Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (2024)

By Gwen Brown 43 Comments

Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (1)You asked for my best hamburger recipe, and this is it! It’s lightening fast, can be on the table in minutes, and pleases even the pickiest palettes. Think of it as a homemade Hamburger Helper recipe, except it’s even yummier. I hope you love it! My family sure does.

It goes on the table in less than 30 minutes, start to finish. I double the recipe, since we’re a family of 6 with teens and big appetites, and it makes a HUGE pan and leaves me some lunch leftovers.

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I like to serve it with a side salad, or raw veggies with ranch dipfor a well rounded meal.Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (2)

Trim Healthy Mama TipsBest Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (3)

Another reason this is the best hamburger recipe, is that itcan easily be made low carb, so it works on plan with the Trim Healthy Mama plan as an S recipe if you useDreamfields pasta. Or you can make it with gluten free pasta if necessary- most gluten free pastas are not Trim Healthy Mama friendly, but you can use (Amazon affiliate links)black bean pasta or quinoa pastas to keep it on plan as a crossover.

This is also really easy to crossover for kids or people who don’t need to lose weight. Simply add some fruit or some garlic toast for those who need to gain or maintain.

Best Hamburger Recipe- EVEN Faster!Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (4)

Some of you have asked for SUPER fast, easy recipes. For those busy nights where you’re running to soccer practice, or coming home late from work. Here are my best tips for making this recipe even faster.

  1. Pre-mix 4-5 extra batches of spices into little snack sized baggies when you make this the first time. Label thebags, and stash them in the pantry for the future.
  2. Pre-brown and drain ground beef, and spread out on a cookie sheet and freeze. Crumble frozen ground beef and freeze in a bag- this can be used in any type of recipe calling for ground beef: tacos, chili, hamburger beef soup, cheeseburger quesadillas, and even this delicious Cheeseburger Helperrecipe. You can brown up several pounds of ground beef on a slower day, and freeze several pounds at once to use for later.
  3. Menu plan (like this!) So you know exactly what to take out to thaw ahead for every meal.

Following these quick steps can get this on the table in less than 15 minutes!Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (5)

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Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (6)

5.0 from 3 reviews

Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper

This is my favorite "get it to the table fast" best hamburger recipe. My whole family loves it! To make it even quicker, premix extra batches of the spices, and keep them on hand for the future.

Author: Gwen

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • spice packet (see below)
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 cup half & half (or sub with additional almond milk- but this is creamier)
  • 4 oz. or 1½ cups pasta- Dreamfields keeps you low carb or THM compiant, but any pasta may be used in this recipe
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, plus more cheese for topping (topping is optional)

Hamburger Helper Spice Packet

  • 2½ teaspoons paprika
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1½ teaspoons onion powder
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon glucomannan thickener or xanthan gum

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef in a skillet or dutch oven that has a lid.
  2. While beef is browning, mix together your spices. (This is a great time to go ahead and measure out a few extra snack sized baggies for the future!)
  3. When the beef is starting to get a deep brown and smell amazing, add in the spices, hot water, almond milk, and half & half.
  4. Stir, and bring to a simmer.
  5. Add pasta to the pot and stir. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 7-8 minutes.
  6. Remove lid & add cheese. Check pasta for doneness. If it's done, simply allow the cheese to melt into the sauce. If your pasta has a few more minutes, return the lid and simmer until the pasta is tender.
  7. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and serve.

Notes

Trim Healthy Mama Notes:
Use Dreamfields Pasta to keep this in an S setting, and avoid reheating, as this breaks down the pasta and makes it higher carb.
If you're gluten free, you can use the black bean or quinoa pastas if you're comfortable with those, and consider it a crossover recipe. Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (8)

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Best Hamburger Recipe- Skillet Cheeseburger Helper - Gwen's Nest (2024)

FAQs

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

How do you make hamburger helper taste better? I think the best way to make HH taste better is to use stock to prepare instead of water. Also enhance flavors by adding a little extra real cheese at the end, topping with an herb, and adding a dollop of sour cream.

How to doctor up Hamburger Helper? ›

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.

Can I cook Hamburger Helper in a cast iron skillet? ›

If you've got a 12-inch cast iron skillet, I'd sure love for you to make it in that. But a large stew pot will work well, or you can even divide this into 2 smaller skillets.

How to cook hamburger for Hamburger Helper? ›

You start by browning a pound of ground beef in a large skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. Just break up the meat so it cooks evenly and drain any extra fat that cooks off. Next, sprinkle the cornstarch and spices over the browned meat and stir them in before adding the hot water or broth, milk, and pasta.

Do you season ground beef for Hamburger Helper? ›

The best seasonings to use for Hamburger Helper are salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning.

What seasonings to add to Hamburger Helper? ›

Mix together the spices (chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and kosher salt) and cornstarch. Cornstarch will help thicken the sauce for a creamier and more silky cheese sauce.

How to enhance boxed Hamburger Helper? ›

A box of Hamburger Helper comes with a cheese-flavored powdered seasoning, but adding real cheese can really make this meal taste more like a homemade version of Hamburger Helper. You probably won't need much cheese to improve the flavor, so add a little at a time and make sure the ratio is right.

Do you absolutely need milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

Absolutely. Since milk adds a creamy texture to the Hamburger Helper sauce, it or its substitutes are recommended as a major ingredient to flavorful Hamburger Helper meals. For best results, choose plant milk or a milk substitute that is sweet or savory, depending on the meal type.

Is Hamburger Helper better with milk or water? ›

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.

Is there anything I shouldn't make in a cast iron skillet? ›

Is There Anything You Shouldn't Cook in Your Cast-Iron Skillet? Experts Weigh In. While there's nothing that's technically off limits, the pros say you should be careful with acidic foods, like tomato or wine sauce, which can corrode the seasoning if left in the pan for too long.

Is there anything you shouldn t cook in a cast iron skillet? ›

Don't Cook Delicate Fish In Cast Iron

Flaky white fish like flounder or tilapia are at risk of falling apart and not flipping well when cooked in cast iron. Even with heartier fish like salmon, the skin is likely to stick to the cast-iron surface, making flipping difficult.

How much water and milk do you put in a cheeseburger Hamburger Helper? ›

Stir in both packets Sauce mix, 2-3/4 cups boiling water, 2¼ cups milk and uncooked Pasta. Microwave uncovered on High 14 to 19 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes, until pasta is tender (sauce will thicken as it stands). Dish will be hot.

What size pan do you need for Hamburger Helper? ›

Cooking Instructions

| Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

How do you make Hamburger Helper taste less bland? ›

Add fresh vegetables to the dish. Brown the ground beef and saute some onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic on the side. Make the sauce, add the veggies and simmer until it is done. Some fresh herbs will liven things up too.

How can I make my burgers more flavorful? ›

Blue cheese, grilled pineapple, or avocado will add a lot of flavor to a classic hamburger. Many, if not all, of these ingredients can already be found in your kitchen and pantry.

What goes good with cheeseburger Hamburger Helper? ›

The best side dishes to serve with Hamburger Helper are mac and cheese, tater tots, blooming onion, zucchini noodles, baked ziti, bacon-wrapped asparagus, garlic bread, green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries, coleslaw, cheddar biscuits, corn on the cob, wedge salad, and hush puppies.

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