As we generally do here at RachelCooks, I made this variation a little much better for you. Being available in at 431 calories per serving, its definitely not breaking the calorie bank, specifically offered the truth that its a pan loaded with beef, cheese and pasta.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Suppers at my house are frequently a pan of something I threw up with whatever I have in the refrigerator. You can do remarkable things with meat, veggies, and a grain/pasta. The choices are endless.
Recipe Overview
Theres a point to this. When I made this homemade Hamburger Helper, he walked into the kitchen and was most likely 15 feet far from the stove and he said (with an enthusiastic tone in his voice) “Hamburger Helper?” Its identifiable, even to somebody who hasnt eaten it in years.
A fast healthier meal is necessary amidst the craziness of everyday life. This supper is ideal after a day of working, errands, childcare, or whatever life brings you. Youre exhausted, I understand you are, we all are! Make dinner easy, and great for you. You got this!
Paired with a salad (attempt this kale salad or a Brussels sprouts salad) or fruit, its a hearty meal you can feel respectable about. Did I discuss you can make it in 45 minutes? And theres very little cleanup given that its all made in one pan.
A timeless boxed meal made much healthier and heartier. And think what? Its not that much more difficult to make! Your entire family will like this healthy homemade hamburger assistant.
Ben is used to winding up with some kind of “slop” (his word, not mine) on his plate and asking, “Whats in this?” Seriously, that happens a minimum of as soon as a week, and its far better than it sounds. Its not an “Oh boy, whats in this?” Its more of an interest type thing. Among his favorites is taco slop, aka slow cooker salsa chicken.
Why youll love it: Everything cooks in one pan so its an easy clean-up.
For how long it takes: 45 minutesEquipment youll require: large skilletServings: 6
If you enjoy hamburger, attempt hamburger soup! Leading it with chopped pickles and onions for a deluxe!
About This Recipe
If you look at the list of components you need to make this dish, dont feel daunted. I confess, the list looks pretty long. Many of the products are kitchen products which implies 1) you most likely already have them and 2) they are easy to use. Open a couple of cans or boxes, distribute some spices, and do a little slicing.
And alright, I just needed to point this out. The Hamburger Helper box exclaims proudly “Made with Real Cheese!”. If you study the very long list of components on package, cheddar cheese, together with tomato and onion, are listed under “contains 2% or less of”. Obviously not much cheese or veggies either. And you have to add milk and ground beef yourself.
There are several different kinds of Hamburger Helper. This dish most carefully imitates Cheeseburger Macaroni which is among the initial flavors. The primary seasoning is chili powder.
Provide this hamburger assistant dish a shot! Im favorable youll enjoy it.
Lets get begun here. Ill go through the recipe and provide you great deals of additional ideas. The recipe card near the end of the post has total instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.
What Youll Need
Lean Ground Beef: Look for a lean mix of ground beef, such as 95/5. While a lean mix isnt fantastic for hamburgers or meatballs because it tends to be too dry, its ideal for hot meals like this one. Ground turkey is completely appropriate, too, if you prefer that. Onion: A small yellow onion is perfect here. Onions are inexpensive and shop well. I constantly have a bag of them in my pantry for soups, stews, etc.Carrot: I slip in a veggie whenever I can. One little carrot includes a little extra nutrition and likewise includes a touch of natural sweet taste to cancel the level of acidity of tomatoes. I typically include a carrot to my homemade spaghetti sauce, too. Entire Wheat Macaroni: Choose entire wheat pasta for added nutrition and fiber. If you choose routine macaroni, or a various type of pasta, do not hesitate to replace it. The recipe requires 2 cups of dry macaroni, which has to do with 8 oz. Tomato Paste: Youll need two tablespoons of tomato paste. Read the cooking idea listed below to discover what to do with the remainder of the can.
