Homemade Hamburger Helper

This homemade hamburger helper is a mix between my Cauliflower Cheeseburger Mac and my Mac and Cheese and, guys, I am here for it.  So cheesy and delicious, this Instant Pot Hamburger Helper has hidden cauliflower veggie power that makes it extra creamy without tons of cheese!  Gluten free and 21 Day Fix Approved, too. 

These past few weeks, pasta has been my BFF.  

Anyone else?   

And then one night I was craving both my  Mac and Cheese and my Cauliflower Cheeseburger Mac and had like the most genius idea ever.  Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but I swear it felt like I had just cracked some code of healthy comfort food deliciousness. 

I basically took both of those recipes and made a new, delicious recipe baby – a Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper that uses the cauliflower puree sauce from the  Mac and Cheese but also includes the ground beef from the Cauliflower Cheeseburger Mac.

Heaven. 

Also, thanks to my Instant Pot, this Healthy Hamburger Helper recipe is a one pot meal!  If you don’t have an Instant Pot, don’t worry!  You can make this Hamburger Helper Recipe on the stovetop, too. 

Ingredients For Homemade Hamburger Helper 

• 1 lb ground beef – I love using Butcher Box’s ground sirloin for this recipe, but you can sub ground chicken or ground turkey in this
• 2 cups of gluten free elbows – you can sub whole wheat if you aren’t gluten free
• 3 cups of chicken or beef broth – either is yummy
• 4 cups of cauliflower florets – small head or frozen bag 
• freshly shredded cheddar cheese – freshly shredded cheese is the answer to super creamy mac and cheese.  Tip: you can shred it in your food processor super quick!
• Pecorino Romano – optional, but it gives it a nice punch of flavor.  You can also sub parmesan or just use extra cheddar.
• garlic powder – a must 
• dry mustard – if you don’t have any, you can omit
• Himalayan salt or sea salt 

Tips and tricks for making Instant Pot Hamburger Helper:

1. Be sure you read the whole recipe first before starting!  (That’s a great tip for any recipe!). 
2. After browning your meat, scrape the bottom of your pot to make sure nothing is burned or stuck on the bottom.  If you feel that food is stuck, deglaze with a 1/4 cup of broth.
3. Be sure to layer the pasta on top of the meat but do not stir.  And when you add the broth, try to add it evenly over your noodles if you can. 
4. Use a steam basket to cook your cauliflower right in the instant pot! 
5. If your pasta doesn’t feel cooked all the way or evenly after cooktime, don’t panic!  Stir it all up and then just lay the lid on the pot.  In a couple of minutes, the heat from the pot should finish your pasta!  You can also put it on saute to help this!

Looking for More Easy Instant Pot Pasta Dishes?  Check these out:

Instant Pot Sausage Broccoli Pasta (21 Day Fix)

Instant Pot Enchilada Pasta [21 Day Fix | WW | Gluten Free]

Healthy Instant Pot Baked Ziti | 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Baked Ziti [Gluten-free]

Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac [21 Day Fix | Gluten-Free | StoveTop Option]

21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage (Gluten Free | Instant Pot Option)

Healthy Hamburger Helper

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Nancylynn
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 minutes
• Total Time: 8 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Instant Pot | Stove
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This homemade hamburger helper is a mix between my Cauliflower Cheeseburger Mac and my Mac and Cheese and, guys, I am here for it.  So creamy and delicious, but with hidden cauliflower veggie power that makes this dish extra creamy without tons of cheese!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

2 cups of gluten free elbows 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp Himalayan salt

2 1/4 cups chicken broth or beef broth, divided use

4 cups of cauliflower florets – small head or frozen bag 

2 cups of freshly shredded cheddar cheese (About 1 block) 

2 T pecorino romano (optional)

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Instructions

Instant Pot

1. Set Instant Pot to Saute and add in ground beef.  Brown meat, then stir in garlic powder, dry mustard, and salt.  Layer pasta on top, but don’t stir, then top with 2 cups of broth.  Then place the cauliflower florets in a steam basket on top of the beef and pasta mixture.  Lock lid. 
2. Set Instant Pot for 3 minutes. After cook time, do a quick release.  
3. Remove cauliflower and place in a blender with ¼-½ cup of broth and puree. You should have about 2 cups of the puree; if you have more, freeze to use later. Stir in the puree, stir it into the pasta mixture along with the shredded cheese.  Keep stirring until all the cheese is melted. 
4. Serve and enjoy!

Stovetop

1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot or dutch oven.
2. Stir in the seasoning and then add the 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add pasta to the pot, and cook according to the directions on the box or until tender, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking.  Do not drain.
4. Meanwhile, steam your cauliflower in a separate pot or microwave until fork tender.
5. Remove cauliflower and place in a blender with 1/4 cup of broth and puree.  You should have about 2 cups of the puree; if you have more, freeze to use later.
6. Stir in cauliflower puree and cheese into pasta and keep stirring until all the cheese is melted. 
7. Serve and enjoy!

Equipment

Steam Basket

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Ninja Foodi

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Instant Pot

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Notes

Recipe makes 6 servings

21 Day Fix Containers – 1 yellow, 3/4 green, 3/4 Red, 1 blue (per serving)

WW: Green- 11 points; Blue- 11 points; Purple 11 points (per serving) – calculated using 95% lean ground beef and reduced fat cheese

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Keywords: Homemade Hamburger Helper, Hamburger Helper, Hamburger Helper Recipe, Instant Pot Hamburger Helper, Gluten Free Hamburger Helper Recipe, WW Hamburger Helpe, Hamburger Helper with Cauliflower