If you grew up in the '70s or '80s, chances are high that Hamburger Helper was part of your diet as a kid, but the world has moved on. Still, the formula (pasta and seasoning, then add some ground meat) is an absolute classic, and a homemade version works so much better.
Homemade Hamburger Helper (Cheeseburger Macaroni)
This is, at its core, really just mac and cheese with some added ground beef and spices. Use a sharp yellow cheddar for that vintage look.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown beef and onion for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat finely and cooking it to 160°F; spoon off excess fat.
- Stir in garlic and paprika for 30 seconds. Add macaroni, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom every 2 minutes. Add reserved water 2 tablespoons at a time only if the pan dries before the pasta is tender.
- Stir in evaporated milk and mustard and simmer gently for 1 minute; keep a little fluid sauce around the pasta.
- Remove from heat and stir in American cheese, then cheddar, until smooth. Rest for 2 minutes and serve while the macaroni is loose and glossy.
American Goulash
I'm extra careful to call this American goulash, lest the Hungarians make me persona non grata. This recipe uses corn, which seems novel — I can't say that was in our elementary school goulash.
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Ingredients
Method
- Heat a deep broiler-safe 12-inch 5-quart skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef, onion and pepper for 9 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking it to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, paprika and oregano for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth, macaroni, corn, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cook uncovered for 11 to 14 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until pasta is nearly tender. Add reserved water a little at a time if needed to keep the sauce loose.
- Heat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches below it. Spread cheddar over the moist pasta and broil for 2 to 4 minutes until the cheese melts and browns in small patches.
- Set the skillet on a heatproof surface and rest for 3 minutes, guarding the hot handle. Spoon into bowls while the tomato sauce remains soft beneath the cheese.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
I love stroganoff, but sirloin ain't exactly cheap these days. A ground beef version works great for the lean times.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix beef, breadcrumbs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper lightly in a bowl. Form 24 small meatballs about 1 inch across.
- Heat oil in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium heat. Brown meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes, turning gently; transfer to a plate while still partly cooked.
- Cook shallot and mushrooms in the same pan for 8 to 10 minutes until their moisture evaporates. Add garlic and remaining salt for 30 seconds.
- Pour in broth and scrape the bottom. Add pappardelle, bring to a simmer and separate the ribbons with tongs; return meatballs and their juices.
- Simmer uncovered for 9 to 12 minutes, gently lifting the noodles every 2 minutes, until pasta is tender and the centers of several meatballs reach 160°F. Add reserved water in small splashes if the noodles need more liquid.
- Remove from heat. Stir Dijon and creme fraiche with a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce in a bowl, then fold this mixture gently into the pan without boiling. Serve with 6 meatballs per person.
Skillet Lasagna
Honestly, I rarely have the energy to throw together a whole lasagna, but skillet lasagna is as easy as can be. Make sure to keep the ricotta in little pockets for verisimilitude.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Add garlic, basil and oregano for 30 seconds, then crushed tomatoes, the 2 1/2 cups water, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Add broken lasagna sheets a few pieces at a time, pushing them under the sauce and separating overlapping sheets. Cover loosely and simmer over medium-low heat for 16 to 20 minutes, lifting and stirring every 3 minutes until tender; add reserved water as needed.
- Mix ricotta with Parmesan in a bowl. When the pasta is tender and the sauce still moves around it, spoon 8 small dollops over the skillet and scatter mozzarella between them.
- Cover tightly and heat on low for 3 to 4 minutes until mozzarella melts and ricotta is hot. Rest off the heat for 3 minutes before spooning into bowls.
Creamy Beef and Shells
If you like penne alla vodka, this isn't too different, plus a little ground beef. Be sure to save the parmesan for the very end.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the meat reaches 160°F. Break it into small crumbles and drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste and Italian seasoning for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, broth, shells, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 11 to 14 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes so shells do not nest together. Add reserved water a little at a time if the sauce dries before the shells are tender.
- Stir in cream and simmer gently for 1 minute. Remove from heat and fold in Parmesan until smooth.
