Homemade Hamburger Helper

Perfect comforting and nostalgic meal.

Hamburger Helper from the box is absolutely not to be hated on around here but what if you could make Homemade Hamburger Helper and take it up a few notches? It’s cheesy, comforting goodness, like a warm hug in a bowl.

Hamburger Helper Nostalgia

I get it, the box makes it so easy! But I promise making it at home is worth the time and effort. The flavor, knowledge of the ingredients, I could make a pretty strong case of all the pros.

There is really nothing like the smell of hamburger helper cooking on the stove, especially on a cool, fall evening. We’re so close to fall! This homemade hamburger helper will give you all the warm and fuzzy feels.

Just like traditional hamburger helper, this is a one-pot meal! Like actually one-pot. You cook the noodles in the broth so you quite literally don’t have to wash an extra pot.

I feel like we all ate this at least once as a kid and now you can make it from scratch at home!

Homemade Hamburger Helper Ingredients

Quite a few staple pantry ingredients are in this dish with a few fresh ingredients to round it out. I constantly am trying to figure out new ways to use ground beef to try to switch up the weekly rotation, and this recipe has definitely made its way into our household rotation.

You’ll see there is no added salt here – between the tomato bouillon, cheese, and chicken broth, I don’t find you need any additional salt. As always, do a taste test for your saltiness preference!

Let’s break it down:

Fresh Ingredients

• ground sirloin or ground beef – I love ground sirloin, I use it in all my “ground beef” recipes
• heavy cream
• extra sharp cheddar cheese – extra sharp is important here to get a cheesy taste, even if it’s too sharp typically for you to eat plain, the sharpness does not come across in this dish. My favorite is Cabot, I seriously buy 4 blocks at a time
• shallot – I like to finely dice a shallot instead of an onion, it provides a similar flavor without the larger obvious chunks of onion throughout – I highly recommend shallots if you have pickier eaters that don’t enjoy onion and it sticks closer to the traditional boxed stuff
• tomato paste

Pantry Ingredients

• chicken broth
• elbow noodles – for the traditional vibes!
• olive oil
• tomato bouillon – this may be something you don’t have on hand, it really makes this recipe taste as close as possible to the from the box stuff. Testing without it, my taste testers were not quite getting the traditional flavor profile
• paprika
• ground mustard
• chili powder
• onion powder
• cayenne pepper – just a dash

How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper

A one-pot meal, what could be better?

• Sauté the shallot: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.
• Brown the beef: Add the diced shallot and cook until translucent. Add the ground sirloin, breaking it up into small pieces. Cook until fully browned and no pink remains.
• Season and stir: Add ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon ground mustard, ¼ teaspoon paprika, a dash of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon, and 1½ tablespoons tomato paste. Stir until everything is well combined.
• Add broth and pasta: Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the elbow pasta, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until your pasta is al dente. 
• Add cream and cheese: Lower the heat. Stir in ¼ cup heavy cream and 6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese until fully melted and combined.
• Finish and serve: Remove the pot from the hot burner. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken before serving!

Storage Tips

While we like some leftovers in our household, not every meal needs a leftover spot in the fridge…this recipe makes 4 good size dinner servings and deserves a spot. We eat 2 good size portions and put the rest in the fridge for a couple of lunches.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. The pasta will likely soak up some of the sauce but it will still make for a great leftover-lunch!

Need a quick veggie side? This Creamy Cucumber Salad will add some freshness to your meal!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use elbow pasta?

Traditional Hamburger Helper contains elbow pasta. You can replace with a pasta of similar size, if you use a larger and/or more dense shape, you likely will need additional chicken broth to get it fully cooked through without losing your moisture that contributes to your sauce.

What is a replacement for tomato bouillon?

I have yet to find a replacement that can mimic the flavor profile that tomato bouillon provides. You can typically find it alongside the chicken bouillon cubes. I have found both the cubes and granulated versions at my local supermarkets.

Why do you use ground sirloin?

Ground sirloin is typically leaner, I have not seen any sold that contains more than 10% fat, and in return it reduces the amount of grease when cooking. I also find it has a beefier and almost cleaner? flavor. But you can find ground beef with less fat content, too!