Homemade Lasagna Hamburger Helper

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My kiddos love hamburger helper, and I love finding ways to recreate it with fresher ingredients, just like in this Homemade Hamburger Helper Lasagna recipe. It’s so easy to make, you won’t miss the boxed mix. This is really a recipe the whole family will love. If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll also like our One Pot Chili Mac!

This recipe makes for a super simple and easy weeknight dinner. Here’s what you’ll need to make it-

Homemade Lasagna Hamburger Helper Ingredients

• 3 oz. can of tomato paste
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cups chicken stock (or chicken broth)
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups of Campanella pasta or Mafalda pasta
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

I love recreating hamburger helper style dishes with real ingredients, and the process is really not all that much more involved, it just requires a little veggie prep before hand, but over all the prep time isn’t that much more than making boxed mix hamburger helper if you plan ahead. Here’s how to make this recipe-

How to Make Homemade Lasagna Hamburger Helper

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium high heat, chopping as you go.

2. Drain the excess fat from the brown beef in a colander, then return to the pan.

3. Add chicken stock, tomato paste, onion powder, basil, and sugar.

4. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

5. Reduce to low to medium heat, add heavy cream and noodles, cover, and continue to cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are to your preference.

6. Once noodles are cooked al dente, stir in cheeses.

7. Cook 2-3 minutes more, until cheeses are melted and everything is heated through nicely.

Optional, you can top this with fresh basil, fresh parsley, or a dollop of ricotta cheese. For a bit of spice, a pinch of red pepper flakes would be delicious, as well.

Enjoy with garlic bread and a side salad!

Homemade Hamburger Helper FAQs

How can I add more veggies into this meal?

It would be so easy to add some veggies into this meal. If you feel up to chopping, you can easily add 1/2 a medium chopped onion in place of the onion powder. Simply saute for 2-3 minutes, until translucent, with the beef before you drain the fat. You could also easily add a can of diced tomatoes, either drain the juice or add 1-2 minutes to the cook time for that liquid to simmer down. We also love chopping up fresh bell pepper into dishes like this. You would do bell peppers like you do the onion and cook them for just a bit before adding the other ingredients in. If you chop them small enough they get mixed into the ground beef and my kids don’t even realize it is there.

What if I can’t find the weird pastas?

While both of those pastas are the perfect miniature lasagna noodle, I know special pastas can be hard to find sometimes. Worst case scenario you can absolutely just buy lasagna noodles and break them up into small pieces. Easy peasy.

How do I get the cheese to melt well?

Shredded cheese is so easy and convenient, but it doesn’t always melt very well. For the best results, buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. If it makes way more cheese than you need, you can put it into a freezer bag, squeeze out all of the air, and freeze it until ready to use the rest.

Do I have to use ground beef?

You don’t! Use ground turkey or any meat you wish. Italian sausage would be a delicious alternative.

I hope you enjoy this homemade hamburger helper lasagna. It doesn’t get easier than this homemade verison, a one pot meal that really reminds us of our favorite comfort food. Remember you can store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. If you need to bring some life back to it you can easily add a bit of tomato sauce or marinara sauce and stir it together before microwaving. Yum! It makes for the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner. If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like these other delicious dinner ideas!

Easy One Pot Lasagna Soup

Cajun Sausage and Shrimp Alfredo

For a printable version of this hamburger helper lasagna recipe, see below!