Description
A nutritious twist on the classic Hamburger Helper, packed with lean beef, vegetables, and creamy pasta, all cooked to perfection in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Lean ground beef
- ½ medium onion (diced)
- 1½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 1½ cups milk (any kind)
- 1½ cups tomato pasta sauce
- 1 bell pepper (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups dry uncooked macaroni (350–380 grams)
- ½ cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet until no longer pink; drain excess fat.
- Transfer the beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add broth, milk, pasta sauce, bell pepper, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- 15 minutes before serving, turn to high and stir in the macaroni. Add extra liquid if needed.
- Stir in the cheese and cover for 2-3 minutes until melted.
Notes
Feel free to swap ingredients based on personal preferences, such as using ground turkey or replacing pasta with vegetables for a low-carb version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: comfort food, hamburger helper, slow cooker, quick meals, family recipes