Hi there! My husband and I have made this recipe a few times and it is just great! However, I don’t have any elbow macaroni on hand and was wondering if I could substitute for a whole wheat rotini that I’ve been needing to use up. Would I keep the milk amount the same? Thanks for your help!
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I’ve been making this for a couple years. I always make 4 or 5 batches of the spices at a time. I set out 4oz condiment cups & assembly line measure the spices/dry ingredients into each, then I pre measure the macaroni into bags, put a spice cup in each & toss them in the cupboard. It makes the weeknight really easy, I know all I need to grab is meat & cheese & I am ready to go. I like that you can adjust salt & spiciness for who’s eating it. I have even given away with instructions to people who need easy meals, but are trying to get away from boxed foods. Thanks for a great recipe.
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I have been using your recipe for a few months now and at least once every 2 weeks or so. It is my son’s favorite. I use smoked paprika and add just a bit more (I love very smoky paprika). I also omit the spiciness of it. My son even asked to take the leftovers in his lunch for his first day back to school. Thanks so much for a healthy, quick and very tasty meal!
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can you substitute warm chicken stock for water? Would like to add a little more flavor
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What a weird/rude thing to say! I don’t like sweet/savory mixed together, but the sugar solely balances the flavors, not makes the dish sweet in anyway. I followed the directions exactly (just halved because I was cooking for one and only wanted one serving of leftovers) and it came out perfectly! An excellent, non-processed take something that is a secret guilty pleasure! Thanks for sharing!!
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Continuing to cook the beef in the water and milk with the pasta didn’t turn out for me. The meat was over cooked and rubbery and starchy from the pasta. Grainy from the milk curdling and the flour not being incorporated properly. I think the idea is good but there’s something wrong with the execution. Here’s my idea… I’d omit the flour or cornstarch totally, the texture was almost inedible for me and very dry. The recipe lacked fresh flavor (like fresh onions or fresh garlic). I’d cook the meat with some chopped onion and a clove of fresh garlic and whatever else suits your family, drain and set aside. Then I’d cook the pasta with JUST water per directions. Repeat: Do NOT cook the meat with the pasta water/milk combo and pasta. Then I’d melt the cheese and butter in a saucepan. I’d probably add some cream cheese to make it creamy…mine came out rather dry. THEN I’d combine the three (pasta, meat and sauce) or let each family member combine how they like. My 4 year old hates meat in his pasta, so that is usually what I do. My husband doesn’t like the cheese so he added pasta sauce.
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Instead of complaining about the entire recipe – move on. Apparently you didn’t follow the directions correctly because I’ve been making this for a few years and have NEVER had a problem. So instead of trolling someone who was kind enough to share their recipe with others find another venue to dump your critical nonsense. The recipe is for a homemade version of Hamburger Helper, where you in fact cook ALL the ingredients together, and you NEVER add pasta sauce – that is spaghetti.
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My family loved this recipe. Did not have any cheddar on hand, so I used Velveeta cheese packet. Kinda defeats the processed part but it was yummy! Lol!
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Oh believe me…sometimes velveeta makes it into this dish in my house too. So glad your family loved it. Thanks for stopping by!
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Perfect as is. Did not change a thing when making but my husband did add sriracha to it at the table. I am from Texas and I did not think it was spicy just thought it was a perfect blend of spice. Will continue to make recipes as is.
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I don’t use velveeta since they started puting gmo soy in it as well i do not use corn starch,
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No it is not spicy at all. As a matter of fact I thought it could use more flavor but my family loved it?
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I’ve made this a few times now, and we always love it. The last time, my husband said he could “eat nothing but this for the rest of his life and be happy.” I’ve subbed 2 tbsp of flour for the corn starch when I’m out, and smoked paprika for the regular.
As written, I don’t think it’s really spicy at all. My 19 month old loves it, too.
I’ll be sharing this recipe at a from-scratch workshop I have coming up at work (with proper citation, of course!)
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I had to laugh as I read, my husband loves Hamburger Helper and I do NOT for your same reason Salt. He’s been bringing his request for his favorite quick meal many times to no avail…. Until I found this. I can’t wait to try this now since he earned it today. Thank you for sharing!
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This recipe is great! I did not add paprika I do not like it, so I added the same amount of onion powder, I also did not add the sugar. I was out of cornstarch so I made a rue using warm water and the same amount of all purpose flour. It tasted wonderful! Will most certainly be a stable on our table!!
