Let the casserole cool down for at least 2 or 3 minutes before serving. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer 12-15 minutes or until macaroni is cooked through. This step can be repeated until you are satisfied with the fat content in the beef. I keep mine on the lower end. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post. Cover with the lid and saut for 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked, stirring occasionally. Thanks! You could try that or even sour cream. The wikiHow Culinary Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. I wanted to honor the spirit of the mix that held a place in our family pantrythe ultimate ease, creamy sauce, and family-friendly flavorbut use only real, healthy ingredients. Don't use a pasta with significantly smaller- or larger-sized pieces these can have different cooking times. Yes, you would want to increase the liquid a bit, since the extra pasta will absorb more liquid. Bring to simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low. SO delicious! So quick and easy and delicious. Youll likely need to adjust your heat lower to keep it at a low simmer. Welcome to the second installment of .css-1es3cx1{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#004685;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#004685;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1es3cx1:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:#595959;}Childhood Eats, where I take a super classic, memorable childhood recipemaybe from my childhood, maybe from yours!and remake it so its even better. So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Since gluten free noodles are more prone to falling apart, I recommend cooking them separately according to package directions. Then, you can spoon the grease out of the pan or use a colander to drain the grease. Drain off the fat. Note that you might need more tissue paper if there is still oil in the pan after the initial clean-up. This information might be helpful to many. Easy to make and easy to clean up! Stir constantly. I make it quite often. Add your dry mix. Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. However, if you like your food oily, you can use ground beef without going through the process of draining it. Privacy Policy. Looking for more quick and easy dinner ideas? Draining the grease from ground beef will make a dish healthier and is recommended in some dishes. In order to keep the pasta saucy, its important to keep it at a simmer. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, youll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. Add a splash or two of broth to bring back its creaminess. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the sauce thickens. I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didnt feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasnt even in the ballpark. I hope this article has answered every one of your questions. Speaking of flavor, I'm not just draining fat. With a little know-how, you can even replicate your favorite Hamburger Helper recipes from scratch and let your kitchen creativity shine. Stir in onion, and, stirring regularly, cook until just softened, about 3 minutes. I made it GF by adding rice noodles and a little added water. I cant wait to cook it. Im telling you: try it. Toddler wouldnt eat it and it was missing something for me. Ive made this for dinner a few times and it never disappoints. While cheddar is my preference for this recipe (it melts well and the lightly sharp flavor gives the sauce dimension), you can swap another melty cheese of your choice. I put 1/4 less water than the recipe called for and had too much liquid to every other ingredient in my stainless steel cookware. Notify me of replies to my comment via email. Perhaps you are wondering what happens when you dont drain your ground beef. This is the first way you can drain your ground beef. H Allen! Thank you very appreciated. Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat to a simmer. The photos were updated in February, 2022. . Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired. I just made this for todays dinner. How To Make homemade hamburger helper. I used 2 teaspoons salt, how much did you use? My family cant get enough of this homemade hamburger helper and I know you are going to love it too! It sounds delicious! Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. You need to heed a few steps for this method. Read the full disclosure here. A certain amount in grams or ounces? Next time, I might only use half a block of the cream cheese though, as the dish was a bit thick, though very tasty. I prefer a leaner meat, because theres less grease to drain, but if youre working on a budget, use a fattier beef! Draining ground beef is easy to do, but you need to follow a few steps to get it right. Great recipe! The next time you are perusing the dry goods aisle and wondering which Hamburger Helper is the best, pull up this homemade Hamburger Helper recipe instead. I also skip out on adding flour but thats only because I never have any and the sauce still turns out nice and thick. Step 5: Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired. Thanks for sharing! Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the sauce thickens. When it sits and is allowed to cool, the pasta will soak up the extra liquid and it wont be as wonderful as it is fresh. Once the meat is well-browned, which should take about 5-7 minutes, drain off the excess oil from the pan. What would you recommend replacing the beef with if you wanted to make this vegetarian? Updated with new photos and additional tips 1/12/21. Anyone make this ahead and give to someone as a meal to reheat? Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sure, it may get rid of some of the fat. Hi Erin, we tried it with Cream Cheese. Slowly stir in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Thank you for this kind review! When the ground beef is cooked and drained, the fat and calories will be lessened. 1 packet of taco seasoning . This dish is rich. WHAT is Hamburger Helper? When I served him this dish, I called it healthy cheeseburger pasta instead. Step 2: Drain ground beef, and return to skillet. The next time I will add less water and a little more cheese. Read my. Stir in half of the chives, then sprinkle the remaining chives on top. Add in the cream and cheese and stir until all the cheese melted. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. I strongly recommend using the beef broth, as it adds richness and flavor to the recipe. Youd need about 3 to 4 tissue paper to absorb the oil in the pan. drain. Your email address will not be published. Pour in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and pasta, stirring to combine. To keep the recipe light, this healthy Hamburger Helper is made with vegetables and whole wheat noodles. To reheat,thaw in the fridge if frozen then microwave or heat on the stove until warmed through. You can make Hamburger Helper with ground turkey or chicken as well. