Cheesy Homemade Hamburger Helper
Make easy and cheesy Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe in just one skillet! This family favorite is ready in 30 minutes, kids and adults love it, and it makes the easiest weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef I like using lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced garlic is about 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells uncooked, 8 ounces is about 2 cups
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes canned, undrained
- 6 ounces tomato paste 6 ounces equals 2/3 cup
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground beef until brown all the way through, about 6-9 minutes, stirring as needed. Drain any excess grease from the meat and place on paper towels to drain if needed.
- Put the diced onion and minced garlic with the beef in the pan. Stir occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper and stir well.
- Place the dry pasta shells, water, diced tomatoes with the juice, and tomato paste into the pan. Stir well to combine.
- Turn the heat up to medium high heat and bring the entire pan to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to simmer at medium low heat. Simmer covered for 12-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stirring occasionally can help prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the heat. Add the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan to the top, then cover the pan for about 2 minutes to let the cheese melt. Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
If the pasta starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, you can add a little bit of water or broth. Temperature control can vary a little bit between different stove tops, which can occasionally cause the liquid to cook off too fast if the stovetop runs a little hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Potassium: 1181mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1067IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 392mg | Iron: 6mg