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This came out so well! My boyfriend loves HH, so I figured I would give this a go; his response was, “I’ll never need the box again if you keep making this!”. I added a whole jalapeno instead of the cayenne (just what I had on hand), and upped the amount of paprika and chili powder at the end to taste. Definitely a keeper!
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Tried to pawn this off to my kids as the real “Cheeseburger Macaroni” that they love. From the very first bite, they could tell it was different and not a good different. The more they ate the more they complained of how spicy it was. So unfortunately this will not be a recipe that I will be cooking in my home.
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You can change the spice mix around read the spice mix on the back of a box of Hamburger Helper and use that. If they don’t like the spice stick with onion powder, a little garlic powder, and the chilli powder. With a little effort you will have a recipe that your family will love without all the processed goop. Happy Cooking! 🙂
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Made this tonight in a pinch for something quick and my husband likes hamburger helper. He didn’t even notice the difference! Came back for seconds! The only change I made was added a splash of red hot because I didn’t have cyanne added black pepper, didn’t have red pepper flakes that’s it. He thought it was from the box hehe fooled him. Definitely keeping this! Thanks for a great recipe that is much healthier, quick, and tasted great!
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Made it and it was great! I’ve decided to pre-mix the spices and put in a small Tupperware container and then pre-measure the pasta into a jar with the spice mix in the jar. I printed instructions and taped to jar. This way it’s ready to go on a night we’re really busy. Just add meat, milk, water and cheese and BAM there’s dinner!
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I’m a “tweaker,” so here’s what I did:
— 4 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. nutmeg (yes!), 1 tsp. minced dried garlic, 1 tsp. paprika
— Finely chopped a medium onion and browned it with the beef.
— Potato starch worked fine for me instead of cornstarch.
— I used 2 cans evaporated milk (we only rarely keep fresh milk in the house). Using 2 cans kept
things simple, instead of diluting it and having to measure, then having leftover evap. milk.
I increased the water by 1/2 cup (so, total liquid = 2 cups water, 2 cans evap. milk).
— I didn’t use hot water–I stirred the starch into “cold” tap water, then added that mixture
to the skillet. Mixing the starch with unheated water eliminates possibility of starch clumping.
— Added 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar for “brightness.” Lemon juice would do the trick, too, but
add it “to taste,” since I didn’t test that.
— Used one 12-oz bag of Heartland brand gluten-free penne pasta (available at Wal-Mart).
It took a little longer for the pasta to soften up. I simmered for 20 minutes and it was fine.
— 2 tsp. kosher salt seemed just right to us.
— I left out the sugar and we didn’t even notice.
The evaporated milk made the sauce seem rich and creamy, which hubby and I both liked. It seems like the liquid quantities were the hardest part to get right. I’m sure there are endless ways to tweak this recipe so that it suits one’s own personal tastes. Thumbs up!
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Oh I think this will be the bomb-diggity after a rainy gross day & running to bowling night with my 2 little ones. Question though, how would this be if I made it before they got home & gave it a quick oven reheat when we get back home in 2 hours from bowling. Thoughts?
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I followed the recipe as shown and it came out grainy with little flavor. Thoughts?
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Try sauteing some onions and garlic in the pan first, then add the ground beef. Salt and pepper real good. Not sure why you got the graininess though.
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I understand what you mean by ‘grainy’. I just tried this today, and the texture is a bit strange. Kind of the opposite of creamy. Lol. Not sure what else to call it. I wonder if it’s an issue of adding cornstarch straight to a hot dish, rather than mixing it with water first ?
I’m not sure, but I might have to fix it with more cheese and milk.
What did you do to fix it ?Reply
I used butter milk and added a tsp of mustard powder and that really helped with the flavor and try letting the cheese cook into the sauce longer, it should get more velvety if you leave it on there a bit longer
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When my daughter was pregnant, I went with her to set up her registry. I noticed the baby bullet because of the cute smiley face, and BAM, decided I would make my grandson’s food. From there, I learned so much about food. Like another comment, I didn’t know much about food when my children were little, and my husband is picky, and I have an eating disorder where I don’t like food (real). I use all organic for my grandson, and working it into the rest of the family’s diet. I made this tonight with everything but chili powder because I don’t have any. My daughter said it was spicy enough with out it, even my 12 month out grandson like it. I did put 2 1/2 cooks of cheese, which I think is too much, because it didn’t look cheesy enough at first, and I did add minced onion and whole milk. I will be making this again. 🙂
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Made this recipe tonight, a spoonful of cream cheese would help with the texture issue, or if you are ok with it velveeta does work. I would also omit the cayanne and red pepper flakes for those sensitive to heat andadd a 1/2 tsp of cumin to add smokiness without heat. Some fresh herbs like parsley at thee end would brighten things up.