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. So glad that you liked it! It was great. Cooking your ground beef without drying it out is super easy when you follow the right technique. This Hamburger Helper beef pasta tastes rich and creamy, and even has surprising notes of umami. Remove pan from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Remove cooked ground beef from pan and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of grease in the pan. I have no broth and what can I do do I go without? Simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Thaw in the fridge if frozen then microwave or heat on stovetop, Tag @showmetheyummy on Instagram and hashtag it #showmetheyummy. What a great way to hide veggies! While the ground beef is cooking, you can season it with any of your spices including pepper, garlic and ginger powder, salt, and so on. Add beef, and cook until browned. Hope that helps, and enjoy! At medium-high heat this will usually take five to seven minutes, but feel free to cook longer as needed. Good job Erin. Store the leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The only person that likes it was my husband . Top with mozzarella cheese. However, if you want to meal prep before a busy week, you can always saut the ground beef and onion/garlic before hand. The Well Plated Cookbook is now available! You can also use the frozen grease as a replacement for butter or lard when you cook. As the pasta starches release, they thicken the sauce to make it rich and creamy. Add milk, water, pasta, and sauce mix. This is the kind of easy dinner recipe that is great to have in your back pocket, especially for busy weeknights. Today I have a recipe for Homemade Hamburger Helper thatand I say this as someone who regards the foods of her childhood with nostalgic respectwill beat the pants off of the stuff in the box! . Another great recipe! But I want that fat in the recipe - fat is flavor. 2010 - 2023 Well Plated by Erin. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Add in broth, water and elbow macaroni. If you dont have either or those, any small noodle will do. I also wanted to surprise Ben, who lets just say does not share my nostalgia for Hamburger Helper mix. Saut Onion & Garlic: Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Erin did a phenomenal job by creating the recipe as she did and I want to honor her creativity not criticize what she did that I didnt and wouldnt. Let cook until the onion turns brown and soft, about 10 minutes (don't shortcut this step; it builds a lot of flavor). Did you grow up eating Hamburger Helper? I promise your secret is safe with me. Spoiled Ground Beef: How to Identify and Prevent It. Everyone should watch their daily sodium intake. Sometimes we would zhuzh them up with things we found in our kitchen like frozen peas or extra spices. Pour in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and pasta, stirring to combine. en pour the cooked ground beef and fat into the strainer. Id like to add a photo of my finished product because it tasted spectacular and looked wonderful as well despite having a bit more liquid that I prefer. Everything came out perfect! We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. I added Worcestershire sauce to hamburger mixture and cooked noodles separately. This looks so good. oud need to clasp the bulb at the end and put the tip in the pan. Within 2 hours the fat would have thickened. Wound up taking almost 4 cups of beef broth as all the liquid was gone before the noodles were al dente BUT I assure you we will be making this again! If you dont want to drain your beef, it is better to purchase lean ground beef. Thank you! Bring to a boil. Flavors are spot on, texture is perfect, straightforward to cook. Thanks. If youd like to lighten it up, try ground turkey or ground chicken instead. I want to try this. Hi, Kathleen! Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. I didnt measure it out in cups, its just 1/4 of the recipe. Prepare the mac n cheese according to the package instructions, brown the meat (and drain if you want), then get it all in the same pan and stir in the taco seasoning over low heat. Thank you for this kind review! Thank you so much! The closest recipe that I have to that would be my chicken spaghetti. (Wife wont eat yogurt.) Thanks, Veronica! Follow @wellplated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Then, put the pan on the gas top. Then, unclasp the bulb after putting the tip in the pan to suck up the oil. Hamburger Helper is designed to be cooked along with ground beef in one dish for an easy, no mess dinnerhence the name Hamburger Helper! You know thats worth it alone! Very yummy! Im so glad that he approves! When he is not filming he loves to cook soul food. This post may contain affiliate links. Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is sizzling hot, about 1 minute. I (and many other readers) have truly enjoyed it, so I wish you wouldve too! Use the same spoon you used in stirring the ground beef initially to move the cooked beef to the side of the pan. You want the meat to cook until it is well-browned all over and no pink remains. I did not have tomato sauce so just used a marina I had on hand. When you have your ground beef well seasoned, youd enjoy it when you use it for any dish. You can reheat your hamburger helper on the stove or in the microwave. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. Might 2x the dry ingredients and 1.5x the liquid next time. Step 2: Place 1-2 pounds of ground beef on the trivet, lock the lid, and seal the valve. Put it back in the pan and add the hot water and milk. In place of the onion called for I used Mrs. . In a large soup pot, saut the onions and celery in olive oil until softened. To die for. Helper meals are fairly quick and simple to make, making them a great choice for when work or family commitments leave you without much time. The recipe calculator automatically creates the approximate nutrition information for 1/4 of the recipe. Just be aware that the final product will be different if youre not also increasing the other ingredients along with the pasta. Why is sodium never listed in the Nutrition section of the recipes? Heat on the stove or in the pan to suck up the oil is hot. Splash or two of broth to bring back its creaminess to heed a few steps to get right... Added water calculator automatically creates the approximate nutrition information for 1/4 of the chives, then Sprinkle the chives! 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And pasta, and seal the valve got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and stirring... 5 minutes: drain ground beef will make a dish healthier and is recommended in some dishes well-browned, should... I want that fat in the pan or use a colander to drain the grease from ground beef going! Is better to purchase lean ground beef, and Tag it # showmetheyummy any dish extra will... Onion & garlic: cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes side! No broth and bring the mixture boils, reduce the heat to medium-low not have sauce... And researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, smoked,... Straightforward to cook it for any dish heat oil in the pan likes. Chives on top initial clean-up chicken as well that I have to that would be my chicken spaghetti 2 of! Toddler wouldnt eat it and it never disappoints is perfect, straightforward to cook soul food grease a. To falling apart, I called it healthy cheeseburger pasta instead, you can spoon grease! Recipes from scratch and let your kitchen creativity shine specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included the... Medium-High heat this will usually take five to seven minutes, drain off the oil... It with Cream cheese heat oil in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, how did! Noodles are tender and the sauce thickens rice noodles and a little more cheese, they thicken the thickens...