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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
Super yummy and so easy! Definitely keeping this on my list for fast weeknight dinners.
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful week! xTieghan
Would it be okay to skip on the zucchini, I don’t have any and really want to try this tonight.
Loved this recipe with a few of my own tweaks. I parboiled the pasta (only used 3/4 lb.) and really spiced it up with hot paprika and oregano—things I like. Had extra liquid on hand and used a little more. Would make again. Great comfort food.
Turned out amazing! It needed more flavor at the end just as a heads up. I added a few heavy handed shakes of garlic powder and I added a good bunch of heavy handed shakes of worcestershire sauce which really gave it a whole new dimension of flavor. Thank you for this recipe! It’s definitely going to be in our rotation for future dinners.
Hey Chelsea, thanks so much for letting me know! I’ll have to try that out 🙂 xTieghan
Easy and fast. Could def use more zucchini and spices. I added a couple more splashes of broth as it cooked to get the pasta to desired doneness. I also added a couple tsp of tomato paste to bump up richness and give it a little more depth. I think it would also be good with some Rotel!
Hi there! Thanks so much for the feedback, I’ll have to try the recipe again with a bit more seasoning 🙂 xTieghan
My 4 yr old grandson Carter loves protein bars- he gets them as a treat. My daughter made this Hamburger Helper for her family while I was there visiting. Carter ate every morsel and exclaimed, “ This is better than a bar!” ( highest praise indeed).
Made this for dinner tonight. It was super delicious. I followed advice from other commenters and doubled the liquid, spices. I added mushrooms for some extra veggies. I didn’t have regular ketchup on hand but had jalapeno ketchup. The jalapeno ketchup gave it a little bit of heat but not overwhelming. I will definitely be making it again.
As always, delicious! I will definitely double the zucchini next time as nobody noticed it! My pasta also needed more liquid, but that’s easy enough to remedy. Also added steamed green beans in the end! Delicious! Thanks Tieghan!
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! So glad to hear it was enjoyed ? xTieghan
Delicious! It definitely mocked Hamburger helper, but in a gourmet sort of way! Easy to make, & the zucchini passed the test- ?hubby never knew he was eating it??! I ? the?addition?!
My 4 yr old grandson Carter loves protein bars- he gets them as a treat. My daughter made this Hamburger Helper for her family while I was there visiting. Carter ate every morsel and exclaimed, “ This is better than a bar!” ( highest praise indeed).
I followed some of the other commenters advice about extra spice and cooking liquid and it turned out delicious! Doubled the spices and the broth plus some extra zucchini and it worked perfectly. Will definitely make again.
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Made this vegetarian with black bean burgers and veg broth, still really good! Thank you!
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! And glad you could make it your own too 🙂 xTieghan
Believe it or not Hamburger Helper was a comfort meal for me as a kid. This was SO much better because everything was so wholesome and fresh. Thanks Tieghan!
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! xTieghan
I would agree that I needed more liquid for mine. I think it definitely depends on the cook time of your noodles. Mine said 12 mins on the package, which is how much time it ultimately took. That said, it ended up delicious! I just added salt as I added more milk.
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! xTieghan
SO GOOD. Very comforting, and very easy.
My family loved this and I loved adding in the “hidden” veggies. Great recipe