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I made this, last night, and am in agreement- kiss that boxed meal, “buh bye!” I thought it was great. I also agree- adding some onion powder would have matched the box meal taste. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any onion powder, but my family really liked it! My son can be pretty picky, but he said it was good.
Thanks for this one!!
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I made this tonight and it was a hit! I used a small chopped onion and 1 fresh minced garlic wth a bit of olive oil and saute until light golden, added ground chicken and added a teaspoon of dried parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano. I cup the galic powder for 1 teaspoon and added 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes. used whole milk and tex mex shredded cheese. I even put a bit of cream cheese and everything else the recipe asked for minus the chili peppers. I had no leftovers. 🙂
I made this tonight and turned out real good. I added some pepper, onion powder, italian seasoning and about 1/2 cup sour cream – for a little more creaminess. Recipe makes a lot of servings, great for lunch tomorrow too! Thank you!
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Just made this for supper – I have not had Hamburger Helper in FOREVER, and this sounded really good for tonight. It was delicious!!! Much better than I remembered the boxed stuff, that’s for sure. The only changes I made were to just add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder (I LOVE garlic, but I could taste a lot of garlic even with just 1 teaspoon) and I also added 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder. I only put a pinch of cayenne in though, and left out the red pepper flakes because it would’ve been too spicy for my girls (6 & 4). That being said – both of my girls just cleaned their plates and my 4-year-old asked for seconds. This recipe is definitely a keeper – thanks!! (P.S. I used whole milk and the texture turned out fine. Maybe cornstarch was the problem for the one who commented on the curdled texture? I mixed together the milk, water, cornstarch and all of the spices at one time with a whisk before adding it to the hot skillet).
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This dish had a really interesting taste and I cant quite put my finger on the problem. First I would probably suggest using a sharp cheddar cheese vs a regular mild cheese, might give it more depth. Secondly I found the texture to be a little gritty (not sure why). Overall it has a great foundation just have to tweak the cheese n spices to fit your family’s tastes!
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Just have to be honest and say I was really disappointed with the finished product. It’s just spicy without any REAL flavor. You’re still chugging gallons of water. If you’ve ever tried original Hamburger Helper, you will not be pleased with the results.
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Thank you Sonja for acknowledging the extreme spiciness! With so many comments saying it was bland or just right I was confused…they did see that it calls for a whole TABLEspoon of chili powder right? It was too spicy even for my spicy-food-lovers. I am keeping the basic recipe but cutting way way back on the hotness…
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Thank you very much for this. I can’t have dairy so i changed the milk to Silk milk and cheese to dairy free cheese. It was the best!!! My kid even loved it and he is picky eater. It was quick and east and best of all yummmmmmy. Thank you again Heather Scholten for having this recipe up.
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Hi Heather, I don’t know if it’s just me, or if others are having the same problem, but I can hardly read the recipe because of the dark background with the black type. I’ve tried on the ipad and also on the computer. Just wanted to let you know. 🙂
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Sorry for any confusion. When I hit submit on the previous comment, it apparently fixed the problem. Now I only have the dark background on the edges. Sorry for taking up your time!
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For example http://happyforks.com
I recommend using tool called Recipe Analyzer to copy&paste list of ingredients.
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It sounded like it would be really good but it just wasn’t. It was heavy and blah. I used the best ingredients available but this dish is lacking “brightness”… Perhaps a little Italian seasoning and a spritz of lime might liven it up a bit.
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Seriously lime! You obviously have no clue on how to cook. Pairing lime with a beef and cheese pasta dish. Stay out of the kitchen.
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Lemon juice or vinegar would likely do the trick to brighten the flavor. I would try adding 2 tsps. at first, and then add gradually more “to taste,” if you want. To me, vinegar seems like it would complement the cheese flavor really well. If I was going to assertively spice this up and call it “Mexican-style,” then I would try the lime juice.
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My first time making this I used rotini pasta, added some minced garlic and a handful of english peas and diced carrots, and shredded up 3oz. of Tillamook smoked cheddar, 3oz. of Tillamook medium cheddar, and 3oz. of Tillamook colby jack (gotta keep it local!). It turned out amazing!! The second time I made it while visiting my sister down in Texas and all she had was preshredded mexi-blend cheese and some wide egg noodles. Even though the second version turned out OK, I have to say that using REAL cheese and shredding it up is WAY better than using the preshredded cheese. The texture is smoother and the flavor is richer. Also, egg noodles fall apart too easily in this kind of dish, so pasta is pretty much a necessity. I have added this to the rotation as my husband and picky-eating, 17-month-old daughter devoured it. Thank you!!
