It’s time to take a trip down memory lane because I made you a homemade, creamy, nostalgic, lightened up hamburger helper recipe that you’re going to LOVE.
This healthy hamburger helper is just as easy to make as it is delicious. You’ll literally cook everything right in one pan with a handful of pantry staples and the result tastes 100x better than the boxed stuff you grew up on. I’ve included tons of ways to customize it with different meat options, veggie add-ins, and even a hint of spice if the kiddos aren’t involved.
OH and it takes just about 30 minutes from start to finish. AKA the ultimate weeknight dinner you’ll make again and again.
What is hamburger helper?
Oh, hamburger helper. The nostalgic, delicious Betty Crocker dinner of my childhood (and probably many of yours!) The OG hamburger helper contains a box of noodles, powdered seasonings and starches and it’s meant to be combined with ground beef for a complete meal. The boxed dinner was actually created in the ’70s during a meat shortage for a quick and easy meal for families.
My lightened up version is almost just as quick and easy, and filled with ingredients you can actually pronounce!
Ingredients in this healthy hamburger helper
I took the original boxed magic and replaced the fillers and pouches with flavorful seasonings, a wonderful homemade sauce, and lean ground turkey for savory protein. You’ll LOVE this lightened up version made with wholesome ingredients you can feel good about. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Ground turkey: we’re skipping the beef and using lean ground turkey for that protein boost. You’ll cook it down with onion and garlic for extra flavor. I’ve also made this with ground chicken sausage and it is fantastic! Just be sure remove the casings first.
- For the sauce: the easy sauce is made extra creamy with tomato paste, low sodium chicken broth, milk, and tomato sauce.
- Seasonings: the true healthy hamburger helper taste comes from paprika, dried oregano, and plenty of salt and pepper.
- Pasta: the star of the show! I used pipe rigate pasta because I love how the sauce gets into every little nook and cranny of the noodle.
- Cheese: don’t forget plenty of sharp cheddar cheese. I used my fav Cabot sharp cheddar in this recipe.
Make it your own
This easy hamburger helper recipe is perfect for customizing with ingredients you have on hand. Here are some recommended swaps and add-ins you can try:
- Add a boost of veggies: feel free to throw in shredded zucchini, sauteed chopped red bell pepper, or mushrooms or a few cups of chopped spinach! My kids usually never know that it’s in there. I like to sauté them first for extra flavor.
- Spice it up: if you’d like you can add some red pepper flakes on top.
- Choose your meat: you can absolutely use ground beef or ground chicken if you’d like! Alternatively, you could fold in cooked, cubed chicken breast or use ground Italian sausage (remove from the casings!)
- Pick your pasta: I’ve found that pipe rigate, shells, or large elbow noodles are best for this pasta so that you get the noodles nicely coated with all the creaminess of the sauce, but up to you! You can also, of course, use your favorite gluten free pasta to keep the recipe gluten free.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Sure! Simply omit the ground turkey and fold in a can of chickpeas, black beans, or your fav plant-based meat substitute.
One pan healthy hamburger helper in 3 steps
- Cook your meat. Start by cooking down the ground turkey in a large pot or skillet with olive oil, garlic, onion, salt & pepper.
- Add the sauce & pasta. Stir in all of your sauce and seasoning ingredients until they’re well combined, then fold in the pasta. Bring everything to a gentle boil and cook it uncovered until your pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Tip: stir it every so often so the pasta doesn’t get stuck!
- Cheese it & devour. Finally, remove it from the heat and stir in all of the cheddar cheese. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes if you’d like!
Get fancy with a breadcrumb topping
This hamburger helper recipe would also be delicious baked with a breadcrumb topping! Here’s how to do it:
- Step 1: cook the whole recipe as directed and pour it into a 9×9 inch or 11×7 inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Step 2: make your breadcrumb topping by mixing together 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Step 3: sprinkle the breadcrumb topping onto the pasta and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F until the topping is golden brown.
Storing tips
You can store any leftover homemade hamburger helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
More pasta recipes you’ll love
- Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole
- One Pot Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Beef Pasta
- The Best Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat
- Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Incredible Caramelized Onion Spinach Chicken Pasta Bake
Get all of my cozy pasta recipes here!
I hope you love this lightened up hamburger helper recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
The Best Healthy Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (93% is good)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk of choice (whole milk, 2% or unsweetened almond or cashew will work)
- 8 ounces tomato sauce (1 cup)
- 16 ounces (1 pound) pipe rigate pasta or shellbows
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (we use Cabot)
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
- For garnish:
- Freshly chopped parsley or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in diced onion, garlic, ground turkey and salt and pepper; breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Next stir in the tomato paste, paprika, and oregano, and cook for 1 minute until tomato paste deepens in color, which will allow the flavor to bloom.
