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Homemade Crockpot Hamburger Helper. Forget the boxed stuff—this is everyone’s childhood favorite dinner, made completely from scratch…and honestly, even easier too. Plus, so much tastier! Think of it as the creamier, cozier, better version of what some of you may remember as a kid. Made with ground beef, pasta, a handful of seasonings, and even some shredded zucchini for a little extra veggie boost. It’s the kind of effortless pasta that’s guaranteed to become a weeknight family staple.
Did you grow up on Hamburger Helper? It wasn’t something my dad ever made for us, but I do remember always seeing that red box sitting in the pantry. Funny enough, my oldest brother swears it was one of his favorite dinners. Maybe he made it for himself? I really should ask him! Either way, it’s not a dish I grew up with, but it somehow feels nostalgic all the same.
For years, my brother begged me to make a homemade version, and many years back, I finally caved. I came up with a stove-top recipe that quickly turned into a family favorite—and honestly, I loved making it. But today? I’ve got something even better. This crockpot version is simpler, creamier, and completely hands-off. Truly effortless comfort food that tastes like pure childhood nostalgia…just upgraded.
These are the details
Ingredients
- ground beef – I use Force Of Nature, 80/20 blend
- onions
- chili powder
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salted butter
- ketchup
- broth
- pasta zucchini
- milk
- cheddar cheese
- fresh parsley or tiny basil leaves
Special Tools
This recipe calls for a crockpot. If you don’t have a crockpot, make this recipe here! Other than that, nothing fancy here!
Steps
Step 1: Set it and go
Set your crockpot to high. Add the beef, onions, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, butter, and ketchup. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Give the meat a quick stir—it will naturally break into pieces as it cooks. Pour in the broth, cover, and cook on low for 4–6 hours or on high for 1–2 hours.
My crockpot can actually cook the raw beef in about an hour on high. It works like magic, I swear!
Step 2: Stir and add the remaining ingredients
Once the beef is done—or when you’re ready to finish—stir in the pasta, zucchini, and whole milk about 20 minutes before serving. I like to add another pinch of salt here too.
Cook until the pasta is just tender. Stir in the cheese until melted and creamy. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
Step 3: Serve
Spoon the pasta into bowls and top with fresh parsley or basil (straight from the garden if you have it!). Best served right after the pasta is cooked. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a very yummy lunch the next day.
One last tip
If you’d like to make this a freezer meal, cook and freeze just the beef base (without pasta). When ready to serve, thaw in a pot on the stove, add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, then add the pasta, zucchini, and whole milk. Cook until the pasta is tender, stir in the cheese, and serve. Super easy!
A few commonly asked Questions:
You can use ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
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 Crockpot 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!
Crockpot Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 cups broth
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 zucchini, grated , (about 1 cup grated)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- 1. Set your crockpot to high. Drop in the raw meat, onion, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, butter, and ketchup. Season with salt and pepper. Stir, breaking up the meat. Pour over the broth. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours. 2. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, crank the heat to high. Stir in the pasta, zucchini, and milk. Let cook on high until the noodles are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Add the cheddar, stir until melted.3. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This was a huge hit in our household. My husband claimed it “comfort food”. It was very easy and done quickly. I used gluten free noodles, which didn’t soften as I would have expected. I ended up adding more liquid a couple times. Overall a win. I will make this again!
Hi Maria! Wow, thank you so so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed this crockpot hamburger helper, thanks for giving it a try! 🙂 xT
A lot of times it seems like your video demonstrations aren’t consistent with your recipes, and when asked about it you say that you make it how your family likes it. Would you consider making this a bit more cohesive? It can be kind of confusing sometimes. 🙁
Hi Glenda! Thank you so much for sharing this, I really appreciate the feedback! I totally get how that can feel confusing at times. My videos often show little tweaks I make in the moment or the way my family enjoys a recipe, while the written recipe is the more structured version that’s easy to follow. I’ll definitely keep your note in mind and work on making the two more cohesive moving forward. Thanks again for pointing this out, it helps me improve! xT
In the details blog part of this you have “ pasta zucchini” & then below you don’t…do you mean zoodles or regular pasta?
Hi Barbara! So sorry for the confusion! I just meant that this recipe includes pasta as well as shredded zucchini! So you will use regular noodles in this recipe! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
The flavors were not there for me, and it turned out so goopy.
Hey Kristen! I’m really sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Thank you for the input, and I’m so sorry again this wasn’t a winner for you! Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help! xT
Is that pepperoncini peppers I saw in your IG video? Thx.
Hi Andrea! I did throw in a few pepperoncinis in that batch just because my family and I like the flavor of them! But the recipe doesn’t call for them! 🙂 xT
This seems overly complicated and longer than necessary.
Hey John! Thank you for the feedback! Feel free to browse the blog for other recipes that feel like a better fit for you! Hope you have a great day! xT
OMG! This was so good! I have made your one pot hamburger helper before as well as some other versions from other sources, this one might be my favorite though. I think letting it simmer in the crockpot makes the flavors so much better. It was also a great week night meal. I got it started before soccer practice and then put the pasta in when we got home. Bonus, we have leftovers for tomorrow! Which is great, because there are more sports too!
Hi Erin! Yay, thank you SO much! Always love to hear when a recipe works well for you and your fam! Thanks for giving it a try 🙂 xT
As a vegetarian, would I be able to swap the ground beef for a plant-based option? Would it affect the cooking time?
Also, just as a suggestion, it would be great to see more vegetarian options and swaps in your recipes. Thanks!
Hi Wendy! Yes, you can definitely swap the ground beef for a plant based option like Beyond Meat, Impossible, or even lentils, and the cooking time will stay about the same. I love your suggestion about including more vegetarian swaps in my recipes, I’ll keep that in mind moving forward. Thanks so much for the feedback! xT
How is this different than the recipe in your latest cookbook?
Hi Brenda! The flavors are similar to the cheeseburger pasta in my latest cookbook, but this is a simplified crockpot version! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
Please update total time to include the 3-4 hours in the first step.
Hi Rose! If cooking on low it will be 3-4 hours, or high for 1-2 hours! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
Does the broth go in the last 20 minutes?
Making this today since I have all the ingredients on hand
Hi Sarah! The broth goes in at step one! Hope this helps and hope you LOVE the recipe! 🙂 xT
Isn’t this the same as your other one pot hamburger helper, except now there are instructions for the crock pot?
Hey Becka! The recipes are very similar, but this recipe has been adapted to a simple crockpot version! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
This looks great and I will definitely give it a try. Do you drain or remove the grease from the beef at any time or does it cook out?
Thank you!
Hi Debbra! You can drain the beef if you’d like but it’s not necessary! Hope you enjoy this recipe! xT
What broth is best? Chicken or beef?
Hi Mary! I would recommend chicken broth for this recipe! But either works fine! 🙂 xT
Using 80/20 ground beef, isn’t there too much fat/grease, since it’s not drained off?
Hi Jackie! Using 80/20 ground beef does release more fat, but in this recipe, the fat is actually meant to add flavor and keep the dish juicy! If you prefer, you can definitely drain some of the excess grease after browning the beef, but it isn’t totally necessary! The recipe works well either way. Enjoy! 🙂 xT