Next Post
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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 just made this and used 1lb of pasta like the recipe called for but it was way too much. Are you sure this shouldn’t be 1/2 lb? 1 lb is a whole box and watching your reel, it looked like you used a lot less. It was very dry. Otherwise it think this would have been a great recipe!
Hey Jill, I’m so sorry about that! Is there anything you did differently in this recipe? Maybe it just needed a bit more liquid, I’m so sorry! xxTieghan
This is so good! I did increase the liquid a bit as it cooked off. I omitted zucchini because I forgot to buy some, and I used ground turkey because it was on sale. If I had used a lid on my pan, I may not have needed to add more liquid. Also, I doubled the spices. Overall it was really tasty and really easy to make! I only added a little American cheese at the end, and it tastes just like hamburger helper. Oh! And I had to substitute chicken broth for the beef. So, even though I made some alterations, it still came out perfect!
Hey Anna! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! xTieghan
This has become a favorite recipe in our house! I double the spices and it is perfect. I love that my kids will eat it and have no idea that there is zucchini in there. So good!
Hey there! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Dish was delicious and added celery, peppers, extra onion, and kale – added more liquid since I was adding more veggies – shredded everything in the food processor (including cheese) – can you talk about how to store it and how long it lasts?
Hi there! I would store in an air tight container in the fridge and it should last about 2-3 days! xTieghan
Hi, do you add the pasta in uncooked?
Yes you do.
Hey Gina! Yes, you add in the pasta uncooked! xTieghan
Wow, wow, wow! So easy and so good! If you need a quick weeknight meal this is it!
Hey Amanda! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for trying it out! xTieghan
My family loved it! I did have to increase liquids quite a bit. I also doubled the seasonings because it was too plain with the amounts listed and I increased the cheese too.
Hey Jamie! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for trying it out and Happy Halloween! xTieghan
This was sooo delicious & super easy! Great recipe for a quick middle of the week meal. I used Banza shells (made from Chickpeas) instead of regular pasta & you would never know! Will definitely make again! Thank You 🙂
Hey! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for trying it out and Happy Halloween! xTieghan
Crowd pleaser! My 2 and 4 year old both gobbled up. I did have to almost double the broth/milk and did add 1 more zucchini- next time I may not drain the liquid of the grated zucchini for added liquid. You do have to stir quite frequently once you add the liquid so the pasta can cook in the lower amount of liquid.
Tried this tonight and unfortunately mine did not come out creamy or saucey at all. I kept it on a gentle boil and by the time it cooked to al dente, all the liquid was gone. Not sure what I did wrong but bummer!
Hey Valerie, I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out the way you hoped! Is there anything you did differently? xTieghan
My 12 yr old asks for this dish twice a week!! Simple, comfort food!
Hey Heidi, Happy Thursday! So glad this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! xTieghan
I was a little nervous to try because I’m lactose intolerant, but it turned out GREAT! I used unflavored & unsweetened almond milk and the soy delicious brand shredded cheese. Also used ground turkey instead of beef – still incredible and so easy 🙂
Happy Thursday! So glad this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! xTieghan
I made two pots simultaneously- one for the meat eaters with ground beef and one with ‘beyond meat’ for the vegetarians (both with elbow macaroni). Because ‘beyond meat’ tends to be saltier, I found that the vegetarian version was much more flavored than the version with ground beef. I do agree with many of the comments here that suggest doubling the spice. What would be particularly helpful is a sense of how much salt should be added to the dish, since I tend to be more restrained when directed to ‘season with salt and pepper’. Are we talking about a 1/4 teaspoon or a teaspoon? Thanks!
Hi Selena, thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it 🙂 xTieghan
One of my new favorite recipes! And soo easy!!! No need to change anything! This one’s a winner.
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
We made this last night and it was fantastic- can’t wait for my leftovers for lunch
We added mushrooms, peas and 99% fat free cream of mushroom soup in place of 1/2 cup milk and it was soooo good. I did double all of the spices since our family likes an overload of flavor, but we will be making this again very soon!
Hey Anne! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan