Homemade Hamburger Helper
A classic boxed meal, made healthier and heartier. And guess what? It’s not that much harder to make! Your whole family will love this healthy homemade hamburger helper.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef (95/5)
- 1 small onion, diced finely (about ½ cup)
- 1 small carrot, diced finely (about ¼ cup)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups beef broth (low sodium or no salt added)
- 1 cup whole milk (see note)
- 8 ounces whole wheat elbow macaroni (about 2 cups dry)
- 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (we recommend shredding your own)
- fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large covered skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, onion, and carrot and cook until beef is browned and onions are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up beef as it cooks.1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 small onion, diced finely , 1 small carrot, diced finely
- Add tomato paste, flour, chili powder, paprika, parsley, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Keep stirring until tomato paste coats all the meat. Make sure to keep stirring so the tomato paste doesn't burn.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add tomatoes, broth, and milk and bring to nearly a boil.1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained, 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup whole milk
- Add pasta, stir, reduce heat to medium, and cook, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally to make sure pasta gets cooked evenly and isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.8 ounces whole wheat elbow macaroni
- Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.2 ounces full-fat cream cheese, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Turn off heat, cover, and let set for 5 minutes (this helps the sauce thicken up).
- Serve topped with fresh parsley, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk because milk with lower fat percentage tends to curdle at a higher heat, which you need to cook the pasta. If you don’t have whole milk, use 3 cups (total) broth and increase the cream cheese to 4 ounces to add creaminess at the end.
- Broth: If you want to use a can of beef broth (14.5 ounces) instead of 2 cups, just make up the difference with water or more milk (1.5 ounces).
- Alternative meat choices: If you wish, substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, Italian sausage, or ground pork for the ground beef.
- Storage: Leftover Hamburger Helper can be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to three months. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or larger amounts in a skillet over low heat. If needed, add a splash of water, broth, or milk to thin the sauce before reheating. (The pasta continues to absorb liquid even when refrigerated so the sauce tends to get thicker.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1.33cups | Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 724mg | Potassium: 941mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2731IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 5mg
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