How to Make Hamburger Helper

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Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur

Last Updated: May 13, 2022

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Hamburger Helper is a Betty Crocker product that makes it easy to whip up a pasta casserole with just a few basic ingredients. Helper meals are fairly quick and simple to make, making them a great choice for when work or family commitments leave you without much time. With a little know-how, you can even replicate your favorite Hamburger Helper recipes from scratch and let your kitchen creativity shine.

Ingredients

From Package (Stove or Microwave)

1 5.8-ounce package of Hamburger Helper (contains sauce mix and dry pasta)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (at least 80% lean)
2 1/4 cups milk
2 2/3 cups hot water

From Scratch ^{[1]
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Research source}

1 pound lean ground beef (at least 80% lean)
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

From Package (Stove)

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1
Brown the hamburger on the stove. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat for five minutes. Add a small amount of cooking spray or oil to the pan, then immediately add the hamburger. Break up the meat as it cooks with a spoon or spatula.
- You want the meat to cook until it is well-browned all over and no pink remains. At medium-high heat this will usually take five to seven minutes, but feel free to cook longer as needed. ^{[2]
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2
Drain the grease from the hamburger. Depending on how lean your ground beef was, you may have just a little grease in the pan or quite a bit. There are a few different ways to drain it — see below for suggestions.
- One easy option is to set a metal colander in a large glass bowl, then pour the contents of the pan into the colander. The grease will drain into the bowl, where you can allow it to cool and transfer to the garbage.
- Another option is to set a lid over the pan, then shift it so a small crack remains at one side. Carefully tilt the pan to drain the grease into a container that won't melt from the heat, then discard in the garbage.
- Don't pour grease down the drain. It can solidify, clogging the drain.
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Stir these ingredients in the pan to combine well with the hamburger.
Return the pan to medium-high heat. Let the mixture heat, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking. Watch for bubbles.
Once the mixture reaches a healthy boil, turn the heat to medium or low. The bubbling should slow down to a slow, steady simmer.
6
Simmer, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes. Add a lid to the pan. Allow to simmer, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. As the mixture cooks, the sauce will gradually thicken and the pasta will gradually soften.
- 13 minutes of cooking time is usually about enough, but depending on the level of heat, your casserole may cook more or less quickly, so test the pasta often.
7
Remove from heat when pasta is al dente. The casserole is ready to eat as soon as the pasta reaches a pleasingly soft texture that still has some firmness to it. You should feel just the slightest resistance when you bite or cut into the pasta. This texture is called "al dente."
- Let the casserole cool down for at least 2 or 3 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

From Package (Microwave)

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1
Microwave beef on high until cooked all the way through. If you're in a rush, Hamburger Helper can be prepared entirely in the microwave with the same basic approach as above. To start, crumble your beef into a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat the meat on high for about five to seven minutes or until any residual pinkness is gone. Break up the meat and stir at the three-minute mark.
- Don't forget to crumble the meat as you put it in the bowl and to break it up halfway through the cooking process. Microwaving a single solid block of ground beef will lead to uneven cooking.
Any of the draining techniques covered in the section above will work just as well here. Remember that, to avoid clogged drains, pour cooled grease into the garbage, not the sink.
Stir well to combine in the bowl with the cooked ground beef.
4
Microwave on high for about 14-19 minutes. Stop the cooking to stir the mixture every five minutes or so. Don't cover the bowl completely as it cooks. You can use a microwave-safe lid to reduce splatters, but leave it open a crack so that steam and pressure do not build up in the container.
- Use oven mitts or a towel to protect your hands when you stir. After a few minutes of cooking, the bowl will be very hot.
5
Remove from microwave and let cool when pasta is al dente. Test the pasta for done-ness every time you stop to stir the casserole. Your dish is ready to serve when the pasta has a semi-soft texture that offers a little resistance (in other words, when it's "al dente"). Carefully transfer the hot bowl out of the microwave and let it cool somewhere safe for high temperatures (like an unused burner on the stove).
- As in the method above, the cooling period is important — the sauce will continue to thicken even after the bowl is removed from the heat.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

From Scratch

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1
Brown and drain the ground beef as normal. If you don't have a package of Hamburger helper handy, you can make a very similar recipe yourself from common kitchen ingredients. Start just like you would in the sections above: by browning the ground beef. Heat a frying pan on the stove, add oil or cooking spray, then add the beef to the pan. Use your spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it cooks.
- As above, you're ready to proceed when the ground beef is well-browned all over and no pink remains.
- Drain the excess grease from the pan when the beef is browned exactly as in the sections above.
2
Add the pasta, milk, and water. Stir these ingredients well to combine. Let them heat to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- In the recipe above, elbow macaroni are suggested, but any similarly-sized pasta should work well. Don't use a pasta with significantly smaller- or larger-sized pieces — these can have different cooking times.
When the mixture reaches a boil, add the cornstarch, chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, paprika, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the mixture is uniform and well-combined.
Reduce the heat to medium or low so that the bubbling becomes slow and steady. Cover and cook at this heat for about 10-12 minutes. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking.
When the pasta is al dente (softened but with some firmness remaining), turn off the heat. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the casserole. Stir well to combine.
As with the other recipes, the liquid when you're cooking Hamburger Helper from scratch will continue to thicken as the casserole cools. Let the dish sit for at least two to three minutes before serving.

Community Q&A

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Question

I would like to mix it all together and bake it in the oven. Could this be done?

GrowingNana

Community Answer

That wouldn't work out well. You could do it if you precook the noodles and meat, but all in all that would take longer than if you just followed the instructions as written.

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Tips

Heavier dutch ovens and cast-iron pans work best for frying meat — they retain heat well for a nice, even sear. ^{[3]
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The nice thing about Hamburger Helper dishes is that they're easy to customize with whatever ingredients you think will taste good. For instance, in the "from scratch" recipe above, cheddar cheese is suggested, but other blends work as well. You might try substituting pepper jack for a spicier twist on the basic recipe.

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Try adding chopped-up onions and/or bell peppers to the pan when you're browning the ground beef to add easy vegetable flavors to the dish.

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How to Make Hamburger Helper