- Rest for 2 minutes and serve while the sauce still coats the shells loosely.
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
It's probably best to think of this as a penne with a nice ragu and provolone. However, it definitely echoes the Philly cheesesteak in its flavor profile, so if you're a cheesesteak fan, give it a shot.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green pepper for 6 to 7 minutes until softened and browned at the edges.
- Add beef and brown for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it into crumbles and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat and stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add penne, broth, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 11 to 14 minutes, stirring often and adding reserved water only if needed before the pasta becomes tender.
- Stir in milk and warm gently for 1 minute. Remove from heat and wait 1 minute for bubbling to stop.
- Fold provolone into the warm pasta a small handful at a time until melted. Serve promptly so the coating remains soft.
Taco Pasta Skillet
This isn't really a pasta dish, more of a skillet that includes pasta as one component. This recipe uses prepared salsa verde, but I'd use a homemade pico de gallo or something similar instead for a fresher flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in cumin, oregano and garlic powder for 30 seconds. Add salsa verde, pinto beans, fusilli, broth and salt and bring to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until pasta is tender; add reserved water in small amounts if the sauce dries too early.
- Remove from heat and fold in Monterey Jack until melted. Rest for 2 minutes so the sauce settles around the pasta.
- Divide between bowls and scatter the measured crushed chips over the portions immediately before eating.
Salisbury Steak Pasta
This is, at its heart, a Salisbury steak with pasta in lieu of mashed potatoes. I'd definitely add some dry herbs to the gravy for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix beef, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, patty Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper lightly. Form 4 oval patties about 1/2 inch thick.
- Heat oil in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown patties for 2 minutes per side and transfer to a plate while partly cooked.
- Cook onion in the same pan for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden. Add broth, gravy Worcestershire, remaining salt and rotini and scrape the bottom.
- Bring to a simmer and return patties on top of the pasta. Cover loosely and cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, gently stirring pasta around the patties every 3 minutes and adding reserved water if needed, until pasta is tender and every patty reaches 160°F.
- Transfer patties to a clean plate. Mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into the simmering pasta for 1 to 2 minutes until the gravy lightly thickens.
- Return patties to the pan, spoon gravy over them and serve one patty with a quarter of the onion pasta per person.
Cheesy Beef and Rice
This is similar to a dish from, of all places, Japan, where rice and gravy with a protein and melted cheese is called "doria." Broccoli is used as a veggie side, but most any steamed green would work.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic for 30 seconds, then drained rice for 1 minute. Add broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Cover tightly, lower heat to low and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Quickly scatter broccoli over the rice, cover again and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until rice is tender and broccoli can be pierced easily. If rice is still firm and the pan looks dry, drizzle in reserved water and cover for another 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and rest covered for 5 minutes. Fold in cheddar gently, cover for 1 minute to melt it and serve.
Pizza Pasta Skillet
A pasta bake so often feels like a rearranged pizza. This dish leans into that similarity, and I think it would be fun to mix in some other cold cuts as well as, or instead of, pepperoni.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook pepperoni in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until its edges curl. Transfer to a plate, leaving 1 teaspoon rendered fat in the pan.
- Add beef and onion and brown over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat and stir in garlic and oregano for 30 seconds.
- Add tomato sauce, broth, ditalini and salt. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 to 13 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and adding reserved water only if needed before pasta becomes tender.
- Stir in olives and half the pepperoni. Scatter mozzarella and remaining pepperoni over the top.
- Cover and heat on low for 3 minutes until cheese melts, then rest off the heat for 2 minutes before serving.
Chili Mac
This isn't chili plus mac and cheese; it's more chili + macaroni with a little cheese on top. The dried ancho chilies really amp up the flavor, and I'd add a couple more.
Ingredients
Method
- Toast opened ancho chiles in a dry deep 12-inch saute pan over medium heat for about 20 seconds per side until fragrant, without blackening them. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cup of soaking water in the same skillet until boiling, pour it over the chiles and soak for 10 minutes. Blend chiles with their soaking water until smooth, following the blender instructions for hot liquid.
