Homemade Hamburger Helper
This copycat hamburger helper is free of the top 8 allergens and is a kid friendly and delicious dinner. A one pot meal packed with flavor that comes together quickly making it the perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family.
About this Recipe
For many people Hamburger Helper was a staple of their childhood. A quick and easy boxed meal that required little effort and still tasted good. For those with allergies boxed meals are not typically an option. While there are more choices now than there was in my childhood, many of them are extremely expensive and often not very good.
This copycat Hamburger Helper is allergy free as well as being quick and easy. As an added bonus this homemade version is still a one pot meal so there are very few dishes to wash. While there are a few more steps than the boxed version the increase in flavor is worth it. I have also included some fresh onion, garlic, and bell pepper which are optional but really add to the dish.
Ingredients & Assembly
The ingredients in this recipe are simple, kid-friendly, and cost effective. If you have a well-stocked pantry and spice cabinet, you may even have everything on hand already.
- Lean ground beef – the leaner the beef the less fat you will have to remove after browning. If you leave a lot of fat the dish will be very greasy.
- Onion – you can add as much or as little as you want, we like about 1 cup of small, diced onion. If you follow a low FODMAP diet this can be omitted completely.
- Green bell pepper – this ingredient is optional and not in the classic boxed version. Like the onion you can add as much or as little as you want. In our house we love peppers and add a whole bell pepper.
- Galic – If you follow a low FODMAP diet this can be omitted completely, or you can use Gourmend’s garlic scape powder.
- Paprika – you can use any type of paprika you like. We typically use a Hungarian sweet paprika but smoked paprika would add a nice flavor as well.
- Chili powder – a good quality chili powder blend or straight chili powder such as ancho
- Cayenne pepper – this is another optional ingredient. If you are spice averse leave this out altogether. If your family loves spicy food you can add extra and give your hamburger helper a kick.
- Salt & Pepper – every recipe needs salt and pepper
- Tomato paste – tomato paste will act as both a thickener and a flavor enhancer. It could be substituted with tomato sauce if you do not have tomato paste but the dish would need to be cooked down longer.
- Beef broth – this makes up half of the cooking liquid
- Dairy free milk – any natural dairy free milk would work here.
- Pasta – use your favorite gluten free pasta. We highly recommend Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. Elbows are what is used in the boxed version, but you can use any shape you like.
This is a 30min recipe, it comes together quickly and easily.
- Preparation – Begin by preparing your veggies. Cut the onion and bell pepper into small pieces. If you are leaving the pepper and onion out, you can skip this step.
- Sauté – Using a large deep skillet to brown your ground beef, removing any excess fat leaving only enough to sauté the pepper and onion. Once the beef is fully browned add the peppers and onion cooking until pepper is soft, and onion is translucent. Add garlic and spices sauteing until they become more fragrant, just 2-3 minutes. Toasting your spices will enhance the flavors and improve the taste of the dish.
- Sauce – Pour in the non-dairy milk, broth, and tomato paste. Stir until the paste is well incorporated.
- Simmer – bring the liquid to a boil and then pour in the pasta. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is tender. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Serve – Once the pasta is fully cooked the dish is ready to be served. If you prefer cheeseburger helper, you can top with your favorite non-dairy cheese.
To serve this simply spoon the hamburger helper into bowls and enjoy. This homemade hamburger helper is an entire meal on its own especially if you include the onion and peppers for vegetables. If you are trying to make this stretch, you can serve with a side veggie of choice and some bread.
Tips and Substitutions
You should always make a recipe your own and adjust it to your personal taste and dietary needs. Here are some common substitutions that can be made.
- Beef broth – this can be substituted with chicken broth, vegetable broth, or more dairy-free milk.
- Dairy Free Milk – Any type of dairy free milk can be used here but the more natural the better. If you use a strongly flavored milk, such as coconut, that flavor will come through the dish. If you do not have any diary free milk on hand you can substitute beef broth. If you are not dairy free regular dairy milk will also work.
- Gluten free pasta – Any type suitable for your diet will work. If you are not gluten free you can use regular noodles.
- Dairy free cheese – Nutritional yeast can be stirred in at the end of cooking to add a cheesy flavor without the use of a dairy free cheese.
There are some common pitfalls with allergy free cooking. Here are some tips to avoid those in this recipe.
- Gluten free pasta tends to contain a lot of starch. It needs frequent gentle stirring to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you overcook your pasta or stir too rough it will fall apart and turn into mush.
- Dairy free milk type matters. This dish has a lot of flavors but it’s not super bold. It will not cover up a strongly flavored milk such as coconut. If you don’t mind the flavor of coconut milk, feel free to use it. The high fat content will make the dish very creamy.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small onion optional
- 1 bell pepper optional
- 1 tsp garlic powder If you follow a low FODMAP diet this can be omitted completely, or you can use Gourmend’s garlic scape powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ⅛ - ¼ tsp cayenne powder If you are spice averse leave this out altogether
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 ½ cups dairy free milk any dairy free milk would work here
- 2 cups pasta
Instructions
- Prepare your veggies. Dice the onion and bell pepper into small pieces. If you are leaving the pepper and onion out, you can skip this step.
- Use a large deep skillet and brown your ground beef, removing any excess fat leaving only enough to sauté the pepper and onion.
- Once the beef is fully browned add the peppers and onion cooking until pepper is soft, and onion is translucent.
- Add the 1 tsp garlic powder½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp chili powder, ⅛ - ¼ tsp cayenne powder, and salt & pepper to the skillet sauteing until they become more fragrant, just 2-3 minutes.
- Add in 1 ½ cups beef broth, 1 ½ cups dairy free milk, and 1 tbsp tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is well incorporated.
- Bring the liquid to a boil then pour in the 2 cups pasta. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is tender. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- When the pasta is fully cooked the dish is ready to be served. If you prefer cheeseburger helper, you can top with your favorite non-dairy cheese.
Notes
- Beef broth – this can be substituted with chicken broth, vegetable broth, or more dairy-free milk.
- Dairy Free Milk – Any type of dairy free milk can be used here but the more natural the better. If you use a strongly flavored milk, such as coconut, that flavor will come through the dish. If you do not have any diary free milk on hand you can substitute beef broth. If you are not dairy free regular dairy milk will also work.
- Gluten free pasta – Any type suitable for your diet will work. If you are not gluten free you can use regular noodles.
- Dairy free cheese – Nutritional yeast can be stirred in at the end of cooking to add a cheesy flavor without the use of a dairy free cheese.