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I read the comments before making this and had high hopes that it would be good. Neither my husband or I liked it. I thought with all the spices it should taste good but it did not have any flavor to it. I won’t be making this again 🙁
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Thank you for sharing! I am making this surprise dish for my daughters tonight! We went GF 3 years ago after testing my 3 daughters for gluten allergy, 2 are gluten intolerant, 1 is Celiac. My oldest daughter is intolerant, and she has been suffering from moderate to bad acne since she was 11, she is now about to turn 23. She would have regular breakouts on her face, shoulders and chest, and avoided wearing tanktops or Vnecks due to her acne, and would tend to pull her hair in front of her face to cover her breakouts. I’m happy to report that a couple months after going GF her acne was 100% gone, she never has ANY now unless she strays from her GF diet, which is only the occasional beers with bf and friends and it will trigger a small breakout on her cheeks. She has such obvious symptoms that its very easy for her to keep herself on track and avoid gluten on a daily basis. However, she has had to give up so much spontaneity in her food choices. She was visiting last night and telling me how much she misses hamburger helper, and that she makes it for her BF and it smells so good, reminds her of eating it when she was younger. (I’m ashamed to say I didnt know very much about eating and preparing clean meals for my kids back then, although they were raised on home cooked meals). I work as a tax accountant, and have been working 7 days a week since January, today is my first day off in months…so I decided to look up a GF version. I’m going to meet her at work with this surprise dinner dish! I’m a very good cook and can tell right away that your blend of spices will be just right.. I’ll be substituting with coconut palm sugar and sugar free almond milk. I’ll be back with an update of the girls’ reactions. Thank you again for sharing, there are so many of us who benefit from the blogs and recipes people like you share with us, and it really makes a difference to our daily lives, I look up recipes every couple of days, although I rarely post anywhere. Thank you again!
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This is delicious! I’ve been looking for a way to make gluten free hamburger helper but I could never get the spices right, but these are perfect. I left out the corn starch just because I didn’t have any, and simmered it without a lid because I didn’t have one for my pan and it still thickened just fine. I used quinoa elbows for the pasta.
For those of you who don’t like the texture of the cheddar cheese, you can use melted velveeta or one of those new velveeta sauce packets instead.
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so I Wanted To Love This But The Whole Thing Curdled! I Used Whole Milk, That Was The Only Change?
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Oh no!! I wonder if it was too hot for the whole milk? We make it almost once a week and I’ve never had a curdling incident! If you try again next time and use whole milk, try cutting it in half and adding more water. Again…sorry it was a bust for you.
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Made this and added a little smoked habanero powder (I love spicy!), mushrooms, sweet peas, and kidney beans and it was AWESOME! Thanks so much!
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YUM….love the addition of smoked habanero powder! You should check out my spice company for more unique spices and salts. Here’s the link: http://www.spiceologist.com Thanks for commenting!
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I’m making this tonight for dinner, I already have tri colored rotini pasta cooked, so I’ll add the pasta at the end, but I’m amused at people saying the texture of the finished product is weird. My mom cooked, and I have cooked from scratch meals forever, and that texture is real food!! Ingredients free of binders and emulsifiers!! They could try to make a rue of the cheese, milk, and cornstarch prior to adding it to the rest of the ingredients first if they like to decrease the ‘weird’ texture!! And as far as salt, they could use other herbs to add some flavor!! I guess it’s hard to get used to real food if all you’ve ever know is what comes in a box!
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Thank you ! I really like this recipe, One thing about these “home made hamburger helper” recipes is that theyre perfect if you wanna improvise a little. For example im trying it today with diced red peppers and i also add oregano, cumin, and just use a pinch of cayenne pepper. I also use an onion and garlic to cook the meet. Easy to do, quick and also cheap! I,d say its a cool recipe to get the kids started !
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These were perfect directions! I am actually lactose intolerant so I couldn’t even try it before I served it. Everyone really loved it! Thanks so much! Can’t wait to make it again sometime
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No idea Tricia! There are some calorie counters on the web where you can plunk in the recipe. I don’t know it off the top of my head though. Sorry.
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Love this version, making it tonight.
Thanks!
