Homemade Hamburger Helper or Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet is a hearty, satisfying 25-minute meal made with wholesome ingredients you’ll love! Don’t you love a one pot meal?!
Originally published October 2016; updated October 2018
Comfort food is often defined by childhood favorite recipes. Hamburger Helper was a staple in our house. It really was the birth of the one pot meal in my opinion and appealed to something relatable to all: it is easy to prepare.
What if I shared you could make homemade hamburger helper? Just as easy, with wholesome ingredients, rave reviews from your diners? It can be made with gluten-free or regular pasta and is ready in 30 minutes.
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What is Homemade Hamburger Helper?
For those who may have not experienced hamburger helper, it’s a combination of ground beef and other ingredients to create a filling one skillet meal.
Today’s recipe was a favorite of mine: cheesy hamburger pasta skillet! Irresistible comfort food flavors all combined for a fast, fabulous dinner idea!
What Ingredients are in Homemade Hamburger Helper?
This recipe includes lean ground beef, onions, garlic, sweet paprika with elbow pasta (gluten-free pasta or regular pasta) all in a creamy homemade tomato cheese sauce.
What I love is that same easy, convenience of the original pre-packaged dish is found in this homemade hamburger helper IN 30 minutes!
Make it Gluten-Free!
Just use your favorite gluten-free elbow pasta (I’m partial to Tinkyada loving it’s end texture; I use it in all my mac and cheese recipes)!
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is starting to become transluscent (3-4 minutes)
- Add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains. Break up into small pieces while cooking. Drain any excess fat.
- Sprinkle spices over the meat.
- Add the chicken broth, milk, tomato sauce and pasta to the skillet.
- Bring the homemade hamburger helper to a boil then simmer with a lid on for 15 minutes (or until pasta is tender and almost done); stirring periodically to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the cheese and allow to sit for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
So easy, right?!
Homemade Hamburger Helper is a simple, homey dish of ground meat, onions, spices and real cheesy cheese. It’s a fast meal and one that is filling!
Looking for MORE Easy Dinner Recipes? Check out our Easy Dinner Recipes collection!
If you’ve tried this Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe please RATE THE RECIPE below!
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Recipe
Cheesy Hamburger and Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
- ½ medium Yellow Onion , peeled and chopped
- 2 medium Garlic Cloves , peeled and chopped
- 2 teaspoons Sweet Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
- .5 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- A grind of fresh Black Pepper
- 1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Milk
- 1 15-ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups Elbow Pasta (I used gluten-free Brown Rice Tinkyada pasta; see note for gluten options)
- 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese , shredded
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (with lid) over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering on the surface add the onion and garlic; sauté until the onion begins to become translucent (3-4 minutes).
- Add the ground beef and cook until no pink color remains; break up into small pieces as it cooks. Drain and excess fat.
- Sprinkle the spices over the meat and add the chicken broth, milk, tomato sauce and pasta. Bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Once at a boil, lower heat to medium-low (simmering) and cover with the lid. Allow to cook 15 minutes, (stirring periodically to prevent sticking) or until the pasta is tender and almost done.
- Stir in the cheese, and allow to sit for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken before serving.
Susan says
I think I had Hamburger Helper once as an older adult, and wasn’t impressed. However, I’m always looking for simple one pot meals, especially for those times when my kitchen is mostly an electric skillet, so I’m saving the recipe. I’m also operating on the assumption that you’ve done what’s necessary to give this good flavor.
Chrystal | Nevermore Lane says
I love recipes that are a better version of boxed meals. I am a huge fan of cheesy hamburger. YUM!
Lisa Joy Thompson says
My son is going to be soooooo excited! He can’t have gluten and his dream is to eat hamburger helper! He would flip out if I told him I could make homemade gluten-free hamburer helper!
Marcie W. says
I can not tell you how much I appreciate this recipe. We cook from scratch in our house, but I often miss those classic boxed meals I grew up enjoying.
Brandy says
That looks so delicious! I know that this would be something my family would devour. I’ll have to make it this weekend.
Pam Wattenbarger says
My daughter would love this. With celiac, what she really misses is junk food and childhood foods that they don’t make good gluten free versions of. This would be so nostalgic!
Chavonne H says
This recipe looks incredibly delicious! My family loves anything cheesy. I like the mix of chicken broth, tomato sauce and milk. Great combination of flavors.
Melisasource says
That looks delicious! I love these crossover recipes if you will, recipes that incorporate multiple dishes into one. Gonna try this for sure!
Jocelyn Cañasa Brown says
Wow. That looks so amazing. I am definitely going to be trying this recipe. I love this kind of meal.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Om nom nom nom. Yep. That about covers it. I absolutely cannot wait to make this. My family is going to devour it.