Sometimes it’s those simple comforts that hit the spot best.
I grew up in health-conscious home where things like Hamburger Helper were only served on very rare occasions. And I’m grateful for a mom who took the time to cook healthy, wholesome meals for her family. I now do the same. But on those rare occasions we certainly enjoyed those quick, less-than-healthy meals. Let’s face it, they taste pretty good. I specifically recollect those moments of eating Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni and Tuna Casserole. Probably because it was so infrequent.
So here is a version of it you can eat and enjoy without any worry about of the nasty ingredients that typically accompany pre-prepared foods.
Like this ingredient list below from Hamburger Helper’s Cheeseburger Macaroni – you don’t have to worry about any of those items I’ve emphasized in bold:
“Enriched Macaroni (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Corn Starch, Salt, Enriched Flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Sugar, Ricotta Cheese* (whey, milkfat, lactic acid, salt), Tomato*, Monosodium Glutamate, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Paprika, Spice, Color (yellow lakes 5 & 6, yellows 5 & 6), Mono and Diglycerides, Cheddar Cheese* (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), Yeast Extract, Enzyme Modified Blue Cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), Cream, Whey, Enzyme Modified Cheddar Cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), Butter Oil, Nonfat Milk, Blue Cheese* (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), Sodium Caseinate, Silicon Dioxide (anticaking agent), Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Calcium Caseinate, Enzymes.*Dried”
Now compare that with our ingredient list:
“Macaroni, beef, onions, tomatoes, avocado oil, spices, sugar, flour, milk, beef broth, cheddar cheese”
And that’s including the out-of-box ingredients of beef, milk and broth.
With a clean list of ingredients you can feel good about what you’re feeding your family. Our kids love this cheeseburger macaroni and I don’t have to worry about what’s in it.
Ready for the table in 20 minutes, there simply is NO good reason to every buy the packaged stuff again!
Ready to get cooking?
Let’s get started!
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef until no pink remains.
Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and add the seasonings and flour.
Add the milk and beef broth and stir.
Stir in the macaroni.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until the macaroni is done. I prefer mine a little al dente and check after 9 minutes.
Add the cheese.
Stir until the cheese is melted.
For serving you can garnish it with a little chopped fresh parsley if you like.
Dinner is served.
Enjoy!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (Gluten Free: dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the beef broth)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1¾ cup natural, non-MSG beef broth
- 2 cups dried whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta (Gluten Free: use GF macaroni)
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef until no pink remains. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, seasonings and flour. Pour in the milk and broth and stir. Stir in the macaroni.
- Bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the macaroni is done. For al dente check after 9 minutes.
- Stir in the Cheddar cheese until melted.
- Serve immediately garnished with some chopped fresh parsley if desired.
I loved hamburger helper as a kid, but like you we did not get it very often,and my kids have never had it. I bet they would love this much healthier homemade version
My kids have never had the boxed stuff either, Heather. And there’s absolutely zero point in making the boxed stuff because the homemade version is every bit as quick to make!
Not really. It also costs more to buy all the ingredients. I would rather make something better than glorify a cheap style dinner. 😋
Yes, it costs a little more to cook this meal from scratch than to pay 99 cents for a box full of chemicals. But that’s one of the benefits of cooking from scratch, right? To avoid the junk ingredients in pre-prepared meals.
Second time making this for my family and we love it! I never had hamburger helper when I was young but my husband had it all the time. So now it’s the best of both worlds. And it definitely DOES NOT cost more than the box stuff. All the spices, broth, tomato paste, milk, noodles and ground beef (frozen) I had and didn’t need to make a trip to the store. All of which are used again in our house. As long as your pantry and fridge are properly stocked, this is definitely a go to. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much, Niki! Agreed, most of the ingredients are basic pantry staples.
We make homemade hamburger helper all the time, but it’s definitely nothing like this! This looks so comforting!
Thanks, Justine! With small kids at home and being torn in dozen direction all at once, I love quick and easy go-to dishes like this one 🙂
My husband will flip over this. You sauce looks so creamy!
