All of that said, my mom absolutely took short-cuts. She was a busy mom with three kids and I totally get it. Boxed meals didn’t happen often, but they sure did happen. I wonder a bit now, if she would have been excited if someone had given her my delicious homemade hamburger helper recipe. I think she would have adored the fact that it comes together with ingredients she could easily keep on hand. She would have reveled in the fact that she could easily make it vegetarian by swapping out the ground beef for tofu. And she would have been elated that it all comes together in just 25 minutes. I hope this recipe brings you and your family all the same delight that I know it would have brought her.
Ground beef: A higher fat content (like 80/20) works best because we use the grease from cooking the beef to cook the vegetables and create a roux. You could also sub ground turkey for a lighter option, but know you may have to add some olive oil since there won’t be as much grease as ground beef. Pasta: Elbow macaroni is the classic pasta of choice, but any small pasta such as shells or bowtie pasta would work. Tomato paste: This thick ingredient is just tomatoes that have been cooked and pureed, with no added sweetener or seasonings. It adds to the cheeseburger flavor of the dish that is part of the classic hamburger helper. Beef stock: Builds up the sauce while also adding savory flavor. Worcestershire sauce: Adds a savory flavor to elevate the sauce. Shredded cheese: Makes the sauce extra creamy and smooth. See my tip below about grating it yourself from a block.
Use plenty of water. Pasta expands while it cooks, so you need more than just enough to cover it in the pot. A pound of pasta needs four to six quarts of water. Salt your water. Add one teaspoon of kosher salt to your water before you add the dry noodles to add flavor to the pasta. Make sure the water is really boiling. You want to see large, constant bubbles in your pot before you add the noodles. Set a timer. As soon as you dump your noodles into the boiling water, set a timer according to the package directions so your pasta isn’t overcooked.
Be sure to fully whisk the flour into the pan so that you don’t get any taste of it. When you add the beef stock, start slow by adding just a few tablespoons at a time, allowing it to be mixed in before adding more. The more you add, the faster you can add it.