Jennifer Gardner, MD, Founder Healthy KIds Company
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Eating this now! You would never know it wasn’t a boxed mix! Seasoned perfectly and just a hint of kick! I used ground turkey, omitted the sugar and used whole wheat noodles and it is fantastic! Great work! Thanks for sharing!
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I make the Rice Oriental flavor, but homemade. I don’t know if HH makes this flavor anymore—it was one of their first flavors when HH was introduced back in the ’70’s.
•RICE ORIENTAL CLONE
1 lb ground beef
1 c white rice (uncooked)
2 1/2 c beef broth (I use soup base to make broth)
3 T. soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t rice wine vinegar
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 t cornstarch
Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in rice and beef broth. Cover, lower heat to med/med low and simmer gently 20 minutes or until rice is done. Meanwhile combine rest of ingredients. Uncover; add remaining ingredients and simmer 5 minutes or until thickened.
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I just made this…followed the recipe to a “T”. I have to say, as a fan of H.H., this tasted nothing like the original. To me, it was like a taco-ish casserole. Maybe there was too much spiciness, I don’t really know. It wasn’t bad, it just was not what I was expecting. I probably wont be making this again. Also, I thought there was way too much liquid. Something about it was “off”.
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Hi! This recipe is so good!!! Just wondering if I could use a different pasta like penne? How much would I use since it’s a larger pasta?
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I have been a huge Hamburger helper lover since I was a kid. I don’t like processed products with all the sodium and ingredients you can’t pronounce. Plus recently, I made it and I think I’m allergic, I had a very stomach after. So this was an amazing recipe made from scratch!!! Well done.
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I have never tried that so I’m not sure how it would turn out. You can add the dry ingredients (pasta and spices) together and place in a zip top bag to make this easier to make.
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i just want to say thank you so much for this recipe! my 8 year old asks for it whenever it is his turn to pick dinner and my suddenly VERY picky toddler had two helpings tonight! huge hit and i will share it with EVERYONE!
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This was delish! Very filling and the kids loved it! My 15 year old son helped make it!
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I made this with a pound of ground venison and no pepper flakes. My son loved it! This is an excellent recipe!!
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This is REALLY YUMMY! I’m embarrassed to say that Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Mac was a FAVORITE of mine growing up…well, as an adult too, but would NEVER make it for my own family simply because of the sodium content and well, the fact that it comes out of a box with who knows what is coming out of it. I made this tonight and even my husband thought it was amazing! I did add mushrooms and onions when browning the burger and added an extra cup of cheese and it was REALLY GOOD!!!! I will make it again!
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This is the first time that I’ve come across your page and I have to say, if it can make my sickly housemate come out of hibernation and states that he wants it… that’s saying something! I can’t wait to serve it to my beau and my friend because it’s starting to make my tummy growl. Haven’t made HH in a few months since we’ve been trying to save money and now that we have this recipe, I think we’ll save even more.
Thanks for the recipe and the awesome tips. I can’t wait to browse more of your site!
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When my Sweet Husband and I married 8 yrs. ago, he told me one of his favorite things was Hamburger Helper. I thought “Ugh! I’ve not made that since I was in college and had no money!” Well, every now and then I’ve made a box, but I’m
SO glad I came across your recipe! It’s bubbling away on the stove right now. He’s gonna love it and I know I will because I can control the salt and the seasonings!
Thank you! Thank you!
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I made this tonight for my boyfriend and me and we loved it! And he’s a picky eater, so I would consider that a VERY good compliment! He had never had the boxed stuff, and I hadn’t had it in six years so we weren’t sure how it would turn out. I may cheat a little next time and add some Rotel Tomatoes to it, but it was wonderful on its own! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
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I had some small zip-loc bags from the craft store. I used these and measured all the dry ingredients in these bags, I made up 10 of these and stored them in my freezer. It made making this recipe even easier. I do this for a lot of home made recipes. I just put them in a larger zip loc, (like a sandwich bag) and label it.
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I am so happy I met you. And not JUST because I learned about this recipe for my favorite childhood recipe. 🙂
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Thanks for the recipe. I had some leftover hamburger and this was great way to utilize it. I added some sauteed onion, then a quick rue of butter and flour, a little white wine and chicken stock reduced before the macaroni and wet stuff (I can’t leave a good recipe alone), and then added steamed broccoli florets to the mix at the end. It was nice to get some veggies in there, and it came out fantastically delicious. Thanks for the recipe and idea!
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My wife has long term health problems and doesn’t have the strength to cook. We have found that processed food has an effect on her, so as the chief cook, I am always looking for recipes. This one will be serving tonight at chef David ‘s.