Haha, Ginny! As much as my husband enjoys more involved and adventurous foods, he loves it when I make simple comfort food like this 🙂
I adore this!! You completely remade one of my favorites as a kid!
Thanks, Claire! Simple, quick and delicious comfort food – a great option especially when you’re in a hurry.
I love that you remade this childhood favorite
It’s something quick and yummy I can make for my kids without worrying about what they’re eating!
There were only a couple of varieties of Hamburger Helper that I liked as a kid…but cheeseburger mac was one of them. This definitely a bazillion times better, I know my family would love this!
Definitely, Heather! Pasta, beef and lots of cheese…what’s there not to like, right?
I just wanted to come back and let you know that I’ve already made this twice for my family…it’s in our regular rotation now. One bite is an instant throwback to my youth! 🙂
Heather, you’re so awesome for taking the time to let me know, thanks so much! And I’m so happy that your family enjoys it as much as mine! 🙂
Did you drain your grease off the hamburger after you cook the onion in it?
You can do it either way, Natalie, purely personal preference.
Ack! That list of ingredients on the packaged version!! I saw your video on FB earlier & just love it and this recipe! Can’t wait to try it – so cool!
Thanks so much, Patricia! 🙂 I know, I always wonder WHY they have to pack so much crap into those boxes?! And it’s like I mentioned to another comment, there simply is no good reason to make the boxed stuff when you can make it just as quickly homemade – and much healthier!
Comfort food is the best kind of food! I’ve never made hamburger helper for my kids but I definitely need to try your version, they’d love it!
I’m sure they would, Sara, this is definitely “kid approved” kind of food 🙂
I’m going to try your version. I’ve never actually had hamburger helper, but I would definitely eat this! Looks like a wonderful easy dinner to me!
Awesome, Michelle! Truly, it just doesn’t get any easier than this and the result is a wonderful comfort dish!
I grew up in the same kind of house! *Now* I’m grateful for it, like you, but I kind of wasn’t back then. Fish sticks were all the rage, and they were quite rare in our house.
This DIY hamburger helper looks incredible!! I have no kids and I want it!!
Haha, yes I remember the fish sticks! Thanks, Julie! 🙂
I am loving these ingredients and homemade is always the best!
And always healthier, Lauren!
The perfect comfort food. It looks really easy too…
It’s super duper easy!
Homemade version is always the best! I love how easy it is to make! This looks so delicious!
Thanks, Andi!
This looks amazing!! I used to make hamburger helper so much back in my younger days. Now I can make it again! Thank you! Love your photos!!
Thanks, Cyndi! You won’t buy the boxed stuff again after making this 🙂
I can’t to make this homemade version! I love hamburger but w are trying to be healthy so I will use ground turkey instead. Thanks for the great recipe.
Ground turkey’s a great alternative, Abby!
Hi Kimberly – we tried this last night and it was fabulous, quick comfort food. I love coming across recipes like this for a busy weekday. I love your site – someday you need to do a cookbook. I’d buy it in a minute!
Thanks so much, Kim! 🙂 I’m with you all the way, I prefer quick, simple meals during the week as well. My young kids make it challenging to do anything more time-consuming 🙂 I will definitely be publishing a cookbook! In fact I was actually already approached by a New York publisher a few months ago and had the contract in hand ready to sign but, between moving to our new home and several family commitments, I had to postpone it for a little while. Once things settle down I’ll be tackling cookbook! I’m really excited about it.
This dish turned out wonderfully. I love cheese, so I sprinkled a little pepper jack too. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome, Rach, thanks so much!
Is the macaroni uncooked when you add it? Thank you
Yes, Donna, uncooked.
Delicious! I also make my own homemade version of this, and my kids adore it. And I adore controlling the ingredients and limiting it to ones I can pronounce.
So true, Sarah!
Hey there, I came across your blog post while looking for homemade hamburger helper recipe’s. I can’t wait to try out yours, it looks delicious!
