Homemade Hamburger Helper
Homemade hamburger helper made from scratch in one skillet, with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a creamy cheddar sauce. Ready in 35 minutes, no box needed.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 440kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Build the sauce base: Stir in the beef broth, milk, tomato paste, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the tomato paste dissolves.
- Add the pasta: Stir in the elbow macaroni and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Simmer: Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish with cheese: Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar until melted and creamy.
Notes
Stir occasionally while the pasta simmers so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the skillet, and let the sauce sit a few minutes off heat before serving to thicken further.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g