Description
Hearty homemade hamburger helper brings nostalgic comfort to dinner tables with its cheesy, one-pan simplicity. Families can easily craft this classic midwestern meal using pantry staples and lean ground beef for a quick, satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (453 g) ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (or any small pasta)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups beef broth (or water)
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can diced tomatoes (optional)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup sour cream (optional, for extra creaminess)
- 2 tbsps butter (optional, for richness)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Brown ground beef in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling until completely cooked and no pink remains.
- Aromatic Enhancement: Integrate finely chopped onions and minced garlic into browned meat, sautéing briefly to release rich, complex flavors.
- Liquid Foundation: Combine beef broth, whole milk, and diced tomatoes, creating a robust liquid base for the pasta dish.
- Seasoning Infusion: Generously sprinkle salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian herbs to elevate the overall taste profile.
- Pasta Integration: Introduce uncooked pasta directly into the skillet, ensuring thorough distribution and complete ingredient incorporation.
- Cooking Process: Bring mixture to a rapid boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer, covering the skillet to allow pasta to cook and absorb the flavorful liquid, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cheese and Creaminess: Once pasta reaches perfect tenderness, remove from heat and fold in sharp cheddar cheese, then gently stir in sour cream and butter, allowing residual heat to create a luxurious, silky sauce.
- Finalization: Allow dish to rest for several minutes, enabling sauce to thicken and flavors to harmonize, then serve immediately with optional garnish of additional cheese or fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) to reduce excess grease while maintaining rich flavor and preventing watery sauce.
- Pasta Perfect Technique: Use medium-sized pasta like rotini or elbow macaroni that holds sauce well and cooks evenly in the one-pot method.
- Seasoning Strategy: Toast dry spices briefly in the skillet before adding liquids to intensify their depth and release maximum aromatic compounds.
- Dairy Delicacy Tip: Add cheese and sour cream off direct heat to prevent curdling and maintain smooth, creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg