Skip the boxed stuff! This homemade Hamburger Helper is made from scratch in one skillet. Creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor, it’s family-friendly and so delicious!

I grew up eating boxed Hamburger Helper (and loved it!), so this recipe is a bit nostalgic. As it turns out, the homemade version of this classic favorite is heartier, has better flavor, and is even more delicious than the original.

Spoon scooping serving of cooked pasta, ground beef, sauce, and seasonings in white cast iron skillet.

Why I Keep This Dinner in the Rotation

There are so many reasons this homemade Hamburger Helper is a huge family favorite (and also easy for me, the head chef of this family, like it or not, to execute on a busy weeknight!):

  1. One skillet. The ground beef, pasta, and sauce cook in the same pan. You’ll need a deep skillet (like this one or this one – aff links) to fit this recipe as a regular 12-inch skillet may not be big enough. If you don’t have a deep skillet, you can easily use a saucepan or pot.
  2. Easy weeknight dinner. This recipe comes together quickly. If you have all your ducks in a row, you can have it on the table in 30 minutes or less.
  3. No seasoning packet needed. This recipe calls for everyday ingredients that are super accessible rather than relying on pre-packaged ingredients. Making Hamburger Helper from scratch lets you control the seasonings and salt…and the end result is absolutely delicious.
  4. Family-friendly. This no-fuss meal may not win any gourmet foodie awards, but the simple, ultra-delicious flavors with the creamy pasta are an easy win with kids and adults alike.

A Note About Pasta Variations: The recipe calls for elbow macaroni, but any type of small pasta shape will work, like ditalini or shell pasta. Just pay attention to the al dente cooking times on the package and adjust the cooking time in the recipe, as needed. Protein pastas are really popular right now; I’m guessing that variety of pasta will work just fine in this recipe.

Top down view of cooked pasta, sauce, seasonings, ground beef in white cast iron skillet and topped with chopped parsley.

How to Make Hamburger Helper in One Skillet

  1. In a 12-inch deep skillet or similar size saucepan, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
  2. To the skillet, add the pasta, beef broth, tomato sauce, salt, basil, oregano, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Moderate the heat and stir often to prevent sticking.
  4. While the past cooks, blend the milk and flour together until smooth. Stir the milk mixture into the skillet, and simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
  5. Off the heat (or over very low heat), add the cheese a handful at a time, and stir the cheese in until melted.
  6. Serve warm. The pasta will thicken as it cools.

Important Note: Make sure to stir often to prevent the pasta from sticking. Moderate the heat as needed to maintain a simmer without burning the pasta.

White cast iron skillet with cooked ground beef, tomato sauce, onion powder, dried basil, and dry elbow macaroni.
Pouring milk and flour mixture into skillet with cooked pasta.
Grated sharp cheddar cheese on top of cooked pasta and ground beef in white skillet.
Cooked pasta, sauce, seasonings, and ground beef in white cast iron skillet with spoon lifting serving.

A Few Additional Notes

  • This one-skillet pasta will thicken as it cools. If it seems like there a lot of sauce/liquid after stirring in the cheese, that’s actually a good thing.
  • In the interest of preserving as much sauciness as possible, it’s best to serve this pasta within 10 to 15 minutes after it is done cooking. If you have leftovers, stir in a bit of milk or broth before reheating to creamy it up a bit.
  • You can easily add more meat, change the type of meat, or omit the meat completely.
  • I prefer cheddar cheese for the flavor, but you could swap in another variety of cheese for the cheddar.

You definitely don’t need to over think this simple meal (lectures the Queen of Overthinking 😉). It is meant to be simple and straightforward. And it really is just easy comfort food at its best.

I hope you love this one!

Also, this is a random note (assuming anyone actually gets this far in recipe blog posts these days), but when I was making batch after batch of this homemade Hamburger Helper to recipe test, I transitioned some of the leftovers into a baked pasta, and it was amazing. I spooned the refrigerated pasta leftovers into an oven-safe baking dish, drizzled a bit of cream over the top, sprinkled with a touch of salt and pepper, topped with shredded cheese, and baked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so. SUPER DELISH.

Fork scooping bite of cooked pasta, hamburger, sauce and seasonings on white plate.

What to Serve With This

Top down view of cooked pasta, sauce, seasonings, ground beef in white cast iron skillet and topped with chopped parsley.

Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
4.93 stars (14 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 12 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni or other small pasta, like ditalini or shells
  • 3 ½ cups beef broth or stock
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce (or two 8-ounce cans)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup 1%, 2% or whole milk (see note)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese (see note)

Instructions 

  • In a 12-inch deep skillet or similar size saucepan, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
  • To the skillet, add the pasta, beef broth, tomato sauce, salt, basil, oregano, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Moderate the heat and stir often to prevent sticking.
  • While the past cooks, blend the milk and flour together until smooth. Stir the milk mixture into the skillet, and simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
  • Off the heat (or over very low heat), add the cheese a handful at a time, and stir the cheese in until melted. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Serve warm. The pasta will thicken as it cools.

Notes

Milk: For a richer, creamier pasta, you can sub in half-and-half or cream for the milk. 
Cheese: Freshly grated cheddar cheese will melt creamier than pre-shredded cheese (which is coated with a powdery substance to prevent clumping).
Author: Mel Gunnell
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Method: Stovetop
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 495kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 1521mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g

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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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