- Add in the chicken broth, milk, and tomato sauce to the pot; stirring until well combined. Next, stir in the pasta and bring to a slight boil; you’ll cook UNCOVERED, stirring frequently, until the pasta is nice and tender, about 10-12 minutes (depending on your pasta shape) and most of the liquid (but not all!) is absorbed. You’ll want a little bit of liquid left to make the sauce nice and creamy. Remember you don’t need to have this over a roaring boil, just a gentle boil. Also, don't forget to stir often so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan!
- Remove from heat and stir in the sharp cheddar cheese and add additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes on top, if desired! Serves 4-6.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on October 10th, 2022, republished on September 10th, 2023, republished on October 30th, 2024, and republished on September 6th, 2025.
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use mushrooms / vegetable broth and vegan cheese i never had hamburger helper before perfect for raining days in Singapore and after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Hi, Ramya! Yes, those should all work well 🙂 Enjoy!
I’m a big fan of easy, fast, and delicious recipes! My kids really enjoyed this meal. I pretty much made the recipe as described, but was heavier-handed with the spices and cheese. I didn’t have tomato sauce in my pantry, so I used a cup of low-sodium marina instead. I loved the color and consistency. Unfortunately, I didn’t have Cabot cheese which would have been better, but it was still good. It’s the best feeling in the world when your kids tell you to make it again!!! Thanks for your wonderful recipes!
Aww yes, family approval is the best feedback!! I’m so glad to hear you all loved it ❤️
This sounds delicious, I can’t wait to make it! You always impress me with the recipes you come up with.
Thank you, Amy! So sweet of you ❤️
Have you made this with GF noodles?
I haven’t actually! Let me know if you try it 🙂
I was wondering the same, but I would be concerned that the GF pasta would be too starchy. I can’t imagine it working with this yummy sounding recipe as it is written. It would have to be cooked separately. I’m going to experiment with it.
So dang delicious and easy to make. My baby loved it too. Cabot is the most delicious sharp cheddar cheese and is not to be missed in this recipe.
Isn’t it the BEST?! Happy you and the little one loved it!!
Absolutely delicious comfort meal! I added fresh spinach to it and my whole family enjoyed it and gobbled it up for leftovers the next day. This is now going to be an easy weeknight staple for us.
Love that! Such a great weeknight meal for everyone 🙂
When do you add the spinach? Thanks!
Do you think you could make this in the crockpot?
I haven’t tested it in a crockpot but I’m afraid the noodles would get too soft cooking for that long!
Too easy! And delicious. Will definitely make again 🙂
Absolutely! Glad you loved it 🙂
10/10 easy and flavorful, will make this regularly. Absolutely love a 1 pot pasta dish where I can cook the noodles in the sauce as opposed to separately. I used ground chicken, I only had smoked paprika (which I was unsure of using but taste came out totally normal!), and I realized at the very end when I went to add the cheese that I only had sliced mozzarella cheese in my fridge so I tossed a couple slices in and they easily and perfectly melted in and worked great. So delicious even my picky toddler liked it!
Perfect! So glad this was a hit! We love a good 1 pot dinner 🙂
I made a vegetarian version with beyond burger crumbles, mushrooms and peppers. YUM! I used lentil pasta for extra protein and it worked great! The sauce feels gluttonous but I know it’s made with quality ingredients! Thanks for the nostalgia 🙂
Perfect! Love the idea of the crumbled veggie burger!
Hi! Sorry if I missed this, but what is the serving size?
This recipe is incredible. It tastes just like hamburger helper, but better. My husband liked it. Instead of incorporating the vegetables into the sauce, I served this with steamed asparagus. Delicious and comforting!
Absolutely delicious and so easy to throw together!
Aw thank you! So happy to hear that!
So tasty! I was concerned 3 cups of broth would make it too soupy, so I cut back to 2 cups and I really liked the consistency. It comes together so fast and easily – this will definitely be a regular recipe for us!
Glad to hear that this recipe worked out and that you enjoyed it!
Three cups of broth seemed odd but I followed it as the recipe said and so far it’s been boiling for about ten minutes. It’s clear the I’ll have to drain some liquid. Three cups of broth (plus a cup of milk, plus a cup of tomato sauce) is entirely too much liquid for a hamburger helper consistency. Was this a typo?
In typing this- I do see it’s cooked down significantly but still so much. I don’t want to drain and lose flavor so I’m going to cook it out and hope that the noodles don’t become mashed potatoes by the end.
Overall it looks and smells like it’s going to be delicious!
The recipe is written correctly, just trust the process, the liquid will cook down. Hope you love this recipe!
