Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper
Made with tender elbow noodles, hearty beef, and a delicious cheese sauce, this Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper is not only a great 30-minute meal idea, but it is also budget and kid-friendly!
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ medium onion diced
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 3 cups elbow noodles dry
- 5 cups beef broth
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese fresh is best
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the ground beef and onion to a 5QT brasier, large skillet or soup pot. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Brown the meat over medium heat until it is no longer pink. Continue to break up the meat as it browns with your spoon. If there is a lot of excess fat, spoon it off.
- Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder. Add the beef broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Once it hits a boil, add the elbow noodles and lower the heat until it is a rapid simmer or small boil. Cook the noodles uncovered, stirring every minute or so until the noodles are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, which is around 13-15 minutes.*If the noodles are not done and there is not a lot of liquid, add 1 cup of water until you reach enough liquid. If the noodles appear to be getting done and there's too much liquid, boil at a higher heat to evaporate the liquid off.
- Finally, once the noodles are cooked, take the pot off the stove and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until well combined. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool for about 5 minutes to absorb the juices, then serve by itself or with a crust of bread, a light salad, or a hot vegetable. Enjoy!