Homemade Hamburger Helper
A quick and easy one-pan cheesy beef and macaroni skillet that tastes better than the boxed version, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir in the minced garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (undrained) and beef broth to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and shredded cheddar cheese until smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the skillet and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a creamier sauce, you can use half-and-half or heavy cream instead of milk.
- You can substitute other pasta shapes like rotini or penne.
- If you don’t have beef broth, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- To prevent curdling, ensure your milk is at room temperature before adding it to the hot skillet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 90