This healthy homemade hamburger helper recipe is made with noodles, cheeses, spices, milk, and beef to bring back the memories of this classic 90’s dish. No need to buy the less-healthy boxed version when you can make this easy recipe from scratch!
If you are a child of the 80’s and 90’s like I am, you may remember the classic hamburger helper. That box was a family favorite staple in our house growing up, and the flavors are forever in my memory.
This “cheeseburger macaroni” as my kids call it is a homemade take on the classic box mix and the ultimate comfort food. This homemade helper features real ingredients like savory ground beef and real cheese, and is a great meal for busy weeknights. Serve it alongside a simple side salad with homemade dressing and a cold glass of fermented lemonade for a super delicious and comforting meal that your whole family is going to love. So next time you need a quick dinner on the table, give this one a try!
Why You’ll Love This Hamburger Helper Recipe
Healthier childhood favorite – Hamburger helper is one of many childhood favorites, and this healthier version makes it easier to enjoy guilt free. I love knowing exactly what ingredients are going into my food, which is why I prefer homemade over the boxed stuff!
Easy – This homemade version of hamburger helper is a delectable cheesy pasta, simple to make with real simple ingredients, and ready in under an hour.
Family dinner – Picky eaters will love this meal! I enjoy having crowd pleasing, easy meals like this in my back pocket as a busy mom.
Ingredients
Pasta – I love using Jovial einkorn pasta. ‘If you can’t ferment it, einkorn it’ is my slogan. Einkorn flour is much easier to digest than regular flour.
Shredded cheese – I’ve tried this with multiple types of cheese. You could use fancier cheeses or stick to mozzarella or cheddar.
Milk – I prefer whole milk, as it adds a nice, smooth flavor. To make it even creamier, you can use heavy cream or half & half.
Eggs – It sounds odd, but adding eggs to this dish makes it so, so creamy and delicious.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Colander
- Cheese grater
How to Make This Hamburger Helper Recipe
Step 1: Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water and sprinkle in some salt, cook pasta according to cook time on package directions.
Step 2: Once cooked, drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
Step 3: Brown ground beef in a skillet with minced garlic cloves and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Pour off extra beef fat and set aside.
Step 4: Melt butter in the large pot the noodles were cooked in, over low heat.
Step 5: Toss the noodles back into the pot with butter and add shredded cheese. Add in the milk or cream, stir, and place the lid on the pot.
Heat on low until the cheese is melted.
Step 6: Add in Dijon mustard, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Step 7: Add eggs; stir well – quickly.
Step 8: Stir in browned meat and garlic.
Step 9: Taste test and add more salt if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Tips
- Double the batch if you have a big family or want to have some leftovers for the rest of the week.
- Consider sprinkling on some red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce if you like a little heat.
- Serve topped with fresh parsley if desired for a little extra flavor and color.
Recipe FAQs
You can use your favorite milk substitute, like almond or coconut, to make this recipe.
Yes! I usually double this recipe to accommodate my large family.
You can easily make this into a gluten free recipe by swapping out the pasta for gluten free pasta. I suggest using a lentil pasta, as it holds it’s shape well, and I think it has the best flavor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. You can freeze leftovers up to three months, defrosting in the fridge before reheating to serve.
More Dinner Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Homemade Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
- Easy Ground Beef Pot Pie From Scratch
- Easy Pumpkin Frittata Recipe With Bacon and Feta
- Tomato Soup From Fresh Tomatoes
- Maple Roasted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven A large stock pot will also work.
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta, I use Jovial einkorn fusilli pasta, but you can use elbow macaroni, bowtie pasta, or something similar.
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese, or cheddar, mozzarella, whatever cheese you prefer
- 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water and sprinkle in some salt, cook pasta according to cook time on package directions.
- Once cooked, drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
- Brown ground beef in a skillet with minced garlic cloves and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Pour off extra beef fat and set aside.
- Melt butter in the large pot the noodles were cooked in, over low heat.
- Toss the noodles back into the pot with butter and add shredded cheese. Add in the milk or cream, stir, and place the lid on the pot.
- Heat on low until the cheese is melted.
- Add in Dijon mustard, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Add eggs; stir well – quickly.
- Stir in browned meat and garlic.
- Taste test and add more salt if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Double the batch if you have a big family or want to have some leftovers for the rest of the week.
- Consider sprinkling on some red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce if you like a little heat.
- Serve topped with fresh parsley if desired for a little extra flavor and color.
- I love using Jovial einkorn pasta. ‘If you can’t ferment it, einkorn it’ is my slogan. Einkorn flour is much easier to digest than regular flour.
- I’ve tried this with multiple types of cheese. You could use fancier cheeses or stick to mozzarella or cheddar.
- Whole milk is preferred, as it adds a nice, smooth flavor. To make it even creamier, you can use heavy cream or half & half.
- It sounds odd, but adding eggs to this dish makes it so, so creamy and delicious.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this last night and we absolutely loved it! Thank you. This will be a weekday staple in our house.
I made this tonight and it was a total hit with my family! I was a little unsure about the eggs at the end but I added them in like the recipe called for and stirred while it cooked a little longer and it turned out amazing. I will be doubling this next time to freeze the leftovers thank you so much for posting!
Thankyou for posting this! We used to eat a lot of hamburger helper but stopped over the years while we made healthier chnages! We did love it so I will try this tonight! Love your recipes and tutorial and way of life! We have four little kids in Cranbrook BC:)
This was fantastic, easy, and my kids loved it! I doubled the meat. Thank you Lisa!
Can’t wait to try this. My husband is always wanting me to buy a box of hamburger helper at the store but I refuse to with all the junk in it. Hopefully he will like this substitute! Thanks
I made this tonight and it’s amazing!! I had some pork sausage I needed to use so I threw it in with the ground beef. Mozzarella and cheddar and lots of garlic 🧄 made it so darn good! It’s now a regular on our dinner list. I love the addition of Dijon and nutmeg to give it tons of flavor too. Spot on recipe to wow my kids. Thank you for sharing it!
This is the first recipe I’ve tried of yours. And I love it! I didnt have much Italian seasoning, so i added creole. It was delicious and quick to whip up. Thanks! From one mom to another!
Made this for my family tonight and it was amazing! Wasn’t sure about the eggs at the end. I didn’t know you could add them as a thicker like that but it worked out great. I just used yellow cheddar (about 1lb half a block) and a bit more milk. I also used 16oz of pasta because that’s how large my box was a I figured I use it up. Was really so good and quick to through together. Two thumbs up👍🏻👍🏻
This looks SO GOOD. I remember you talking about it in one of the What We Eat videos. Every recipe of yours that I’ve tried so far has tasted really good (we’re having sourdough skillet tonight), and you’ve even inspired me to start the switch over to whole foods. I pick up some raw milk and cream tomorrow, and I will have to use some of it to make this.
Wow, I haven’t had hamburger helper in years! I also loved it as a kid. Thanks for this fun recipe!!