Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper Skillet: Ditch the boxed stuff and remake this classic family meal! This easy skillet dinner has been given a healthy upgrade, but yet still comes together in one pan, making this homemade hamburger helper a perfect weeknight meal.
I think I may have shared with you that my husband grew up eating a lot of processed foods.
His mom served canned gravy with pot roast and jarred sauce for spaghetti.
He often stated that his favorite meal was Boxed Hamburger Helper–yes, the kind where you brown up some meat and dump in the box and dinner is done.
I don’t blame his mom at all for resorting to these short-cuts. They made her life easier. And we all like easy don’t we?!–
But the truth is, you CAN achieve a quick meal with REAL foods as well. I have over 50 recipes in my clean eating 30 minute meals and many of them are ready in less than 15 minutes.
Not to mention this homemade version is cheaper and of course taste a whole lot better!!
Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper
You start off making this healthy homemade hamburger helper recipe just as you would when making a boxed version.
Brown up 1 pound of meat. You can use turkey, beef, or even chicken. In fact, you can do 1/2 pound of ground meat and 1 can of pinto beans to cut back on meat if you would like too. I personally prefer lean ground sirloin.
I keep this simple in flavorings. No fresh onions or fresh garlic–just onion and garlic powder in this hamburger skillet recipe. You know, to keep the kids happy–which makes dinner a much more pleasurable experience!
And then the combination of tomato paste, tomato sauce and beef broth create the perfect base for the noodles to cook up and absorb all the delicious flavor.
I add in a dash of Worcestershire sauce to finish this easy skillet dinner, for rich depth of flavor and call it dinner.
A Few Notes on Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Sometimes, I go crazy and sub out half the beef broth for milk and add in grated cheddar cheese at the end for a Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper. I have even given this Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta a try for a fabulous family dinner.
- If your family is not opposed to onions or garlic in their food, saute 1 small onion and 1 teaspoon fresh garlic with the beef and omit the onion powder and garlic powder.
- If you don’t have Worschestire Sauce, you can use soy sauce or fish sauce for a rich finish as well.
- Feel free to sub out ground turkey, pork or chicken for the beef in this goulash recipe.
- Of course you had use gluten-free noodles for a Gluten Free Version of Hamburger Helper. I will say if going this route, it is best to use Barilla Gluten-Free Noodles–most gluten-free noodles brands give off too much starch to cook in the sauce. I have used Barilla brand many times with great success.
Let’s make Clean Eating Hamburger Macaroni
Homemade Hamburger Helper Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sirloin or turkey
- 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
- 3 1/2 cups MSG free low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups dried whole wheat elbow macaroni noodles
- 1 teaspoon Worchestire sauce
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the meat and brown up, breaking up into small pieces. Once meat is cooked, drain off any fat and return to heat.
- Add tomato paste and seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes to develop flavor. Add in tomato sauce and beef broth and bring to a boil.
- Add in noodles and turn down to medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirrinng occasionally, or until noodles cooked through and sauce is absorbed.
- Stir in Worschestire sauce and serve.
Notes
- Sometimes, I go crazy and sub out half the beef broth for milk and add in grated cheddar cheese at the end for a Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper.
- If your family is not opposed to onions or garlic in their food, saute 1 small onion and 1 teaspoon fresh garlic with the beef and omit the onion powder and garlic powder.
- If you don't have Worschestire Sauce, you can use soy sauce or fish sauce for a rich finish as well.
- Feel free to sub out ground turkey, pork or chicken for the beef in this goulash recipe.
- Of course you had use gluten-free noodles for a Gluten Free Version of Hamburger Helper. I will say if going this route, it is best to use Barilla Gluten-Free Noodles--most gluten-free noodles brands give off too much starch to cook in the sauce. I have used Barilla brand many times with great success.
Kristen Chidsey
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This recipe was so delicious! It’s so surprisingly good for how easy it is to make, now Im addicted. Thanks for sharing your recipe !
Sounds like a new family favorite, and that makes me so happy! 😊
H, thanks for the recipe. How can I reduce the sodium in this meal? 38 % is high.
Hi Beth! Well first of all, the calculations for sodium always seem to run higher on this then when I calculate myself. That being said, use low or no-sodium beef broth, low sodium Worcestershire sauce, no salt added tomato sauce and you will cut that in more than half! Hope that helps!
Hi, quick question on the ingredients. Are you calling for 3.5 cups of beef broth or 1.5? It’s hard to tell from the way the list is published above. I attempted to make the dish, which was delicious, but I had to cut it with water as it was too thick to cook the noodles with only 1.5 cups of the broth. Thinking it’s supposed to be 3.5? Thanks for the great recipe! 🤗
Hey Austin! Sorry for any confusion, the recipe states 3 1/2 cups liquid. I am not sure where it was that you saw 1.5 cups. Let me know so I can fix that ASAP!!! Thank you!
May have been my mistake. I cut and pasted the recipe to print and it changed the 1-6 ounce can 1-8 ounce can of tomato paste/sauce respectively to 16 and 18 so when I fixed it I mistakenly changed 3 1/2 ounces to 1 1/2 thinking it meant three half cups or 1 1/2. Thanks so much for clarifying!
That makes sense now! Thanks for your reply Austin. I want to be sure the recipes are correct and easy to follow 🙂
I just love how darn easy this is! And real foods every time! Thanks for the recipe, Kristen, my family loves it!
YAY!!! I am so happy to hear that this is such a well loved recipe for your family! Real foods for the win!
I love this healthy option! So perfect for a weeknight meal!
Thanks Tayler! It makes a busy night SO much easier!
So salty. Otherwise, pretty yummy. Next time, I’ll eliminate the salt.
Hey Kelly, Sorry this dish was a bit too salty for you. It may have to do with your beef broth. If you don’t use low-sodium it would be overly salty.
definitely a great idea to make a boxed classic from scratch for a healthier option. I need to give it a try!
I hope you do David!
This looks better than the box. I can’t wait to try this.
So much better than the box 😉
So easy—perfect for a busy weeknight! Reminds me of the goulash I used to make as a newlywed, but a heck of a lot better 🙂
It is very similar to goulash!
Hi Kristen
What brand of MSG free low-sodium beef broth did you use in this recipe.
It was actually from ALDIs. However, Pacific Foods has a great organic beef broth, as does Swansons and Kitchen Basics.
A delicious meal for a busy family, looks just fabulous! Thanks for sharing with us at #FoodieFriDIY! Have a great weekend!!
Thank you Debra!! Have a great weekend yourself!
Wow, this looks tasty! I love hamburger helper.
It is a winner at our house–I hope you give it a try!
Visiting my professional tennis player Mom in the US during summertime, I remember being mesmerized by the Hamburger Helper. Very glad to see this healthy and truly just as easy alternative. Thank you! Ps.. Love the idea of grating in some fresh cheese for the cheeseburger version =)
I hope you give this healthier version a try! And yes, the cheeseburger version is awesome!
Hamburger helper is a guilty pleasure of my brother. I don’t know why because my mom never made it and my sister in law (who is a fabulous cook) only cooks healthy things. I can’t wait to show her this. Looks delicious!
Thanks Denise. I hope your sister in law has success in making this for your brother 🙂
Yup, this sounds like the “goulash” my mom made back in the day. We all loved it—so easy, too!
It is surely simple comfort food at it’s best!
In our house we call this goulash. I have never had hamburger helper but your version sounds delicious.
I think many people do call this goulash–but whatever you call it, it is just pure comfort 🙂