With more than 7 million page views and hundreds of FIVE STAR reviews, this easy Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is one of our go-to dinner recipes when we are in the throes school schedules and extracurricular activities and I haven’t planned ahead. This Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet is made with ingredients we always have on hand in under 20 minutes. It’s may not be fancy, but this one-pot meal is a family favorite that is always easy, satisfying, and a hit even with picky eaters!
So much better than much loved boxed version. I grated the cheese the night before and it was fairly quick to make. ~ Susan
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I didn’t grow up eating Hamburger Helper. It’s not something my mom ever made, so the first time I tried it was at college when a roommate made it for our apartment one night. That’s when I discovered how much I love it!
Did anyone else trade nights to make dinner for roommates? I loved taking turns cooking for my roommates or enjoying what they cooked when it was their turn. It made life easier and it was fun to try their childhood favorites that they grew up with like the boxed hamburger helper that my roommate Sarah introduced me to.
I know the boxed stuff is probably less than impressive to anyone who grew up with it, but for me, I was embarrassingly delighted by the meaty, cheesy, carb-fest of pasta noodles in a savory, cheesy sauce with browned ground beef in it. It just tasted so good and comforting!
So I was super delighted when I learned you could easily make the cheeseburger pasta skillet recipe from scratch! This homemade version is one of our favorite go-to easy dinners and our whole family love it.
It’s essentially the same ol’ boxed version of the hamburger helper that you can pick up at the grocery store, but so much better homemade using real cheese and skipping unnecessary add-ins! And it is a TOTAL lifesaver on busy weeknights when I don’t really want to cook or haven’t planned ahead. I always have a pound or two of ground beef in the freezer, along with cheese in the fridge and pasta in the pantry.
Homemade hamburger helper also solves the other impediment to a homecooked meal (for me) which is the inevitable clean-up afterwards. Dishes are the worst.
But an easy one pot skillet meal means much less to clean, which means I’m more likely to cook, even when I might otherwise cave and say it’s an eating out night. And really, since I can make this from start to finish in about 15 minutes, it’s a lot faster than even fast food!
If you LOVE one-pot meals, you should also try this one pot bruschetta chicken pasta that is amazing and full of flavor.
We are always looking for more easy weeknight ideas that will satisfy our hungry family. Some of our other favorites are Tuna Noodle Casserole, Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, and Ground Beef Stroganoff!
What You’ll Need
- Pasta: I love cavatappi noodles or elbow macaroni, but any small pasta will work like bowtie pasta or even egg noodles.
- Lean ground beef: Or sub ground turkey, ground chicken, ground sausage, etc. to change up the flavor or make this a little healthier.
- Milk: I think milk works great to add richness to this homemade hamburger helper recipe and it cuts back on the calories a bit over using heavy cream.
- Hot water: If you want this dish extra savory, go ahead and heat up some beef broth or even chicken broth in place of the water. But I find that with all the spices and cheese, water works just fine.
- Cheese: Medium cheddar cheese gives it that classic hamburger helper taste, but you could substitute other melty cheese like monterey or pepperjack for something different.
- Cornstarch: This both thickens the sauce slightly and gives it a silky texture.
- Paprika: Regular or smoked paprika work well in this recipe.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder: We actually like onion powder over fresh onion in this recipe because it makes it more like the original box version, but you could chop and saute half a medium onion with the ground beef if you prefer.
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Sugar: I am sometimes asked why there is sugar in this recipe. It’s a small amount but it balances out the other flavors. that it is hardly noticeable, and you can leave it out if you want and the recipe will still taste good, but it balances all of the flavors.
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
Making homemade hamburger helper is super easy. You start by browning a pound of ground beef in a large skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. Just break up the meat so it cooks evenly and drain any extra fat that cooks off.
Next, sprinkle the cornstarch and spices over the browned meat and stir them in before adding the hot water or broth, milk, and pasta. Stirring the spices in first coats the meat before adding the liquid.
I prefer using cavatappi pasta, which is one of my favorite noodle cuts ever, but you could use macaroni noodles too. If you haven’t tried cavatappi before, it’s basically macaroni, except longer spirals instead of elbows and it’s the same pasta that I use when I make my copycat costco mac & cheese.
Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook over medium heat until the pasta is tender but still al dente.
Once the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid and cooked to al dente perfection, sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top, then stir it in. There will still be liquid in the pan with the cooked pasta. This continues to be absorbed by the pasta and combines with the cheese to make a lovely, cheesy sauce.
