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How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

  Cheesy, Hot, Comforting and Tasty MEAL for BUSY people. Need to get it on the table affordably and quick! I’ll show you how to make it taste good and be a little more healthy in how to make hamburger helper recipe! 

spoonful of hamburger helper close up bowl in background

Seriously though, if you are just learning to cook then this is the right place! Try this Ultimate guide to ground beef or even make these Hangry Hamburgers for a quick meal!

Why This How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe Works!

  • Show you how to add more flavor to your hamburger helper.
  • Give you ways to add some veggies that TASTE GREAT! 
  • You’ll have dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes, no joke! 

Here’s How It’s Done. 

STEP 1. Each box of Hamburger Helper is a little bit different, but basically, you brown your ground beef. 

ground beef browning in a pan hamburger

STEP 2. Add some combination of water and milk (the amounts will be on the back of the box). ( I use chicken broth to add flavor though – it’s in my recipe). 

hamburger in pan with sauce on stovetop

STEP 3. Cook for about 10 minutes until it is bubbling and becomes thick. That’s It!

bowl of hamburger helper with white towel

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) 

What is Hamburger Helper?

Hamburger Helper is a mix that includes noodles and a flavoring package that you add to ground beef (or chicken or whatever type you have purchased). It’s often on sale for about $1 making it an affordable family dinner choice. 

What are the Ingredients in Hamburger Helper? 

The box I am looking at (double cheeseburger macaroni) has (the flavor you  choose may be different), check out the back of the box to be sure. : 

Elbow macaroni (they are made out of wheat flour and other ingredients)

  • Corn Starch
  • Modified Whey, 
  • Salt
  • Wheat Flour 
  • Sugar
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Palm Oil
  • Citric Acid, 
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Annatto Extract
  • Yeast Extract
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Onion
  • Lactic Acid
  • Monoglycerides
  • Sodium Phosphate, 
  • Calcium Lactate
  • Nonfat Milk
  • Garlic
  • Natural flavor
  • Silicon dioxide 

Is There a 3 Ingredient Ground Beef Recipes?

Sure! Hamburger Helper itself is about 3 ingredients for most flavors. You could consider the box of HH one ingredient, the ground beef as an ingredient and then add something like a can of peas! YUM! How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

What are the Hamburger Helper Instructions? 

So simple that you can’t mess it up. 

First, brown a pound of ground beef, add water and/or milk, add the flavor packet and the noodles, mix it all up and then cook it on the stove top over medium high heat!

Which Is the Best Kind of Hamburger Helper? 

I’m not really a connoisseur of these things, but when my husband was a bachelor, he swore by the cheeseburger flavors of HH. Probably just depends what you are into the most. 

Can I Make Hamburger Helper More Healthy? 

Yes, you absolutely can! Try one of these solutions: 

  • Use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef. 
  • Try adding a can of vegetables to your dish like early baby peas, carrots, diced tomatoes or green beans. Any of those would taste good. 
  • Add frozen vegetables as you are ready to cook for the final 10 minutes. I would try broccoli, carrots, peas, etc. 
  • You can use any type of milk you like, so if you are looking for lower fat, you could try skim. 
  • Serve your hamburger helper with healthy sides and serve small portions of the HH. For example a large salad, a taco salad using the HH as the meat , turn it into a topping for nachos that are loaded with veggies. Serve over a baked sweet potato. There are lots of options for thisl 

How to Make Hamburger Helper Better?

Here’s my secret tips for making Hamburger Helper MORE tasty. Use Whole Milk, if the instructions call for milk. Replace any water in the recipe with chicken broth. If the HH is a tomato sauce type dish, add a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes.How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

Can I Make Hamburger Helper Without Milk? 

Yes, you can substitute a number of things for the milk…

  • Vegetable Stock
  • Chicken STock
  • Beef Stock
  • A milk replacement like almond milk (or other nut milks).
  • Coconut milk (shake the can very well and mix well). 
  • Evaporated Milk
  • Cream cut in half with stock.

How to Make Hamburger Helper Without Meat? 

You can make Hamburger Helper with….

  • Better than Beef
  • Impossible Burger
  • TVP
  • Vegetarian Crumbles (be watchful because these tend to make dishes taste very salty).
  • There are types of hamburger helper that use tuna/ fish instead of beef or chicken! Go look! 

How to Make Hamburger Helper Taste Better? 

  • I think the best way to make HH taste better is to use stock to prepare instead of water.
  • Also enhancing flavors by adding a little extra real cheese at the end, topping with an herb, adding a dollop of sour cream.
  • If the HH is a tomato based dish then adding a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes is often a winner! 

How to Make Hamburger Helper From the Box? 

To Make Hamburger Helper from the box, simply follow the exact directions on the back of the box. Every one is a little different but most include adding about 1lb of meat (usually burger, but can be tuna, chicken, etc) to milk and water with the contents of the box.