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Looks great but never use hot tap water! Hot water dissolves contaminants, like lead, more easily.
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Made this yesterday. Hope it will freeze well, because it’s a lot of food. Didn’t have the elbow macaroni, so I used Penne. It was delicious. Quick, easy, what more could you ask for? BTW – I used ground round. Good stuff.
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Hi there, I come from a country that does not sell the Hamburger Helper mix. But as your recipe is a one-pot (hooray!) macaroni and cheese hybrid with minced beef in it – two of my fave things to eat – I made this last weekend. OMG so good. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 Love, DZ from Malaysia
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This was FANTASTIC! Our house went Gluten Free almost 4 years ago, and my family has missed HH soo much. Two thumbs WAY up! Thank you so, so SO much!
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This was so easy. I made a gluten and dairy free version and it was still easy! Took little more time because I make the milk and the noodles take a little longer, but not much longer. I think next time I may try and cook the noodles a little bit before I add it to the meat and let it finish in the sauce. Maybe they will cook a little more evenly. In the future, if it is okay with you, I would like to add this to my blog and refer it back to you. Not sure when that will be, but I will let you know and in the mean time wait for your “OK” or not =) Thanks!!
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Go for it Joelle. Just give credit and please use your own pics. Otherwise, I am stoked that you loved it and want to share. 🙂 ~heather
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I have the worlds pickiest eight year old…he asks for this once a week. Thanks so much. Love it
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This is delicious..not sure why people have to be so critical and opinionated when a recipe is not for them. If you don’t like something, just don’t make it again. Easy meal..can be tweaked to anyone’s tastes..will make it again and again when low on groceries!
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Thank you Diana! It’s the nature of the beast when you put yourself (or recipes) out there, there’s always going to be someone who will have something not nice to say. Some of my recipes aren’t for everyone – sometimes not even for the mouths in my house. I do appreciate hearing feedback (especially good). 🙂 Thanks for commenting!! xo ~heather
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This made a really nice addition to a side salad and homemade biscuits and what I really appreciated was knowing exactly what was in the meal and not having to worry about an allergic reaction as was the case when I used the boxed meal. Thanks … I will definitely make this one again!
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I made this with a few changes were a gluten free casein free house so no dairy…
I used bison hamburger, almond milk, corn elbow macaroni… I also minced up some onion
But it turned out awesome thanks
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I absolutely love this I made it tonight and it is so much better than the box my kids loved it. Thank you so very much for sharing
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I’m a vegetarian and I made this with protein crumbles and added a can of diced tomatoes. I also used Velveeta. It was delicious!
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Fantastic! recipe, I added minced garlic and onions and mushrooms. Used whole wheat pasta( barely noticeable as it was flavourful ) I will definitely making this again and again.
Thanks so much for this !
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This is great. I grew up on boxed food. I honestly don’t remember my parents ever making anything from scratch. Then I married a man who was the opposite. His mom made every meal from scratch so boxed food is foreign to him. So over the years, thanks to his good cooking, I haven’t eaten boxed food hardly at all, unless I have a weird craving but I usually end up regretting it. Anyway, seeing these on Pinterest has been fun for me. I can share what I grew up eating without the guilt. Can’t wait to try this!!
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I have made this recipe three times, tweaking it differently each time.
Try #1 – left out cornstarch (fiancé didn’t want me to use it) and cayenne (didn’t have it). My fiancé and our roommate ate it just fine, but didn’t like a lot of spice to it.
Try #2 – left out cornstarch (again) and cayenne (again) and this time took it down to 2 tsp chili powder. Was still a little too spicy for them.
Try #3 – followed the recipe almost to a T (including the cornstarch and cayenne since I FINALLY found some!) but only did 1 tsp of chili powder. My fiancé didn’t find it to be enough!
Guess I have an excuse to make this a 4th time and do 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, eh? 😉
All in all, a wonderful recipe. Thank you! <3
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My family loved it! I really dislike boxed Hamburger Helper but my family loves it.It always just tastes like salt and noodles to me, no matter what variety you get. This recipe is a great compromise for our family. I added a can of diced tomatoes and some onion, but nixed the cayenne and it was great. Everytime I try a new reipe I ask my husband if I should dump the recipe or keep it, this one was a keeper!
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I had a party and served tacos. I overestimated how much food I needed and had a lot of left over taco meat in my freezer. I was looking for someway to use it up other than chili and more tacos. This worked perfectly. I did not have to add a lot of seasonings because the taco meat was already well seasoned. Thanks for the recipe.