I grew up in a Hamburger/Chicken/Tuna Helper home where we ate those meals constantly, and I swore they would never make the menu in my family when I became an adult. But this one is a game changer. It actually does taste like hamburger helper (but way better)! My husband also loved it, and my friends said it smelt amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Oh I forgot to add, I added sautéed mushrooms and spinach to the dish-Amazing!
This is delicious! I doubled the spices and upped the cheese amount a bit, plus added in 1 shredded zucchini and 1 diced red pepper to get some extra veggies into my toddler and it was a hit! She went back for seconds and thirds for both meals we had this for. This recipe is definitely a keeper for our meal rotation now.
Yummm that sounds amazing! Adding veggies is such a fab idea, SO happy this recipe is a keeper!
This is was so delicious! Made it Sunday because I wanted something comforting and didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It was perfect. Followed the recipe to a “t” and we had more than enough left over for lunch the next day (just 2 of us). This is a keeper for me; it was so good and a throwback to our childhood. The pasta I used were the small shells and they worked perfectly. Garnished with parsley and chili flakes.
AHH this is amazing! I’m SO glad you loved this recipe. Appreciate your comment ❤️
Since I am alone I was wondering can I freeze the leftovers? And if yes what would be the easier way to reheat this dish? I really want to make it.
You can totally store this in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days and reheat in the microwave. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Thank you. It looks like it can easily be adjusted for weight watchers without anyone the wiser. I’ll be making this soon!
Great! Can’t wait to hear how this recipe works out for you!
This gave me the nostalgic flavors of hamburger helper but I felt good about eating it cause it was fresh ingredients and not a pouch of unknown seasonings and sodium. I used Jovial gluten-free elbows which soaked up the sauce beautifully and was almost better the next day as leftovers!
It’s the best dinner! SO glad you enjoyed it ❤️
Delicious and easy! Love that this is a 1-pot meal, perfect for a weeknight. Kids loved it and my husband said it’s a keeper. I followed the recipe as written but I may add a bit more tomato sauce next time. Personal preference. I’ll also double for leftovers!
Whole family loved it! Me and my husband added crushed red pepper for spice! I used goat milk mozzarella cheese and subbed out gf brown rice elbow noodles! Healthy and delicious
You’ve of course done it again with this recipe.. it was a huge hit and was even better as leftovers. Thank you for providing a new staple for my family. It’s creamy and delicious and hits the spot! Soo yummy. Thank you for sharing Monique! You’re a Gem.
Aw thank you ☺️ SO glad you enjoyed this recipe, it’s the best dinner.
So good! Just wondering if you were to add veggies (i.e. zucchini) at what point would you incorporate into the recipe?
So good! Just wondering, if you were to add veggies (i.e. zucchini) at what point in the recipient would you incorporate?
Thank you! It would depend on the veggie you are using, most of them, like zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, I would sauté with the turkey meat at the beginning. If you want to add spinach, I would recommend adding that at the very end. Enjoy!
Can you make it with wide egg noodles??
Awesome dinner to make after a busy work and activity day. Kid approved 🙂
Yay! Happy to hear it came out great. Bonus for it being kid approved ☺️
Made tonight for my husband and I – we used beef because that’s what we had, and grocery brand sharp cheddar. I doubled spices and was a bit liberal with the cheese but this was a hit. Flavors are delicious and it really is simple and quick to throw together. I only wish I would have let a bit more of the liquid cook off before I added the cheese but even still it was delicious.
So glad that you loved this recipe 🙂
Another winner from Ambitious Kitchen! So quick and easy. I used whole wheat elbow noodles. I froze half the recipe and it reheated really well!
Awesome! So glad you are loving this recipe 🙂
My fiance and I enjoyed this recipe. The only thing is that it came out super soupy. I’ll try again and cut the water to 2 cups. I used medium shells as the pasta so maybe that’s why the water didn’t absorb as much. I doubled the spices and added a lot of salt while cooking to up the flavor.
Another delicious Ambitious Kitchen recipe! Loved the creaminess of it. I added a little red pepper flake and a few cups of chopped spinach as suggested – Yum!
Yumm that sounds amazing! SO happy you’re a fan ❤️🙂
Absolutely amazing! Added in shredded carrots
Yum! Sounds delicious, SO happy you’re a fan 🙂
This was delicious. It truly is lightened up and creamy.
The best dinner! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
J noon ok on I ek join in I in
I ate this growing up and love a healthier version! Make this almost weekly for my boys!
This recipe was delicious and super easy for a quick weeknight meal. I made it with large elbow macaroni because that’s all I had. My kids LOVED it and so did I. I served broccoli on the side and added a handful of spinach in my bowl. In the future I will chop my onion and garlic in advance so I can just throw everything in the pot when It’s time to cook. **I only used 1/2 an onion.