I love Tillamook Farmstyle Cut medium cheddar cheese for this because it tastes amazing and melts beautifully, unlike most other prepackaged grated cheeses I have tried.
This isn’t sponsored, I just really, really love this product and find it super convenient to have on hand, especially on nights when I’m short on time, trying to get a meal on the table, and not feeling like grating cheese with the cheese grater.
After just a couple of minutes the sauce will have thickened slightly. You might want to sprinkle it with fresh parsley for a pop of fresh color before serving.
If you are looking to add some new easy weeknight dinner ideas to your meal rotation this school season, definitely consider adding this homemade hamburger helper to the mix.
Or try one of my other easy dinner recipes like sheet pan shrimp fajitas, one pan green bean, chicken & potatoes, or baked spaghetti casserole.
Tips for Success
- This is one of our reader favorites and there are lots of suggestions in the comments about adding chopped bell peppers, green beans, or other veggies to the recipe if you want to try.
- Let the dish sit for 5 minutes before serving to give the cheese sauce a chance to set up and thicken slightly.
- Swap out the cavatappi noodles for shells, macaroni, or any other small pasta you like.
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken to lighten up this dish, as well as protein pasta or gluten-free pasta if you are looking to make a healthier version.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The leftovers heat up great the next day either in the microwave or on the stovetop, although you may need to add a splash of milk to thin out the sauce a bit since it tends to absorb into the pasta overnight.
What to Serve with Hamburger Helper
This homemade hamburger helper recipe is hearty and filling, so it goes great with a nice spinach salad or crisp green salad with copycat Olive Garden dressing. We also like to serve hamburger helper with a green vegetable like green beans or roasted broccoli. Fruit salad with marshmallows or even an orange jello are also always a hit with the entire family.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Equipment
- Cheese grater (I have this one and I love it!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups hot water (or beef broth or chicken broth)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups dry cavatappi pasta or macaroni noodles
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then add the ground beef and break it up with a meat chopper or wooden spatula or spoon, cooking and stirring until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any remaining fat in the pan.1 pound lean ground beef
- Sprinkle the cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sugar, and pepper over the browned meat and stir well to evenly distribute the spices. Add the hot water, milk, and pasta, then bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce heat and simmer for 8-11 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon paprika, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 cups hot water, 1 ½ cups milk, 2 cups dry cavatappi pasta or macaroni noodles
- Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the cooked pasta and stir until melted into the sauce. Remove from the heat, and let stand for a few minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired, then serve.2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Video
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Adding veggies: You might consider adding chopped bell peppers, green beans, or other veggies to make this more of a true one-pot meal.
- Substitutions: Swap out the cavatappi noodles for shells, macaroni, or any other small pasta you like. You can use ground turkey or ground chicken to lighten up this dish, as well as protein pasta or gluten-free pasta if you are looking to make a healthier version.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August, 2018. The content was updated in November, 2022.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
- Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
- Tex-Mex Doritos Taco Salad
No recipe. Just a blog post with an annoying amount of ads. Need to be specific when posting recipes, 1/2 cup, 1 tbsp, etc etc. it just says “what you’ll need” and never proceeds to give you actual measurable quantities.
Edit: perhaps they are there, the annoying ads may have covered the ingredient list up 🤷♂️
Hi Sam. I’m sorry you had trouble finding the recipe. At the top of every post there is a “jump to recipe” button. If you click that it will take you straight there and bypass the ads, which enable me to provide recipes like this one for free.
Commenting to give a 5 star review, since this person was very confidently incorrect (and the recipe is bomb, by the way!).
Also giving 5 stars for
The recipe and 1 star for the review from the person that was too lazy to read to even try the recipe.
I had no problem finding the recipe at all. There is a button at the top of every recipe you find online that says “jump to recipe” click that and it takes you to the recipe.
Re: Edit
The perhaps the “recipe” doesn’t deserve 1 star?
I love this recipe because it uses pantry ingredients. I have tried several recipes and this one had my husband thinking I purchased the box mix!
Great! Yes this is one of those great go-to dinners because we usually have all the ingredients.
Absolutely delicious! My picky 9-year-old’s words were, “if this was the one dinner we had to have every night forever, I’d be fine with that!” Definitely adding this one to the go-to dinner list!
Easy to follow recipe with loads of flavor. The first time I made it I followed the recipe as listed and it was absolutely delicious. I just made it a second time but added taco seasoning and chili powder. This recipe makes it easy to change the flavors. My go to for homemade hamburger helper!
