Ditch the box and make this lightened-up homemade Hamburger Helper recipe! It’s a quick and easy one-pot dinner with all the familiar flavors, made with seasoned ground turkey, melty cheese, and whole grain macaroni.
I love remaking classic dinners from my childhood, from Hamburger Helper to beefaroni, to creamy chicken stroganoff and mac and cheese. Instant comfort, and family-friendly!
I’ve been making this Hamburger Helper recipe for years, and it always brings me straight back to the dinner table as a high schooler. My parents often worked late back then, and my sister and I would treat ourselves to a box meal at least once a week.
Of course, today’s version is homemade and not from a box. It’s packed with delicious ingredients that you can actually pronounce! I make my Hamburger Helper with whole wheat pasta, ground turkey, and vegan cheese without sacrificing any of the creamy, comforting flavors we know and love.
Why I Love This Hamburger Helper Recipe
- One pot. Just like the original Hamburger Helper from a box, this homemade version cooks all in one pot. Clean-up is a snap afterward.
- Easy. Hamburger Helper has always been the OG weeknight dinner. This recipe is quick and simple to prepare, perfect when I need a tasty dinner in a hurry.
- Better than a box mix. I make this recipe with turkey instead of hamburger meat, but it still has all the rich, creamy, savory flavors of the original. It tastes even better if you ask me! A few simple seasonings, chicken broth, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce are all it takes to pack in the flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The original Hamburger Helper was an inexpensive, family-pleasing dinner, so that’s what I set out to recreate with this recipe. The ingredients below are easy and pantry-friendly, and I’ve included some notes to get you started. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable ingredients list with the full recipe instructions.
- Olive Oil – Or your choice of cooking oil, for sautéing.
- Onion and Garlic – I use diced yellow onion and freshly minced garlic. Any mild onion is great. If you need to substitute fresh garlic, replace each clove with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Ground Turkey – I use 99% fat-free “extra lean” ground turkey, but any ground meat will work here. You can make this homemade Hamburger Helper with hamburger meat (the classic), ground chicken, ground pork, or ground sausage.
- Seasoning – Chili powder and sweet or smoked paprika, plus salt and black pepper to taste.
- Elbow Macaroni – I make my hamburger helper recipe with whole-grain macaroni noodles, but you can use any type of short-cut pasta you’d like. Other good choices are penne, small shells, rigatoni, cavatappi, and fusilli.
- Cheese – Any dairy or non-dairy shreddable cheese works in this recipe. I’ve often used Daiya vegan cheddar. You can use regular cheddar, Monterey Jack, or gouda cheese. For the best results, shred the cheese fresh from the block since it melts smoother this way.
- Flour – To help thicken the cheese sauce. All-purpose flour works perfectly. You could also replace the flour with half the amount of cornstarch.
- Milk – Any type of milk you’d like, whether that’s almond milk, soy milk, regular milk, etc.
- Chicken Broth – I like to use low-sodium fat-free chicken broth. You can use either chicken or vegetable stock, it’s up to you.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Just a little goes a long way to richen up the flavors in the sauce. You can also use soy sauce.
How to Make Hamburger Helper
Just like similar one-pot pasta dinners, like my chicken broccoli pasta, this recipe comes together in a single pan on the stove in about 30 minutes. Here’s how to make it:
- Sauté. First, get your onions and garlic sautéeing in a hot skillet with oil.
- Brown the meat. Once that’s softened and fragrant, add the ground turkey. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika, and brown the meat for 4-5 minutes. Take it off the heat afterward and drain any excess liquid.
- Combine. Add the dry macaroni to the skillet along with the cheese, flour, milk, and chicken broth. Give it a sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce and bring it to a boil.
- Cook. Lower the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Stir, taste for seasonings one more time, and serve!
Use Leftovers!
If you have leftover roast turkey in the days after Thanksgiving or Christmas, this is the perfect meal to put it to use! Shred the cooked turkey and stir it in at the end, after the pasta has cooked. You can also do this with poached chicken or pulled pork (similar to a pulled pork mac and cheese).
Tips and Variations
- Cooking times might vary. Your Hamburger Helper may need more or less cooking time depending on the type of pasta you use. You also might need to use more liquid for different pasta shapes. Something to keep in mind.
- Add tomatoes. Stir a spoonful of tomato paste into the sauce, or add a can of diced tomatoes if you like a tomato-y Hamburger Helper.
- Add bacon. Sauté diced bacon with the onions, or stir in cooked crumbled bacon right before serving.
- Change up the seasonings. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes. Add more or less garlic and chili powder, or, if you prefer a little kick, sprinkle in cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.
- Add greens. If you’d like to add in greens like spinach or kale, you can chop these up and wilt them in at the end. Frozen peas or a frozen vegetable medley are also quick, easy ways to add in extra veggies.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover Hamburger Helper in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It becomes a bit drier as the pasta absorbs more of the sauce, but it still tastes great.
- Reheat. Warm your Hamburger Helper in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until it’s warmed through. I like to add a splash of broth to help thin out and loosen up the sauce.
More One Pan Pasta Dinners
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Sauté the onions. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep-sided, nonstick skillet or a Dutch oven. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
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Brown the turkey. Add the ground turkey and season with chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned. Then, remove from heat and drain out the liquid.
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Combine. To the browned turkey meat, add the pasta, cheese, flour, milk, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
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Cook. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently; lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender and thoroughly cooked.
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Serve! Remove your hamburger helper from the heat and taste for seasonings. Adjust accordingly, and then serve.
Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
