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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.
I love this recipe. Super easy and super tasty. Wondering how many servings it would make with 2 lbs. of ground beef?
Hey Becca,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! I would double the recipe if you are doubling the meat:) xT
Added this to our weekly rotation – and the kids (2&4) always ask for seconds!
Hey Lauren,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! xT
Made this tonight because I haven’t been to the store and I happened to have everything (ish) that I needed.
My favorite part was how EASY it is! And only one pot. And it was really tasty too. My 1 year old had seconds and my husband had thirds 😂
I made with chicken broth because that’s what I had (thought I had beef broth but didn’t). Made with 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream because I had some I wanted to use up. I probably used half the amount of cheese. It was still so good with all these changes and you couldn’t even tell zucchini was there. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Lexie,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have a great Wednesday! xx
This is a great recipe. It’s a great week night meal for my family. The box meals I ate as a child are horrific and full of preservatives. I love that I know what is going into it. The zucchini is a great touch as my child has no idea it’s in there. Sometimes I’ll add frozen peas instead and it’s great too. Thank you so much for this recipe. We make it all the time.
Hey Suzanne,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have a great Wednesday! xx
Did this recipe change? The last time I made it I added cream cheese and I don’t see it here anymore?
Hey Melissa,
Nope, I haven’t adjusted this recipe, I never used cream cheese, but you could totally add some to your liking! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
It’s very tasty and we appreciated the addition of zucchini! It paired very well with a bbq-y hot sauce. It did take about 30 mins for the pasta to cook (we used bowtie) and I had to add at least one more cup of beef broth. I think we will use macaroni or shells next time!
Hey Meghan,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was delish!! xx
Really good, and so easy! I used only half the pasta called for and it was perfect.
Hey Jen,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was delish!! xx
Any suggestions about using wheat pasta? I made this recipe and had to cook it a lot longer due to the pasta not cooking, I had to keep adding liquid which threw off the seasonings. Is it possible to par cook pasta?
Hey Julie,
Sorry, I’ve never used wheat pasta in this recipe, it could have just been that it needed longer to cook:) xx
So good!! I cant have garlic and I ran out of chili powder so I did 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper and 1/4 tsp of white pepper. Also, I did some extra smoked paprika. I added Worcestershire and harissa paste and it handed some great flavor! I ended up having to add 2 more cups of liquid due to the pasta I chose I think.
Hey Kyrie,
Happy Wednesday!❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
I made this once and I am not a fan of the ketchup is there anything else I can replace it for?! Still a delicious recipe otherwise☺️
Hey Rachel,
You could use tomato paste or just skip it:) Let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xx
Tieghan and HBH for the win again! I made this for my Monday night dinner crew. I followed the recipe except I doubled the ground beef, used 1 1/2 spices, and added the Worcestershire. So easy, and oh so tasty! I had just a little leftover-they gobbled it up. I served it with green beans, crusty rolls, and a fruit salad. Thanks for another great dinner!
Hey Joy,
Happy Valentine’s Day! 💌 I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was tasty! xT
Easy and delicious – we love it!
Hey Chris,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! Have a great weekend! 🏈
Another keeper recipe. Easy to make and oh so tasty. I added Worcestershire sauce that someone had suggested and it did add umami flavour. Thanks Tieghan for another yummy recipe.
Thanks so much Natalie!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! xT
This has quickly become a family favorite in my house! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hey Sara,
Happy Monday!!💐 Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
We cannot get enough of this! We don’t use the zucchini in it but if I had kids I would! So yummy, quick and easy.
Hey Haley,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:)
This recipe is on regular rotation in our house! My husband asks for it every week. I regularly sub dark turkey meat for ground beef, and chicken broth for the beef broth. I also add a little Worcestershire sauce to give it a bit more umami flavor.
Hey Kristen,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:)
I’m so excited to try this! I searched your site for ground beef because I have minimal ingredients in the kitchen right now, and this is perfect!!
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Thanks so much Katie! I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xT
I’ve made this many times, and it is delicious! I had forgotten about it and was scrolling saved recipes trying to decide what to cook tonight. Found this one and can’t wait to make it tonight! I already know it’s a winner. Thank you for all the great recipes that I can cook time and time again!
Hey Jaimee,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)