Yum! This sounds amazing – so glad you and your fam are loving this recipe ❤️
This recipe is incredible!! We added red bell pepper with the onion and then a thing of frozen spinach later on. We also doubled it and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the great recipe Monique!!
Absolutely! This is great, so glad you found this recipe and are loving it 🙂
This was so easy and so tasty! My husband said we need to call it something else because it’s WAY better that hamburger helper.. Served with salad and zucchini on the side and it was the perfect satisfying meal. Thanks for another winning recipe!
So easy and fast and really good!!
This dinner was delicious! I subbed beef for the turkey and beef broth for the chicken broth but followed the recipe exactly otherwise and it turned out perfectly! Another awesome Ambitious Kitchen recipe, everything I’ve made from your site has been great!
OMG is right!! I only realized at the last minute that I didn’t have plain tomato sauce, so I used a spicy tomato roasted red pepper sauce and daaaaamn it was awesome. Thanks for the great recipe!! I will be making this again.
This looks really good, and I wanted to love it, but it just didn’t work for our family. The kids didn’t like it, and my husband always notices when I use ground turkey. Not a winner for us, sadly.
So sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t a hit for your family.
This recipe is awesome! My husband and son both loved this! It was so quick and easy- I will be adding it into our dinner rotation!
Made this last night and it was delicious! I added mushrooms as I cooked the ground Turkey and threw in spinach and red pepper flakes at the very end as I stirred the pasta. For the cheese I used a smoked sharp cheddar and the store only had smoked paprika left and they worked well..it has a nice kick.
This was a huge hit with my kids and husband, especially my super picky 6 year old who eats NOTHING. He was hesitant when he saw it but we took a big bite together and then he devoured it. I did use extra lean ground beef (there was no ground turkey in store) and everyone loved it. One thing to note from my stove, and maybe it was the shell pasta I used, but I found I was having to add in extra broth/sauce as it was gently boiling because it was drying up faster than the shells were cooking. It was absolutely not a big deal, did not impact the taste, and was easy to adjust until the pasta was done cooking. 10/10 will be adding this to my weekly rotation!
Woo! Such a win – glad this recipe is such a hit for you and your whole family!
So far, all the ambitious kitchen recipes are spot on. Made this tonight with ground beef instead of turkey and lactose free milk and it was great. I’d consider myself a more advanced home cook and I’m picky about which recipes I 1) try and 2) bookmark to make again and this one is a “make again”
Thanks Ambitious Kitchen!!!
Absolutely! SO glad you are loving this recipe and it is a hit ❤️
This meal was great! I used lean ground beef, beef broth and whole wheat bow tie pasta. I also sprinkled a touch of crushed dried peppers and let them simmer with the pasta. It added a kick of flavour. Once again, Monique’s recipe rocked!!
I’ve tried other hamburger helper type recipes and this was by far the BEST. It was a perfect sauce-noodle ratio and was so flavorful with such simple ingredients. A major improvement to the box version, IMO. I didn’t add any veggies, just served with a side of green beans and my kids gobbled it up. I don’t know how it took me so long to find this on your site!
this was absolutely delicious!! thank you for your amazing recipes.
Ah yay! I am so glad this recipe turned out great of you ❤️
This is delicious! Used banza pasta to add a little more protein and YUM. Will def be on rotation!
Thanks, Hannah! Love the idea of Banza in here 🙂
This is such a great recipe. I’ve used turkey, extra lean ground beef and chicken and Irs delicious each way! Thanks for this great recipe that I feel comfortable giving my kids
This one’s great for customizing! Glad it’s a hit with the family 🙂
A family favorite. Have now made this twice, and it’s difficult to keep any around for leftovers! Made it with ground beef, because it’s typically what we have on hand, and otherwise as is – love the pipe regata. Try it!
YUM! Sounds absolutely amazing, glad you and your family are loving this recipe!
This has become a family favorite (kids and husband-approved!). I grew up on Hamburger Helper, so this is super nostalgic and comfort food for me. I make a few tweaks to the original recipe. I pulse up about 8oz of white mushrooms along with 8oz of fresh spinach and toss it in after the meat is browned, but before I add all the spices. It boosts the nutrition just a bit! I also add about 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp of ground mustard to the oregano and paprika. This meal ends up SOOOO flavorful, packed with nutrition, and I can easily feed my family of 4 (me, my hubby, 10-year-old and 7-year-old daughters) with plenty of leftovers for busy nights. Love this recipe!!!
Ah this is so great! I am so glad that you and the family are loving this recipe. Your additions sound amazing and I am so glad you have been able to adjust it to your preference!
