My husband loves hamburger helper. Problem is it is pretty high in sodium, has preservatives (understandably) and artificial dyes. I came up with generic hamburger helper and now he prefers it to the box.
I usually make it with fresh tomato sauce from the garden, but I will use canned sauce as well. I try to get the low sodium version and add other spices instead when using cans.
This is a pretty simple recipe if you’ve ever made the box kind. Brown the meat, add the sauce, spices and noodles and simmer.
Every once in a while, I will add a bit of salt if I’m feeling spunky. But typically, I don’t find it necessary and it only enhances the flavor a bit so I usually leave it out as it’s healthier for your heart.
This blog has been without much chatter as this is intended to be a quick meal (I have it on the table in less than 1/2 hour from start to finish) and no one has time to read a novella on faux or generic hamburger helper. If you would like another quick pasta recipe, check out this one.
Homemade Hamburger Helper Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16oz) ground beef
- 2 cups (16oz) hot water
- 1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cups (4oz) penne pasta
- ¼ cup (2oz) parmesan cheese
- 2 tbs (25g) sugar
- 1 tbs (9g) cornstarch or all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (4g) Italian seasoning blend
- 1 – 3 tsp (1 – 3g) red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp (1g) garlic powder
- ¼ tsp (.5g) onion powder
Instructions
- Brown hamburger on medium heat 8 – 10 minutes in a 12 inch pan. Break up the ground meat into small pieces and stir as it is cooking. Drain off excess grease; return meat to pan.
- In a small dish, mix the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Add garlic, Italian seasoning blend, onion powder, red pepper flakes, cornstarch mixture, tomato sauce, sugar, water and noodles to the pan. Stir well.
- Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Top with parmesan cheese.
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