Homemade hamburger helper is nostalgic comfort food made from scratch with ground beef and macaroni in a creamy cheddar sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and better than the boxed version.

Creamy homemade hamburger helper with ground beef and macaroni stirred in a pot before serving.

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Classic Homemade Hamburger Helper (No Box Needed)

If you have fond memories of Hamburger Helper from your childhood, this from-scratch version brings back those familiar, comforting flavors. While boxed dinners are convenient, making this homemade version lets you control the ingredients and seasonings, similar to cozy classics like cheeseburger casserole or American goulash.

Instead of a powdered packet, it’s made with an easy creamy cheddar sauce with real beef broth, heavy cream, cheese, and seasonings. Lean ground beef and elbow macaroni cook together in one pot for a simple, satisfying family dinner made with real ingredients.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for homemade hamburger helper including ground beef, elbow noodles, cheddar cheese, beef broth, cream, onions, ketchup, mustard, and seasonings.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Ground beef: I use lean ground beef which isn’t too fatty. The cheese and heavy cream make this dish rich enough already!
  • Onion: I use chopped yellow onion for its milder taste. If you’re out of onions, you can substitute them for a tablespoon of dried onion powder.
  • Sauces: Just a couple of tablespoons of ketchup and a teaspoon of mustard adds flavor to the dish. For more pronounced tomato flavor, use tomato paste. Add a splash or two of your favorite hot sauce at the end if you like some heat.
  • Seasonings: I keep it pretty simple by adding seasoning salt (Lawry’s or similar), garlic powder, Kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
  • Dry elbow noodles: I like the elbow (or macaroni) noodles in this dish because they fill up with all of the cheesy sauce making each bite burst with delicious flavor.
  • Beef broth: Use your own homemade broth or look for a low-sodium version in your local grocery store. That way you can control the amount of salt in your dish.
  • Heavy cream: You don’t need a lot of cream, just 3 – 5 tablespoons will do to help make the sauce silky smooth.
  • Shredded cheddar cheese: I like the flavor of sharp cheddar cheese in this homemade hamburger helper recipe. Freshly grated from a block will melt more easily.

How to Make Hamburger Helper

Cook the ground beef and onions in a large pot over medium heat, breaking the meat into small pieces as it browns. Drain excess grease if needed.

Stir in the ketchup, mustard, and seasonings, then add the dry noodles and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the noodles are tender.

Raw ground beef and chopped onions added to a pot to start homemade hamburger helper.
Ground beef cooked with onions and seasonings in a white pot for homemade hamburger helper.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the noodles are tender, stirring once halfway through to prevent sticking.

Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese until melted and creamy. Season to taste, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.

Elbow macaroni and ground beef simmering together in a pot before adding cheese.
Creamy homemade hamburger helper with ground beef and macaroni finished in one pot.

Recipe Tips

  • Use freshly grated cheese. The packs of pre-grated cheese are convenient but can also clump together when melting.
  • Use a pot. It’s easier to use a pot to make this dish rather than a large skillet. A skillet will be too full which will make it difficult to stir everything together.
  • Add more liquid. If it looks like the hamburger helper is dry as it simmers, add a bit more broth to the pot.
  • Thicken sauce. If the sauce looks a bit too watery after it simmers, remove the lid, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes longer to let the sauce reduce. Adding the cream and cheese will also help to thicken up the sauce.
One-pot homemade hamburger helper with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and creamy cheddar sauce, garnished with parsley.

More ground beef recipes include my recipe for ground beef casserole, hamburger casserole or tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup.

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Creamy homemade hamburger helper with ground beef and macaroni stirred in a pot before serving.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

5 from 20 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Homemade hamburger helper is nostalgic comfort food made from scratch with ground beef and macaroni in a creamy cheddar sauce.
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Video

Equipment

  • 1 6 qt enameled cast iron dutch oven

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 Tablespoon ketchup
  • 1-2 teaspoons  Dijon mustard , plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt , such as Lawry’s
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • kosher salt , to taste
  • ground black pepper , to taste
  • 1 ½ cups dry elbow noodles
  • 3 ½ cups beef broth
  • 3-5 Tablespoons heavy cream , at room temperature
  • 1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • In a large pot, cook one pound ground beef and 1/2 cup onion over medium heat. Break apart the beef with a spoon and cook until browned. Drain any grease, if needed.
  • Stir in 1 Tablespoon ketchup, 2 teaspoons mustard, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, Kosher salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Stir in the dry noodles and broth.
  • Bring to a light simmer and cover with a lid. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Stir halfway through cooking to prevent noodles from sticking.
  • Remove from heat and pour off any extra liquid, if needed. Stir in 3 Tablespoons heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Stir until melted. Add more heavy cream, if desired. Season to taste. Add hot sauce, if desired, to kick up the heat. For a creamier sauce add in extra heavy cream. Serve while hot!

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Sneak in extra veggies when cooking the onions. Sometimes I’ll add in chopped celery, bell peppers, or mushrooms. 
Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth as needed to loosen the sauce.
Freeze: Freeze leftovers in an 8×8-inch metal pan tightly covered with foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake at 350°F until heated through. Add extra cheese before baking, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 885mg, Potassium: 358mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 305IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 174mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Variations

  • Different pasta.  like to use a pasta shape that can hold some of the sauce like elbow, penne, rotini, or shells. You can also switch to regular pasta for whole wheat or gluten free.
  • Heavy cream: Substitute sour cream or softened cream cheese for the heavy cream, if desired. 
  • Add tomatoes. Many versions of Hamburger Helper have tomatoes. Add a can of diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes and reduce broth by 1/4 cup.
  • Different meat. You can use ground turkey or ground chicken (along with chicken broth) if you prefer.
  • Different cheese. Any hard cheese will work as long it will melt into the sauce.