BEST Cheeseburger Macaroni (Homemade Hamburger Helper)
Cheeseburger Macaroni is a creamy, flavorful, copycat recipe of Homemade Hamburger Helper that's comforting, all-natural, and easy to make from scratch!
Servings 4 to 6 servings
Calories 440kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk at room temperature
- 8 ounces (2 cups) sharp cheddar freshly grated
- Garlic salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium heat, brown ground beef and garlic; drain grease. Stir in paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix in diced tomatoes, beef broth, and macaroni; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover pan. Simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pasta is tender.
- While the beef/macaroni mixture is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce by placing a medium pot over medium-low to medium heat. Melt butter. Use a whisk to stir in flour, whisking continuously until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk while slowly and gradually adding milk. Whisk until sauce is smooth and thickened, which should take around 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Add grated cheese, ½ cup at a time, stirring until completely melted and smooth before adding more. Once all cheese has been incorporated and the cheese sauce is smooth, stir in garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Once the pasta is tender, pour the cheese sauce over the ground beef/macaroni mixture and stir to combine. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- When making the cheese sauce, it's very important to remove the pot from the heat and then stir in the cheese slowly and gradually, as directed. If you don't make sure the cheese is completely melted and smooth before stirring in additional cheese, the cheese sauce may turn out lumpy.
- Also, using freshly grated cheese is highly recommended since it melts more smoothly than pre-grated cheese, which typically has anti-caking agents added to it.
- This Homemade Hamburger Helper can be made gluten-free by substituting gluten-free pasta (any small shape will work) and using a gluten-free flour for the cheese sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 957IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 382mg | Iron: 3mg