So good and so easy! Used lean ground beef and some Banza pasta for extra protein. 10/10!
YUM! Sounds amazing, I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you!
This was delicious! So easy to make, I added mushrooms, spinach, and gluten free lentil pasta. As always, AK recipes never let me down 🙂
Sounds AMAZING – so glad you found this recipe and it is a hit!
I cannot believe how yummy this was, my kids devoured it. So easy too!! I think maybe next time I would do just slightly less liquid but other than that the recipe is perfect.
Perfect! So glad this recipe is a hit for the whole family, Tiffany!
I could not stop eating this! Definitely wait for the sauce to thicken after it comes off the heat – magical. Will add in some spinach next time.
Ahh this is amazing, Julia. Glad to hear you’re loving this recipe and it turned out fabulous for you!
Very delicious, I added shredded zucchini and carrots. Yummm!
Sounds amazing, Han. Glad this turned out great for you!
Hey Monique,
I love the Pasta and after checking your Recipe and Real images I’m Getting too hungry for it,
I Have Read your Recipe and instructions for Cooking Pasta You have Awesome Knowledge of food Please Provide me a video link if you have That will be more helpful.
Thanks
This was so good! I used gluten free penne that I cooked separately (one pot recipes don’t work well with gluten free pasta) and reduced the liquid for the sauce accordingly. I also added shredded zucchini. I’ve never had hamburger helper before, but this was cozy, comforting, and fairly easy. The recipe took me about 45 minutes because I ended up with a bit too much liquid in the sauce, so I boiled it for longer. I think broccoli, spinach, or mushrooms would make great additions as well.
Ahh this is so great to hear, Rebecca. I am so glad this recipe turned out amazing for you and the GF pasta also worked out! Love the additions of veggies, so yum!
Please include sodium values in your nutrition listing for your recipes. Thank you.
I love a yummy pasta dish! I am lactose intolerant so I substituted almond milk and a lactose free cheddar from Boars Head. I was a little worried while boiling the noodles because there was so much liquid. I ended up boiling for about 20 minutes total and the liquid finally condensed. I stirred in the cheese and Wow!! This is a delicious dish! Perfect for a day you’re craving comfort food. I stuck with the turkey and it tasted light but also still so flavorful! I also added red pepper flakes when I cooked the meat.
Amazing! Glad you loved this dish and it turned out amazing for you 🙂❤️
Wow, thank you for this amazing recipe! My husband said “More of this, please!” He and I absolutely loved it, as did our 2 grown kids. I am going to rewrite and reprint the recipe today as for us, it really needs to be doubled! My husband wanted more for dinner, but there was only just enough for 4 people. We also LOVE leftovers. I prefer recipes that can feed us for at least 2 days, if not more. I made a few tiny tweaks as well, which I’ll add to my final printed recipe. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing as is. But I took it just a tad further. During the cooking, at the point when the liquid had reduced most of the way, I added about 2 tbs water mixed with 3/4 tsp. corn starch and mixed that into the pot. This thickens up the “gravy” just enough. I’ll double that when I double my recipe. I added 1 tsp dijon mustard, maybe 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning, and a sprinkling of cayanne pepper for the slightest bit of heat. I’m telling you, Ah-mazing. I can’t wait to eat it again!
AMAZING! Love reading this, Molly. Glad this recipe is a hit for your whole family ❤️❤️
Ok, this was stupid. Stupid good. I don’t have any idea how you got it to taste so close to the OG! New favorite!!!
🤣 I am SO glad you’re loving this recipe, Kate!
I love this recipe!! Easy to make during the week. My whole family eats to the bottom of the bowl every time! Thank you!
Ahh this is so great to hear, glad everyone is loving this super simple and delicious recipe, Heather 🙂
This is a recipe I use several times a month! So happy to of found it. My kids ask for it and it’s my favourite way to sneak in all the veggies! Also, I LOVE it too. Brings me back to childhood without being weighed down. Thank you for this! 👌
WOO! SO glad this recipe is a hit and everyone is loving it, Sarah ❤️
Hi! Which kind of dairy free milk would you recommend for the cup of milk? Thanks!!
I like using unsweetened almond milk.
OMG this recipe definitely hit a spot for me ! I’m French and didn’t even know what Hamburger Helper was, but it felt like the comfort food I had been waiting for ! Such a hit with the fam, and so easy to make. We decided it will be a new staple at our house. Love love love.
Amazing! Happy to hear it was a hit!
This recipe is a keeper. Its a great comfort food. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
One of our favs, too! Hope you find more recipes here that you love!
