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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.
My family LOVES this recipe… it’s on the regular rotation!
Hey Stephanie,
I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was enjoyed!❄️ xx
LOVED this recipe! Super quick to make, and my one year old gobbled it up!
Hey Emily,
I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was enjoyed!❄️ xx
Very yummy! Wonderful flavor. I love that the zucchini just melts right into the dish and you don’t even notice it. Only giving it 4 stars because the liquid wouldn’t cover the noodles when simmering so I had to double the beef broth. Otherwise a perfect recipe!
Hey Kealy,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
I love this recipe! So quick and easy and so good. My kiddos love it!
Hey Crystal,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
I made this last night and it was spot on. Hamburger Helper was a a dinner meal in the rotation when I was growing up and in the early years of my marriage. As we began to eat healthier, we no longer ate boxed meals like this. While cooking this the smell was very familiar and flooded my memory with my childhood🙂. Husband and I agreed it tasted just like the cheese burger version of HH. Easy and yummy comfort food.
Hey Lori,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback! xx
I grew up eating Hamburger Helper and this healthier version is so much better! Easily one of my favorite HHB recipes! So far, it is best the day of. Any tips on what to do to revive the leftovers? The flavor is still there, but the dish is not as creamy and more dry when reheated.
Hey Ari,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try! I would try adding some milk for reheating. xT
LOVE this recipe! Super versatile (I’ve used ground beef, ground turkey, veg/chicken/beef stocks, added spinach, shredded carrots, chopped mushroom). You can adjust the seasonings as needed, too. My toddlers LOVE this too! Keeps well in the fridge, too. Thanks!!
Hey Susan,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
i followed directions and even drained the chopped meat after cooking, recipe came out with too much liquid, did not get creamy, flavor was there just not creamy, first recipe of yours that disappointed me, sorry.
Hi Ilene,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Please let me know if there is something that I can help with! xT
Can this be frozen and then re-heated?
Hi Britain,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I loved this recipe!
Hey Shelby,
Love it!!🤩 So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xx
Awesome! My husband and I really enjoyed this recipe. Quick and easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly as written and it went perfectly. Adding to the rotation
Hey Lauren,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Can I use frozen zucchini store didn’t have any
Hi Mary,
Totally, that will work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out delish, let me know if you give it a try! xx
This is good! Needed more liquid so added a 1/2 cup each of milk and beef stock and maybe a splash more of beef stock. Added frozen peas was a nice balance to the rich pasta.
Hey Matt,
Perfect! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Another winner!! I made this last night for dinner and it was a million times better than the kind in the box! I did reduce the amount of liquid and cooked the pasta separate. I will make this one again for sure!
Hi Shawna,
Happy Friday!🎃 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review! xx
Hey! Love your site and first time to comment. I’m traveling to my daughters for Thanksgiving 10 hours away and would love some recipes that are make-ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving that can be frozen and re-heated. More time with the grandkids and less time in the kitchen!
Thanks for following along Jane! I will share all of that in my Thanksgiving guide, but you can also check out last year’s for reference:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/our-2021-thanksgiving-menu-and-guide/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi Tieghan,
I was wondering if you’ve ever used gf noodles in your one pot pasta recipes? 🙂 I find that sometimes the water gets very murky/starchy (especially when using rice noodles!) as the noodles cook, so I’m debating cooking them separately and then adding them to the sauce… thoughts?!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!! 🙂
Hey Jaylynn,
Yes, gluten free noodles are always going to have a different texture than a regular noodle, especially rice noodles! You could try doing them on the side, but you would have to adjust your liquids:) I hope you love the recipe! xT