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I made this the other day and it was delicious!!!! I did add more paprika and i used smoked paprika instead, we really like the flavor of the smoked kind. Thank you so much for the recipe.
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SO GOOD!! My kids are super picky and they loved this! (So did me and my husband). Nice job!
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Just made this for dinner and let me tell you my family loved it!! My husband and kids are very picky eaters and they couldn’t stop eating thanks for the recipe
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Just made this tonight. I was a little concerned during cooking as the aroma just didn’t seem right, but once the cheese was added it all came together! I realized after it was done that the smell I was missing was probably the nasty chemical smell from the box stuff. So, it was a good thing it smelled different! 🙂
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It was great, thank you. Added a bit of adobo and mozzarella and yummy in my tummy. Thanks!
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I enjoyed this recipes. The first time I made it I followed the recipe and it came out a bit to starchy and the noddles were a tad mushy for my liking. I made it again tonight but cooked the noddles separately and just added then in the meat mixture. It was awesome. I just reduced the liquid to 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water, a much better alternative to HH
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I made this for dinner this evening. It was quick, easy and the family really liked it. Thanks for sharing.
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This recipe was a waste of time, effort and money I hate to say. It looked and sounded very good, but I ended up having to throw it away and make something else. Other recipes I’ve tried were good, but this one wasn’t one of them. I know this one won’t stay on here for very long because I think you only keep the ones if people say they liked it. I was very embarrassed!
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Suzie – I appreciate your comment and don’t exclusively approve positive comments. Everyone has the right to their opinion and I’m sorry this recipe wasn’t for you. With that said, recipe developing is not as easy as it may seem and it’s impossible to appeal to everyone’s tastes when creating what you believe is a good recipe. Thanks for giving it a shot. ~Heather
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Heather – I wholeheartedly disagree with the above comment. Your recipe is absolutely perfect! The boxed version has always been a favorite of my husbands until I tried your recipe. He loved it! Thanks for sharing with us. Kim
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I left out the chili powder, used reduced fat cheddar, and subbed Jennie-O Turkey Kielbasa sausage (hamburger was still frozen). It was AWESOME!
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This was the perfect quick and easy comfort food for a Monday night. I followed the recipe exactly and we loved it. I cut the recipe in half an it was perfect for two with enough left for lunch tomorrow. Sometimes you just need some hamburger helper but the ingred. list freaks me out. Thanks for a better option.
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this was the easiest recipe, came home from a late shift at work and needed something quick and easy for my kids and I. Threw it together in less than 20 min and it was delicious. I dont like hamburger helper, never have. My kids were shocked to see it cuz they love it. then I told them it wasnt actually HH. They were shocked. I substitued ground turkey, added onion and nutmeg and used flour for thickner cuz i didnt have corn startch. I also substituted velveeta cuz we were out of chedder and didnt wanna run to the store. Super easy and very tasty. Thank you for sharing this.
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This was really spicy, despite me cutting the chili powder in half. My kids wouldn’t touch it. 🙁
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I used taco mix instead of the spices as I didn’t have most of those spices. The mix made it not spicy and it still tasted fantastic 🙂 I didn’t use all the taco mix though definitely depends on your preference 🙂
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I started doing this many years ago. I would even add in vegetables to make it a one pot meal. You can also change it up by adding tomato paste or sauce.
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I made it for my family of 5 and they loved it. I snuck in extra veggies and they hardly noticed. I used egg noodles instead of elbow macaroni and then added sliced onions and shredded cabbage. You could hardly tell the veggies apart from the noodles. Very tasty and they ate it right up. Nice job! They asked me to make it again.
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Hey Heather, made this on a whim tonight and so easy!! You really got the spices right. Tastes just like the box without the MSG headache and and other (unmentionable) side effects that come from eating out of a box. Make it with organic beef, organic pasta, and throw in some frozen veggies. Tons of fun, almost no effort, one dish!
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Oh, I am SO glad I found your blog!! Was looking for granola bar recipes, and stumbled on the ‘Hamburger Helper’ recipe…I am on a journey to feed my family as little processed food as possible, and boxed hamburger helper is one thing that they absolutely LOVE, much to my dismay 🙂 I will be trying this recipe soon! I am hopeful they will like it, but they still prefer boxed mac-n-cheese to my DELICIOUS homemade version, so we’ll see 🙂
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Wow!!!!! A.b.s.o.l.u.t.e.l.y LOVED it!! My husband loved it as much as I did, if not more. Thank you so much for providing a recipe to make it from scratch!! Now to know how to make the other specific kinds like the chili-mac, crunchy taco- mac … lol. 😉 Thanks again!!
