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Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper. Swapping the boxed stuff out and making everyone’s childhood dinner completely homemade, and healthier too. Plus so much tastier! Think of this hamburger helper as the tastier, creamier version of what you’d eat as a kid. It’s made with ground beef, seasonings, pasta, and a little shredded zucchini too (for added veggies). Comfort food at its best, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
I didn’t grow up eating hamburger helper, neither did my brothers. But for whatever reason, this has been a recipe I wanted to try and recreate for a while now. Ever since my older brother mentioned the idea to me a year or so ago it’s been on my “to make” list.
Not going to lie, it’s obviously not my usual kind of recipe, as I tend to sway towards recipes with a bit more color. But something about recreating this in a healthier, tastier, way really excited me.
So while it may have taken me over a year to finally test this out and share, the day is here. And I’m excited because this really is that perfect early fall, September dinner.
The idea
So as I said, my brother had mentioned creating a recipe for homemade (not boxed) hamburger helper. He said that if I could make it like the boxed stuff, but with a creamier texture, and a little more depth of flavor, that it would be, “SO GOOD”.
I wasn’t excited at first, but then I started to think about the upgrades I could make. I wondered, “could I make it healthier, but still creamy? Could we add a little flavor, but still keep it classic? And could I make it all in one pot just like the box?”.
All of the challenges started to excite me, so I figured if I could get each one checked off, then I would have a great recipe!
This is a one pot dinner, so the details are simple
First of all, find yourself a nice big pot or braiser to cook this in. I love this one and think it’s the perfect size for this recipe.
Now, starting cooking! Simply add the beef and onion to your pot and brown it all over, add in some spices, and then the pasta. And next? The ingredient that adds a little health to the recipe…a bit of shredded zucchini.
I love adding shredded zucchini to pasta dishes like this. Not only does the zucchini incorporate a vegetable into the recipe, but it also adds moisture and creates an even creamier sauce.
Finish it up
Once the pasta and zucchini are both added, pour over the broth and milk. Add a squeeze of ketchup (sounds weird, but trust me), then cook everything together until that pasta is al dente.
It’s important to stir the pasta frequently to ensure that nothing is sticking. But other than that, everything is EASY.
The final step is to stir in a handful of cheddar cheese. Serve up the hamburger helper topped with fresh parsley (it needs a little color!) and enjoy!
As I always like to say – homemade is best!
Excited to have this recipe in my back pocket for cozy fall and winter dinners to come. And Creighton’s verdict? He loved every bite. He said, “how could someone not love this? It’s basically mac and cheese with meat…and it’s delicious”.
So there ya go! He doesn’t lie.
What is a good substitute the hamburger?
You can use ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
Can you make this gluten-free?
Yes, you can use gluten-free pasta.
Looking for other easy family dinners? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
One Pan Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Easy Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin Cheese Stuffed Pasta Bolognese Bake
One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake
Lastly, if you make this Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 675 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 zucchini, grated (about 1 cup grated)
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups milk (use what you drink)
- 1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot set over medium hight heat, add the olive oil, onion and beef. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until brown all over, breaking up the meat as you go, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder, cook another minute.2. Add the pasta and zucchini and toss to coat, then pour in the broth and milk. Add the ketchup and stir to combine. Season with salt. 3. Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Simmer 5-8 minutes until the pasta is al dente, stirring often. 4. Stir in the cheese and cook another few minutes until very creamy. 5. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on September 9, 2021
I should have cooked the pasta separately first. I wanted to like this but didn’t care for the spices
Hi Chelsea! I’m so sorry that this recipe wasn’t enjoyed, is there anything I can do to help improve it? xTieghan
It was good, I think I was just anticipating it to taste like the boxed hamburger helper and it didn’t is all.
So very good and comforting. Love this and so versatile!
After reading the comments I doubled the spices and added maybe a cup more liquid, although because of the kind of pasta I used (farfalle) I had to simmer it much longer, maybe 18 minutes in total. I don’t think I’ve ever had the boxed hamburger helper, but we both liked this version of it, and I’m sure I’ll be making it again!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe and for giving feedback on the adjustments you made as well! Have a great day! xTieghan
This was so good! I meal prepped it for my lunches last week and mixed in some kale…delicious!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! So glad to hear it was enjoyed 🙂 xTieghan
Absolutely delicious fall a fall evening. I used chickpea rotini and used half soy milk and 2%. Then added about 2c of zucchini because it was the whole thing. Flavors are really good!
Yet another recipe that turned out awesome! I threw some taco seasoning in there to get a Mexican vibe but otherwise didn’t change a thing!
Hi there! Thanks so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 xTieghan
If I were to skip the zucchini . What would the new measurements of liquid be?
Hi there! I would add about the same amount in order to cook the noodles and then spoon some out if you feel its too liquidy. Enjoy! xTieghan
I absolutely loved this recipe! I used to love hamburger helper as a kid so this dish carried lots of nostalgia for me! I’m surprised how similar it tastes.
I added about extra cup of water while cooking the noodles and used skim milk for my milk choice. Delicious!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made this tonight. Substituted the zucchini for kale…the family loved it. No left overs here!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 xTieghan
So yum! My first recipe of yours to make, and I cannot wait to make more! I didn’t have an fresh parsley on hand so I used dried instead, and it was great!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 xTieghan
Tried this one tonight, my family gave it a 10!
My husband made this today and loved it! Super simple, and he’s excited for leftovers this week. I haven’t met a HBH recipe that we didn’t love and this is no exception!
So quick and straightforward – it was a recipe I could pass on to my husband to make, which he did and was pretty proud of himself! Substituted in ground bison and it was still pretty tasty! Seemed to taste even better as leftovers in lunch the next day. Next time we would slightly increase the amount of liquid and spices.
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 xTieghan
Love this recipe, have some thoughts. More zucchini. Gr. Beef to pasta ratio seems off. More meat. I think I will par cook the pasta next time. It took >10 min to cook the large shells I used, then needed more liquid as it was too tight. Definitely making this again!
Made this for dinner tonight – it was delish! I cooked my ground beef with finely diced mushrooms and onion to add a little more vegetable, along with the zucchini. We all really liked it – including my toddler. Will definitely make again!
Sounds delish! Always love sneaking more veggies into recipes 🙂 Nicely done! xTieghan
I was so excited to try this! I used beyond meat as a substitute and other dairy substitutes and it turned out delicious. My sister who is not vegan even enjoyed it.
Hi Savannah! So glad you were able to adapt this to fit your needs and it was still yummy! xTieghan
Excellent recipe! My first HBH recipe and I’m excited to try many more!
I did have to add a little more spice for our liking but still very yummy as is. I also used oatmilk and an Italian cheese blend (half of what was called for) since were a low dairy family. I’m new to oatmilk and shocked at how well it worked in this dish.
Thank you so much! Hope you continue to try and enjoy these recipes in the future 🙂 xTieghan