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Ditch the box and make Instant Pot Hamburger Helper! Made with simple ingredients, this quick and easy recipe leaves the mystery ingredients on the shelf and delivers the classic flavors you know and love in in under 30 minutes!
Made with ground meat, tender elbow noodles, and a perfectly spiced tomato sauce, this Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is a delicious, economical meal, that the entire family will devour! And just like my stove-top version of hamburger helper, this recipe ditches the box (and added preservatives), yet still comes together with minimal effort.
A Few Helpful Tips Before You Get Started
- Options for Meat. Swap out the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey. Use what you like or have on hand.
- Use Exact Timing. Pressure cook the 3 minutes, allow pressure to release for exactly 5 minutes, then do a quick release of remaining pressure. This is key to perfectly cooked elbow noodles.
- Keep it Simple. I keep this recipe both kid friendly and economical by using dried spices rather than adding a fresh onion or fresh garlic.
- Don't Skip the Worcestershire Sauce. It will help to enhance the flavors in this otherwise simple dish.
How To Make Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Sauté Meat. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function, add in a bit of oil, and let heat. Add in the ground beef (or turkey or chicken) and sauté until fully browned and cooked through, breaking it up in smaller pieces as it cooks.
- Deglaze the Inner Pot. Add ½ cup of the broth into the inner pot after sautéing the beef and then use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot, removing any browned bits. This will prevent a burn notice from occurring.
- Layer Ingredients. Stir in the remaining broth, seasonings, submerge the noodles in the liquid, and then top with the tomato sauce. Do not stir the tomato sauce into the other ingredients, as this is another cause for a burn notice.
- Pressure Cook. Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure with exactly 5 minutes natural pressure release to ensure perfectly cooked noodles.
- Fluff and Serve. Use a spoon to gently stir everything together and dish up dinner! And while Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is hearty enough to stand alone as a meal, I love serving with a side of green beans almondine, carrot raisin salad, broccoli salad, and/or fruit salad to round out dinner.
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper Video
Learn better through video? Follow along with me making Instant Pot Hamburger Helper in my kitchen below.
Recipe Modifications
- Instant Pot Cheeseburger Helper: Make it cheesy by stirring in 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese AFTER pressure cooking. Place the lid back on the inner pot and let it sit for a minute or two to allow the residual heat to melt the cheese.
- Add an Onion: Feel free to add a small minced yellow onion to the beef while it is browning.
- Gluten-Free: I have had success making this recipe using Barilla brand of gluten-free elbow noodles and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce. I can not recommend using other brands of gluten-free noodles as they tend to give off too much starch to work in this recipe.
- Lower the Sodium. Use low-sodium beef broth, salt-free canned tomato sauce, and half the amount of added salt.
- Doubling the Recipe: Instant Pot Hamburger Helper can be doubled if using an 8-quart or larger Instant Pot. Simply double the ingredients and leave the cooking time the same.
- Cutting the Recipe in Half: Simply cut the ingredients in half and leave the cooking time the same.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store cooled leftover hamburger helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow the hamburger helper to cool fully. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat: Place the leftovers into a heat-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals until warmed through, adding 1-2 tablespoons broth or water if needed to add moisture to the pasta.
More All-In-One Favorite Instant Pot Recipes
Looking for more easy all-in-one Instant Pot recipes--aren't we all?! They are the best dinners on busy weeknights! Add the following to your must-make list and keep dinner simple!
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is a simple, economical, family-favorite recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes featuring tender noodles, ground beef, and a deliciously seasoned sauce.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef, or chicken/turkey
- 4 cups low-sodium beef stock/broth
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 16 ounces elbow noodles
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté, add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil to the inner pot, and let heat briefly ~60 seconds. Once the oil has heated, add 1 pound lean ground beef to the inner pot and brown it fully, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Once the meat is cooked, turn off the pressure cooker. If needed, remove the inner pot, drain off any fat from meat, and return the inner pot to the Instant Pot.
- Pour a bit of the 4 cups low-sodium beef stock/broth to the inner pot and use a spatula or spoon to scrape up all the browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot. Add the remaining broth. *Adding a small amount makes it so you don't splash yourself when deglazing the inner pot.
