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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!
This was absolutely delicious! My friend and I loved it and agreed that a dash of cayenne would really put it over the top. I am officially a one-pot meal fan and will be trying out some other HBH recipes this fall.
Hey Alicia,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Made this and it was so good! Was wondering if there was an instant pot version of this that would work?
Hey Emma,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it. To make in the instant pot, I would basically follow the stove top directions, then lock it and cook 5-6 minutes. I hope this helps! xTieghan
We thought this was fantastic. As with any recipe, I tasted and observed as I went and adjusted spices and liquids accordingly. We upped the spice with some cayenne and made some other adjustments to fit our favorite flavor profiles. While I, admittedly, have never eaten the boxed stuff, this really was a great, comforting dish – and super easy, too!
Hey Erica,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was delicious!!! Loved by even my picky 3 year old. Will add this to the rotation
Hey Katie,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Delicious meal for any time but especially a fall weeknight! Easy to make and satisfying. I would recommend upping the spices a little bit (not much) and will do that next time. I used oat milk and it worked perfectly. I also simmered without a lid and would say it turned out fine but I might try that next time. Saved to recipe box!
Hey Katie,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Loved it! I make a similar Amish Country Casserole that is tomato based, but I wasn’t feeling that tonight. This hit the spot for comfort food and easy!
BTW, I heard about your site from the girls that do the Morbid podcast. They raved about your recipes.
Hey Becki,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Thanks for your kind message. Have the best day:) xTieghan
My boys don’t like the box stuff because it is “too cheesy and too soupy” With a few other modifications that are our standard operating procedure (always double the vegetables for example) this LANDED for my teens who love having this on hand for their after school snack. When they’ve eaten this they always give me more hugs. This is a keeper for us. I used a LOT of zucchini (like 3 small to medium ones) but without a lid, it came out PERFECT and was easy to make sure it was the consistency they like.
Hey Joanna,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Recipe doesn’t specify to cover with lid when simmering but I believe you are supposed to. When I did so it came out correct, but my sister simmered without a lid and she needed much more broth and the texture came out gummy (as I’ve seen in a couple other comments). I agree with some reviews that next time I’d use more spices but overall delish and EASY recipe!
Hey Maria,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Loved this recipe! So easy and delicious. Going to be making it again tonight since my entire family enjoyed it so much. Leftovers are also fantastic!
Hey Grace,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
I had to use a lot more broth to have enough moisture to cook the pasta. I’m not sure if this is because I used GF pasta. I then added about double the spices to even out the flavor. Also used coconut milk which was good. I would make again, I think it would be great after a day of skiing. Fast to make and filling.
Hey Alison,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry you had to use more broth than needed, could have been the GF noodles or the size of your noodles:) xTieghan
this was a very forgiving recipe. i had to make some substitutions/swaps and it still turned out really good:
– ground turkey for beef
– broth from chicken better than bouillon instead of beef broth
– doubled the paprika and added a dash of crushed red pepper, since i didn’t have chili powder
– added about half a teaspoon of turmeric to give it more of that traditional, neon orange hamburger helper look
a good and versatile recipe for my arsenal, thank you!
I love a lot of your recipes, so I’m sorry to say but this one fell really flat for me. I just felt the flavour was lacking, really bland ?
Hey Eliza,
So sorry to hear this, please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Hey Liz,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xTieghan
I made this over the weekend. It was super easy and really delicious. Total comfort food! I am a big fan of HBH and have made a LOT of both your savory and sweet recipes. They never disappoint!
Hey Diane,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
We loved this! Will definitely be making again.
Hey Maureen,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
Making this for a second time because the whole family enjoyed it. It’s a great meal for weeknight when you need to get something on the table quickly.
Hey Jennifer,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
This was so easy to make and delicious!!
Hey Hannah,
Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan