Hamburger Mac and Cheese / Homemade Hamburger Helper
Hamburger Mac and Cheese is a like a homemade Hamburger Helper. A quick, one-pot meal with ground beef and macaroni in a creamy cheesy sauce.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- Canola oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups whole milk room temperature
- 3 cups dry macaroni noodles or any short pasta
- 2 ounces cream cheese room temp, cubed
- 1 ½ cups freshly shredded block medium cheddar cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded block colby jack cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Black pepper to taste
- Optional garnish: Freshly minced parsley or chives
Instructions
- Measure out milk and broth into a large measuring cup. Set aside.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add a drizzle of oil, followed by the ground beef. Season with salt, cook and break up the meat with a wooden spoon until most of the pink is cooked out.
- Add in the onions and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the dijon, chicken broth, milk and pasta. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the pasta is cooked through, remove from heat and stir in the cheeses and black pepper, stirring until the cheese is melted. Stir in the heavy cream. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk, the sauce will thicken a lot as it stands.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with more cheese, and fresh parsley or chives if desired.
Notes
Before adding the broth and milk to the ground beef, measure and set them out on the counter so they are at room temperature when they are added to the pot. This helps to prevent any fats from the beef from seizing up and solidifying.
Nutrition
Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 677mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1085IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 576mg | Iron: 3mg
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