Don’t get me wrong. I love a fancy dinner as much as the next girl. But you know what I also love? The classics. A simple cheeseburger. Mac and cheese. A tuna melt. And yeah: a piping hot bowl of Hamburger Helper. That four fingered smiling glove understood the damn assignment. But as much as I crave the nostalgic flavors of good old Hamburger Helper from time to time, it doesn’t hold a candle to this homemade version.
Made with wholesome ingredients and a blend of seasonings that really amps up the flavor, this leveled up homemade Hamburger Helper is a fast and affordable meal that the whole family will love. The best part? It only uses one pot! So whether you’re feeding the kiddos or treating yourself to a trip down memory lane, this take on the boxed classic is a satisfying meal you can feel great about serving for dinner. As far as quick and easy dinners go, this one’s a winner.
Two Steps That Set This Recipe Apart
Sautéing the Meat in Whole Milk
My favorite recipe for bolognese is an old classic from Marcella Hazan, aka the Queen of Italian cooking. In it, Hazan recommends sautéing ground beef in milk in order to help tenderize and add flavor to the meat. I love this technique. Adding milk to the beef and then cooking it off slowly helps to caramelize the surface of the meat, creating a rich flavor that takes this Hamburger Helper to the next level.
Adding Nutmeg
While you may associate nutmeg with holiday sweets like pumpkin pies and eggnog, nutmeg is also a wonderful accompaniment to ground beef in dishes like this. Adding just a touch of the spice adds a depth of flavor to this Hamburger Helper that the old boxed version can’t tough.
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
This dish is the perfect dinner to make when you’re short on time, but craving the comfort of a home cooked meal. From start to finish, this meal only takes about 40 minutes to make and, since it only uses one pot, cleanup is a breeze!
How to Store and Reheat Hamburger Helper
Call me lazy, but I like to store my Hamburger Helper in the same pot it was cooked in. One less pan to clean up, ya feel me? And when it comes time to reheat the leftovers, I simply put a pre-portioned amount in a fresh pan, add some more broth or milk, add a pinch of salt to account for the added liquid, and heat it up on the stovetop. Couldn’t be easier.
I hope you love this one pot wonder as much as Charlie and I do! If you give it a go, I’d love to hear what you think.
XO,
Fiona
One Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 yellow onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 2 cups whole milk divided
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 12 oz dried elbow pasta
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- fresh Italian parsley chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the oil, butter, and chopped onion in a large, heavy bottomed pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook the onion until it has become translucent.
- Add ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika and sauté meat until it has lost its pink color, breaking it up with the back of a spoon as it cooks.
- Stir in one cup of milk and let the mixture simmer gently, stirring frequently, until the milk has bubbled away completely.
- Add nutmeg and tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Add pasta, remaining milk, and beef broth and bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring regularly to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the pasta is al dente and most – but not all! – of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir in cheese and remove from heat.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!
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