Homemade Hamburger Helper Without Milk
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Hamburger Helper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 3/4 cups beef broth low sodium
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and ground beef. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil. Add the uncooked elbow macaroni and stir well.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and evenly distributed throughout the pasta. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken up.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
For a dairy-free version, use oat milk or almond milk in place of the broth and skip the cheddar cheese. Dairy-free shredded cheese works great as a substitute. You can also stir in 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese at the end for an extra creamy sauce. Any short pasta shape works here, like rotini, penne, or shells. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of water or broth.