This Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe is a creamy, cheesy, one-pot pasta made with ground beef, bell pepper, onion, and soul food seasoning. This easy weeknight dinner is comfort food at its best, with bold flavor that beats the boxed mix every time!
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Recipe Highlights
- ⏱️ Ready in: About 40 minutes (perfect for weeknights)
- 🍽️ Serves: 6-8
- 👩🏽🍳 Difficulty: Easy
- 🥘 One Pot Meal: Everything cooks in the same pot for easy cleanup!
DIY Hamburger Helper
There is nothing like a bowl of Hamburger Helper to take you back! The store-bought mix is good for convenience, but homemade is always better. Our version is richer, fresher, and full of real flavor.
What really makes this recipe special though is the soul food feel. Bell peppers and onions add flavor and depth, and our soul food seasoning gives it that Southern kick.
If you have been craving a nostalgic classic but want something fresher and homemade, this is it! Trust, once you try our homemade Hamburger Helper recipe, the box will not compare.
Why This Recipe Hits Home
- Better flavor than the boxed version. It's rich, cheesy, and seasoned just right.
- Made with real, fresh ingredients you can feel good about.
- Easy, one-pot recipe that keeps dinner simple and cleanup minimal.
- Nostalgic comfort food. It's kid-approved, but flavorful enough to satisfy grown-ups, too.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef (80/20): The higher fat content keeps the meat juicy and flavorful. You can also swap in ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage.
- Pasta: We love DeLallo Shellbows because they’re sturdy and hold the sauce perfectly. Cavatappi or Penne are also excellent choices for catching the creamy sauce.
- Beef broth: Our favorite is Bonafide Provisions Organic Beef Bone Broth. If you don’t have beef broth, Better Than Bouillon Beef Base mixed with water is a great substitute.
- Heavy cream: Use a good-quality cream. For a lighter option, swap with half-and-half, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Cheese: Marble cheddar melts beautifully. You can also try a blend with mozzarella, pepper jack, or Colby Jack.
See the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add onions and peppers, then stir in the garlic until fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in the beef and cook until browned.
Step 3: Mix in the tomato paste, then stir in Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and Soul Dust.
Step 4: Stir in the pasta (macaroni, cavatappi, or penne all work well).
Step 5: Pour in beef broth, bring to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer.
Step 6: Stir in the heavy cream.
Step 7: Gradually add the cheese and stir until melted and creamy.
Step 8: Adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon into bowls and enjoy right away.
What Goes Good with Hamburger Helper
Homemade Hamburger Helper goes great with comforting sides like this old-fashioned cornbread recipe and roasted squash and zucchini, or you can keep it lighter with a crisp side salad.
Hamburger Helper Recipe FAQs
We used shellbows (a mix of elbow macaroni and shells), but any short, sturdy pasta will work. Elbow is the classic choice, but cavatappi, penne, or rotini are great choices as well.
The sauce often thickens naturally as the pasta finishes cooking and cools slightly. You can also let it cook uncovered so the extra liquid can reduce. A little extra shredded cheese may also help the sauce cling to pasta.
If your sauce comes out too thick, stir in a splash of broth or milk to loosen it up. Add small amounts at a time so you don’t thin it too much.
More Easy Pasta Dinner Recipes
Looking for more homemade pasta dinner ideas? Try these:
If you tried this Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe or any other recipe on our blog, consider leaving us a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon soul food seasoning or favorite all purpose seasoning
- 1 pound pasta (we used DeLallo Shellbow Pasta)
- 3 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded marble cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 3–4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until fragrant.
- Cook the beef: Add the ground beef and cook until browned and fully cooked through.
- Season the meat: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes to deepen the flavor. Add Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and Soul Dust, stirring well to combine.
- Cook the pasta: Add the pasta and mix it into the meat and vegetables. Pour in the beef broth to cover the pasta and stir. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 11–15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
- Finish the pasta: Remove the lid and stir in the heavy cream. Cook for another 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the cheese until melted. Serve immediately.
Notes
Top Tips
- Macaroni, cavatappi, or penne noodles all work well in this recipe.
- If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add a splash of water as needed.
- Swap the cheddar for your favorite cheese or a blend of cheeses.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce (optional).
- Freezer: Cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating from Frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm gently on the stove with added liquid to bring back creaminess.
- Meal Prep Tip: Cook pasta slightly underdone if planning to freeze, so it holds texture better after reheating.
Krysten says
I love Hamburger Helper, but only when it’s this homemade version. It’s the perfect weeknight meal, quick, easy, and so much better than the boxed kind. My kids love it too, and we never end up with leftovers. The shellbows are my favorite; they’re so much better than regular elbows, and the DeLallo brand cooks up nice and plump. With the seasoning and bell pepper, this dish really is the best!