This is a weekly staple in my house. It’s so easy and so flavorful and I used to hate hamburger helper growing up but this is delicious! My two year old loves it too which makes me happy and it’s so easy to throw in her lunchbox the next day.
Love that!!
My family loves this recipe! We eat it often and it’s so easy and quick to make.
One of our fav dinners, too!
So yummy! Thank you. I added spinach and mushrooms and my friend didn’t even notice. Can’t wait to make it again.
Love those additions! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
It didn’t feel like there was enough liquid to really boil the noodles. I feel it would have been better to cook the noodles partially first, then add them all together. Good flavor.
So strange! My noodles have always cooked properly with the given liquid, but you can feel free to add a little bit more to see if that helps. Glad you liked the flavor!
Loved this! Super easy and quick to make and both of my kids devoured it. I’m definitely adding it to the regular rotation!
Super easy, super delicious, super easy to customize. I admittedly could live off pasta dishes, and would if I still lived alone, so I have to try not to make this too often. This recipe is great as is, but I think the beauty of it lies in the ability to easily add and swap ingredients once you get the hang of it. I’ll often toss in extra veggies I have in the fridge, try different meats in it, and usually kick up the spice. The other thing I love about this is it’s easily portioned for a weeknight meal, but I often make a little extra and then I’m set on lunches for a few days!
This one’s so great for customizing! Glad you love it!
This is by far my favorite hamburger helper recipe ! Amazing . Thank You .
I’m so glad!!
Yummmmm! A simple, yet tasty, one pot meal. What’s not to love?
It’s been chilly and rainy for two days (we’re in SoCal so definitely not the norm!). Our meal kit wasn’t delivered today and I had to scramble for a dinner plan. Ambitious Kitchen to the rescue! Thank you – this pasta was comforting and hit the spot.
Side note: I used whole milk and a mix of colby jack and cheddar because it’s what I had… turned out great and a tiny part of me wanted to eat it straight out of the pan.
Amazing! So glad you found this one!
This recipe was so delicious! I didn’t change a thing!
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
A great take on HHelper! My kids said this needs to go on a regular rotation at our house. Thank you!
So happy to hear that!
This was the perfect comfort meal for a cozy rainy day. My hubby, 5 year old and 11 month old sons all gobbled it up! We used ground beef, added lots of shredded zucchini and it turned out delicious. This will definitely be added to our monthly rotation of meals. Thank you AK for consistently delivering the best recipes!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
Can you make this recipe in an instant pot?
I actually don’t own an instant pot so I’m not sure what the instructions would be – sorry!
I’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve lost count. I also use it whenever I need to drop off a meal for a friend that just had a baby or could use a little help (a taste of the midwest in DC)!
For those that are gluten-free girlies like me, I use Banza pasta when I make it for myself and it’s DELICIOUS! I also add a red pepper in with the onion and frozen peas at the end to sneak some veggies in there!
My only edit would be to add twice as many spices (so a teaspoon of both the oregano and the paprika) and add it after the meat is done browning but before you add the liquid. This allows the spices to become more flavorful!
Thank you, Monique!!
Remember to add that the beef needs to be drained or it will be greasy. Otherwise, delicious!
Feel free to next time! Glad you enjoyed!
This was so good, easy to throw together, and very toddler friendly!
One of our fav dinners for the kiddos!
I would also recommend adding in some graded zucchini. You don’t really taste it and then you also get in some veggies! The skin was a little tough on my zucchini, so maybe peel it before you grate it, otherwise my picky eater husband wouldn’t have known it was in there at all!
Great idea!
How many cups is 10oz pasta of pipe rigatoni? Sooo excited to make tomorrow!
About 1.25-1.5 cups!
My milk curdled. Tips ?
So strange! It sounds like it was heated too quickly – feel free to warm it up a bit before adding it to your pot, or try reducing the heat on you stove when you add it in with the chicken broth, etc.
So good! Wish I didn’t use chickpea noodles but it’s all I had. Absolutely yummy! I added broccoli to mine for some green! Definitely making again.
I’m glad it was still delicious! Great idea to add a boost of veggies 🙂
I had this for my husband. As he loves the tradition hamburger helper, but I refuse to eat it as it’s so high in sodium. I wanted to find a healthier alternative for him, that we could both enjoy.
I tried your recipe and it was incredibly creamy and yummy. And it was a win in my husband’s books.
Amazing! So happy you found this one!
Used gluten-free elbows and worked great! Very tasty.
Perfect!!
This recipe was so easy to make! We chose to use ground beef, literally tasted so yummy! Such an amazing simple recipe we will be using in the future for sure!
Love it! Glad it was a hit!