Hugs~
Thanks, Sharleen, and happy cooking!
I had hamburger helper many moons ago when my son was growing up. He loved it and I did not. But your dish looks so much better an very creamy sauce. I would like to cook this for my husband and myself. The dish looks yummy. I have tried many of your recipes and never once disappointed
Thanks so much for the compliment, Pam, and I always appreciate your thoughtful feedback 🙂
Homemade Hamburger Helper is one of my favorite meals ever! But I rarely make it because I eat half the pan and then go into a carb coma. 😉 Your version looks awesome!
Made this last night. It was delicious and the whole family asked when I could make it again. Easy too. Looking forward to trying more Daring Gormet. Thank you!
Wonderful, Amy, I’m so thrilled to hear that, thank you!
I made this last night for supper and my 13-year old son loved it. So rich, creamy and yummy. I didn’t have whole milk on hand so I substituted 1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup skim milk and it turned out great! 😉
Wonderful, I’m so glad was a hit! Heavy cream and skim milk was the perfect substitute.
I have tried a few other Hamburger Helper recipes and they were not what I was excpecting. Today I was craving it and almost caved and got the box junk. I am so glad I gave your recipe a try!! My family and I loved it and will definitely make it again. Thank you 🙂
That’s awesome, Alyssa, I’m so happy to hear that – thank you!
A blast from the past for me. Tasty and quick to prepare on busy nights. Will be making again, couldn’t stop eating!! Thanx for sharing! 🙂
Awesome, Nita, and thank you for the feedback!
I just made this,it was so easy and quick plus budget friendly.My teenage son devoured a big plate and my super picky 3 year old loved it!!
Fantastic, thanks so much for letting us know!
This is the worst cake recipe I have ever made!!!!!
Well, Joe, considering this is a recipe for cheeseburger macaroni I’m not surprised you didn’t enjoy it as a cake.
Hi Kimberely,
The recipe was great, I was just messing around. I recently saw a soup recipe where a reviewer had changed up the amounts and some of the ingredients on a recipe then complained about how they didn’t like it.
Have a good day!
This was SO good! My husband can’t stop raving about it, saying how similar it is to the childhood version, and how it’s the ultimate comfort food. We even slipped a mashed up spoonful to our 8-month old, and I think we have a new HH fan in the house!
That’s terrific! So glad it’s become a household hit, Tera, thanks for letting us know!
Loved this recipe as is. Second time I made it I used half pepper jack cheese, bowtie pasta and mixed in a can of whole kernel corn at the end for a bit of a Southwest flavor. Mmm mmm! Definitely a great recipe!
YUM, that sounds great, Emily, thanks for sharing!
There are other homemade hamburger helper recipes out there but your photos and easy recipe got me hooked in and this was such comfort food for everyone. Kiddies absolutely love it and my three year old loves to help with seasoning and the cheese part. Thanks!
That’s terrific, Nancy, and it’s really awesome that you’re involving your kids in the cooking – thanks for the feedback!
When substituting turkey for the ground beef, should I replace the beef stock with water or chicken stock?
Chicken stock. Happy cooking!
I came across your recipe on Facebook, made it for the family and they LOVE it! Now I am having to double the recipe so the husband and kids can have leftovers for lunch the next day! Everyone loves it right down to my 2 year old grandson.
One thing my daughter and I did notice was that when you double this recipe the noodle stay more the correct size unlike the boxed version when you try to cook two boxes the noodle get all funky.
Great recipe, thank you so much!!
That’s terrific, Lisa, I’m thrilled to hear it, thank you!
Is the cheddar cheese used for this; sharp, medium or mild?
Hi Jada, any of them will work equally well, it just comes down to personal preference. I like strong cheeses so I usually keep my fridge stocked with sharp cheddar.
Love this! This tastes spot on to what I remember eating as a kid! Best part is, my son loves it too! Thank you!
Fantastic, thank you, Sara!
