Description
This homemade hamburger helper is a quick and comforting one-pot meal featuring ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a flavorful blend of spices cooked in a rich tomato and beef broth sauce, then topped with shredded cheddar cheese for a creamy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (80-85% lean)
- 1 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
Spices and Flavorings
- 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)
Cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Brown Beef: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, large skillet, or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion, cooking and crumbling the beef until browned. Drain excess grease as needed.
- Add Spices and Broth: Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well, then pour in the beef broth and stir to combine.
- Add Pasta and Simmer: Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, for about 12 minutes until the pasta is tender yet saucy.
- Finish with Cheese: Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and creamy. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use 80-85% lean ground beef for optimal flavor and moistness.
- Enhance nutrition by adding finely chopped vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, or celery before browning the beef, 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.
- To make the dish creamier, substitute 1 to 1 ½ cups of broth with whole milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