- Season with 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce to the inner pot and stir well to combine. Add 16 ounces elbow noodles and gently push them down into the sauce. You want the noodles just submerged in the liquid. Pour 8 ounces tomato sauce over the noodles, but do not stir!
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker, ensuring the venting knob is sealed/locked. Set to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes by hitting the manual or pressure cook button and adjusting the time by using the +/- buttons until the timer reads 3.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for exactly 5 minutes. Then do a quick release of any remaining pressure, being sure to stand away from the vent knob when releasing pressure.
- Remove the lid and fluff the noodles with a fork to incorporate everything. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed, and serve.
Notes
Ground Meat: This recipe works using ground turkey, beef, or chicken.
Noodles: Use whole wheat and regular elbow noodles. I don't recommend another pasta shape for the timing to work.
Gluten-Free Modification: Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and Barilla brand of gluten-free noodles. I have not had success with other brands of gluten-free noodles.
Make Instant Pot Cheeseburger Helper: Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese AFTER pressure cooking. The residual heat should be enough to melt the cheese.
Change Quantity: To double this recipe, you must use an 8-quart or larger Instant Pot. Then simply double the ingredients. The cooking time will remain the same, it will just take a bit longer to come to pressure. Alternatively, you can cut the recipe in half using a 3, 6, or 8-quart Instant Pot. Keep the cooking time the same.
Storage Instructions: Store leftover in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or in freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, you may want to add in a splash of beef stock or water, as the noodles tend to absorb the sauce as they sit.
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 27gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 719mgPotassium: 785mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 340IUVitamin C: 3.1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 3.5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @amindfullmom or tag #amindfullmom!
This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated in 2024.
Delicious!
Silly question but I was confused by the "about 8 ounces" listed in gray after the 3 cups of noodles: "3 cups elbow noodles about 8 ounces". It's 3 cups total, right? Thank you.
Yes Danya, 3 cups.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made it today with a few changes. I added diced tomatoes and sautéed onions and doubled everything except the beef stock. It was truly delicious. I did get a burn food notice but when I released the steam and stirred it it was fine. I had two helpings. I think next time I’ll make a single batch instead of double.
Hi David! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed so much! I am sorry you had a burn notice, although it sounds like it may have been a false alarm. Just be sure to fully scrape off browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot and then layer the tomatoes on top of the pasta and that should help.
Could I add a can of diced tomatoes to this? My husband likes his chunky, lol.
Thank you!
ABSOLUTELY!!! My kids hate the chunks, hence why I leave it out. Just add in place of tomato sauce.
When doubling the recipe, do you need to extend the time on pressure cook?
No, but it will take longer to come to pressure--so keep that in mind 🙂
If doubling the recipe doesn't require doubling the time, but the pot will take longer to come to pressure, wouldn't it be best to reduce the total time under pressure? Since the building of pressure is also cooking to some extent. Love your site!
That is a great question Gwen! After many experiments, I have found it is best to just keep the cooking time the same.
I used no name tricolour rotini (not gluten free) and had to add 3 mins. Other than that it was the perfect recipe!! My kids loved it!!
Hi Ash! I am glad you enjoyed the flavor. If you choose to use another type of noodle other than elbow noodles, the cook time will change--just as it does when you are boiling noodles on the stove 🙂 A good rule of thumb is to cut the suggested cook time in half and then let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes.
I found it to be the opposite. I got a burn message without mixing the noodles in. I scaped the bottom, stirred and put back on.
Hi Victoria! I am sorry for your issues. It sounds like you may not have scraped off the browned bits of ground meat off the inner pot. Be sure to do that really well. Also, be sure to turn OFF Your instant pot after sauteing so that the liquid does not evaporate. I hope that helps.
Do you think this would work using just 2 cups of beef stock? Maybe adding more tomato sauce?
Hi April! You need thin liquid to cook the noodles. I would use water (and extra seasoning) if you don't have enough stock.
Great thanks so much!!! Want to make this tonight but only had 2cups of beef stock