The best ever! Made this gluten free. So good! Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Cherry, I’m so glad you liked it, thank you!
I made this recipe this evening. It came out a little bland. The instructions don’t call for draining the hamburger – I did. Is that where I went wrong? Any suggestions for spicing it up? Thank you.
Hi Gayle, the fat is where a lot of the flavor is, yes, but draining it wouldn’t make the dish less spicy. If you prefer your food spicier you’ll need to add something like cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
Made this tonight for my crazy picky 14 month old. He didn’t throw it all at the dog, so this counts as a win in my book! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Brenda, I don’t know how I missed your comment but I’m glad I finally saw it – thank you! I’m so glad it passed your little one’s inspection 🙂
I made this recipe in my Instant Pot. The advantage to using the electric pressure cooker is a shortened cook time. Totally delish and simple!! I shared leftovers with my co-workers and they enjoyed it as well!
Awesome, thanks so much for the feedback, Trixie!
Do you have to use avacodo oil? I have everything but that.
Hi Wendy, no that’s definitely not a must. I just personally use and recommend it because it has the highest smoke point for frying. You can use any oil you like. Happy cooking!
I made this:) it was great. The seasoning blend was perfect. I’ve never had hamburger helper but so I can’t compare however, this is a great comfort food that kids will like. I didn’t have a whole pound of ground beef so I used half crimini mushrooms put through a processor. I omitted the sugar and a tablespoon flour and it was still great and flavorful. I also used a cup of mozzarella and a cup cheddar. Just because that’s what I had. With the variations it was awesome so you can still make this without having to run to the store for certain ingredients
That’s awesome, Lisa, thanks so much for the feedback! Agreed, this recipe is very conducive to substitutions and the ground mushrooms were a nice call.
Thanks so much for a great home made recipe of a childhood favorite! We’ve made a few small changes and it was oh so tasty and very filling! We didn’t have avocado oil and omitted oil entirely (we never brown our ground beef with oil as it always produces enough while cooking). I always like to add more veggies in a recipe wherever I can so we added some finely chopped celery and yellow pepper to the meat at the same time as the onion, and also added some baby spinach that we had left in the fridge when it was time to add the cheese (we used old cheddar). Our onion powder was beyond expired so we simply didn’t add any but just used a larger fresh onion instead.
Love the flavours of the seasoning, and loved that we were able to control the salt and sugar in this recipe (as opposed to the boxed Hamburger Helper). Thanks again! This is now bookmarked in our favorites! 🙂
Wonderful, Valerie, thanks so much for the feedback!
Had to thank you as I make this at least once a month. The recipe doubles very well to feed my five growing boys and my hamburger helper loving husband. It’s fast and easy to make which helps this busy mom out a lot. I try to always have these staples on hand so I can whip this up on nights that are hectic. The meal goes a long way for the cost. That it is healthier as well is icing on the cake!
Fantastic, Sara! I’m happy to hear this has become a family favorite, thanks so much for the feedback!
I started making homemade hamburger helper a while ago and I will never go back! I love your recipe! I added diced red and yellow peppers, some smoked paprika, and cumin. I also omitted the sugar. It was so delicious and provides so much more food than the box. Thanks for the great recipe!
Fantastic, Meagan, thank you!
I’m really excited to try this. I was mad at myself today because I forgot to get a box of it at the store and now I found this! I’ll be trying it this weekend and I’ll report back the results!
Awesome, Scott, I’m looking forward to hear what you think – happy cooking!
It was really good!!! Thank you!!!!
Fantastic, Scott, thank you!
I have made this recipe twice and it’s delicious. However, both times, I have found that I need to add about a cup of water toward the end to get the macaroni to cook all the way. The first time, I even went back to see if I had missed some liquid component of the recipe.
Hi Jaime, I’m not sure why that would be. Are you using whole wheat or some other kind of pasta? That may need more liquid.
No… regular white elbow macaroni
Hmmm, yeah, I’m not sure what went wrong then.