Love this recipe, always turns out amazing. Tonight, I decided to use frozen tortalini instead – which ended up making this into a delicious soup haha. Happy accident! The frozen tortalini didn’t get starchy enough to thicken it up.
Wait that still sounds delicious! Haha I’m glad it was still a great dinner 🙂
I’ve made this countless times now. It has become a staple in our house! I did start doubling the spices to add a bit more zest. Thank you so much for sharing this incredible recipe!
So happy to hear that!!
This is so easy and tasty, a favorite in my house!
Yay! Ours, too!
Added diced red pepper, but otherwise made it as is (with whole milk and a little extra cheese) and it was excellent. Also easy to make. Thanks!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Ive made this a few times now and I absolutely love it! I find myself craving it!! Great lunch or dinner meal for the whole family.
So happy to hear that!
A great one pan meal for our family! We used ground beef instead of turkey. Next time, we will add some veggies too!
Love that!
This was delicious!! My kids finished it all and even commented on how good it was! Will definitely make again.
So happy to hear that!
This was everything I hoped it would be! Tasted like my youth but better. I added chopped zucchini and mushrooms for veggies and will be making it again!
So nostalgic and delicious 🙂
I tried this recipe tonight and it was pretty tasty ! However, it came out too soupy! I couldn’t continue to boil it down because I did not want to over cook the pasta, Not sure what did wrong ?? Any ideas??
So strange! Feel free to reduce the broth next time by about 1/2 cup and let me know if that helps!
I used ground beef because it’s something I usually have on hand, but this was such a perfect easy weeknight mostly-pantry meal! I doubled up on the spices and added a bit of sriracha for heat. Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow!
So easy and delicious!!
Delicious and great during the week! Can I double the recipe in the same pot? Thank you!
If your pot is big enough then yes, that should work!
So easy and so delicious! Comfort food even in the summer!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
Wow, what an incredible recipe! It tastes exactly like what you’d hope a lightened hamburger helper dish would taste like. Like other commenters, I ,too, was skeptical about the amount of liquid in the recipe, but I’m here to reassure everyone and advise to just GO WITH IT because it truly does work out in the end. Remember, cooking takes patience and that’s important to remember when making a recipe like this. Trust the process. As a matter of fact, I ended up adding just a tad more milk to make it even creamier, which was superb! I also added jarred red bell pepper slices, fresh sliced mushrooms and freshly chopped spinach, and it was a showstopper! I’m sure I also added more seasonings than what the recipe called for (and I did add crushed red pepper) because I season with love instead of with measuring spoons 🙂 The only thing I’d recommend is to use a slightly larger pot than what you’d think you’ll need because it does make a lot, especially if you’re adding veggies. I loved every bite. Give this one a try, promise you won’t regret it!
Yes, great reminders! So happy you loved this one!!
I’ve been coming back to this recipe for a couple years, and it’s always a big hit! It’s flavorful, comforting, and delicious!
So happy to hear that!
This is an easy and delicious recipe that the whole family enjoys.
So happy to hear that!
This turned out soooo good and has such a nostalgic flavor to it! I appreciated that it came together so quickly and all in one pot! I used goodles brand noodles and bone broth instead of regular broth to get some extra fiber and protein in it. Thanks for this one!
Amazing! Glad you loved this one!
I made this for my kids tonight and they loved it! I strangely forgot to put in the tomato sauce (mom brain) and it still turned out good lol. Thanks!
I’m glad it still turned out! Such a great dinner for the family 🙂
Another knockout family meal Monique!! I did doctor it up with some shredded zucchini and handfuls of spinach to use up fridge produce. Didn’t change anything else and didn’t need to. Packed with flavor and very filling, but not overly rich! Thank you!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Simple but tasty! Comes together very easily & with ingredients you probably already have on hand. I’ve never had the original hamburger helper but this version is delicious!
Absolutely! Such a great dinner!
Delicious!! I made this for my husband because he grew up eating hamburger helper. I always like to try to make us healthier meals and we absolutely loved this!
So glad you both enjoyed! One of our favs, too 🙂
This was delicious!!
Made this and followed recipe exactly. Easy one-pan meal which was very good. Thank you. This recipe will be added to our family favorites.
So happy to hear that!
My whole family ate this and loved/liked it, even the kids (who don’t like mixed food)!
So happy to hear that!!
I experiment with homemade cheeseburger helper recipes. Sixteen ounces of pasta sounded like too much for me so I reduced to 9-10 ounces of pasta and reduced the amount of chicken broth & milk a bit. More to my pasta/protein ratio.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
This is insanely good!!! I used an 8 oz box of banza rotini so I was a little nervous that there would be too much liquid left but it was perfect. Really looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow!
