Homemade Hamburger Helper: One-Pot Comfort Food Made Easy
Ready in 30 minutes, this one-pot Homemade Hamburger Helper features tender pasta, savory ground beef, and a creamy tomato-cheese sauce. A family favorite!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz small pasta shells or elbow pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside, reserving 2 tbsp of grease.
- Lower heat to medium, cook onion until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic for last 30 seconds.
- Add flour, stir for 1 minute. Slowly add broth and bring to a boil.
- Pour in tomato sauce, seasonings, and pasta. Simmer covered 12–15 minutes until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Add extra broth if needed.
- Stir in cream and cheese until melted. Add back in ground beef and cook 2–3 minutes to reheat.
- Remove from heat, let rest 1–2 minutes, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Best served fresh; leftovers store up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with extra broth or cream.
- Make double for larger crowds.
- Gluten-free option: use GF pasta and replace flour with cornstarch.