Homemade Hamburger Helper
Complete with taco-seasoned ground beef and an irresistibly cheesy cheddar sauce, my 30-minute one-pot Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is a winner!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 575kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef or ground chicken
- ¼ cup onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups broth chicken, beef, or vegetable
- 1 10 oz. can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 cup whole milk at room temp
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 oz. packet taco seasoning
- ½ lb. medium pasta shells
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- Garnish with cilantro
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until fully cooked. If you're using ground chicken, also add olive oil.1 lb. ground beef, ¼ cup onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Once browned, drain the ground beef, then return to the heat.
- Add broth, Rotel tomatoes, milk, tomato paste, and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.2 cups broth, 1 10 oz. can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies, undrained, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 oz. packet taco seasoning, 1 cup whole milk
- Add pasta and mix through, then cover and simmer over low to medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Throughout cooking, stir to prevent the pasta from sticking.½ lb. medium pasta shells
- Grate the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses while the pasta cooks. Set aside.
- Taste the pasta to make sure it is cooked through. If necessary, cover and cook for longer until done.
- Turn off the heat and stir in cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until fully melted.1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
- Serve hot, garnished with cilantro if desired. Enjoy!Garnish with cilantro
Notes
- While this recipe uses ground beef, you can change it up and use another ground meat, such as chicken or turkey, or even a plant-based alternative if you prefer. Just keep in mind that ground turkey will take longer to cook.
- If you prefer a spicy taco pasta, use the "Chili Fixins" Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies for extra heat. Feel free to adjust the taco seasoning to your taste if so.
- Grating your own fresh cheese for this recipe yields a creamier texture, but you can use pre-packaged shredded cheese for convenience, if you prefer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1047mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1093IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 351mg | Iron: 3mg