This homemade cheeseburger macaroni recipe is made with whole, clean ingredients, tastes better than the boxed stuff and is ready in 20 minutes!
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!
PIN ME!
For a fun and tasty variation for autumn, try our Pumpkin Mac and Cheese!
BEST Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni (Hamburger Helper Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 small onion ,finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (Gluten Free: dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the beef broth)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 3/4 cup natural non-MSG beef broth
- 2 cups dried whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta
- (Gluten Free: Use GF Macaroni)
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 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.
Video
Nutrition
Teri says
Love this recipe! But both times I’ve made it, it turns out grainy/curdled. Is there something I did wrong?
Lee Ann King says
Turn the heat off and wait a bit before adding the cheese. That usually helps me when I make things like this. Have a great day.
Sherilyn says
Try skipping the flour instead of broth use 1 cup of water put on a low to med heat with a lid on your pan steam will help cook and keep from clumping …. Another thing you can do is try sprinkling the flour out just adding it than stirring into something hot can make clumps
Tammy Swinney says
This was very good! I did alter it some. I upped some of the spices, added oregano, used chicken instead of beef broth and 3 cups of it. I used 12 oz of macaroni and 2 cups cheese. I also changed up the order a bit based on how I generally cook, I cooked the onions down first then added the tomato paste and spices and cooked that a minute or two. Then I added the need and cooked that. The flour then went in, cooked for 2 min, then the liquids and macaroni.
Dan says
This was great! I had to comment after reading a few posts. I’d think Cheeseburger Macaroni (copycat hamburger helper) all by itself would steer you in a different direction if you were looking for a heart healthy dinner. I ate the boxed stuff when I was a kid and this is light years better so I guess is not really a copycat. Thank you for sharing this, it is definitely going to be in the rotation.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Dan, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
I have been using this recipe to make a quick, easy, delicious meal for my family for quite a while. I use gluten free pasta and it turns out great!
Thea K. says
So good! I didn’t change anything except I didn’t have macaroni noodles so I used shells. The recipe is delicious as is. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Thea, thanks so much!
Anonymous says
Have made this a few times and there’s never any leftovers. Just a little less sugar and a little more spice makes it perfect for my family. Thank you!
Kori says
Growing up American, this really brings back the childhood memories! I’ve made this for my British family several times now and they love it so much that my sister-in-law asked for the recipe! While we love the original recipe as you’ve written it, I tried it today with ground turkey, semi-skimmed (2%) milk and low fat cheddar cheese and it works just as well with less guilt for me. LOL! Thank you for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this, Kori, thank you!
Jo says
This was so good! I added shredded carrots and spinach plus I made it entirely dairy free. Tastes amazing! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Jo, thanks for the feedback!
Marc Capps says
Do you drain the meat or no?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Marc, that’s purely personal preference. There’s no need to drain it but if you prefer to cut down on the fat then feel free to drain.
Bonni says
I’m originally American and I grew up on Hamburger Helper. I moved to Australia years ago, and while I can get Hamburger Helper at an American import grocer, it’s really expensive. A few days ago I got a deep craving for this dish, and found this recipe. We added a large, shredded zucchini to the dish during the onion-and-ground-beef stage (we also use zucchini in tacos and enchiladas that way, just to increase the vegetable content). And the dish was fantastic. Better than I remember the box version ever being, certainly. Everyone in the family enjoyed it (they’re all native Australians). We’ll definitely be doing this again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Bonni, I’m thrilled that you and your family enjoyed it! Friendly greetings to Australia!
Jenn says
Thank you for submitting GF alternatives within the recipe !
Makes my life easier !
Eli says
I used about 203 – 205g Catelli gf Fusili 2-3 tablespoons of extra water. Next time I will mix the Cold milk (we only have 1 % and it was great) and cornstarch together. May go up to 220g of pasta plus a little water next time too. I used ground chicken that I seasoned with pepper, several parikas, garlic powder, a little cumin. Dinner for 3 adults, the 2 men in the family went back for more… cleaned this up!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Eli, thanks so much for the feedback!
Anonymous says
Very good and super simple. I followed the recipe but added extra on the spices. We all loved it. Thank you for the easy recipe!
