One-Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies

You’ll be making this homemade hamburger helper recipe for dinner at least once a month. It’s a hearty and comforting dish and jam packed with secret veggies. Not that we need to keep veggies a secret but… sometimes we do. Let’s make classic Helper from scratch! Your kids (or the child inside your heart) will just love it!

If you were raised in he 80’s and 90’s, I feel like you sat down to a dinner table of either Hamburger Helper or Stouffer’s Lasagna. We were a Hamburger Helper family. That little cartoon oven mitt had me convinced I was an actual chef and clearly I ‘ve drawn that feeling out into a lifestyle. With a little finesse (aka getting the seasoning pack lumps out), and some extra grated cheese, I would argue that I was a chef and there’s no use telling me different at this point.  Honestly, God bless the meal that your kids can cobble together for the whole family.  That must have been truly liberating for my parents.

Let’s make one of my childhood favorites, from scratch, with extra zucchini and cauliflower (because we’re grown and we know what’s good for us).  This pot-o-pasta is so dang comforting you’ll want to keep the recipe printed and taped inside a kitchen cabinet. That’s the level.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this homemade hamburger helper recipe:

•  ground beef (or you could use ground turkey – dark meat will give you the most flavor – or ground chicken for the leanest option.)

•  diced onions

•  shredded zucchini

•  minced cauliflower (or broccoli if you’d like the green option.)

•  elbow macaroni pasta

•  olive oil

•  sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

•  shredded sharp cheddar cheese

•  chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder

•  milk (or heavy cream for a very decadent option)

•  beef broth or chicken broth or vegetable broth

•  fresh parsley or chives

The beauty of this hamburger helper recipes, aside from it’s ultimate comfort, is that it’s also an easy stovetop one pot meal.

In a large dutch oven, stock pot, or large skillet with high sides –  heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add ground beef and onions.  Stir around the hot pan to brown, breaking up the beef with the edge of the spoon.

Once the beef is cooked through, add all of the spices, salt and pepper and stir until fragrant – about 2 minutes.

Once the beef is cooked through and fragrant, add the elbow pasta, shredded zucchini and minced cauliflower. Give a stir and add the broth and milk.

Next we’ll simmer all that goodness until the pasta is al dente.  Here’s the thing, we’re not working with a ton of liquid here but you want as much of that uncooked pasta in contact with the simmering liquid as possible.  I used the back of a spoon to press the pasta into the sauce, cover the pot, and bring to a low boil for 8 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Remove the lid and give the mixture a good stir and again press the pasta into the liquid halfway through simmering.

Remove the lid when the pasta is just cooked through and add handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese.  Stir until the mixture is melty, creamy and otherwise irresistible.  Remove from the heat and place the lid on the pot until ready to serve (within the hour or so).

Serve this hamburger helper recipe sprinkled with fresh parsley or chives (or skip them if it feels fussy).  This is a bowl on the couch sort of meal so act accordingly.

Scratch that tastes better than the box and is just as comforting (knowing those sneaky veggies are adding added nutrients).

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The leftovers are fantastic reheated with a splash of water or milk.  I’ve also been known to eat a few spoonfuls cold from the fridge with absolutely zero complaints.

Share your Helper on Facebook or Instagram if you make this recipe!

More One-Pot Dinner inspiration here!

One-Pot Marry Me Chicken – we’re doubling the cream sauce, adding green olives, and serving with rice. I LOVE this chicken dish!

One-Pot No-Chop Chicken Meatball Dinner – it’s the ‘no-chop’ for me. Sometimes cutting an onion is just too much.

One-Pot Chocolate Sheet Cake – chocolate cake but fewer dishes.

One-Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper– a vegan version of this recipe made by one of my favorite bloggers Timothy.

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