Suggestion: How To Freeze Tomato Paste
Diced Tomatoes: Theres no need to drain pipes the tomatoes, just dispose in the entire can. The liquid in the tomatoes helps to hydrate the dry pasta.Beef Broth: Since the pasta cooks right in the pan, youll require a lot of liquid to do the job. It might shock you how much the pasta absorbs!Whole Milk: We checked this dish with slim and 2% milk however found that entire milk actually does work best. Lower fat milk tends to separate as the pasta cooks. It doesnt really impact the taste however it doesnt look as scrumptious. All-Purpose Flour: Just a tablespoon of flour assists thicken the sauce.Brown Sugar: It might seem a little out of location however I added a little sugar to the dish in order to more closely imitate the taste of the boxed supper. You might omit if you prefer.Chili Powder, Paprika, Parsley Flakes, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper: These simple pantry spices are all it takes to flavor your homemade Hamburger Helper. Feel totally free to modify the quantities as much as you like. Youre the cook in your kitchen!Cream Cheese: A number of ounces of cream cheese makes the sauce abundant and truly creamy tasting. It will not taste like cream cheese, I guarantee. If youre cooking or baking with cream cheese, its usually best if it is at space temperature level Take what you need out of the refrigerator prior to you begin cooking. Given that its a percentage, it will soften quickly.Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Buy a block and shred your own cheese for the very best results. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients (and a few other “goodies”, too) which hinder clumping but which also prevent smooth and creamy melting.Fresh Parsley: This one is absolutely optional and if you have somebody in your household who dislikes whatever green, feel totally free to omit it. We like the fresh flavor and intense color it adds.
Large Skillet
Tomato paste typically is available in an 8 ounce can however many dishes require a quantity much less than that. You can purchase tubes of tomato paste but the cans are a lot more affordable.
Heres what I do: Open the can and use what you require for this recipe. Step out the remaining tomato paste in 2 tablespoon increments and put it into snack size bags. Seal and freeze.
You can likewise freeze tomato paste in an extra ice cube tray. Freeze till company, then place the cubes into a freezer safe container or bag.
Just get some from the freezer when you require tomato paste. Easy!
This pan is a work horse in my kitchen area. We frequently make one pan pasta dishes and a covered pan is necessary.
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How To Make Homemade hamburger Helper
If you still have room for dessert, no-cook pumpkin pudding is constantly a hit and its super simple to make, with just four active ingredients. Easy trail mix cookies are an excellent dessert, and kids enjoy them (huge kids, too!). A fruit crisp (try apple blueberry crisp or apple crisp with ginger) is a delicious non-fussy dessert and is especially good topped with a scoop of homemade no churn ice cream.
Slice up the onion and carrot. I like to chop it pretty carefully, a little dice, so that it mixes in. This is not the location for big chunky veggies due to the fact that then your dinner would not resemble the boxed meal at all.
FAQs
Include the uncooked macaroni, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to medium.
Add the tomato paste, flour, and flavorings to the pan. Cook, stirring continuously, up until the tomato paste coats the meat and veggies, about one minute. Do not let the tomato paste burn.
Prepare for eight to 10 minutes, stirring one or two times to make sure the pasta isnt sticking.
Turn the heat to medium high, include a bit of oil, and brown the meat and veggies, separating any large clumps of beef. It must take about 10 minutes. While thats cooking, ration the staying active ingredients.
Searching for a simple veggie to serve? We love sugar snap peas and they only take a couple of minutes to cook. Roasted broccoli is super easy, too, and goes excellent with this pasta meal.
When the pasta is just tender, or al dente, stir in the cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
Get a large skillet that has a cover or a Dutch oven. I typically utilize a straight sided frying pan for one pot pastas but any broad bottomed large pan will work, as long as it has a lid.
Pour the broth, milk, and canned tomatoes into the pan. Stir it in and bring it almost to a boil.
What flavoring remains in Hamburger Helper? There are numerous different ranges of Hamburger Helper; in fact, Betty Crocker uses chicken and tuna Helpers, too. The flavors can be Italian, spicy, cattle ranch, or BBQ, even beef stroganoff, simply to name a few.The Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper, which my dish is a copycat of, lists garlic and spice in the active ingredients. It remains a mystery which spices or herbs are really therein. Theres no secret to my recipe. It calls for chili powder, paprika, parsley flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I think youll concur the taste carefully mimics the boxed supper. How do you thicken up Hamburger Helper? If your Hamburger Helper is too runny or juicy, the best way to thicken it up is to put the cover on the pan and let the mix steam for a minimum of 5 minutes. The macaroni will continue to soak up the liquid and the mix will end up being thicker.If it always appears too thin, decrease the quantity of liquid added. Or you understand, include more cheese. Thats never a bad idea!
Once the cheese has melted, sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired. Your healthy hamburger helper is prepared to eat and youll love how terrific it tastes!
