It doesn’t have to be hard to make a tasty, filling meal that the whole family will love. The homemade cheeseburger hamburger is here. It’s warm, cheesy, and juicy, and it tastes like the good old days. But because it’s made with fresh ingredients, it’s better for you. This homemade version of the popular boxed dinner takes the standard to a new level by adding better flavours and leaving out the fake ingredients and chemicals. This simple one-pot dish is great for busy weeknights or whenever you want a warm dinner that everyone will enjoy.
This Homemade Hamburger Helper is a quick and easy dinner for picky eaters that you can make during the week. It’s easy and quick, and everyone in the family loves it because it only takes one pot to make. A lot of people like the cheeseburger macaroni hamburger helper, and it’s always the best. It’s easy to clean up after this one-pot meal, and the taste is good for kids. It’s easy to make, tastes great, and is great for busy weeknights because it’s cheesey.
It tastes good because of the spices, and the cheese and pasta make it cosy. Prices at the store have been crazy lately, so this recipe is also a good deal. Some other things are added to the pasta and ground beef that make up the base of the dish. Most of the items are likely already in your kitchen, and the extras are great the next day. If you want to save money on dinner while still enjoying a tasty dish, this one-pot meal is a great choice.
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ToggleWhy Make Homemade Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper?
There are a number of benefits that come with making cheeseburger hamburger helper at home as compared to purchasing it in a box from the supermarket. Not only does it have a more flavourful and fresher taste,. But it also enables modification and may be adjusted to meet specific dietary requirements or personal tastes.
Because of this process, a lot of the fake tastes, colours, and materials that are often found in prepared foods are taken out. When you prepare anything from scratch, you are aware of everything that goes into it, and you have the ability to change the components in order to improve the nutritional value of the dish or simply to respond to the preferences of your family.
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
If you follow a step-by-step guide, it’s easy to make a great homemade hamburger helper. To make a rich and flavourful dish, you need to use fresh ingredients that taste like a real cheeseburger. Here is how to make this comfort food at home in a way that you will enjoy.
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Get the ingredients ready: First, get all of the items together. For the base, you'll need cheese, broth, ground beef, pasta, and some spices.
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Brown the beef: Put the ground beef in a pan and heat it over medium-low heat. Break it up into bits as it cooks so that it turns brown all the way through.
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Add Seasonings: Once the beef is brown, add the seasonings. For a great flavour boost, mix in the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning.
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Put in the Pasta and Liquid: Add the raw pasta and mix in the beef broth and milk. Put the lid on top and let it cook on low heat until the pasta is soft.
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Incorporate Cheese and Cream: Finally, add some heavy whipped cream and chopped cheddar cheese to make it smooth and cheesy.
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Serve and Have Fun: Put it in bowls and enjoy a home-cooked meal that the whole family will love.
Can You Freeze Hamburger Helper?
Absolutely! Because it can be frozen for a long time, homemade hamburger helper is an ideal choice for dinner preparation. This is one of the many attractive features of this dish. Having frozen:
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Cool All the Way Down: Make sure the dish is completely room temperature before putting it in the freezer.
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Portion and Pack: Put the hamburger helper into containers or bags that can go in the fridge.
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Label and Store: Write the date on each bottle and put it away. You can freeze this for up to three months.
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Reheating: Chill the dish overnight in the fridge, then heat it on the stove with a splash of milk or broth to make it smooth again.
Medium Pasta Shells
It is possible to make homemade cheeseburger hamburger helper using medium pasta shells in addition to elbow macaroni, which is the traditional option as well. The cheesy and meaty sauce is contained inside the hollow centres of these shells, which results in a delicious explosion of flavour with every mouthful. The texture and form of medium shells are able to maintain their shape and texture throughout the cooking process, which makes them an excellent alternative to classic macaroni.
