One Pot Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper (2024)

This Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe is way better than the boxed version, and just as easy to make! Ready in just 30 minutes, and loaded with lots of real cheddar cheese!

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Easy, cheesy One Pot Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper

This cheesy beefy homemade version of classic Hamburger Helper is so much tastier than the boxed stuff, and super easy to pull together on busy weeknights. The whole family will enjoy this easy homemade hamburger helper recipe, and the best part is that this easy meal comes together in just one pan- so there's less cleanup, too!

Make this family favorite with real ingredients, and you'll never go back to the box! With real cheese, lean ground beef, and plenty of aromatics and spices, this one-pot meal is comfort food you can feel good about. Even your most picky eaters will love this delicious dinner! This is one of those childhood favorites that never goes out of style.

This is one of my favorite easy recipes to make when I'm seriously craving some nostalgic comfort food. This easy dinner recipe is also just as good the next day, making it great for leftovers or an easy lunch. It's also a great way to feed a large family on a budget.

One Pot Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper Ingredients

• A couple tablespoons of butter.
• A small onion, diced.
• One pound of ground beef. Preferably lean. If you use a higher fat ground beef, you can drain off any excess fat prior to adding the spices and flour.
• Tomato paste, for a quick, easy and inexpensive way to impart rich tomato flavor into the final dish.
• Smokedpaprika, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt (or plain table salt), a touch of sugar, and some freshly ground black pepper.
• All-purpose flour, to help thicken the sauce.
• Beef broth, for extra richness and beef flavor.
• Milk (use what you drink- however, I do not recommend skim milk).
• Cavatappi pastaormacaroni noodles.
• Gratedyellow sharp cheddar cheese. Grate your own for best results. You'll need one 8 oz block. Pre-shredded cheese has stabilizers and additives, which will affect the texture and flavor of your finished

How to make Homemade Hamburger Helper

This easy Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni comes together easily in one skillet. Here's how to make it:

1. In a large deep sauté pan or cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5 minutes.
3. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up as you go until browned, 4-5 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste, stir well into meat mixture, and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until slightly deepened in color.
5. Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sugar, pepper, and flour and stir until well combined. Cook 1 minute.
6. Slowly whisk in beef broth, then add milk and stir well.
7. Add pasta, bring heat to high, and bring to a boil.
8. Once boiling - Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pasta is cooked through, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick for 10-12 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.(see recipe card below for full recipe details).

• I love to make this recipe in a 12-inch skillet, either cast iron or non-stick. You can use any large skillet you like for this recipe, or even a dutch oven.
• Your good box grater, for easy cheese shredding.
• A sharp knife and cutting board.
• A wire whisk and wooden spoon, for easy stirring. If using a nonstick pan, go for a silicone whisk to avoid scratching the pan.

Serving the Hamburger Helper

This hamburger helper is best served hot from the stove. Serve up hearty bowls of this easy weeknight meal topped with some chopped fresh parsley with a simple side salad, and you're good to go!

See Also

Easy Hamburger Helper Lasagna Copycat (Delicious One-Pot Dinner)Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe | So Rich & Creamy In Just 10 Mins!Mexican Chicken Alfredo Casserole - Plain ChickenCreamy One-Pot Spaghetti with Italian Sausage

Substitutions and Additions

This one-pot dinner can easily be adjusted to your preferences and what you have on hand in your refrigerator and pantry. Here are some swaps you can make to make this recipe your own.

• Not a fan of ground beef? Use ground turkey or ground bison instead.
• You can use cavatappi pasta, macaroni noodles, medium shells, or rotini for this recipe.
• Use white sharp cheddar, Colby jack, or medium cheddar in place of the yellow sharp cheddar.
• Try chicken broth in place of the beef broth.
• Wanna be extra healthy? Use whole wheat pasta or chickpea pasta instead of classic pasta. Just be sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly.
• If you'd like, you can substitute the butter for some canola oil or another neutral oil, like avocado oil.
• Add some hot sauce for a zesty kick!

Storing leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I would not recommend freezing this recipe, as the cheese will break upon reheating.

More One Pot recipes

If you love this One Pot Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper, you'll love these one pot recipes, too!

• One Pot Italian Sausage Orzo
• One Pot Sausage Artichoke Pasta
• One Pot Spanish Chicken and Rice

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