I think a lot of us grew up on hamburger helper! My homemade version is 1000 times better if you ask me, a delicious meal the whole family can enjoy.
Sometimes I get odd cravings for things like canned alphagetti or hamburger helper..I’ll blame it on growing up in the 70’s haha.. I was really craving hamburger helper one day but I knew I had all the things in to make a homemade version so I saved myself the trip out to the grocery store and the $2 lol and created this delicious dish. It is so simple to make and the whole family can enjoy it.
It is made with simple ingredients and customizable with ground beef, turkey, or chicken, this dish is sure to satisfy your nostalgic cravings while still being Weight Watchers-friendly at just 8 points per serving. Plus, it’s easy to make and perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Give it a try today and save yourself a trip to the storeI used ground beef but if you want to save a few points feel free to use ground turkey or chicken. Makes 6 servings at 8 points per serving on WW.
Ingredients used
- Ground beef
- Thyme
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Garlic
- Salt & pepper
- Tomato paste
- Corn starch
- Beef broth
- Milk
- Pasta
- Shredded cheese
I love using the small shell pasta in this dish, this type of pasta just seems to suit the recipe but any pasta can be used. If you prefer a penne or rotini noodle it will work just as well.
You could also swap out the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey if you are looking to lighten up this dish, if you follow WW and turkey/chicken is a 0PP food for you then it is a great option to swap it out and I promise it is just as delicious.
I love my Stove & Dove cast iron skillet for this dish, I definitely suggest having a good cast iron skillet in your kitchen, some recipes just taste so much better made in one. While a high-quality one is great to have you can still find a low-priced option on Amazon that will work just as well if it fits better in your budget.
I like using cheddar cheese in this recipe, it adds to the overall flavor of the sauce. If you don’t have cheddar in the fridge you can definitely try it with a different kind of shredded cheese.
This recipe should yield 6 heaping 1 cup servings. It pairs well with a salad, I like to serve it with some garlic toast and spoon some onto the toast, so good!
Homemade hamburger helper
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt/pepper
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1.5 cups 2% milk
- 2 cups pasta, I used small shells *measured uncooked
- 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a pan or skillet over medium heat, drain fat and return to pan.
- Add in the tomato paste, all seasonings, garlic and the corn starch, mix well.
- Stir in the broth and milk and then add the pasta, bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover with lid and let simmer for 9-12 minutes, stirring a couple of times..
- Remove from heat and mix in the shredded cheese, cover again for a few minutes to let cheese melt and the sauce thicken.
- Makes 6 heaping 1 cup servings.. *Note- you can swap out the ground beef for turkey/chicken to lower points on blue/purple
Notes
You can store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. This recipe freezes well making it a great option for meal prep.
To reheat from frozen, let dethaw then you can cook it in a pan over medium heat on the stove, use a casserole dish in the oven or you can use the microwave.
Looking for some similar recipes? Try my Bacon cheeseburger pasta bake or One-pot turkey rigatoni
I am going to try this tomorrow for the first time, but with ground turkey.
My question is – Do I precook the pasta?
once you have added the broth and milk then you add the pasta (dry) it cooks during this step (#3)
We made this last week and it was so good we are making it again this week. It’s an easy recipe and a great comfort food in our house 🙂
Hi DeAnne, yay, I am so glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
Made this tonight and it was so yummy!! Very easy, love that it’s all in one pot. Easy to make, easy clean up are my kinda meals during the week. Thanks for sharing with us ☺️
Hi Becky, that is awesome to hear so glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
I really liked it! And it was super easy, but I agree with someone else that it might be too much Thyme. Idk if mine is super strong but it seems a bit overpowering. I still enjoyed it though!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, easy enough to lower the amount of thyme for next time 🙂
This was sooooooo delicious!!!! I enjoy many of your recipes!! Thank you for everything you do?
I am so glad you enjoyed it Tanya 🙂 and you are very welcome!
I’m so happy to have found you ..These ideas are fantastic
thank you so much
Hi, I hope you enjoy all the recipes 🙂
Kate,
‘This was GREAT! Husband loved it. Did make a few changes as I didn’t use the milk and used extra beef broth. Did partially cook the noodles in the beef broth as I needed to use gluten free pasta that cooks for longer than some gluten ones. Lastly I used fresh Tarragon as I had some in a pot outside my kitchen. Will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi, I am so glad you both enjoyed it 🙂
It would be great to list pasta by weight. Definitely agreeing with way too much time. Would not use more than 1/2 tsp.
Thanks Emily, yes to each their own on the seasoning, I personally enjoy the amount used
If you don’t use cheese in the recipe (my husband won’t eat cheese, crazy I know) should I still use the milk? Or is the milk there to make the cheese a sauce. Would substituting more broth for the milk work do you think?
Hi Paula, the milk does help the cheese sauce.. I would think using the broth instead will work ok, I mean it is definitely going to taste different than the recipe without the cheese sauce
Thanks to Bre from YouTube, I have found you too. Can’t wait to check out more from drizzlemeskinny.com. Thank you for the hamburger helper recipe and points. I need all kinds of great ideas to make lower point versions of family favorites. Thank you.
Hi Joan, yay! I am glad you found me and I hope you continue to enjoy the recipes 🙂
Delicious!!!! I wasn’t sure if I like Thyme so I made it without it. Definitely will make it again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This was a family hit! Used rotini and added a shredded zucchini in the second step to add some veggie-bulk, that made it a little saucier but it was so good!! Thanks!
Awesome, so happy to hear you all enjoyed it 🙂