Hamburger helper is delicious. It just is. If you’ve never tried hamburger helper, imagine if beef stroganoff, mac and cheese, and your favorite juicy cheeseburger all combined into one wildly fantastic comfort food. Today we’re making our own homemade hamburger helper recipe. Made with simple ingredients, this version is just as easy to make as the store-bought boxed hamburger helper but tastes soooo much better. Ready in right around 30 minutes, clean up is a breeze (you only need one pot!), making it a perfect yummy weeknight dinner.
Brown the ground beef: Using your favorite saucepot or Dutch oven brown the ground beef with salt, black pepper, and paprika in olive oil until it is no longer pink in the middle.
Cook the onions and season: Reduce to medium heat and add the onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, then add the chili powder and garlic powder (optional seasoning additions include onion powder, cumin, or Italian seasoning). Cook until the onions are tender.
Cook the pasta: Add the ketchup, mustard, noodles, and broth (beef broth, vegetable broth, or even chicken broth). Cover and simmer until the macaroni is cooked.
Finish: Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream (perfect for extra creaminess) and shredded cheese.