This homemade cheeseburger macaroni recipe is made with whole, clean ingredients, tastes better than the boxed stuff and is ready in 20 minutes! It’s both a family favorite and a favorite among our readers. We’re confident you’ll love it as much as we do!
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. Â And I’m grateful for a mom who took the time to cook healthy, wholesome meals for her family. Â I now do the same. Â But on those rare occasions we certainly enjoyed those quick, less-than-healthy meals. Â Let’s face it, they taste pretty good. Â I specifically recollect those moments of eating Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni and Tuna Casserole. Â 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. Â 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!
Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe
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. Â 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.
Enjoy!
For a fun and tasty variation for autumn, try our Pumpkin Mac and Cheese!
BEST Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni
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 quality 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
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet February 19, 2016
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 :)
Tanya says
Very good, I had to use a little spaghetti sauce in the can instead of tomato paste because I didn’t have any, along with extra sugar and a little extra water (I doubled the recipe and I think I put too many macaronis lol so I needed more liquid. After doubling, I realized I probably didn’t need to, since it’s so much I can probably end starvation in third world countries lol… Great recipe thank you! I wish I would have had the ingredients to make it exactly the same!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tanya, thank you!
Kelly says
Wow this was great! Eating it now :) Found this recipe last week and have been looking forward to making it and it did not disappoint! Way better than boxed hamburger helper (I should know, I ate tons as a kid). This is ridiculously good. I had to add salt at the end, but I may not have added all the salt I was supposed to while cooking. Thank you SO much – it’s crazy how someone I’ll never meet fed me such an awesome dinner :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol, Kelly, it was my pleasure :) I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Anonymous says
I love hamburger helper, but I hate its long, complicated list of ingredients. I figured this recipe would be a good substitute/alternative to the boxed stuff, but this is soooo much better! It has way more flavor, better texture, and a much better (not artificial) taste. I’ll never go back to the boxed kind again!
Amy says
Hi, can I use the whole box of pasta?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Amy, the liquid and spices in this recipe are calculated for 2 cups of pasta. If you use more pasta you’ll have to adjust the liquid and seasonings accordingly.
Roxanne Hopkins says
Followed recipe exactly (which I never do) and it was fabulous! It’s cost effective for me because with the exception of the ground beef, I had all of the other ingredients. Super simple and a hit for the family which is no small feet for my youngest who is autistic and super picky with food!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m absolutely thrilled to hear it was a hit with your family, Roxanne, thanks so much for the feedback!
Rochelle B says
I came across a video of this recipe when I was browsing through another website. I suddenly developed a hankering for cheeseburger mac and decided to give this recipe a try. It turned out so well! It was a hit at the dinner table. I didn’t have enough milk so I used only 1 cup of milk and the rest water. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Rochelle, thank you! On which website did you see the video?
Sony says
Had a craving for the boxed stuff (which I do not buy and rarely ate as a kid). This recipe was great! I added in some ketchup (cutting half of the tomato paste) and mustard to give it more of a cheeseburger flavor. Then topped it with chopped tomatoes, pickles and raw red onion. SO GOOD. Thank you for the foundation provided here.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Sony, thanks so much for the feedback!
Anonymous says
Very good I used olive oil and some velveeta and shape cheddar
Gina says
Looks delish. Can I use veggie oil instead of avocado? Thanx for your response and thanx for sharing this recipe
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gina, yes, you can use any oil of your choice – happy cooking!
sierra rose says
I doubled this recipe and ended up with too much sauce, but it has great flavor so it’s fine!! I may make extra noodles for it and I know it’ll get eaten up. Thanks!