |
| Chili mac | Add a can of diced tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chili powder; swap half the milk for broth | Cheddar and sliced green onion |
For a bigger pot of the real thing, see our chili recipe. For more weeknight ideas, browse our easy dinner ideas.
Homemade hamburger helper vs. the boxed kind
Both are one-pot ground beef and pasta dinners. The difference is what you control.
| Homemade (this recipe) | Boxed mix | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | About 30 minutes | About the same |
| Pantry | Pasta, broth, milk, cheddar and spices you already keep | One box per meal, plus beef and milk |
| Salt | You choose the broth and how much salt goes in | Set by the seasoning packet |
| Flavor | Real cheddar, and easy to switch to stroganoff, taco or chili mac | One flavor per box |
| Make-ahead | The seasoning mix below stores in a jar for future dinners | Buy a new box each time |
If your family is used to the box, start with the cheeseburger version and the same pasta shape the box uses, then try a variation once it's a regular dinner.
What to serve with homemade hamburger helper
Because it is a rich, cheesy one-pot meal, pair it with something fresh and crunchy: a green salad with a vinegar dressing, steamed or roasted broccoli, green beans, cucumber and tomato slices, or a quick slaw. Corn or garlic bread works when you need to stretch it for extra guests.
Storage, freezing and reheating
- Raw beef: use or freeze fresh ground beef within 1 to 2 days of buying it, per FoodSafety.gov's cold food storage chart.
- Leftovers: refrigerate within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers. The USDA's leftovers guidance says they keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
- Freezing tip: pasta softens when frozen, so slightly undercook it if you're making a batch for the freezer. Our freezer meals list has more make-ahead dinners.
- Reheating: add a splash of milk and warm it on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F, stirring halfway.
Plan your dinners
A one-pot dinner is easiest when the beef, pasta and cheese are already on the shopping list. Plan the week once, then shop once.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. A weekly meal planner, an aisle-sorted grocery list, recipe cards and a pantry and freezer inventory, so you know when a seasoning jar or a frozen batch is waiting.
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Save your family's favorite version, from cheeseburger to taco, on its own page.
Browse all our Printables or the Home shop. If you're stretching the grocery budget, our guide to how to grocery shop on a budget pairs well with one-pot meals.
Like one-pot beef and pasta dinners? Try our American goulash, with elbow macaroni, tomatoes and paprika in about 35 minutes. Want more meals with ground beef with cost math on every plate? Start with that hub. Prefer a potato topping to pasta? Make our cottage pie recipe for another comforting ground-beef dinner.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make homemade hamburger helper? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) keeps the beef, pasta and cheese on one shopping list. To make homemade hamburger helper, brown 1 pound of ground beef with onion, drain it, add broth, milk, tomato paste and seasonings, simmer 2 cups of macaroni in the pot for 10 to 12 minutes, then stir in cheddar.
What seasonings are in hamburger helper? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) gives you a page to save your own seasoning blend. A cheeseburger-style mix uses paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Is homemade hamburger helper better than the box? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) helps you plan from-scratch dinners that use pantry staples. Homemade hamburger helper lets you control the salt and cheese and use real shredded cheddar, and it takes about the same 30 minutes as the boxed version.
Can you make hamburger helper without milk? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) lets you note dairy-free swaps that work for your family. Yes. Replace the milk with more beef broth for a lighter sauce, or use unsweetened plain oat or soy milk. Add the cheese, or a dairy-free shred, off the heat.
What pasta is best for homemade hamburger helper? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) includes a pantry inventory, so you can use whichever pasta you have. Elbow macaroni is the classic choice, and small shells, rotini and egg noodles all work. Thicker shapes may need a few more minutes and a splash of extra broth.
Can you use ground turkey for hamburger helper? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) helps you swap proteins when ground turkey is on sale. Yes. Use the same amount of ground turkey and add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for depth. Ground turkey should reach 165°F, according to FoodSafety.gov's temperature chart.
What temperature should ground beef reach? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) includes recipe cards where you can write the safe temperature right on the card. FoodSafety.gov lists 160°F as the safe minimum internal temperature for ground beef. Check it with a food thermometer, since color isn't a reliable sign.
How long does homemade hamburger helper last in the fridge? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) includes a pantry and freezer inventory, so leftovers get used on time. Refrigerate it within 2 hours in a covered container. The USDA says leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze homemade hamburger helper? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) includes a freezer inventory for tracking make-ahead batches. Yes. The USDA says leftovers keep 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Slightly undercook the pasta for a freezer batch, then reheat it with a splash of milk until it reaches 165°F.
How do you thicken homemade hamburger helper? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) lets you note the fix that works best in your pan. Simmer it uncovered for a minute or two, or stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold milk. The sauce also thickens as it sits off the heat.
What can I add to homemade hamburger helper? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) helps you use up vegetables already in the fridge. Stir in frozen peas, chopped broccoli, spinach or diced bell pepper during the last few minutes of simmering, or add a can of drained diced tomatoes with the broth.
What goes with homemade hamburger helper? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) helps you plan the whole plate. Serve it with a green salad, steamed green beans, roasted broccoli or garlic bread. A quick cucumber salad adds something fresh next to the rich, cheesy sauce.
Sources
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart (FoodSafety.gov) foodsafety.gov
- Cold Food Storage Chart (FoodSafety.gov) foodsafety.gov
- Leftovers and Food Safety (USDA FSIS) fsis.usda.gov