Ground Beef
The base of cheeseburger hamburger helper is made up of ground beef, which is an essential ingredient that gives the meal its important and delicious flavour. Choose a ground beef combination that is 80/20 (80% lean and 20% fat) if you want to strike a healthy balance between flavour and protein content. If you are trying to cut down on fat, you can also use alternatives that are lower in fat. You may use ground turkey or chicken for a version that is simpler and less heavy.
Beef Bone Broth
It is suggested that you use beef bone broth rather than standard beef broth in order to get a greater quality and profound flavour. Because it includes a greater quantity of minerals and collagen, bone broth imparts a more thick and richer texture to the sauce while also improving the delicious flavour profile of the meal. You may use typical beef broth as an ideal alternative to bone broth in the event that you do not have a source of bone broth.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
The ingredient that gives this meal its unique cheeseburger flavour is shredded cheddar cheese, which is the dish’s main ingredient. In order to provide the sauce with a smooth and creamy texture that links all of the components together. Sharp cheddar is melted into the sauce in a smooth manner. Instead of purchasing pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking ingredients that hinder smooth melting. You should shred the cheese yourself from a block for the finest possible results.
Flour: Homemade Cheeseburger
Although wheat is not something that is generally used in cheeseburger hamburger helper. It may be used as a thickening agent in homemade variations of the dish. When the onion and garlic are being cooked, adding a tiny quantity of flour helps to form a roux. Which thickens the sauce as it simmers, resulting in a texture that is creamy and beautiful.
Onion: Homemade Cheeseburger
The handmade cheeseburger hamburger helper is enhanced with a sweet and spicy flavour when chopped onion is added. If you sauté the onion until it becomes transparent and soft, you will allow it to combine with the garlic and the meat. Which will result in a flavour profile that is more delicate and powerful, which will elevate the meal as a whole.
Tomato Sauce
You can create an equilibrium between the richness of the meat and cheese by including a little tomato sauce in your homemade hamburger. This will provide a subtle sweetness and acidity. When it comes to adding depth to the flavour, you don’t need much—just a tiny can or even. A few teaspoons may be a lot.
Olive Oil
Although the cooking process of ground beef results in the release of fat. It is necessary to use a tiny quantity of olive oil in order to sauté the onion and garlic. While keeping these components from following to the pan, olive oil enables them to bring out their flavors and prevents them from sticking. In addition, it imparts a wholesome and understated richness to the meal.
Paprika
The cheeseburger hamburger helper is enhanced with a taste that is somewhat smokey and toasty thanks to the addition of paprika. If you want a richer and more powerful flavor, you may use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika. Sweet paprika has a more subtle flavor profile. Whatever the case may be, paprika is an essential component for completing the dish’s spice.
Garlic Powder
While the fact that fresh garlic is delicious, garlic powder provides a more concentrated taste that works well with the ground beef and cheese together. Even without the bother of slicing cloves, you can add that different garlic smell to any dish by using a small amount of garlic powder.
Italian Seasoning
While the use of Italian spice in a cheeseburger meal may not be considered typical. The mix of herbs such as oregano, basil, and thyme that it contains gives an earthy and aromatic flavor. It is a perfect match to the richness of the meat and cheese. To provide the meal with a mild herby taste, only a sprinkle is all that is required.
Heavy Whipping Cream
The trick to making a sauce that is richly creamy is to use heavy whipping cream. This contributes a silky smoothness that works well with the melted cheese to produce a sauce that binds to both the meat and the pasta. Only a small amount is required to have the desired effect of making the meal luxurious without becoming excessive.
Why Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper is a Weeknight Favorite
There are lots of reasons why people love cheeseburger hamburger helper homemade. It’s easy to clean up because it only takes one pan and is quick to make. This is a great meal to make when you’re short on time or money because the ingredients are cheap and often things you already have in your kitchen. The taste of a cheeseburger in a hearty pasta dish is appealing to everyone, even kids and picky eaters. Whether you add more veggies or a different kind of cheese, you can make it exactly the way your family likes it. This recipe works every time and will quickly become a family favorite.