by Holly
Ok, if there is one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I could literally eat macaroni and cheese 3 times/day… 7 days a week. Oh, every single day.. forever.
And.. I LOVE the boxed kind and I love Hamburger Helper. All the macaroni, homemade, baked, boiled, slow cooked, boxed, frozen.. every single one of them I love.
Well, this is in my top two. Yes, I just said that! It’s in my TOP 2 (along with my Ultra Creamy Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese)!! That means wow, it’s super awesome! To me, it’s a super close match to the boxed Hamburger Helper but you know each and every ingredient in this recipe!
The best part, it’s 20 minutes start to finish!
Click print here ↓
Cheeseburger Macaroni (Stove Top)
Prep Time 5 minutesCook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 6
You will never buy the boxed kind again after trying this start to finish 30 minute recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups uncooked macaroni noodles
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, sugar and paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine cornstarch, garlic powder, sugar, pepper and paprika. Set aside.
- Brown ground beef & onion in a pan until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Add milk, broth and macaroni to beef. Stir in cornstarch and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 9-12 minutes or until noodles are cooked.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 424, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 405mg, Potassium: 485mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 435IU, Vitamin C: 4.1mg, Calcium: 325mg, Iron: 2.2mg
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Keyword cheeseburger macaroni
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
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I added bbq sauce and it kicked it up a level
Thank you for a great recipe! I like that it is so simple and easily adjusted to add other things. I had one small issue, however.
I find it odd/mildly frustrating that this recipe is for 1 1/2 cups of pasta instead of just a whole box (2 cups). Measuring the pasta adds an extra step and leaves me with a 3/4 empty box of pasta that I have to throw in somewhere else or if I add the extra pasta I have to do math (my nemesis)
Did you test this with 2 cups of pasta? Are the ratios for liquid to pasta the same when you add the extra 1/2 lb of pasta – 2:1 liquid to pasta?
Thanks!
If you click the Print button on the recipe card, you can adjust the number of servings on the recipe. Hope that helps!
Had a pasty texture with the cornstarch which didn’t fare well with the family unfortunately.
I’m sorry to hear that your family didn’t love this macaroni as much as mine does Tina. Thanks for trying it.
love all your recipes, thank you!!!
Thank you Sherry!
This was a very easy to make and quick to the table!
This is the best comfort food and none of the guilt of the boxed stuff. Just homemade goodness here. :) Delish!
How much is a serving?
Hi Carrie, each serving is about 1 to 1 ½ cups.
I have made this several times. I make it for my daughter but my whole family loves it. Simple and tasty.
Pinned! Delish! Couldn’t find my older recipe that had the roux mix. Found this and made as written. So much more simple than my old recipe! Only difference was I added a pinch of red pepper for my taste!
Not a fan!! Dry and too much onion.
Sorry to hear that Karen, we have always found this recipe nice and creamy every time we make it.
This was easy when you prep all your ingredients ahead of time. I added American cheese (1 1/2 cups) along with the 2 cups of Sharp Cheddar cheese. Plus, because I used 2 lbs of ground beef, I doubled the dry ingredients of spices. It was delicious!
Those additions sounds delicious Rachel! Thanks for sharing.
Holly I came across your website recently and have tried several of your delicious recipes. Simple, recipes with whole, healthy ingredients Yum! My family has loved each one and this Cheeseburger macaroni casserole is no exception. Thank you so much for sharing! You are awesome!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so glad you found my site and have enjoyed the recipes!
Delicious, quick, and homemade. Kids loved and so did I!
So happy to hear that! My kids love it too!
Delicious! I’m a hamburger helper fan. I often make this as stated, and times I add an extra ingredient or two. A little dab of sour cream, fresh diced tomatoes are my favorites. Thank you!
We had this for dinner tonight and quickly decided it will be added to our regular rotation. I made it exactly as written and it was so delicious. My picky kids, ages 3 and 7, ate their entire helping without looking up from their bowls. Yum!
PS – this is the fourth recipe from Holly I have made, all of which have been delicious. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your kind words. I a so glad your family liked this recipe! My kids have always loved this one too!
Hey girl!! I’m cooking this tonight for my son and I have chicken stock instead of broth. Should I add a little water to dilute it some?
Chicken stock and broth can be used interchangeably in this recipe Charmain. Enjoy! You can learn more about the difference between stock and broth if you’re interested.
Tried this tonight and it was delicious! Definitely going to make it again! Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, so glad you love it Becka!