Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to prepare hamburger helper? ›

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. Spice it up: if you'd like you can add some red pepper flakes on top.

Add 2 1/4 cups of milk and 2 2/3 cups of hot water to the pan, along with the pasta and seasoning mix from the Hamburger Helper package. Stir everything well and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

Hot water: If you want this dish extra savory, go ahead and heat up some beef broth or even chicken broth in place of the water. But I find that with all the spices and cheese, water works just fine.

Spices and herbs: spices and herbs are the best way to improve the flavors of any dish. Add cumin, cayenne, paprika, or Italian herbs to the hamburger helper to make it taste better.

Instructions: Crumble 1 pound hamburger meat into 2½-quart microwavable casserole or bowl. Microwave uncovered on High 3 to 5 minutes, breaking up beef after 3 minutes, until brown; drain. Stir in sauce mix, 2-1/3 cups boiling water, ½ cup milk and uncooked Pasta.

If your Hamburger Helper is too runny or juicy, the best way to thicken it up is to put the lid on the pan and let the mixture steam for at least five minutes. The macaroni will continue to absorb the liquid and the mixture will become thicker. If it always seems too thin, reduce the amount of liquid added.

Stove Top Ingredients:

1½ lbs. hamburger meat. 2¼ cups milk. 2-2/3 cups hot water.

Sour cream or full fat yogurt can be substituted 1:1 for whole milk. Use this substitute in baking quick breads or for adding creaminess to pan sauces. Sour cream works especially well in recipes calling for buttermilk, too and vanilla-flavored yogurt can be used for sweet quick breads and cakes.

What is the original Hamburger Helper? ›

The first Hamburger Helper flavors

The first flavors sounded more palatable than the original dinner mixes, including Chili Tomato, Potato Stroganoff, Rice Oriental, Beef Noodle, and Hash. Each box was a different color, and the chili tomato was the only original one that featured macaroni pasta.

Hamburger Helper Reformulates Its Box Meals

But faster cooking time isn't the only big change in Hamburger Helper. The company also adjusted sauces, pasta, and flavor ingredients based on consumer feedback. You can expect robust herbs, spices, and flavors in the entire product lineup.

Cooking Instructions

Stir: Stir in water, milk, Sauce Mix and Pasta. Heat to boiling. Simmer: Reduce heat. Cover; simmer about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.

Remove pan from the heat and carefully drain off most of the fat, leaving a little in the pan to keep the meat moist. Return pan to medium-high heat and add white wine, allowing it to reduce until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.

It's best to season the ground beef before browning it for Hamburger Helper. This allows the flavors of the seasonings to infuse into the meat as it cooks, resulting in a more flavorful dish.