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Who else grew up with Hamburger Helper? It was always a favorite of mine. This Hamburger Casserole recipe is a great alternative / copycat. Nutrient dense, filling, and almost as fast as the boxed classic.
An Easy One Pot Meal
There are so many easy things about this recipe. The first? Little mess. Everything gets cooked in the same pot making for a fast clean up and less dishes. We usually have leftovers so I just store the whole Dutch oven in the fridge after it has cooled down. Makes warming some up the next day a breeze!
Another great thing is being able to stretch a pound of ground beef to feed so many people. Ground beef is usually fairly cheap. I pay $7/lb from a local farm for grass-fed/grass-finished beef. Because it’s cheap, versatile, and thaws quickly (in case I forgot to plan for dinner…again) I always have tons stored away in the freezer.
This recipe turns beef, noodles, and a few other pantry staples into a filling, nourishing, hearty meal. So simple.
Pantry “Must Haves”
There are a few things I recommend always keeping on hand. Onion, garlic, butter, heavy cream, cheese, etc. (Ummm…let’s just throw all those together with some noodles, shall we? Recipe detour….)
Ok, seriously, if you’re learning to cook from scratch, be sure to grab my Essential Herbs & Spices checklist. It’s a great start to expanding your pantry and moving away from boxed meals.
This recipe is something you could quickly “whip up” with only a few staple ingredients, another win.
Who else loves a Dutch oven?
Another key to success in the kitchen is having good equipment. A Dutch oven is indispensable. If you have one (or two or three or six), then you’re nodding right along with me. They are expensive, but completely worth it. You’ll want to get a quality brand so it will last – buy once, cry once – right?
- An enameled Dutch oven is so easy to clean. I mean, SO EASY.
- They are designed to distribute and retain heat so your food cooks evenly.
- Their lids are heavy and fit tightly so the steam keeps the food moist.
- They are oven safe. Allowing you to sear a roast on your stove top and then transition the whole thing to an oven.
I have two different sizes – a 4.5 qt. and a 7.25 qt. – and I use them equally as much. For this recipe, the 4.5 qt. works perfectly. If you don’t have one, I strongly recommend adding it to your assembly of kitchen tools. This Le Creuset is the one I have. Invest and enjoy!
Time to Get Cooking
In your beloved Dutch oven or a heavy bottom pot, melt the butter over medium heat. (All ingredient measurements are listed below.)
While the butter is melting, dice the onion and add it to the pot. I prefer the onion finely diced for this meal. Cook the onion down until it’s translucent. Stir it occasionally to keep it from burning. Then add the minced garlic. I love this Garlic Press because it’s sturdy and easy to clean.
Give the onion and garlic a quick stir, then add your ground beef, flour, and seasonings. As it cooks, break up the beef so the spices are evenly distributed throughout. Brown the beef.
Once the beef is browned, add the hot water, milk, heavy cream, and uncooked pasta. Turn up the heat and give it a good stir. Bring everything to a boil.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Mine is perfectly cooked at 6 minutes. But, depending on the pot or pasta you’re using, you may have to adjust your cook time.
NOTE: You only want the pasta to cook until al dente. When you remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese, the noodles will continue to soak up the liquids. If the pasta is cooked too long it will turn mushy.
Once your pasta is ready, remove the pot from heat, add the shredded cheese, and stir thoroughly until the cheese is completely melted. Let the whole thing sit for about 10-15 minutes. It will thicken.
And you’re done! Serve it warm. We love some fresh Thyme on top or try another delicious herb for a pop of unexpected flavor.
Leave a comment below letting me know if you tried this recipe and what you thought! What are some other childhood favorites for which you’d like to find a healthy alternative?
Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ½ Onion, finely diced
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- 1 lb Ground Beef*
- 1 tbsp Flour (preferably home-ground)
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Honey Granules or Sucanat or sugar
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 cups Hot water
- 1 cup Milk
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Uncooked pasta (I use elbows)
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded and packed full (shred 8oz block)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, melt butter over medium heat. While butter is melting, add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and stir.2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, ½ Onion, finely diced, 1 Garlic clove, minced
- Add ground beef, flour, and seasonings. Brown the beef, breaking it up as it cooks, evenly incorporating the spices.1 lb Ground Beef*, 1 tbsp Flour (preferably home-ground), 1 tbsp Paprika, 2 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Honey Granules or Sucanat or sugar, ½ tsp Black Pepper
- Once beef is browned, stir in hot water, milk, heavy cream, and uncooked pasta. Turn heat up and bring to a boil.2 cups Hot water, 1 cup Milk, ½ cup Heavy Cream, 2 cups Uncooked pasta (I use elbows)
- Cover with lid, reduce heat to low and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. (Cook time depends on the type of pasta you use. Even after being removed from the heat, the pasta will continue to absorb the liquids so be careful not to overcook the noodles.)
- Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir thoroughly until cheese is completely melted.2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded and packed full (shred 8oz block)
- Let it sit 10-15 minutes to thicken. Serve warm. We love some fresh Thyme on top.
