Now that the cold weather has hit, our supper meals are dominated by warm, comforting and nutritious recipes that are – key word – EASY for me to throw together. This One-Pot Healthy Hamburger Helper Recipe has become a staple for Fall and Winter weeknights. It’s easy, quick (only 4 steps) and makes a great freezer meal for even busier nights when I don’t have to cook.
What I love about this recipe is that it combines protein-rich foods with veggies and whole grain pasta, making a nutritionally balanced meal! I usually have some raw veggies and dip or a salad on the side regardless, but you can consider this recipe a balanced supper if you wish!
This Homemade Hamburger Helper is Way Better than Store-bought
I’m sure many of you remember having boxed “Hamburger Helper” as a kid. Although nostalgic and for some, delicious, this type of ultra-processed food shouldn’t make its way into your (or your kids’) diet often. The thing is, ultra-processed, packaged foods are often extremely high in sodium, have a long list of preservatives and additives to render it more shelf-stable and cheaper. Plus, artificial flavours and colours to make it look and taste more appealing.
Not only this, but these processed meals seriously lack nutrition—something that kids need A LOT of for growth and development. Bottom line: we should be filling our kids’ plates with whole foods and nutritious processed foods (eg cheese and jarred tomato sauce) first. It’s okay to offer ultra-processed foods once in a while. On that note, here is my list of the top five processed foods I do serve to my kids!
This Homemade Hamburger Helper offers a whole-food twist on an old favourite, that you can feel good about feeding your kids (and eating!).
Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
This healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper offers a whole-food twist on an old favourite, that you can feel good about feeding your kids (and eating!).
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef, bison, chicken or turkey
- 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1.5 cups milk of choice
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)
Instructions
- Add beef to a large stock pot and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain excess fat. Return to stove and add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp and bright in colour.
- Add milk, broth, tomato sauce and uncooked macaroni to pot and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 15-18 minutes, stirring often. You may need to add more liquid during the cooking process depending on the type of pasta you’re using. You want the noodles to be el dente and the liquid to thicken.
- Remove from heat. Add frozen peas and about 1 cup of the grated cheese and stir until melted. Transfer the hamburger helper to a casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Place the casserole in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 5-10 minutes until cheese is golden brown on top. Allow cooling time before serving.
Comments
Hamburger Helper was a staple in our household growing up–this bring back memories of the 90s for me! This version sounds so good and nutritious!
I know right?! Comfort foods are so needed right now, so I had to resurrect this recipe. Hope you enjoy this one! You might also like this one: https://www.sarahremmer.com/one-pot-southwestern-chicken-and-quinoa-skillet/
We really enjoyed this recipe. It is not expensive and easy to make. It was great on a cold day and I have to say a hungry day.
I’m so glad you love it as much as we do!