Make It Your Own
Make-Ahead Ideas
Dice the carrots and onions in the early morning or the night prior to and refrigerate them if youre looking for ways to enhance meal preparation when you get home from work. You can distribute the flour and flavorings ahead of time, too. It will save you 5 to ten minutes, and I know that every minute counts often.
Include additional veggies. A couple of more carrots or onions can quickly be slipped in. I like to stir in infant spinach. Add it right before the cream cheese; it wilts really rapidly. Make it with zucchini; sauté shredded or finely chopped zucchini with the beef. Frozen green peas are good, too. Run hot water over them for a couple of minutes till they are defrosted and stir them in before serving.Change up the pasta. Replacing another kind of pasta is a fun method to alter up this dish. I like to make it with egg noodles for a change; rotini or penne are excellent options, too. Gluten-free pastas can be substituted, too.Not a fan of beef? Make this dish with ground turkey or ground chicken. Pork or Italian sausage are great, too. Attempt vegetarian orzo with sundried tomatoes if youre looking for a vegetarian one pot pasta meal.
Another option is to make a double batch and freeze half for a later meal.
Storage & & Reheating Tips
Leftover hamburger helper can be saved in the fridge for three to four days, or in the freezer for a couple of months in an airtight freezer container. Thaw over night in the fridge prior to reheating.
Turn it into a casserole for another meal if you have a lot leftover. Include a can of drained pinto beans and a can of corn or thawed frozen corn to the mix; stir well. Spread in a greased baking meal. Top with a layer of salsa and additional cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 ° F for 30 minutes or until warmed through. Delicious!
To reheat specific parts, microwave in 30 2nd bursts till heated through, stirring each time. For bigger quantities, reheat in a skillet over low heat.
Leftover Love
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Did you make this? Make sure to leave a review listed below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Preparation Time: 15 minsCook Time: 25 minsAdditional Time: 5 minsTotal Time: 45 minutes
6 servings
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Notes
I advise using whole milk because milk with lower fat portion tends to curdle at a higher heat, which you need to cook the pasta. If you do not have entire milk, use 3 cups (overall) broth and increase the cream cheese to 4 ounces to add creaminess at the end.
If you wish, substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, Italian sausage, or ground pork for the ground beef.
If you wish to utilize a can of beef broth (14.5 oz.) instead of 2 cups, simply comprise the difference with water or more milk (1.5 oz.).
Leftover Hamburger Helper can be refrigerated for as much as 4 days or frozen for approximately 3 months.
If you take a gander at the list of ingredients you need to make this recipe, do not feel frightened. The Hamburger Helper box exclaims happily “Made with Real Cheese!”. Youre the cook in your kitchen!Cream Cheese: A couple of ounces of cream cheese makes the sauce really velvety and rich tasting. Make this recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken. Make sure to keep stirring so the tomato paste doesnt burn.Add tomatoes, broth, and milk and bring to nearly a boil.Add pasta, stir, reduce heat to medium, and cook, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or up until al dente, stirring periodically to make sure pasta gets cooked evenly and isnt sticking to the bottom of the pan.Reduce heat to low; include cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
This site offers approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy just. Nutrition data is gathered mainly from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever readily available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Nutrition InformationServing: 1.33 cups, Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 80mg, Sodium: 724mg, Potassium: 941mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 2731IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 253mg, Iron: 5mg
Did You Make This?Be sure to submit an image & & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I enjoy seeing what you made!
A traditional boxed meal, made healthier and heartier. And guess what? Its not that much harder to make! Your entire household will enjoy this healthy homemade hamburger assistant.
InstructionsIn a large covered skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Include ground beef, onion, and carrot and cook up until beef is browned and onions are clear, 8 to 10 minutes, separating beef as it cooks.Add tomato paste, flour, chili powder, paprika, parsley, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Keep stirring till tomato paste coats all the meat. Make certain to keep stirring so the tomato paste does not burn.Add tomatoes, broth, and milk and give nearly a boil.Add pasta, stir, decrease heat to medium, and cook, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or till al dente, stirring periodically to make certain pasta gets prepared equally and isnt sticking to the bottom of the pan.Reduce heat to low; include cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.Turn off heat, cover, and let set for 5 minutes (this helps the sauce thicken up). Serve topped with fresh parsley, if preferred.