- While chiles soak, brown beef and onion in the emptied skillet for 8 minutes until beef reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat and add garlic, tomato paste, cumin and oregano for 1 minute.
- Pour chile puree and broth into the skillet, then add macaroni and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 11 to 14 minutes, stirring often until pasta is tender; add reserved water if needed.
- Remove from heat and rest for 2 minutes. Divide into bowls and top each with a quarter of the grated Jack, letting it soften against the hot pasta.
Beef and Noodles
I generally err on the side of keeping things simple when I'm cooking at home, and I like this recipe because it really is just a simple beef sauce over noodles. It's a particularly good format for chewy, wide-gauge egg noodles.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef, onion, carrot and celery in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium-high heat for 9 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Add garlic for 30 seconds, then the 4 cups broth, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in frozen noodles, separating clumps as they thaw. Return to a gentle simmer, cover loosely and cook 22 to 28 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes, until thick centers are tender; follow a longer package time if needed.
- Add reserved broth a little at a time if the pan tightens before the noodles are done. If excess broth remains after they are tender, simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly saucy.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Rotel Pasta With Ground Beef
Rotel has its committed fans, and if you're one, it's front and center here. The dairy finish adds creaminess, but I'd probably leave it out — try with and without, and see which you like more.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking it finely and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat and stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and chiles with their juices, cavatappi, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until pasta is tender. Add reserved water only as needed to prevent the sauce drying early.
- Lower the heat and stir in milk and cream cheese a few pieces at a time until fully melted, about 2 minutes, without boiling hard.
- Remove from heat and rest for 2 minutes, then serve while the sauce coats the corkscrews loosely.
Creamy Ground Beef Alfredo Pasta
When you use ground meat in an Alfredo, fettuccine probably wouldn't work quite as well as orecchiette. Also, if you're curious about making your own pasta, orecchiette might be the easiest shape for beginners.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles and cooking to 160°F. Spoon off excess fat and stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add orecchiette, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 13 to 16 minutes, stirring often to separate nested pieces, until tender; add reserved water if needed.
- Simmer briefly if more than a shallow coating of broth remains. Stir in butter and cream and heat gently for 1 minute without a hard boil.
- Remove the pan from the burner and wait 1 minute. Fold in Parmesan a small handful at a time until smooth, adding a little remaining reserve water if the coating becomes too tight.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls while the cream sauce remains fluid.
Garlic Butter Pasta With Ground Beef
This simple beef, garlic, and red pepper sauce goes great with any long-strand pasta. For that reason, I'd leave the linguine unbroken.
Ingredients
Method
- Press beef into a broad even layer in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Turn in sections, break into small crumbles and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more until the beef reaches 160°F; drain excess fat.
- Lower heat to medium, add sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute until softened but not dark. Add broth, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and add broken linguine in a loose layer. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 to 13 minutes, lifting and separating strands with tongs every 1 to 2 minutes; add reserved water if the pan dries before pasta is tender.
- Leave a shallow layer of starchy broth in the pan, then remove from heat and toss in butter a piece at a time until the liquid lightly coats the strands.
- Toss in lemon juice and zest and serve immediately without reducing the butter coating further.
French Onion Beef Pasta
I really love pasta with ragu genovese — a sauce of beef shank and onions, cooked down slowly over many hours — but it's hardly a weeknight dish. This hack gets me most of the way there.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and soft. Add up to 1/2 cup measured water a tablespoon at a time to loosen browning before it burns.
- Push onions aside, add beef and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking it finely and stirring it into the onions once browned, until the meat reaches 160°F. Spoon off excess fat.
- Add thyme, pepper, remaining salt and broth and scrape the pan. Bring to a simmer and add broken spaghetti, separating the strands with tongs.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 to 13 minutes until pasta is tender, lifting and stirring often. Use the remaining reserved water as needed to keep a shallow layer of sauce in the pan.
- Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and wait 1 minute. Fold in Gruyere a small handful at a time until melted and serve promptly while the onion sauce is soft.
