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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.
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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.
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 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
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!
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.
Made this tonight. Used fresh garlic and two cups zucchini, 1/2 cup more broth, lighter on salt and Colby Jack cheese. Thank you. We loved it!
Hi Andrea,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This is SO good and SO easy!!! Made in the afternoon and then reheated and it was great!
Hi Sarah,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this today and it literally took about 30 minutes!!! My kids loved it! Thank you.
Hey Claudia,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Kids loved it and it literally took about 30 minutes!!! Thank you.
Hi Claudia,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I made this last week and it was perfect! Easy and delicious comfort food at its best! This will definitely become a “regular” in my house. Love the fact that I always have the ingredients on hand, so a special trip to the store won’t be an issue. Leftovers were great as well!
Hey Kristin,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
My family loved this recipe, including my 3 year old and one year old. I loved that it sneaked in some zucchini since its not their favorite. But they didn’t mind it one bit in the pasta! I used 1.5 lbs of ground beef, probably 2 cups of shredded zucchini, and increased the broth/milk to get the consistency I wanted! 10/10 would and have recommended!
Hey Erin,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
Just made this replacing the beef with veggie Quorn mince and it was EXCELLENT 10/10 recommend
Hey Anna,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
Do you drain the fat out of the ground beef before adding in the pasta?
Hey Talia,
For this recipe I did not, but if you feel as though you have too much extra fat then go ahead and drain it:) I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
We loved this dish! I used 2 pounds of 15/85 ground turkey for some added protein and it turned out so tasty. I might even add an extra zuchini next time, you can’t taste it at all (in a good way). Love that it’s quick and one pot, minimal cleanup with just the cutting board and grater. Would highly recommend!
Hey Trisha,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
Pretty bland. I added more chili powder, salt, pepper, ketchup, and grated parmesan cheese and it tasted better.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe Alisha! xTieghan
SUPER easy to make- love being able to cook everything in one pot and pour it in as you go. I think I added too much beef, which took away from the soup-like consistency a bit and I didn’t add enough salt, so it was a little bland. Next time, I might add some garlic too. But the cheesy, oozy goodness was the perfect comfort food- and a much better alternative to the packaged stuff!
Hi Maura,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
Made this for dinner and was delicious! I used brown rice noodles so had to add about an extra cup of liquid but was so so comforting and perfect for a Fall night!
Hi Catie,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner. Thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
Yum! I just pulled this off the stove, and my husband and I agree that this is an amazing one pot pasta! I unfortunately didn’t grow up eating Hamburger Helper in my household, but he did! We substituted the beef with ground Turkey and chicken stock since that is what we had on hand, and it tastes amazing! We did “aggressively salt” ? and put the lid on our pot as others recommended. I am sure that this will be made on the regular in our meal prep rotation. Thank you!!!
Hi Jenna,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner. Thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this tonight! Delicious.
I added 4 cloves pressed garlic to my onion and ground beef instead of garlic powder. Then I also added 1/2 tsp more of chili powder and paprika based on reviews.
I did end up adding about 1/2 cup more broth through the process to keep it saucy. Simmered with the lid and it was not gummy. It still ended up not being as saucy as the photo but over all had good flavor.
Hi Brianna,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner. Thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
Greetings,
This is on the menu for next week. After reading some of the reviews Re: gummy texture, I’m wondering if it’s also the quality of the pasta????
I’ll have to peel the zucchini as my husband doesn’t think he likes it and carrots might be too dry????
Hey Shelley,
I’ve not experienced the gummy texture, it could be from using GF noodles. You can easily peel the zucchini before grating it. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hi! Just wanted to comment that I used 1 grated zuchini in the recipe and you can’t even taste it ?