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
I’ve never had hamburger helper before but the commercials always looked so tasty! This was a super easy and adaptable recipe. I didn’t have oregano, and I mixed in Italian seasoning and it turned out great. I also sprinkled in some Trader Joe’s umami seasoning blend for an extra punch and it was the cherry on top
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Great base recipe. I use better than bouillon which allows you to amp up the flavor in stock if needed. Also added diced cauliflower, zucchini and spinach so needed more garlic, onions and stock to make it work well. It’s so so so yummy. Thank you for this!
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
One of my absolute favorite recipes!
Ours, too! Glad you love it 🙂
Can you freezer leftovers?
I don’t typically freeze stovetop pasta dishes because I find that they get mushy when thawed and re-heated!
Did you change the recipe a tad? I make this often and don’t remember tomato paste being in the recipe? I could just be losing it though lol
I did add tomato paste for more depth of flavor 🙂
This was a 10/10 meal! Tasted like the OG from when I was a kid but way more nutritious! We used Goodles for extra protein and fiber and bone broth instead of regular broth. We cooked just as the instructions said, using 3.5 c bone broth and just a tad extra milk. We did have to cook the noodles a little bit longer but that’s because we used Goodles. And an easy one pot meal makes this even better!!
Love that you used Goodles and enjoyed it – I’m a huge fan of those 🙂 Such a great way to add in more fiber and protein!
This recipe is SO good!!! I make it probably 2x a month! I season the ground turkey with taco seasoning, which really gives it that true hamburger helper in taste. We also use protein pasta to beef it up a little bit! It would be perfect for a new mom or sick neighbor!
So happy to hear that! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
This is now a family favorite recipe! It’s on our rotation more than I’d like to admit! The perfect comfort food and family friendly. 10 out of 10!
So happy to hear that! One of our family favs, too 🙂
SO good! Followed the recipe and it was perfect!
So happy to hear that!
so simple & delicious- my whole family loves!!
Perfect weeknight dinner 🙂
So good – used beef instead and did a full can of tomato sauce to not waste – turned out 10/10
Perfect! Such a great cozy dinner 🙂
This is our favorite, go-to dinner! So delicious and so easy. My husband and I add red pepper at the end, all 3 kids love it as well!
So happy to hear that! One of our all-time favs, too 🙂
Delightful to find a cozy, easy, casserole-ish dish that my tweens and the neighbor girl loved. “This is kind of what we ate in the 80’s” lol. Will add to the rotation, for sure!
Absolutely! So glad this is a hit 🙂
So yummy! The sauce cooked down just like the recipe said. I used protein pasta and followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for another great recipe!!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
This was a kid pleaser! We used lean ground beef and beef bone broth, and I added a healthy squirt of ketchup and some Worcestershire sauce.
Love it! Glad it was a hit with kiddos!
This was so good and came out perfectly!
So happy to hear that!
This is a fantastic family staple for us. So many online recipes claim to be quick and easy but take way too long for a weeknight meal and leave the kitchen covered in dirty dishes. This is a true one pot, easy meal that our family loves! We sub in protein or chickpea pasta sometimes and it is excellent. 5 stars!
So happy to hear that! Perfect (actually) easy dinner 🙂
We use this as a weekly rotation for dinner! My son and husband love it just as much as I do! It’s delicious. So much better than boxed hamburger helper!
Amazing! One of our favs, too 🙂
Delicious with a few adjustments!
Added 1 large shredded zucchini – she is right! It disappears!
I use better than boullion with water instead of chicken stock bc you can enhance flavor if needed
Also used 2 links of chicken sausage to boost flavor.
Added 1/2 cup of white wine (cooked down) after meat was cooked again for a richer taste.
Also think white pepper might be a subtle balance to all the salty things.
Finally, a little organic American cheese for more cheesiness.
So yum!
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
A family dinner that even the littles loved. I definitely think I’ll sneak some veggies into the dish next time like grated zucchini or carrots.
So happy to hear that! And yes, adding a boost of veggies would be perfect 🙂
This recipe slaps.
So glad you love it!
I didn’t think this tasted like hamburger helper much. It has too much tomato sauce, not enough milk, and not very flavorful. I did add more seasoning than just paprika and oregano- also added garlic powder, onion powder, and basil. That made it taste better. If I ever made this again, I would only add tomato paste, not sauce, too. I would also use more milk and cook the pasta separate, adding in at the end. That would help keep it more saucy and creamy. But that’s just my preference cause I think I’m partial to that nostalgic hamburger helper!
Sorry to hear that you didn’t love this one! I’ve intended my lightened-up version to have a fresher taste, so it won’t exactly match the box of hamburger helper. I always suggest adding salt to taste in the recipe as well, which will bring out all of the flavors.