Troy says
Just finished supper. Repeatedly heard “This is really good!” and “I’d eat this again.” High praise from my family 😄
Since I called it cheeseburger pasta when I told the kids about it, I served with bacon crumbles, green onions, and dill pickle chips. Yum!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s awesome, Troy, well done serving up a delicious dinner for your family! Thanks so much for the feedback!
Mykell says
We made this for dinner tonight, following recipe exactly. It was amazing! This is going into our rotation for sure.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Mykell, I’m so glad it was a hit, thank you!
Angie Moeller says
Wow….this was disaster. It turned out being a strange light yellow/grey color. My husband said he followed the recipe to the letter. It looked NOTHING like the picture! Not even close!
Nitrous says
Sit down with your husband….. read item by item. The milk through me off a little because I’d usually add it to soften the meat but evaporate the water away…. this was not the case and I got a pretty light, pinkish color…… add a bit more paprika, or chili powder for color…. it really is delicious
not sure why, but I couldn’t get the 4th or 5th star darkened but the recipe was that good…. go lightly on the salt. it creeps up in the cheese!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Nitrous, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hillary says
Can this recipe be made in the Instant Pot?
Ash says
The recipe is super easy and but I felt like it was a little underseasoned. I added more seasoning and some red pepper flakes for a little kick.
Anne says
Can you bake it to finish it off with buttery panko crust?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Sure, Anne!
Dee says
Huge hit with my family tonight. Had ground beef defrosted but tired of the same stuff! This was not only a good change but also a demanded repeat in the near future!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Woohooo, I’m so happy it was a family hit, Dee, thank you!
Tennery says
Can I use Rigatoni pasta? It is all I have on hand.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Absolutely, Tennery. Happy cooking!
Kathleen says
This is an outstanding recipe! I make it all the time and my family loves it. No changes, no substitutions…just as is. It’s super easy to make too. Thank you for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy it’s been a hit in your family, Kathleen, thank you!
Roger Longfellow says
There is usually some confusion when “chili powder” is listed as an ingredient. Are you asking for American chili powder which is ground chiles with other ingredients or pure ground chiles?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Roger, yes I definitely understand your point – in the case of this recipe either will work great.
Brian says
Hello, my wife isn’t a huge fan of tomatoes…Is there a substitute I could use for the tomato paste?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Brian, there really isn’t a substitute. Unless she’s allergic to tomatoes I can assure you that this dish does not have a “tomato flavor” in the least. The paste is just used to balance the flavors and add some depth. But if you prefer to omit it you can simply leave it out and not worry about a substitute.
Becky says
I omit the chili powder and use red chili sauce, the spicy cousin to enchilada sauce in place of the tomato paste. You have to adjust the liquid, but u used bullion cubes anyway so I just added less water and a small handful more noodles.
Mara Markzon says
Can I use Skim or 2% milk instead?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mara, yes you can use either.
Melissa says
I do not like hamburger helper but I liked this my family is going to love it 5 stars!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Melissa, thank you!
Karin says
OMG! This was AMAZING! My favorite meal many years ago was Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni. About 15 years ago, the taste changed and it just wasn’t good anymore. THIS!!! THIS is better than the old HH! This recipe is going into our normal rotation.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome!! I’m so happy to hear that, Karin, thank you!
Kirk Carpenter says
Homemade healthy, thank you for sharing! The kids and I love it for a weeknight quick meal. We do like to use Protein Pasta to try to reduce some carbs. Add 1/2 to 3/4 Cup chopped Hamburger Dill Pickle slices. Brings a tanginess to the flavor profile that is absolutely fantastic and reminiscent of a Deluxe Pub Burger!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed it, Kirk, thank you! And great idea about the dill pickles, I’ll have to give that a try!
Kimberly Morris says
Wonderful
Frank says
If doubling this would you double everything? Including milk and broth?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Frank, yes, double everything. Happy cooking!
Anonymous says
Is it 1 and 3/4 cups broth or 3/4 cups?
Merry White says
Very tasty and very easy!
Samanthalynn says
Can u use tuna instead of hamburger ?will it still taste good cuz I’m hungry but I only have tuna
Heidi says
Have a question. Can this recipe be made and frozen in individual servings? It looks delicious and just what I was looking for, but I would need to freeze the leftovers. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Heidi, yes it can be frozen but pasta can be tricky to freeze – it should be cooked just until it’s al dente otherwise it can turn mushy when it’s frozen and reheated.
