Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe🍖 Main

Name: Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef; 1/2 medium onion, chopped; 2 heaping tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 3 cups beef broth; 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni; 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated; salt and pepper to taste

This easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe has ground beef, macaroni, and a flavorful cheesy cheddar sauce! It's total comfort food that's inexpensive and ready in about 30 minutes.

By Jason Miller, Weeknight Cook & Household Coordinator

Prep: 5 minCook: 25 minServes: 4

american comfort food quick budget-friendly one-pot pasta ground beef

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There is a reason beef remains the centerpiece of so many memorable meals — when cooked well, nothing else quite matches its richness and depth. This homemade hamburger helper recipe makes the most of that potential with a recipe that balances bold seasoning with straightforward technique, delivering impressive results without requiring advanced skills.

Add the garlic after the other aromatics have softened — it burns faster than onions and can turn bitter if it hits high heat for too long. Save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining — it is the secret weapon for building a sauce that clings to every strand rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

This recipe scales easily for larger groups and leftovers reheat well for lunches throughout the week. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to suit your taste — cooking is always better when you make a recipe your own. Pair it with a simple side salad or your favorite grain for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
3 cups beef broth
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition (Per 4 servings)*

501

Calories

44g

Protein

22g

Carbs

25g

Fat

Fiber

1106mg

Sodium

* AI-estimated values only — not a substitute for professional nutrition labeling.

Instructions

Add the beef and onions to a soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the beef has browned (about 7-10 minutes), breaking the meat up with your spoon as you go along. If there's a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder.
Add in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Once it starts boiling, add in the macaroni.
Reduce the heat so it's not furiously boiling (a rapid simmer is good). I cook mine over medium heat. Let it cook uncovered until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 13-15 minutes). I stir it every couple of minutes.
While it's cooking, grate the cheese (this saves prep time at the start of the recipe).
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt & pepper as needed. I let it sit for a couple minutes prior to serving (soaks up the sauce and flavors more), but you can serve it right away.