Post Title: **Homemade Hamburger Helper – A Quick And Cheesy Delight**
The total time required to make this recipe is 30 minutes. The preparation time is 10 minutes, and the cooking time is another 20 minutes.
## Introduction
In this post, we are going to teach you how to prepare a delicious homemade hamburger helper; a delightful meal that combines the goodness of ground beef with the creamy richness of Cheddar cheese. This meal is perfect for those hard weekdays when you want something savory and comforting.
## Why Make This Recipe
You might wonder why you should make homemade hamburger helper. The answer is simple- it’s delicious, filling, and easy to prepare. Moreover, it gives you control over the list of ingredients and you can tweak it as per your taste.
## How To Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
This one-pan dinner recipe is all you need to bid goodbye to your hunger after a hard day’s work.
## Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are:
– 1 lb ground beef
– 2 cups elbow macaroni
– 2 1/2 cups beef broth
– 1 cup milk
– 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
– 1 small onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 tbsp tomato paste
– 1 tsp paprika
– 1/2 tsp black pepper
– Salt to taste
– 1 tbsp olive oil
## Directions
The step-by-step directions to prepare Homemade Hamburger Helper are as follows:
1. Heat up olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to it and sauté until the aroma fills your kitchen.
2. Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook it until it turns brown and crumbly, drain off the excess fat.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. Time to throw in the elbow macaroni, beef broth and milk. Stir everything and let it heat until the mix gently boils.
5. Reduce the heat to low, cover your pan and let it simmer for about 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked and the sauce thickens.
6. Remove the pan from heat, add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until it melts and combines well with the pasta, giving a creamy texture.
7. Scoop out your hot and delicious homemade delight and dig in!
## How to Serve Homemade Hamburger Helper
This dish is best served hot. You can have it alone as a fulfilling meal or pair it with toasted garlic bread or green salad for a complete dining experience.
## How to Store Homemade Hamburger Helper
This cheesy delicacy can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It is recommended to reheat on a stovetop or microwave for better taste.
## Tips to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
1. For a richer taste, you can use a blend of different types of cheese.
2. You can experiment with the types of pasta like fusilli or penne for a different texture.
3. To make a vegetarian version of it, substitute ground beef with a vegetarian protein source like tofu or tempeh.
## Variation (if any)
You can replace ground beef with cooked chicken if desired. Also feel free to add more veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms to up the nutrition quotient of the dish.
## FAQs
**1. Can I use half and half instead of milk?**
Yes, you can. Half and half will give the dish richer and creamier. But it also adds more calories.
**2. Can I use other types of cheese?**
Yes, feel free to experiment with your favorite cheese varieties. A Mexican cheese blend or Pepper Jack can take the spicy quotient up a notch.
**3. Can I use other types of pasta?**
Absolutely! Other types of macaroni or even tagliatelle or fusilli will work great in this recipe. Adjust the cooking time accordingly. Overall, we hope this recipe for your homemade hamburger helper brings delight to your dinner table. Enjoy your meal!