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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.
Wondering how this would freeze? I’m trying to prepare some freezer dinners for my daughter who us expecting a baby in a couple of weeks. It looks delicious.
Tasted horrible
Hey Rebekah! I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out! Is there anything that I can do to help? xT
This was so delicious!!
I subbed the milk with canned coconut milk & added a tbsp of homemade tomato jam. Thanks for a great recipe!
Love to hear that!! Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! xT
1. Can this be frozen?
2. I added more broth and milk also.
3. I made this for a friend. Her husband doesn’t eat leftovers. And today he is taking it for lunch leftovers!!! Win!!
Yes, this should freeze well! xT
This recipe is on repeat in our home! It’s one of the few meals my husband actively requests! We make a few adjustments: We use Jovial gluten-free pasta (we’ve had success with their brown rice shells, elbows, and farfalle). Maybe it’s the GF pasta, but we have to continuously add more broth and milk beyond what the original recipe calls for – at least 1.5-2 times the listed amount for the pasta to be al dente. We use about 3x the amount of spices, which might also be a byproduct of the GF pasta and extra liquid needed. We sometimes substitute tomato paste for ketchup depending on what we have in our fridge, and we’ve loved it both ways. LOVE the sneaky vegetables! Such a solid recipe that’s both nostalgic and delicious!
Thanks for trying out the recipe! So glad you’re enjoying it!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this in—I scanned through dozens of comments in hopes of finding someone who had tried it with gf pasta. I really appreciate you posting it!
Wonderful! Simple and good.
I forgot to mention I added an extra cup of broth and extra half cup of milk.
Hi Ashley! Thank you so so much for giving this recipe a try! I’m so glad you loved it! xT
Really good. I’ve mad it before but this time I used ground turkey I had so I ended up using a little more oil and a teaspoon of ghee to make it a little richer. I really liked the addition of zucchini which I didn’t use last time. I didn’t realize until I started that I didn’t have any cheddar so used a couple of handfuls of grated parm and I think I will use that and the ground turkey again next time I make. Really good especially considering it’s an easy one pot meal. Thank u for the recipe.
Hey! So happy to hear this recipe was enjoyed! Thanks for giving it a try! xT
Made this for a meal prep so I swapped regular pasta for Barilla protein and it turned out great! I doubled the seasoning and added some steamed broccoli for some extra veggies. I also used oat milk which was great too. Love!!
Hi Hailey,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your feedback! Have a great week! xT
I think the addition of cheese in this is ESSENTIAL. Unfortunately I live in Malawi and the cheese here is crazy expensive, so I only used a little pecorino; it was fine, but I can see how great it would have been with a really solid amount of cheese (as the recipe calls for). I used casarecce because it’s the only short pasta I had, and as other reviewers did halved the amount called for. If you use a real short pasta (e.g., gnocchi shells, orecchiette, etc.) I think the amount of liquid might be enough to cook it in the liquid called for.
Hi Sara,
So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great Saturday! xT
This I e has been on my list to make for a while now and I finally tried it last night.
It was so good!
I made one substitution, I was out of chili powder and didn’t notice until cooking was well underway, so I subbed in cayenne and I have to say while it gave the dish quite a kick I wasn’t disappointed. But we love spicy food in our house.
Hi Mandy,
Amazing!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
This is a huge hit in our house! I usually had double/triple the seasoning & double the veggies! & everyone loves it!
Hey Monica,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and Happy Monday! xT
This recipe was all wrong. Needs at least twice the spices and wet ingredients. Even doing that it did not turn out right at all.
Hi Rose,
Sorry to hear you had some issues with this recipe. Was there anything that you adjusted or something that I can help with? Please let me know! xx
Ok Rose, well at least you don’t have to suck alone. 👍🏽
Made this before and absolutely loved it!! Made it again tonight but used the banza chickpea pasta instead of traditional pasta and the texture is all wrong this time it’s almost mushy. Wanted to leave a comment to let others know not to sub the noodles, Tieghan knows best!!
Hey Nicole,
Happy Monday!!☀️🌊 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it was a hit! xT
Made this tonight and we loved it. So easy and delicious!
Thanks so much Denise!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you! Happy Friday! xT
I made this vegan with impossible meat, mushroom broth and vegetable broth, unsweetened almond milk, and vegan cheddar cheese and it came out great! Love that it can be so made healthy.
Hi Karly,
Happy Friday!!🍉🥭 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it and sharing your comment! xT