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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
Made this for my family 3 days ago. Nice recipe. Doubled seasoning- as others were spot on about! Used much more broth as my pasta just never cooked. Tieghan, what pasta did you use when you made it?
Hey Mary,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a try. I used Dellalo Shellbows. I hope you have an amazing week! xTieghan
This recipe had me thinking I might have covid, because I couldn’t taste a thing.. I did have to add a lot more liquid, but didn’t think to add more spices because of that, so maybe that was it.
Hey Victoria,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, thanks for giving it a try. Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
I only have chicken broth. Do you think it would still taste good instead of the beef broth?
Hi Monica,
Yes, chicken broth will also work well here! I hope you love the recipe. please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
My boyfriend grew up eating hamburger helper & I would have it at after school programs, so we both have a bit of a soft spot for the original, but I don’t love the nutrition facts. When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. Made this last night & it was so delish. The spices are spot on & it tastes like the original, but better! I did find that I needed to bump the spices up to taste & I only used half a box of pasta as there’s only the two of us. I added a little more milk and broth, and it was so creamy & delicious. Perfect easy comfort meal for a rainy November night. We both loved the zucchini in it, I had bought broccoli to throw in as well but I’m glad I left it out as it didn’t need it. Will definitely be making this one again. My boyfriend had thirds & requested I save the recipe…great success. Lol
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
Amazing! Thank you so much for this! Will be adding into the rotation.
Omg this is a perfect rendition of the box but better! I mostly halved the recipe (meat and pasta) but adjusted seasonings and liquid as needed. The zucchini was a fantastic (barely noticeable) addition and the whole thing was so delicious! An ideal cold weather comfort food that’s so quick and simple.
Hey Bonnie! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
This definitely tastes like the real thing, only I feel less guilty eating it. The zucchini is such a nice addition because it is barely noticeable. I also had to double the amount of sauce and seasoning to cook the whole pound of pasta so next time I am just going to cut the pasta down to a half pound. I also had to double the cheese in the end to balance it all out.
I made this last weekend. It was unreal. So amazing! She hit all the flavors from childhood….but better. I give 5+ stars.
Hamburger Helper was the dish I used to make a lot with my dad after my parent’s divorce. This is a dead ringer for the boxed stuff! I found the liquid measurements to be perfect. I did double up the spices like a few other folks did. Thanks for a dish that is not only delicious for my amily, but nostalgic for me 🙂
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
Delish Recipe ! I put a little Italian spin on it…using tomato paste instead of ketchup & cavatelli pasta ~ no zucchini either . So easy and Yummy 🙂
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
I had to give this a 4 star rating simply because the noodles just didn’t want to cook for me. I ended up adding about an extra cup of broth AND milk and had to cover it (and therefore added extra seasonings, and needed more cheese too)! It ended up great, but I’m not usually good at tweaking recipes so the pressure was on when things weren’t cooking up quite as planned following the recipe.
Hi there! I’m so sorry about that, thanks for letting me know! xTieghan
It turned out so nice but I had to massively increase liquids to cook the pasta (and therefore spices). This made the process much lengthier. I think pre cooking the pasta would definitely work better?
So good though!
Hey Coralie, thanks so much for trying out this recipe and for the feedback as well! It’s always very helpful! xTieghan
Great recipe. I’ve been asked to make it again and again. So good!
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
Loved this recipe! Reminiscent of my college days eating on a budget and hamburger helper was a favorite. I used Banza Chickpea shell pasta and turned out great! Love a meal the entire family can eat, will definitely make again!
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday 🙂 xTieghan
This was an amazing, quick weeknight meal! My 2 yo loved it and we will be making again. Paired it with a salad to lighten things up a bit!
Hey! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xxTieghan
So good and so easy to make! Definitely going to be a quick go to meal for us!
Hey Erin! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xxTieghan