Cozy Homemade Hamburger Helper
I loved cheesy hamburger helper as a kid and haven’t had it in probably 35+ years. I think of this dish often with great affection. I decided I wanted to try to recreate it with fresher ingredients, lower sodium and a protein rich pasta. I’m definitely not declaring this the most healthy version we can do. However, it’s definitely a better, nutritious option we can feel better about, that really hits that nostalgic craving! It’s a one pot wonder that’s a quick and cozy, bowl food dinner; perfect any time of year!
Prep: 5 minutes
Total time: About 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 pound (80/20) ground beef
1 small onion yellow onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
3½ cups beef stock
1- 8 ounce package of uncooked Banza elbows pasta made from chickpeas
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (Tillamook is our favorite)
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chives, diced
Instructions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the beef and cook until browned halfway.
Push meat to one side of the skillet to continue browning.
Add the chopped onion to the empty side of the pan. Using the oil of the meat, sauté the onion until it’s just translucent.
Stir in the fresh garlic to the onion side and sauté until the garlic is fragrant--( about 30 seconds). Be careful to not let the garlic burn–
Mix the two sides of the pan so beef, onion and garlic are combined together well.
Add chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder, stirring them in well.
Add the tomato paste and beef broth, mix in well.
Increase to medium high heat. Once it starts bubbling, add the uncooked Banza pasta and mix in well.
Cover the skillet and reduce heat to simmer. Let it cook until the pasta is tender, about 12-15 minutes. (Stir occasionally and start checking pasta tenderness at 10 minutes to avoid over cooking))
When pasta is tender, add cream, ricotta cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir until everything is well blended and the sauce mixture is creamy.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle with chives or fresh herbs of choice.
Serve in bowls and enjoy!!
Tip: This recipe has this dish at the top of its game, however it’s still delicious if you want to substitute milk for the cream or skip the ricotta. As always, try to find other recipes to utilize all of the ingredients you buy to avoid waste. Ie; Ricotta can be used in other pasta dishes, creamy soups, pancake mix and on toast or crackers with honey and other toppings.