My husband loves this recipe and always goes back for seconds. I love this recipe because not only is it yummier than boxed Hamburger Helper, it’s basically just as easy and uses almost entirely pantry staples so I don’t have to go out to buy a bunch of extra ingredients, unlike most other Hamburger Helper recipes online.
I will never buy boxed HH again! This was so quick, easy and delicious!
Thank you!
Super good! Everyone loved it.
Great! I love to hear that!
5 , I am going to really enjoy adding this recipe for our menu options. Thank you 😊
Great! It’s a good one to have around!
So good! 😊
Flavors were good but the sauce was really grainy. I followed the recipe and used Cabot shredded cheese.
Hmm I am sorry it was grainy. There could be a couple reasons why, the milk got too hot too fast and can break down the proteins, the sauce was was not stirred well enough, and if you are using pre shredded cheese it can contain anti-caking agents that can make sauces grainy because it prevents it from melting together and getting nice and smooth. I hope this helps!
Delish!! My family loved this. I used leftover hotdogs for the meat. Thank you!
Keeping this recipe!! It’s so much better than the box version!!! I double the recipe because my family wants leftovers ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My 13 yr old very picky boy requests this at least once a week!
My very picky 13 yr old asks for this twice a week!
Thank you!!
I really wanted to like this dish! It is creamy, filling and definitely a comfort food dinner, but there was no flavor. I dumped in sooo much more garlic powder, onion powder, salt, even Worcestershire sauce and to no avail. I did use hot water and not chicken or beef broth, but I am not sure using broth would have turned the whole thing around. In the future I would use real chopped onion to cook with the beef, real minced garlic and maybe consider adding beef bouillon.
That’s exactly what I do – a whole onion, beef bouillon/beef broth and a dash of chili powder.
My son came home from college describing this great dish the cafeteria made…Hamburger Helper!! I found your recipe & doubled it. Some of his friends stopped in & those guys wiped out my Dutch oven full of your recipe!! Thanks so much!! He is coming home from a summer internship and has requested it from the London train already!! The only change made was sautéed habaneros added…We’re from Texas Y’all!
Howdy! That’s awesome they all loved it! Sauteed habaneros would be delicious. This is the best recipe because it’s so easy to make and so easy to customize!
Not horrible, not good either
I haven’t finished this recipe yet but I just wanted to say THANK YOU for writing the ingredients with the instructions! This is the first time I’ve seen this and I appreciate it a lot!
Oh great! I am glad you noticed! I’m trying to do this to all future and past recipes! It really is so helpful while cooking.
Yes! I too appreciated the ingredients being listed jn the directions. I loathe having to keep scrolling up and down. Well done!
Made this three times and loved it. Tastes just like HH. I have found out that every cheese is different and affects the taste, which is fine. Just wanted to know if this can be frozen and reheated. I’d like to make a double batch and have some later. Thanks!
Love this recipe and have made it quite a few times. It is interesting that the flavors changes a bit depending on the type or maker of the cheese you use. Also used ground turkey to lighten it up a bit. Just wondering if I can freeze any leftovers if I decide to make a double batch of the recipe? Thanks.
Yes, you should be able to freeze it. Just keep in mind when you reheat, the noodles might change their texture and can get a little mushy.
So simple and so good. One skillet or one pot meals like this are a time saver. It’s a 20 minute meal that requires minimal prep and the flavor to effort ratio is perfect.
I did add a little extra pasta because we just love pasta and it was fine.
I’ve made this so many times and LOVE IT! The only thing I add is 2 Tbs of tomato paste and then any random veggies I may have (usually shredded carrots and frozen peas). It’s so delicious!!!
Thanks for sharing! So glad this is a keeper for you!
So this turned out AMAZING. I didn’t have cornstarch and swapped regular milk for evaporated milk.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Definitely took me back to childhood but better. We loved it! I used the suggestion of beef broth, and it turned out wonderful. Thank you for posting!
You’re welcome! Thanks for trying it!
Made this tonight. Had to improvise as my kid had finished off the milk and didn’t tell anyone. I used a half cup of sour cream, half cup of half and half and a half cup of water. Thanks for a great recipe! This was fantastic!
Way to improvise! Sounds like it turned out great!
I use leftover taco meat and this recipe is awesome for busy weeknights. It comes together so quickly. Very flavourful and comforting. This is a weekly rotation for us in the cooler months
So good to hear! Leftover taco meat would be delicious!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Substituted crushed garlic and real onion for the powdered ones (powdered one not readily available where I live). Really enjoy your blog and recipes! Thanks for sharing!
