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Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

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Homemade Hamburger Helper is filled with pasta, ground beef, creamy sauce, and lots of melty cheese. This cheeseburger macaroni is a dish the whole family will love, even on busy weeknights!

one pot hamburger skillet with wooden spoon
Skillet with homemade hamburger helper.

Most of you have probably had the boxed version of hamburger helper, and in a pinch, it does make a tasty dinner. Well, I have some picky eaters and like to be in charge of what goes into our food most of the time. This is my homemade version of hamburger helper that is seriously a crowd pleaser.

While you are looking for easy dinner ideas, be sure to try my Homemade Bierocks with Frozen Dinner Rolls, Air Fryer Reuben Sandwich, Baked Cheese Ravioli Casserole, and Taco Ring Recipe.

Why You’ll Love Homemade Hamburger Helper

  • Sure to be a family favorite
  • Easy dinner recipe
  • One-pot meal
  • Feeds a crowd
  • Can be doubled
skillet with cheeseburger macaroni
Easy hamburger helper recipe the entire family loves.

Ingredients Needed

  • Lean ground beef
  • Minced garlic
  • Beef broth
  • Flour
  • Italian seasoning
  • Garlic powder
  • Tomato sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Heavy cream
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Pasta
fork with homemade hamburger helper

How To Make Cheeseburger Macaroni

Step 1: Brown ground beef

Cook the pound of hamburger in a large skillet over medium heat. Once browned, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in flour and stir to coat hamburger.

Step 2: Add ingredients

Add red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and broth. Stir frequently and heat until it begins to boil.

Step 3: Add pasta and cook

Mix in the pasta into the skillet and give it a stir. Add a lid and cook for 14-16 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Step 4: Add heavy cream and cheese

Pour in the heavy cream and shredded cheese. Give it a good stir until cheese is mostly melted. Serve with a little bit of extra cheese on top (if desired) and some fresh parsley. Enjoy this total comfort food!

Variations

  • Onions – Either cook some yellow onions with the ground beef or sprinkle with green onions before serving.
  • Tomato Paste – Swap the tomato sauce for some tomato paste. It will make the sauce a little thicker, but will taste the same.
  • Pasta – You can use egg noodles or macaroni noodles too.
  • Hot sauce – Add a splash of hot sauce for even more flavor!
  • Chili powder – For a little bit of a taco flair, opt to add in a teaspoon or two of some chili powder.
bowl with cheeseburger mac
Add a little extra cheese and some fresh herbs for serving!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use ground beef?

Nope, you can swap the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken or chicken breast. Just make sure the meat is cooked before you start adding the other ingredients. Also, I want to point out that if you change the protein, it IS going to taste different. It is still an easy and delicious dinner regardless of the meat you use.

What can I use in place of heavy cream?

I prefer to make this easy homemade hamburger helper recipe with heavy cream, but you can use half and half, sour cream or cream cheese if you want. Each one is going to add a completely different flavor to the dish.

How do you store cheeseburger hamburger helper?

Place cooled leftovers in a food container. It will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator as long as it’s tightly covered. The pasta noodles do lose some texture when reheated, but it’s not a lot.

Do I need to add cooked pasta to the skillet?

Nope! You need to add uncooked pasta to the skillet. As it cooks it will soften the pasta and it will be ready to go. That’s why it’s my favorite easy weeknight dinner recipe!

Be sure to leave a review of this recipe!

ready to serve homemade hamburger helper

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

Homemade Hamburger Helper is filled with pasta, ground beef, creamy sauce, and lots of melty cheese. This cheeseburger macaroni is a dish the whole family will love, even on busy weeknights!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 30 minute meal, easy dinner, homemade hamburger helper
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 364kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 2 cans beef broth 14.5 ounces each
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 pound pasta

Instructions

  • Cook the pound of hamburger in a large skillet over medium heat. Once browned, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in flour and stir to coat hamburger.
  • Add red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and broth. Stir frequently and heat until it begins to boil.
  • Mix the pasta into the skillet and give it a stir. Add a lid and cook for 14-16 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
  • Pour in the heavy cream and shredded cheese. Give it a good stir until cheese is mostly melted. Serve with a little bit of extra cheese on top (if desired) and some fresh parsley. Enjoy this total comfort food!

Notes

Variations

  • Onions – Either cook some yellow onions with the ground beef or sprinkle with green onions before serving.
  • Tomato Paste – Swap the tomato sauce for some tomato paste. It will make the sauce a little thicker, but will taste the same.
  • Pasta – You can use egg noodles or macaroni noodles too.
  • Hot sauce – Add a splash of hot sauce for even more flavor!
  • Chili powder – For a little bit of a taco flair, opt to add in a teaspoon or two of some chili powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 528mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1249IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 3mg

Tim Songs

Saturday 23rd of July 2022

I was invited to try this dish that FSnodgrass made and it was delicious.

FSnodgrass

Tuesday 26th of July 2022

Glad you liked it!! Thanks for being a taste tester. :)

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