Description
This homemade hamburger helper offers a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal featuring browned ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and a cheesy tomato-infused sauce. With a blend of aromatic spices and simple ingredients, it's a quick and satisfying dish perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
Spices and Seasonings
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Liquids and Pasta
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni pasta, uncooked (8 ounces by weight)
Dairy
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown the Beef and Onion: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, large skillet, or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and finely chopped onion, cooking and crumbling the beef until browned. Drain excess grease as needed to avoid a greasy dish.
- Add Spices and Tomato Paste: Stir in tomato paste, sweet paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to coat the beef and onions evenly. Then pour in the low sodium beef broth and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Cook the Pasta: Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Cook, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender, approximately 12 minutes. The sauce will be slightly brothy at this stage.
- Finish with Cheese: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and well incorporated. Serve immediately for a cheesy, comforting meal.
Notes
- Use 80% or 85% lean ground beef to achieve a richer, more flavorful dish compared to leaner beef options.
- Boost nutrition by adding finely chopped vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, or celery during the browning stage, or stir in frozen peas or fresh spinach near the end of cooking.
- For a lighter beef flavor, replace half of the beef broth with water.
- Make the dish creamier by substituting 1 to 1 ½ cups of the beef broth with whole milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
