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Love that classic childhood boxed favorite, but want to make it all homemade and healthier? This Healthy Hamburger Helper Recipe is your solution!
Made in one pot, this healthier hamburger helper is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and so delicious!
Table of contents
One-Pot Homemade Healthy Hamburger Helper
We are all about quick and easy dinners, using minimal ingredients and this homemade hamburger helper recipe is definitely a winner. One of our favorite one-pot recipes alongside one-pot taco pasta, It’s made with items you likely already have in your pantry, and will surely be a hit with everyone in your home.
This recipe is reminiscent of that version you might remember as a kid. However, it uses real ingredients so it tastes so much better! Did I mention it takes about 30 minutes to cook? Save this recipe, and hang it on your fridge for the next time you need dinner fast!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Olive Oil: Avocado oil will also work.
- Veggies: Onion and garlic create a sweet, savory flavor base. Then, we include diced tomatoes for a pop of color and acidity.
- Grass-Fed Lean Ground Beef: You’ll need one pound of ground beef. I recommend using 80% or leaner. Or, feel free to substitute ground turkey or ground chicken if preferred.
- Seasonings: Sea salt, black pepper, paprika, and oregano create the classic savory flavor you know and love.
- Beef Broth: I recommend using low-sodium broth. Feel free to substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth if needed.
- Gluten-Free Elbow Macaroni: We tested this one-pot pantry pasta with different types of gluten-free pasta and with traditional whole wheat pasta as well. It all worked the same! So, feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: For the best taste and texture, buy a block of cheese, and grate it yourself! Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that impact its flavor and prevent it from melting. Feel free to use a plant-based cheese if you need to keep this recipe dairy-free.
Where I Buy My Meat
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
How to Make This Healthy Hamburger Helper Recipe
- Sauté: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Then, add the onion and garlic, and cook until they soften and become fragrant.
- Brown the meat: Add the beef, and cook, breaking it into pieces until it’s no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
- Season: Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, diced tomatoes, and broth. Then, bring the liquid to a boil.
- Cook the pasta: Add the pasta, and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent the pasta from clumping!
- Add the cheese: Shut off the heat. Then, stir in the cheese, and let the pasta simmer and thicken.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy warm!
Watch the video:
How to Store and Reheat
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze this healthy hamburger helper recipe for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat in a skillet or pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of broth as needed to freshen the dish back up. You can also warm leftovers in the microwave, but the pasta is more likely to become a bit mushy.
FAQs
Sure! Simply omit the beef, and stir in black beans or chickpeas for a boost of protein. Or, use your favorite plant-based meat crumbles instead.
I love to include veggies like sautéed zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, red bell pepper, mushrooms, or spinach for a boost of veggies. You can also add a dash of red pepper flakes, chili powder, or hot sauce for a kick of spice!
I love to serve this dish with a side of gluten-free garlic bread, garlicky blistered green beans, air fryer broccoli, or a Caesar salad for extra nutrients!
More Pasta Recipes To Try
One-Pot Healthy Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 15 ounce can diced tomato
- 3-1/2 cups beef broth
- 12 ounce gluten-free elbow macaronia
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add in the beef and cook until no pink remains. Remove any excess fat.1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
- Add in the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, diced tomatos and broth and bring up to a boil.1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 15 ounce can diced tomato, 3-1/2 cups beef broth
- Once boiling, add the pasta to the pot and cook for as long as the package instruction states (if package says to cook pasta for 10 minutes, cook for 10 minutes), stirring every few minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.12 ounce gluten-free elbow macaronia
- Once the pasta is cooked through, shut off the heat and add the cheese. Stir together, then let the pasta sit for 5 minutes while the sauce continues to thicken up.1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Garnish with parsley, and serve!Parsley
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze this healthy hamburger helper recipe for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat in a skillet or pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of broth as needed to freshen the dish back up. You can also warm leftovers in the microwave, but the pasta is more likely to become a bit mushy.
I love this recipe so much! It is basically a weekly dinner in our house 🙂
I am so happy!
We made this for dinner this week. I actually doubled the recipe and froze half to use when school gets busy. The whole family, even my pickiest eater, loved it! It gets better the next day and it’s a quick dinner. Thanks, Lexi!
I would like to double this recipe. Any suggestions?
We haven’t tried it doubled. But I suspect you won’t need double the amount of water added to the past. I’d start with adding in a little less than double the water. Just make sure your water is boiling before adding in the pasta. Everything else should be doubled, but the cook time should stay about the same.
Thanks for this new staple in our home’s monthly meal repertoire! So easy and delish!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent! Brought back happy memories from my Mom’s version. Made this with 8 oz plant based non-dairy cheddar style shreds due to lactose intolerance. Also used about 1/2 of the seasonings due to my sensitive tummy. It was so full of flavor even with less seasoning. My husband who is not gluten free/dairy free/sensitive, went back for seconds and said that it was really good. Thanks again Lexi and team for another awesome recipe.
One pot meals are my time saving jam and this one does not disappoint! I go dairy free, but once cheese is added for my husband, this smells almost exactly like the far less healthy boxed hamburger helper that I grew up eating.
This recipe is so lovely to make. Its quick, easy, and simple ingredients wonderful for everyone in your household. My 7 year old loved it so much!!will definitely make it again!
This recipe is one of our favorites!! Have you ever frozen it?
Our family’s absolute favorite. We’ve made this on our meal rotation for the last 2 years! I double it, use regular noodles and 4 cups of bone broth. I also add 2 bags of frozen seasoning blend to give some veggies.
Hi Lexi, the only gluten free pasta I was able to find was 100% corn flour. Is this a type you tried? I’m just wondering how “creamy” this will be.
I personally prefer rice based over corn!
I’ve made this twice now – with ground lamb and rice pasta. Such a great comfort dish!
I want to try this recipe but I want to omit the cheddar cheese. Could I substitute by adding nutritional yeast to the recipe? What do you think?
Becky I think that will be just fine! I’d suggest starting with about 3 tablespoons and going from there! Let us know how it goes!
Love this recipe! It was super easy to make and turned out so good! I love that I cooked everything in the one pot too. Definitely making it again!
This was SO good! Tasted like a healthier version of my favorite childhood meal. Thank you!
So happy you loved it!!
I grew up on the pre-packaged hamburger helper. This took me back. It was great to make a healthy version for my own family. Thank you!
I can’t wait to try this. Will doubling the ingredients mess with getting the sauce right? I love to have leftovers.
I think with this recipe you should basically double everything, in order to make sure there is enough liquid. Let us know how it goes! We too love leftovers 🙂
Made this tonight.. picky toddler and picky husband approved! I don’t like tomatoes so I used a can of tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. So so good!
That makes me so happy!!
This is SO good! I made it a few weeks ago and my family begged me to put it on regular rotation. I shared the recipe with a friend, she made it that night, and she commented that her teenage son hadn’t inhaled food like that in forever! I asked my family for meals they wanted this week and THIS one was the one my son begged for. MAKE THIS! You won’t regret it! I doubled it (had to use two pans) and I’m glad I did so we had some leftovers. Two teenagers can devour this!
This was amazing! My bf who’s is a meat and potatoes and a hamburger helper(eye roll)fan said this was soooo good!
Made this last night! So easy and delicious. My husband went back for seconds!
Made this recipe this evening, loved that it is made in one pot, super easy and tastes delicious. I threw in green pepper & mushroom since they were about to go bad! Husband loved it and got up for seconds!