What are the Hamburger Helper Flavors? 

You can find a complete list of the flavors on the Hamburger Helper Site. They include things like cheeseburger macaroni, cheesy ranch burger, Tomato Basil Penne, etc. How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

What Goes With Hamburger Helper? 

Figuring out what to serve with a quick meal can be a challenge, but I recommend any of the following for How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

close up of hamburger helper in gray bowl

Tips and Tricks

  • Sometimes it is difficult to mix the powder mix into the liquid (it occasionally likes to clump). . To avoid this, heat your liquid in the microwave for 1 minute and add the spice packet to that liquid. Mix well with a fork and then add it to your skillet.How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe
  • To make your dish more healthy, consider adding veggies to the mix. . Frozen veggies you can add to the last 10 minutes of cooking and the same with canned vegges (pour the can water off before adding). . 
  • If you are adding veggies, think through if the veggie will taste good with your dish. For example, peas or broccoli with a cheesy dish will be yummy. Tomatoes added to a tomato based dish also yummy. Broccoli to a tomato dish, maybe not. 
  • Switch out water in the recipe for broth or stock (chicken or vegetable probably work best) to add a ton of flavor. 

If you Enjoyed This Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy These Pasta Recipes…

Cheeseburger Stuffed Pasta

Spinach Stuffed Shells

Fettuccini Alfredo

Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Baked Taco Spaghetti

Ya’ll Help Me Out, OK?

Please leave me a 5 STAR comment below. This helps others find Loaves and Dishes on the internet! How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

spoonful of hamburger helper close up bowl in background

How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe

Cheesy, Hot, Comforting and Tasty. Some nights are BUSY and you just need to get something ON THE TABLE, here are EASY ways to make it taste great! how to make hamburger helper recipe!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hamburber helper recipe, how to make hamburger helper
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 363kcal
Author: Wendi Spraker

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 Box Hamburger Helper
  • 1 ⅓ Cup water I use chicken stock
  • 2 Cups Milk see list for alternates

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a large skillet.
  • Mix the seasoning packet into the water (chicken stock) (warm the water or chicken stock in the microwave first for better mixing)
  • Add the water, seasonings, milk, noodles to the ground beef. Cover with a lid. Cook on medium high for about 10 minutes until as thick as you prefer. Will become thicker the more you cook it.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

  • Sometimes it is difficult to mix the powder mix into the liquid (it occasionally likes to clump). . To avoid this, heat your liquid in the microwave for 1 minute and add the spice packet to that liquid. Mix well with a fork and then add it to your skillet.
  • To make your dish more healthy, consider adding veggies to the mix. . Frozen veggies you can add to the last 10 minutes of cooking and the same with canned veggies (pour the can water off before adding). .
  • If you are adding veggies, think through if the veggie will taste good with your dish. For example, peas or broccoli with a cheesy dish will be yummy. Tomatoes added to a tomato based dish also yummy. Broccoli to a tomato dish, maybe not.
  • Switch out water in the recipe for broth or stock (chicken or vegetable probably work best) to add a ton of flavor.
PRO TIP:  If you are concerned about serving hamburger helper to your family, don't be.  You are feeding them.  That's the most important thing! 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
How to Make Hamburger Helper Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 363 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Cholesterol 93mg31%
Sodium 139mg6%
Potassium 467mg13%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 198IU4%
Calcium 158mg16%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @loavesanddishes or tag #loavesanddishes!

A VERSE TO SHARE

All I can say is AMEN.

Hebrews 12:28-29

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,  for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Recipe Rating




Kelley

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

Great tips, thank you so much! I ran across your site when I was googling if it was OK to use ground pork instead of ground beef with hamburger helper because I bought it accidentally and next thing I know I landed on your site and found all these great ways to make it & spruce it up. So, thank you so much for sharing these great ideas. I look forward to reading more of your recipes. Right now I’m off to look at your spinach stuffed shells recipe while I eat my helper made with ground pork, a lil’ xtra cheese & a dollop of sour cream. . .I did taste it & to my surprise, it is delicious, so thank you again. I’m usually a very plain Jane when it comes to my hamburger helper…since I was a little girl, cheeseburger hamburger helper was like my favorite meal & now at 42, It still is lol, BUT this is the 1st time I’ve ever switched it up besides adding a lil’ ketchup, lol. Not even making it for my kids did I ever switch it up…wow, Thinking about sounds crazy. Can’t wait to see what else ya got. :)

Wendi Spraker

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

That's an excellent question! Maybe we should add an article by that title!

Wendi Spraker

Friday 25th of October 2019

aggregate rating test

Gina

Friday 11th of October 2019

Great recipes and helpful hints!

Wendi Spraker

Friday 11th of October 2019

Thanks Gina!

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