This made a great and fast dinner for a work night meal. Made some adjustments as we don’t have garlic and onion powder readily available, so substituted real onion and real garlic. It was tasty and satisfying. I really enjoy your recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I love this meal for those reasons! It’s fast, quick, and so easily customizable. Glad you enjoyed it!
Unfortunately, Sam is an idiot.
I’m trying reeeeeealllly hard not to laugh, but your comment is cracking me up.
Absolutely delicious! My husband and I have celiac’s disease so we just substituted gluten free pasta for the traditional pasta. This was a hit with the entire family! Everyone loved it! I tripled the recipe thinking I could freeze leftovers for meal prep. However, every bite was gone in less than 24 hours. Thank you!
Great! Yes IF we have any leftovers they do not last long!
It was just ok. Not sure what would make it better
This has become a go-to recipe for my family. Easy to mix up a s try something new. Our most common substitution is 1.5 teaspoon of smoked paprika instead, but the best DIY hamburger helper recipe we’ve found!!
Great! Thank you! We also sometimes mix it up with smoked paprika as well. It’s delicious.
Tastes great hole family loves it
Great! Thank you!
There was no liquid left in the dish. It was really dry and that’s after I added a lot more liquid than called for. Didn’t care for the flavor either.
Hmmm I have made this several times and don’t have a problem with the liquid. Sometimes I think people will put the whole package or box of noodles in and the recipe only calls for two cups of dry noodles. I am sorry it didn’t work for you!
I really liked it. Nice and cheesy! Easy to make! Delicious to eat! Thank you for the recipe!
I’m glad you liked it Debbie! I love how easy it is as well.
This is my go-to dinner choice when I want something easy and simple. My family loves it and will request it.
Great! It’s a perfect go-to dinner meal. We usually have all the ingredients and it is so easy to make!
Excellent and very easy.
Thank you!
Tried this with ground turkey, added diced bell pepper and onion, the family loved it, especially the kids
Great! Bell peppers would be delicious!
We make this all the time. A family favorite.
Glad to hear that! Thank you!
Bland, not creamy, waste of lb of ground beef and box of pasta. Left a gross taste in my mouth and a gross smell in the kitchen.
But how do you REALLY feel about it? LOL, I’m sorry this one was not a winner for you.
I absolutely love!! this recipe and so does the family:)
i have one ask… If i dont have milk what could you suggest would be the best substitute for it?
Thank you so much! If you don’t have milk you could substitute with chicken broth or water. You just don’t want to lose that liquid since it helps cook the noodles. If you want it to have the creaminess that the milk can add, you can add heavy cream or a scoop of sour cream to the cheese sauce after you’ve cooked the noodles.
This recipe is amazing! My family loved it. So easy and you won’t be disappointed if followed to a T. Enjoy!
I added yellow onion and bell peppers. I also used bone broth. It was delicious!
Great additions! Glad you enjoyed it!
My family loved this dish! I made it for a Saturday lunch, and it hit the spot! Very easy instructions, I doubled the batch. The flavor is even better the next day! I’ll definitely make this recipe again.
Thanks for making it! I’m glad your family loved it!
Great recipe. I added 1 tsp of dried mustard and increased the cheese to 6 ounces shredded
Dried mustard would be delicious and you can never have too much cheese!
Tried this recipe tonight , let me just say it was delicious! I will be making it again
This recipe is so easy but most of all, it’s delicious just as written. Even my college sophomore nephew made it for himself and raved about it. It will be a staple in our menu rotation for sure!
Yes! That is amazing your college nephew made it. Yay! It’s a family staple for sure!
Hi you mentioned the seasons twice. Are you saying to add the seasoning after the ground beef is done then again and then the milk and water to the pasta. Let it come to a boil and cover?
Because you said it at the beginning of your instructions and then again at the end.
Sorry it’s little confusing.
I usually understand instruction well.
Hi Amy
I asked a question about the ingredients on last night. And I didn’t receive an answer.
My question was and is do I add the same ingredients at the top you put the cornstarch onion garlic powder paprika etc after the beef is cook. Then you said add the same ingredients again then you mentioned the same ingredients after the pasta is al dente. Just wondering before I make it.
Hi Alice. You only add the seasonings once, after the beef has been browned along with the cornstarch. After you stir them in you add the milk, water, and pasta. I looked again and can’t see the spot that is causing your specific confusion. As an aside, I always try to respond as soon as I can to comments, but I’m not a robot or AI and I won’t always get to them within a couple of hours. Sometimes it even takes me a few days, especially if we are out of town or my kids have a lot of school or extracurricular activities going on.
This recipe is so dang good! So much better than the boxed stuff.
Thank you!