Kelly says
I made this a few months ago and loved it, forgot to write a review until I decided I wanted to make it again today. This is SO good. Tastes better than the boxed version, which is more important to me than preservatives, ha! :) Thank you for such a great recipe! I had told my sister about this and she’s been requesting it, so you’ll probably have another raving review from her after we make it today!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Kelly, thanks so much and thanks also for passing the link on to your sister! :)
Vince Zecchinelli says
Every time my wife goes on a trip to visit her daughter for a few days I always try and have a different “special” meal for her when she gets home. I peruse the internet looking for ideas and am very glad I stumbled across your recipe. This was a major hit. Thanks so much for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad it was a hit, Vince, thank you! And what a lovely tradition you have creating nice meals for your wife upon her return – well done!
Jenna says
Hello I am making this right now and I used quinoa and chickpea noodles and it’s very watery :( the flavor is delicious though! Any tips on how to thicken this up without loosing the wonderful flavor? I prefer to use the noodles I mentioned maybe that’s a factor in why it isn’t thickening.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jenna, you can thicken it with cornstarch dissolved in a little water. Yes, it’s most likely the noodles not absorbing as much water as wheat noodles or GF rice noodles do.
Nichole says
Very good. I used ground Turkey meat, and organic chicken broth. I also shredded my own cheddar cheese from block cheese. This type of cheese has Less ingredients then bagged cheese. This was so good. Clean eating yummy dinner.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nichole, thank you!
Femke says
I’ve made this so many times, amazing recipe!
Anonymous says
Easy and fast definitely cheaper and tastier than store bought hamburger helper. If you just buy pasta, onions, and ground beef *if you choose cheapest on store* it’s only 5 bucks total that feeds whole family the rest of the item should be in your pantry if you keep it well stocked.
Anonymous says
Fabulous!!! Even my picky eaters enjoyed it. I added more beef broth as needed, depending how long the pasta takes to cook through. Definitely a keeper for busy evenings.
Anonymous says
you should specify whether or not it is 2 cups of pasta (16 oz) by weight or by volume. I added the whole box and it was way too much. It didn’t ruin the dish, but it sure would be alot better if i knew how much pasta to actually add.
Anonymous says
2 cups is 8 oz
Mel says
2 cups is not 8 oz.
2 cups is 16 oz.
:-)
Anonymous says
2 cups is the amount by volume. I don’t understand why you would confuse whether it was by weight or volume. The recipe is quite clear.
Andrea says
I NEVER actually comment …but this recipe was so good that I had to. Yeah sure, it’s not, you know, broccoli and asparagus healthy but if you’re wanting something like hamburger helper, this is way better for your family than the preservatives in the box food. I had everything I needed in my pantry except avocado oil but I just omitted it because my beef cooked down with plenty of oil which I then drained off. The flavor is amazing!!! (I used a home made chili powder without preservatives also.)
I didn’t have enough cheddar cheese so I tried a portion of it mixed with cheddar cheese (and I like that better). To finish the whole recipe I added some monterey jack, which was delicious also and made it more like homemade mac and cheesey. I preferred the tartness of the sharp cheddar only, but both have their place.
Will use again and share!!
Home-made cookin mama approves!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Andrea, and appreciate the feedback – thank you!
Kate B. says
I searched all the google images for DIY hamburger helper and yours looked the best! My husband is currently preparing this while I read the recipe to him. I love to cook and I can tell this is going to be a winner already, and my kids are soooo excited! As a mom with celiac disease, I really appreciate the gluten-free ingredient swaps. Instead of the corn starch to thicken we used arrow root, which I think can be used one to one to replace corn starch. I do still use corn starch at times, though, because it’s much cheaper. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Kate, thanks so much for the feedback and I hope your family enjoys dinner tonight!
Julie says
My family is currently in England and it’s raining and kind of cold…in June, so I was feeling terribly homesick. This will surely hit the spot tonight. Thank you for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Funny thing, Julie, we’re in England right now as well on our family vacation :) Today was going to be a beach day for the kids but the weather made a 180 and it’s been rainy, cold and windy all day. This cheeseburger macaroni would definitely have hit the spot for us, too :)