Homemade Hamburger Helper

This Homemade Hamburger Helper has a classic combination of beef and macaroni in a cheeseburger sauce with simple seasonings.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 595kcal

½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, mustard powder, parsley
1/8 teaspoon Smoked paprika

In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the beef broth, chicken broth, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. (This is the “Sauce mixture”.) Set it aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
Begin boiling salted water to cook the macaroni. Proceed with steps below while the water heats up.

Season the ground beef lightly with salt and pepper. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the beef. Cook and crumble until brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain grease and set the ground beef aside.

Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat and add the flour. Stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes, or until it begins to turn toasty brown.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Doing this slowly ensures that the roux doesn’t “break” and that the sauce has a uniform consistency. Stir in the beef bouillon.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered while you boil the pasta.

Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook until just al dente, set a timer to avoid overcooking. Drain once cooked.

Reduce the heat of the sauce to low and gradually sprinkle in the shredded cheese, stirring continuously until combined. Add the ground beef back and stir to combine.
Add the drained macaroni and stir to combine. The consistency may seem thin at first, but the macaroni will continue to absorb the sauce and it will thicken upon standing. Remove from heat and serve!

Pro Tips

Bouillon: A little beef bouillon adds depth of flavor, I use 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon. This is optional, 1/4 tsp. salt can be used if omitting.
Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese. It will melt and taste much better than pre-shredded. I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow.
Make sure the base of the soup isn’t too hot when you add the cheese, otherwise the dairy will separate and create a grainy consistency.
Broth: This recipe uses a combination of beef and chicken broth for depth of flavor. All beef broth can be used if preferred.
Pasta: Medium pasta shells, rotini, and bowtie pasta are all great options for this recipe. If you like extra-extra saucy pasta, use just under 1/2 lb.
Be sure to set a timer when cooking your pasta to avoid overcooking it. Macaroni in particular cooks fast.

Storage

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This does freeze/reheat very well. It saves my life every week.
I store leftovers in these containers for the freezer and use these food labels.
To reheat, I just thaw it out from frozen in the microwave and transfer to a serving bowl.

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. This recipe makes 4 servings.