Cheeseburger Macaroni (aka Homemade “Hamburger Helper”)

A close-up of a spoon scooping cheesy macaroni with ground meat and herbs, with melted cheese stretching from the spoon.

Cheeseburger Macaroni (aka Homemade “Hamburger Helper”)

A copycat of "hamburger helper", this Cheeseburger Pasta is a VERY popular weeknight dinner. Simple. Homemade. Delicious!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 801kcal

Author Kylee Ayotte

Equipment

Ingredients

Seasoning Blend

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon prepared chili powder
1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon cracked pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried parsley
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Other ingredients

1 lb ground beef
2 cups macaroni or any pasta shape you have lying about
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups hot water
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

OPTIONAL

1 cup processed cheese such as velveeta

Instructions

Make the seasoning blend

Combine cornstarch and seasonings in a small bowl, and set aside.
1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoon prepared chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon cracked pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Brown the meat

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown 1 lb ground beef until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain any fat.

Add the pasta, liquids and seasonings

Add the 2 cups macaroni, 2 1/2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups hot water, and seasoning blend (from step 1) and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil

Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to medium heat.
Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and cooked to your liking (we like it al dente)

Add the cheese

Add the 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup processed cheese and mix thoroughly.
Devour.

Notes

Substitutions & Additions

For extra flavor, before browning the meat, add some diced onions and garlic.

Use beef broth or chicken stock in place of water – for a super beefed up flavor (see what I did there?)

Instead of ground beef – do half ground turkey/half beef or all turkey since it is a lean meat. If you do use just turkey, taste test the seasonings, as it needs a little more salt to combat the blandness of turkey.

Sub some of the liquid for a little tomato sauce and the seasonings (keep the cornstarch) for Italian seasoning instead – for a skillet lasagna kind of vibe.

Use any kind of short/small pasta – fettuccine and spaghetti don’t work terribly well in this.

Get fancy! Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions. Doctor it up with some hot sauce, too!

How to store leftovers

This easy dinner recipe is even better the next day. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat in a nonstick skillet, or microwave. You may need to add a little water if it is too dry from being stored.

Nutrition