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I absolutely loved this recipe. I myself, would possibly cut back on the cayenne and add a little more salt and at least a teaspoon of pepper. But other then that…… amazing. So much better then the boxed recipe.
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Wonderful! I used whole wheat pasta and flour (instead of macaroni and cornstarch). I made it vegetarian by using Boca grounds. It was very good even before adding the cheese so this could easily be made vegan … But then I added colby and pepperjack. Mmm. Thank you!
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I actually love hamburger helper but I knew there was a homemade way so thank you!!! I will actually be preparing with some ground venison
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This is such a great idea!! I think that I had the boxed stuff a few times back in college, but I know this would be a hundred times better!!
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Very fantastic, we all loved it – parents and kids – 5yr, 3yr, 1yr. I swapped chicken broth for the water for added health benefits.
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I made this for dinner except I left out the cornstarch and the cayenne pepper (boyfriend asked me to skip the cornstarch and we did not have cayenne pepper). Between us and our roommate, there were no leftovers =) Will definitely be making this again!
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Of course, I will definitely link back! When you try the smoked paprika, please let me know what you think!
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Just wanted to say, I made this tonight, and oh em gee was it awesome. I subbed radiatore pasta for elbows, and might I also suggest trying it with smoked paprika instead of regular? It really changes the flavor into something awesome! I hope you don’t mind me featuring this on my blog?
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Hi Esther. So glad you enjoyed it. A feature is great, please provide a link back to this post. I need to make this again, the fam has been bugging me for a repeat so I will definitely toss in some smoked paprika. Thanks for the tip and glad you enjoyed it!! xo ~Heather
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this was yummy and easy! I prepared exactly as you described. thanks.
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This is a great, easy recipe. My boyfriend wanted hamburger, noodles and gravy. I found this recipe and it was an instant hit. I couldn’t find cayenne pepper so I left it out. There’s still enough spiciness.
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I have had the salty boxes of hamburger helper, but not for a VERY long time. I dearly love the idea of making our own, so much better, and I bet tasted fantastic! Hugs, Terra
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I love this, Heather!! I know I’ve eaten HH but can’t for the life of me remember where and when – maybe college when I was poor? Anyway – this looks so incredibly easy and I’m already thinking of variations depending on my mood (like a mexican version with a margarita, perhaps?). LOVE!!
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I am so NOT a make it from scratch kind of mom,BUT, this was super easy. You’re right. I had to make a couple of substitutions due to what was available in the pantry, but it was GREAT! We didn’t have cheddar on hand so I used colby jack and some velveeta. Because the velveeta is soooo creamy I used a little less milk and water.
Thank you for the easy to follow directions!
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How do I make it without the cheese? I’m a big cheese fan; however, my hubby hates it, so we always eat the “beef pasta” kind.. wasn’t sure if I could just leave the cheese out or if I needed to tweak it.
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Could you divide the dish at the end and then add cheese to your part? I have done this in the past with some of the meals I have made, depending on the issue. very easy to do.
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This looks awesome! I hate HH. Hubby loves it, so I breakdown & make it occasionally. I’m going to try this & not tell him, see what he thinks. I was also thinking of doing this pre-made for my daughter & even me. I think if you are going to measure out the spices, instead of doing one batch, measure out 4-5 batches into small containers, then measure out the macaroni into ziplocks, add your spice packet to each macaroni bag, toss into the cupboard. Measuring the spices/macaroni the day of isn’t a big deal, but if you do it ahead & you know that there is a pack in the cupboard all you have to pick up is beef & cheese. You don’t have to stand in the store & wonder is there 2 cups of macaroni left in the box, did I use all the chili powder last week . . . etc. At least this is the kind of conversations I have with myself in the grocery store. I think my daughter will appreciate it too, I’m not sure her single girl that barely cooks kitchen has all the spices, or if she’d even take the minimal time needed, but if I do it, I know she’ll make it.
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I grew up on Hamburger (and Tuna) Helper – and lucky thing because it was something my mom couldn’t make taste bad. I have never made it for my family because I don’t like the boxed stuff either but your homemade looks out of this world good and something my family would gobble down! Thanks for sharing and Happy Holidays!
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Alright, let’s get personal. Well, not THAT personal. But, yes I do detest Hamburger Helper. Yes, my sister loves it. They eat it at least once a week. I just threw up a little. BUT!!! Your’s actually looks so cheesy and delicious, that I’m pinning this for both her and I to try.
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