I have an induction cooktop and I have found that water boils very fast in the pot. This is because the entire pot heats up not just the bottom. If you are using induction and/or good quality cookware you may find that you will need to add a bit more liquid to your recipes to compensate for the more aggressive heating.
It’s likely the pot used letting out too much steam or your stove doesnt maintain temp accurately. Took me a long time to figure this out but I used to have the same problem with the boxed pasta dishes. New stove and better cookware fixed it.
Pretty good. I could have done without the sugar I think. It was a little curdled. My husband loved it!
Thanks, Rachel!
My daughter will not est any added sugar in her diet. We substituted ingredients without added sugar and wow this was awesome! To those that are complaining about the price of the ingredients if you’re trying to eat something more health-conscious go ahead and do it! This is a great recipe for a good meal for my family. Thank you
Thanks so much, Phil, I’m so glad it was a hit!
I just found this recipe and I loved it!! It was also a hit for my 2 year old! Thank you! It sure hit the spot.
Fantastic, Crystal, thank you!
Just made this for the family!! My kids liked it way better then the boxed stuff!! Thanks for the great quick recipe 🙂
Wonderful, Michelle, thank you!
Just made this for my grandkids! THEY LOVED IT! 2 can not have cheese, so I left it on the side for the cheese lovers to add on own! We have a new Wednesday night tradition! Ty!!
Hoooray! I’m thrilled to hear it was a hit with your grandkids, Barbara, thank you!
My kids devoured it. Boyfriend claimed there was too much cheese (never knew there was such a thing). Idk why someone said it costs too much.. Hamburger helper costs about 2, 2.50? Then you have to buy milk and ground beef too. I guess it would cost about.. 99 cents for pasta, 50 cents for tomato paste, 1.99 for cheese and a buck for beef boullion or stock.. I always have spices on hand and it costs a buck each to replace. So 3.50 or a lil more if you need spices. Anywhoo, just trying to prove a point that it really doesnt cost a whole bunch more than a buck, buck fifty to upgrade to hamburger helper made from scratch. Worth it in my eyes. Will be making again, with maybe just 1.5 cups of cheese next time.
Fantastic, Cena, thank you! I couldn’t agree more about the cost. And NO, there’s isn’t such a thing as too much cheese!! 😉
I have been searching for a good hamburger helper recipe for a long time. Made this last night and OMG!!! It was soooo good. I did add diced peppers and sliced mushrooms, and of course a little extra cheese and my hubby has taken leftovers for lunch. He has already requested this to be on the menu at least once a week. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe with us all.
Yahooo! I’m so happy to hear that, Julia, thank you!
This was such a crowd pleaser made with pantry items! I subbed ground turkey, turkey broth, and mozzarella because that is what I had on hand. This would have also been yummy if I omitted the paprika and chili powder and subbed 1-1 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning (since I used mozzarella). I added some crushed red peppers to my bowl because I like a little bit of heat (some jalapeños cooked in would have been yummy too!). You really can’t go wrong with this recipe!
Great for busy nights – comes together very quickly) or using whatever you have available in your pantry/fridge. Thank you for this adaptable family friendly meal!
Fantastic, Laura, that sounds like a delicious variation, thanks for sharing!
Made this tonight and it is so good. Better than the box version I had as a kid years ago. I did sub in ground turkey and chicken broth but other than that everything else remained the same. This will be regular in my household.
Fantastic, Poppy, thank you!
Wonderful recipe! Everything I was going to say has already been said in the previous comments. Picky kids happily devoured it! I used turkey instead of beef. It’s fantastic! Keeping it in the rotation. Thanks for sharing! (Any new info on that potential cookbook that was mentioned?)
Terrific, Natalie, thank you! The cookbook’s still on hold until my homeschooled kids are a bit older, can better self-manage their studies, and I have a little more breathing room! 🙂
Totally understood! I homeschool little ones myself. 🙂
YES! Homeschooling moms unite! 🙂