Homemade Healthy Hamburger Helper Recipe - Family Fresh Meals (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to Hamburger Helper to make it better? ›

Here are some recommended swaps and add-ins you can try: Add a boost of veggies: feel free to throw in shredded zucchini, sauteed chopped red bell pepper, or mushrooms or a few cups of chopped spinach! My kids usually never know that it's in there. Spice it up: if you'd like you can add some red pepper flakes on top.

Yes! Although traditionally Hamburger Helper has called for meat additions, these ingredients can be easily substituted by your choice of protein. Instead of meat, you can add vegetables or a meat alternative of your choice to Hamburger Helper meals to make them plant-based.

Pasta: I love cavatappi noodles or elbow macaroni, but any small pasta will work like bowtie pasta or even egg noodles. Lean ground beef: Or sub ground turkey, ground chicken, ground sausage, etc. to change up the flavor or make this a little healthier.

Once the ground beef is browned, add steak seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and oregano. Stir well and add the beef broth, milk, tomato sauce, A1 Steak seasoning, and about 2 1/2 cups of pasta.

Milk adds a creamy texure and lends its flavor to the sauce in Hamburger Helper. You may not enjoy the results made with only water. Betty's Emrgency Substitutions page suggests a substitution for a cup of milk: 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water; or nonfat dry milk prepared as directed on package.

Make sure to use the unsweetened and unflavored version [2]. Butter: Butter can be used as a substitute for milk to make the sauce rich and creamy. It adds a delicious flavor to the dish [2].

Easy Hamburger Helper ingredients

Water: or you can use beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth to add extra flavor. Milk: adds to the creaminess along with the cheddar cheese. You could sub sour cream if you were feeling like experimenting in the kitchen.

Add milk, hot water and sauce mix (from Hamburger Helper™ box); stir to combine. Stir in uncooked pasta (from Hamburger Helper™ box) and tuna. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Why was Hamburger Helper discontinued? ›

High-end consumers are shifting toward fresher items with fewer processed ingredients while cost-conscious shoppers are buying inexpensive store brands. The makers of staples including Chef Boyardee canned pasta and Hamburger Helper meal kits failed to spot the threat and didn't innovate in time.

Another option is to try the tried-and-tested kitchen hack of using a little hamburger helper and an egg. Do you remember Hamburger Helper? It used to be a go-to kitchen staple back in the day. My mom would use it frequently to whip up a quick and delicious burger that the whole family loved.

Hamburger Helper Reformulates Its Box Meals

But faster cooking time isn't the only big change in Hamburger Helper. The company also adjusted sauces, pasta, and flavor ingredients based on consumer feedback. You can expect robust herbs, spices, and flavors in the entire product lineup.

As boxed, it consists of a dried carbohydrate (often pasta or rice), with powdered seasonings contained in a packet. The consumer is meant to combine the contents of the box with browned ground beef ("hamburger"), water, and, with some varieties, milk to create a complete one-dish meal.

Add 2 1/4 cups of milk and 2 2/3 cups of hot water to the pan, along with the pasta and seasoning mix from the Hamburger Helper package. Stir everything well and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

Water can be used as a substitute for milk in Hamburger Helper. Keep in mind that using water will result in a more basic flavor profile compared to using milk, as milk adds creaminess and richness. However, it can still produce a tasty and satisfying dish.