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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 made this recipe today and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays!? xx
Sounds delicious!
Could I use a tomato paste in place of ketchup?
Hi Carol,
Yes, that will work well for you. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I love this recipe! It is so delicious and so easy to make! My husband loves it everytime I cook it! I was wondering, if I were to omit the zucchini from the recipe, what would I add as a substitute for it? I understand the zucchini adds some water to the dish, but I wasn’t sure how much water to add if I were to take out the zucchini. Thanks so much!
Hey Denise,
Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for making it and happy holidays! You can simply omit the zucchini.❄️ xTieghan
This was good, but I did have to do a number of tweaks. I doubled the spices and added a generous helping of cayenne. Still, it was still somewhat bland for my tastes, so I will tweak that some more in the future. I thought the hidden zucchini was genius. I didn’t even taste it. The dish did not come out creamy, however, even with Tillamook cheddar. Next time I will either use whole milk or oat milk (I used 1% milk this time) and up the cheese (I used 1 1/2 cups, which was all I had on hand).
Hey there,
Awesome! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Holidays! xx
OMG! So, so, so good! I didn’t have zucchini so I used chopped broccoli, which added a nice texture. Also bumped up the chili powder for a little more heat. This will be a regular for sure! (Leftovers were equally as good as the first night, since there’s just 2 of us.)
Hi Valerie,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I omitted the zucchini and doubled the spices and it was phenomenal. I also added a tablespoon of tomato paste with the sauteed beef and onions. This also works really well with ground turkey! I had to add more broth and milk towards the end but that’s completely fine.
Hi Meaghan,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
am I supposed to cook the pasta before mixing it in with everything else?
Hi Michael,
No need to cook the pasta first, it will cook in the pot! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
As a mom of four busy kids, I have been known fall back on a Hamburger Helper box quite often. So I wanted to try this recipe just to hopefully have a healthier option… This recipe is delicious and the kids (usually pretty darn picky) asked for multiple helpings! I did add just a splash of cream to make it creamier. It’s a keeper recipe!
Hi Jelissa,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
I make this once a week! We love it so much! The leftovers are just as good, and we fight over them!
Question though, do you drain the beef grease.
Hey Alanna,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! If you have a lot of grease, yes I would drain it. xTieghan
I made this and added portobello mushrooms! Super delish and easy!
Hi Koran,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was easy and tasty. I did double the spices and had to add more liquid as the pasta I bought was bigger and had a longer cooking time. My boyfriend was skeptical of the Zucchini and at first said he’d refuse to eat it, but he went up for seconds!
Hey Lauren,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!❄️ xTieghan
This might be a silly question but do you drain the ground beef? I wasn’t sure!
Hey Jackie,
If you have a lot of extra fat I would, but if you are using a leaner beef then no need to. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Do you think you could substitute the zucchini with mini cucumber?
Hey Crista,
I probably wouldn’t recommend that for this recipe, you could just skip the zucchini. Please let me know if you give it a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Made this last. Super simple yet so delicious! Another hit from Half Baked Harvest!
Hey Alanna,
Wonderful! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it! Have the best week:) xTieghan
As a stay-at-home mother of 5, I’m always looking for quick and easy meals. I had all the ingredients for this recipe already so I saved a trip to the store. I loved that I could make it all in one pot; the less dishes I have to do afterwards, the better! This was super easy to make and there wasn’t much prep. I made some cheesy bread to go with it and it was a big hit with the whole family. I already have like 6 other recipes from this site on the menu for this week! Would def recommend!
Hey Ambre,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Great recipe…it’s a keeper! Next time I will up the liquid. I used egg noodles and they needed a bit more cooking. Family loved it.
Hey Elizabeth,
Seriously amazing! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan