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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.
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.
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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 675 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
I wanted to love this, but unfortunately it turned out pretty runny for me and both the meat and noodles lacked flavor. I still think it’s better than the boxed stuff though.
Hi Carissa,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xTieghan
Finally made this recipe tonight, followed all the instructions only thing couldn’t get was zucchini. But also found it was super liquidity, is there anyway to fix that?
Other than that was amazing and quick!
Hey Chrissy,
I really appreciate you giving the recipe a try, so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Did you cook the noodles in the pot? You can always reduce the liquid to your liking. Have a great week! xxT
No I pre cooked the noodles, as don’t like cooking them in the pot with everything. Does that help with the liquid?
Thank you
Yes, the recipe is made with the intent of cooking the noodles in the pot with everything else:)
Finally made this tonight!!! Only prob I found was little to liquidity, is there a way to fix that or did I possibly miss something. I added exactly all the exact portions of beef broth and milk, only thing I wasn’t able to find was zucchini would that possibly soak up the liquid as well.
Other than that amazing and quick dish!
Hey Chrissy,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear about the liquid! Did you cook your pasta in the pot as well? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Great, EASY dish. My husband grew up on Hamburger Helper and he loved this. This would be a great recipe to teach a college freshman as it is easy and delicious.
Hi Amy,
I really appreciate you giving the recipe a try, so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xxT
Made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I do agree with other commenters that the seasoning measurements can easily be doubled or tripled. I also used some tomato paste in addition to the ketchup for more flavor. Very easy and tasty!
Hi Katelyn,
I really appreciate you giving the recipe a try, so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xxT
As far as hamburger helper goes, this is about the best version we’ve ever had! Love the zucchini add. Left out the ketchup.
Hi Gretchen,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! xxTieghan
This is definitely going into the rotation. So easy to pull together and very tasty. Since I am very sensitive to sodium, it’s great to find a healthier version of the Hamburger Helper recipe. Love your Instagram account. Thank you so much!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! xxTieghan
Was looking for a home made hamburger helper recipe and stumbled upon this one. I love this recipe. Definitely an easy and comforting meal.
Hi Aimee,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! xxTieghan
This was really good! I made it with Beyond Burger and I think I’ll try to sneak some more veggies in the next time I make. Definitely a super comforting and easy weekday meal.
Hi Rachel,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. xxTieghan
Love this recipe. I change it up using different pastas (elbows, shells, mafalda) or subbing frozen peas or baby spinach for the zucchini. Even passed it on to my youngest who is at college. He makes a big batch and it feeds him for several days. Good knowing he’s not eating processed foods. Thanks for creating this!
Hi Bruce,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Recipe is amazing! I used almond milk, brown rice pasta, and reduced fat cheddar as some additional “healthier swaps” too. Easy 20-30 minute meal!
Hi Ashley,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
I found that the pasta was not cooking so had to keep adding more broth and milk. Would this still work if I precooked the pasta first
I had the same problem and precooked mine(left it al dente) and it was perfect!
Hi Julie,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Hi Kim,
Sorry to hear this. I am wondering if your pasta was too large? What kind did you use? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
I made this for my husband who loves the boxed Hamburger Helper. I absolutely LOVED this recipe! It has so much flavor and is SO easy. Really makes you never want to make the boxed version again.
Hi Rachel,
Happy Friday!! Love hearing that you enjoy this recipe, I so appreciate you giving it a try! xxT
Tried this recipe last night and it turned out really well. I substituted the beef with impossible burger “meat” and substituted the beef broth with vegetable stock as our family does not eat red meat. I also used a tablespoon of the spices and agree with other reviews that I think this really enhances the dish. My only issue was that our leftovers today were a little dry upon reheating. Would you recommend milk or some other liquid to mix in before reheating? Thank you!
Hey Anne,
Happy Friday!! Love hearing that you enjoy this recipe, I so appreciate you giving it a try! Sure, milk would be great to use! xxT
I have some unseasoned, fully cooked shredded beef from our farm share. Could I use that instead of the ground beef, or do you think the texture would be weird?
Hi Sara,
Sure, that might be yummy! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan