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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
This meal is SO good! We’re going to make it for our friends who just had a baby. What would you recommend to do for freezing it?
Hey Brenna,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. I would just freeze after making. Have the best weekend:) xT
This is the perfect recipe for a cold evening with one meat lover and one veggie lover. My husband was happy to have hamburger and I loved all the veggies. And who can complain about a cheesy dish was yummy noodles. I used chickpea noodles, because that’s what I had on hand and because their better got you. It was delicious!
Hey Kristen,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Very good. I made it tonight and the family liked it. It is easy to make.
Quick and Easy Family Recipes
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
I just want to say THANK YOU for this awesome kid friendly recipe. I have a toddler who can be tricky to get veggies into and this recipe was perfect! He ate the whole bowl and didn’t even know that the zucchini was in there. Bonus points for being a fast and easy one pot meal!
Hey Leanne,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Do you think you could use butter milk and or sour cream? Or a watered down sour cream? I forgot to buy the milk 🙁
Hey Lauren,
I think you could do a combo of buttermilk and sour cream, that should work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Made this for dinner again tonight. We love this extremely simple to make and delicious recipe!
Hi Shirley,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Love this recipe! It was very easy and hit the spot for a very cold night.
Hey Lauren,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Instead of ketchup I added a little Knorr chicken bouillon (trust me haha) and it was SOOOO delicious. I’m also more of a measure with your heart kind of girl and it turned out good! I also loved how easy it all came together. I already forwarded the recipe several times. Will be making again.
Hey Melinda,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am glad to hear that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
This was absolutely delicious and SO easy. Legit 30-minute meal and sneaky zucchini for picky eaters 🙂 We had to use about 3 cups of beef broth and 3 cups of milk, but otherwise spot on.
Hey Becky,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I was so excited to try this recipe but I also felt it was quite bland. I kept adding more and more of the 3 spices plus alot more salt plus more ketchup. Not sure what I could/should do next time to make it more flavorful. My liquid was also all absorbed so it didn’t look creamy like the picture. Happy I gave it a try though.
Hey Morgan,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!! xTieghan
This was tasty and pretty simple! I did end up using quite a bit more liquid to get it ‘saucy’ as in the photos – about 1.5 cups more almond milk total. The pasta really soaked up the initial liquid within a few minutes. Also added more spices & double the ketchup than called for after tasting and feeling like it needed more ‘kick’. With the changes, it was a nice homey meal.
Hey Dallas,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I modified this recipe slightly for my husband who has severe food allergies and issues – gluten free pasta, oat milk, garlic infused oil, etc. And oh my goodness, it is good with the modifications. Thank you for providing such a great inspiration – it was very easy and so good!
Hi Elizabeth,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I made this last night for my nephew’s family — it was a big hit with all of them. I used Mezzi Rigatoni and took a little longer to cook the pasta. I ended up adding a couple of additional splashes of broth and a splash of milk. I will definitely make this again, it brought me back to my childhood.
Hey Colleen,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Thank you Tieghan for creating such a delicious and simple recipe! I have made this at least four times now and it is a winner! A real family pleaser! Cheers!
Hey Kailey,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
I increased seasoning and also added Lawry’s seasoning salt, had to use a bit more liquid (broth and milk) also threw in some half and half, and Oh man!!! This was amazing!! My husband who is a huge hamburger helper lover said this was better, we will never go back to the box!
Hey Charli,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Taste amazing!! Such a super quick dinner
my man couldn’t stop eating it. One of our new favorites for sure
Hi Olivia,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear it was enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your comment! xTieghan