Description
Homemade Hamburger Helper is a comforting one-pot meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. This creamy dish combines savory ground beef, tender pasta, and a rich tomato and cheese sauce that’s sure to please the entire family. With its cheesy goodness and customizable ingredients, you can easily modify this recipe to suit your taste. Whether you’re feeding kids or hosting guests, this delightful meal checks all the boxes for flavor and convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz small pasta shells (or small elbow pasta)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half and half)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Remove from pan but retain 2 tablespoons of grease.
- Lower heat to medium; add diced onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic during the last 30 seconds.
- Stir in flour for about 1 minute, then gradually add beef broth while stirring; bring to a boil.
- Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pasta. Stir well and cover; simmer for 12-15 minutes until pasta is tender.
- Stir in heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese until melted; return ground beef to the mixture and heat through for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (about 250g)
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 80mg