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If you grew up eating hamburger helper, you’re going to love this homemade cheeseburger helper! With all the nostalgic flavor you love, this homemade version makes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner using ingredients you probably already have on hand.
If you grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, I bet you ate a lot of Hamburger Helper. It was definitely one of those weeknight dinners that our moms loved because it was so easy.
And honestly, us kids loved it, too.
I can still get down with a box of Cheeseburger Helper or even Tuna Helper. But I also know that I can make it myself in about the same amount of time and that it’ll taste even better than the boxed stuff.
There’s something pretty satisfying about remaking one of your childhood favorites and introducing it to your kids.
Easy homemade cheeseburger helper
I know I don’t need to explain to any parents reading this why I love easy dinner recipes so much. And when you’ve got a husband like mine that’s a super picky eater, it’s an even bigger win when I can come up with easy recipes that everyone will eat.
We eat a lot of ritz cracker chicken and ham and cheese sliders around here. And thankfully everyone loves this homemade cheeseburger helper, too.
This recipe has everything you loved about the boxed version: ground beef and elbow macaroni in a tomato-based sauce, finished with plenty of cheddar cheese. But the thing about making it at home is that we can make it even more flavorful – and you get to control exactly what goes in it.
From start to finish, this recipe will take you about 35 minutes to make. That’s not much longer than it takes to make the boxed stuff! And the extra few minutes will be well worth it, I promise.
Plus, it’s a one-pot meal! Easy cleanup is always a win over here – it’s why we love recipes like one-pot spaghetti and one-pot mac and cheese, too.
How to make this cheeseburger helper
Ready to see how easy it is to make this homemade cheeseburger helper?
Ingredients you’ll need
There’s a pretty good chance you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients for this recipe in your fridge and pantry. You’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 1/2 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
I know at first glance that looks like a long list, but a big chunk of it is actually seasonings!
The only thing you really have to prep is the onion, which needs to be diced. (If you’re really short on time, did you know that you can buy frozen diced onions? Keep a bag of those in the freezer for super quick dinner prep!)
I do recommend shredding the cheddar cheese yourself if you have time. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well as freshly shredded cheese. But use what you need to based on your time and energy!
Just a little bit of heavy cream added at the end makes the sauce even creamier and richer. If you don’t have any heavy cream on hand, feel free to skip it – the cheeseburger helper will still be totally delicious.
Making this recipe
Grab a large dutch oven or a large high-sided skillet. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the ground beef and onion.
Cook until the beef is browned. If needed or desired, drain the excess fat and return the mixture to the pan over medium heat.
Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds.
Now pour in the beef broth and the Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the noodles and reduce the heat to medium.
Let the mixture simmer, uncovered, for about 13-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to let the mixture simmer until the pasta is cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Take the pan off the heat and add the heavy cream, then slowly add the cheese, stirring until melted and well combined.
Give the cheeseburger helper a taste, seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Let the cheeseburger macaroni sit for about 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to tighten up before serving.
Storage tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You could also freeze 1-cup portions in Souper Cubes, then transfer them to zip-top freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Then you can easily grab them for quick lunches or one-person dinners!
Substitutions and recipe variations
The very best thing about making homemade cheeseburger helper is that you get to control exactly what goes in it. Some of my favorite substitutions or variations include:
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Add extra finely diced vegetables, such as bell peppers or carrots.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and gluten-free worcestershire sauce.
- Add some spice but swapping the cheddar for pepper jack and adding several dashes of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
Homemade Cheeseburger Helper
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced sweet onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 ½ cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup heavy cream optional
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the ground beef and onion and cook until the ground beef is browned. If needed/desired, drain the meat and return to the pan. Season the meat with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Add in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Add in the elbow macaroni and reduce heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 13-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Slowly add the cheese, stirring until melted. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Let rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to tighten up before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
