This homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni tastes just like your favorite Hamburger Helper recipe from your childhood but so much better than the boxed version!  This homemade version has your favorite classic cheeseburger skillet meal is made in just one pan and ready in just 30 minutes!

homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni

Confess… Go ahead!  There’s no judgement here.. I promise, this is a safe place. 

I bet we could find a Hamburger Helper boxed dinner in some of the pantries of you guys reading this blog right now.  And why not? It’s affordable, it’s tasty and it’s easy to feed your family on those nights when you are driving back and forth between ballet recitals and JV football practice.

I mean really, what is not to love when it comes to ground beef smothered in a savory cheesy sauce and tons of pasta? Total carb overload in all the best ways.

Hamburger Helper was a regular meal in our weekly dinner lineup and this child of the 80’s, I loved every minute of it.

why you will love this homemade hamburger helper

So why try anything new? This Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe lets you have some control over this recipe that you don’t with the prepackaged item (sodium, fat, etc) and I promise you this cheeseburger skillet meal will hit the table in the same amount of time and be a thousand times more delicious.  

I’m not knocking the original… I’m just saying we can do better.

• You can pronounce all the ingredients without needing a college degree in chemistry.
• Way less sodium than the boxed version and you control the quality of the products used.
• Homemade Hamburger Helper is made using simple pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand.
• This is a family meal everyone loves!!! Hello? .. this is your childhood calling!
• This delicious hamburger skillet meal is made using only one pan and hits your dinner table in 30 minutes!

how to make homemade cheeseburger macaroni

• To make your Homemade Hamburger Helper, you only need one pan! Grab a large skillet and start by browning the beef or ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink.
• Drain the grease from the meat and return the meat to your skillet.

• Add the macaroni pasta, spices, milk and beef stock, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire and cornstarch to the meat and stir your ingredients to combine completely.

• Cover your skillet with a tight fitting lid and bring your cheeseburger macaroni hamburger helper to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until pasta is tender in about 9-11 minutes.
• Stir your Hamburger Helper occasionally and once your macaroni is cooked, remove your skillet from heat and stir in the shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions.
• Let this sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

pro tips for perfect cheeseburger skillet

• Milk adds a creamy texture and lends its flavor to the sauce but you can make the recipe using only water or substituting the milk amount with additional beef stock if you want to omit it.
• Pre-shredded cheese in a bag is convenient but fresh off the block cheese is best for this dish. Simply shred your cheese with a handheld cheese grater or adding your cheese to a food processor.
• Don’t have beef broth? You can use plain water, chicken stock or vegetable broth as a tasty substitute. Low sodium versions are also suggested if you are looking to watch the sodium amount.
• This recipes uses large elbow macaroni pasta but feel free to use any pasta you like. If using another type of pasta you may need to adjust liquids and cooking times a bit.
• Let this sit for about 5 minutes before serving. It helps bring everything together and the sauce to thicken a bit.
• Homemade Hamburger Helper will last in the fridge for 3 days in a sealed container

more ground beef recipes

• One Pot Lasagna Skillet
• Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes Sliders
• One Pot Easy Cheesy Taco Skillet

ENJOY!!

Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni

Print

Pin

Rate

This homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni tastes just like your favorite Hamburger Helper recipe from your childhood but so much better than the boxed version!  This homemade version has your favorite classic cheeseburger skillet meal is made in just one pan and ready in just 30 minutes!

Heather

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Serving Size 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon worchestershire
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 5 green onions diced

Instructions

• To make your Homemade Hamburger Helper, you only need one pan! Grab a large skillet and start by browning the beef or ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the grease from the meat and return the meat to your skillet.
• Add the macaroni pasta, spices, milk and beef stock, ketchup, mustard, worchestershire and cornstarch to the meat and stir your ingredients to combine completely. Cover your skillet with a tight fitting lid and bring your cheeseburger macaroni hamburger helper to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until pasta is tender in about 9-11 minutes.
• Stir your Hamburger Helper occasionally and once your macaroni is cooked, remove your skillet from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. When your cheese has melted, stir in the sour cream and diced green onions. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken a bit.

Notes

PRO TIPS FOR PERFECT HAMBURGER HELPER

• Milk adds a creamy texture and lends its flavor to the sauce but you can make the recipe using only water or substituting the milk amount with additional beef stock if you want to omit it.
• Pre-shredded cheese in a bag is convenient but fresh off the block cheese is best for this dish. Simply shred your cheese with a handheld cheese grater or adding your cheese to a food processor.
• Don't have beef stock? You can use plain water, chicken stock or vegetable broth as a tasty substitute. Low sodium versions are also suggested if you are looking to watch the sodium amount.
• This recipes uses large elbow macaroni pasta but feel free to use any pasta you like. If using another type of pasta you may need to adjust liquids and cooking times a bit.
• Homemade Hamburger Helper will last in the fridge for 3 days in a sealed container

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 517.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 52.7g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 21.5g | Saturated Fat: 8.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 92.5mg | Sodium: 950.5mg | Potassium: 230.1mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 5.1g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Be sure to share with me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Youtube!

Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe

Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2018 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in April of 2024.