Ditch the field and make this lightened-up do-it-yourself Hamburger Helper recipe! It’s a fast and straightforward one-pot dinner with all of the acquainted flavors, made with seasoned floor turkey, melty cheese, and complete grain macaroni.
I like remaking traditional dinners from my childhood, from Hamburger Helper to beefaroni, to creamy hen stroganoff and mac and cheese. Prompt consolation, and family-friendly!
I’ve been making this Hamburger Helper recipe for years, and it all the time brings me straight again to the dinner desk as a excessive schooler. My dad and mom typically labored late again then, and my sister and I might deal with ourselves to a field meal at the least as soon as per week.
After all, at this time’s model is do-it-yourself and never from a field. It’s full of scrumptious substances which you can truly pronounce! I make my Hamburger Helper with complete wheat pasta, floor turkey, and vegan cheese with out sacrificing any of the creamy, comforting flavors we all know and love.
Why I Love This Hamburger Helper Recipe
- One pot. Similar to the unique Hamburger Helper from a field, this do-it-yourself model cooks multi functional pot. Clear-up is a snap afterward.
- Simple. Hamburger Helper has all the time been the OG weeknight dinner. This recipe is fast and easy to organize, good once I want a tasty dinner in a rush.
- Higher than a field combine. I make this recipe with turkey as a substitute of hamburger meat, however it nonetheless has all of the wealthy, creamy, savory flavors of the unique. It tastes even higher should you ask me! Just a few easy seasonings, hen broth, and a touch of Worcestershire sauce are all it takes to pack within the taste.
Elements You’ll Want
The unique Hamburger Helper was an affordable, family-pleasing dinner, in order that’s what I got down to recreate with this recipe. The substances under are straightforward and pantry-friendly, and I’ve included some notes to get you began. Scroll right down to the recipe card after the put up for a printable substances checklist with the total recipe directions.
- Olive Oil – Or your alternative of cooking oil, for sautéing.
- Onion and Garlic – I take advantage of diced yellow onion and freshly minced garlic. Any delicate onion is nice. If you should substitute contemporary garlic, substitute every clove with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Floor Turkey – I take advantage of 99% fat-free “further lean” floor turkey, however any floor meat will work right here. You can also make this do-it-yourself Hamburger Helper with hamburger meat (the traditional), floor hen, floor pork, or floor sausage.
- Seasoning – Chili powder and candy or smoked paprika, plus salt and black pepper to style.
- Elbow Macaroni – I make my hamburger helper recipe with whole-grain macaroni noodles, however you should utilize any sort of short-cut pasta you’d like. Different good decisions are penne, small shells, rigatoni, cavatappi, and fusilli.
- Cheese – Any dairy or non-dairy shreddable cheese works on this recipe. I’ve typically used Daiya vegan cheddar. You need to use common cheddar, Monterey Jack, or gouda cheese. For the perfect outcomes, shred the cheese contemporary from the block because it melts smoother this manner.
- Flour – To assist thicken the cheese sauce. All-purpose flour works completely. You possibly can additionally substitute the flour with half the quantity of cornstarch.
- Milk – Any sort of milk you’d like, whether or not that’s almond milk, soy milk, common milk, and many others.
- Rooster Broth – I like to make use of low-sodium fat-free hen broth. You need to use both hen or vegetable inventory, it’s as much as you.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Just a bit goes a protracted method to richen up the flavors within the sauce. You can too use soy sauce.
Make Hamburger Helper
Similar to related one-pot pasta dinners, like my hen broccoli pasta, this recipe comes collectively in a single pan on the range in about half-hour. Right here’s the best way to make it:
- Sauté. First, get your onions and garlic sautéeing in a scorching skillet with oil.
- Brown the meat. As soon as that’s softened and aromatic, add the bottom turkey. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika, and brown the meat for 4-5 minutes. Take it off the warmth afterward and drain any extra liquid.
- Mix. Add the dry macaroni to the skillet together with the cheese, flour, milk, and hen broth. Give it a sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce and produce it to a boil.
- Cook dinner. Decrease the warmth to a simmer, then cowl and prepare dinner for 8-10 minutes, till the pasta is al dente. Stir, style for seasonings another time, and serve!
Use Leftovers!
When you have leftover roast turkey within the days after Thanksgiving or Christmas, that is the proper meal to place it to make use of! Shred the cooked turkey and stir it in on the finish, after the pasta has cooked. You can too do that with poached hen or pulled pork (just like a pulled pork mac and cheese).
Suggestions and Variations
- Cooking occasions may differ. Your Hamburger Helper may have kind of cooking time relying on the kind of pasta you employ. You additionally may want to make use of extra liquid for various pasta shapes. One thing to bear in mind.
- Add tomatoes. Stir a spoonful of tomato paste into the sauce, or add a can of diced tomatoes should you like a tomato-y Hamburger Helper.
- Add bacon. Sauté diced bacon with the onions, or stir in cooked crumbled bacon proper earlier than serving.
- Change up the seasonings. Be at liberty to regulate the seasonings to fit your tastes. Add kind of garlic and chili powder, or, should you desire somewhat kick, sprinkle in cayenne pepper, crushed pink pepper flakes, or scorching sauce.
- Add greens. In case you’d like so as to add in greens like spinach or kale, you’ll be able to chop these up and wilt them in on the finish. Frozen peas or a frozen vegetable medley are additionally fast, straightforward methods so as to add in further veggies.
Retailer and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Retailer any leftover Hamburger Helper in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. It turns into a bit drier because the pasta absorbs extra of the sauce, however it nonetheless tastes nice.
- Reheat. Heat your Hamburger Helper within the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring sometimes, till it’s warmed by. I like so as to add a splash of broth to assist skinny out and loosen up the sauce.
Extra One Pan Pasta Dinners
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Sauté the onions. Warmth the olive oil over medium-high warmth in a deep-sided, nonstick skillet or a Dutch oven. Add onions and prepare dinner for 3 minutes, stirring incessantly. Stir within the garlic and prepare dinner for 20 seconds.
Brown the turkey. Add the bottom turkey and season with chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook dinner for 4 to five minutes, stirring sometimes, till the meat is browned. Then, take away from warmth and drain out the liquid.
Mix. To the browned turkey meat, add the pasta, cheese, flour, milk, hen broth, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to mix.
Cook dinner. Carry the combination to a boil, stirring incessantly; decrease to a simmer and canopy with a lid. Proceed to prepare dinner for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring incessantly, till the pasta is tender and totally cooked.
Serve! Take away your hamburger helper from the warmth and style for seasonings. Modify accordingly, after which serve.
Energy: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 2g | Trans Fats: 0.01g | Ldl cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could differ based on the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.