Easy Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet (Hamburger Helper Copycat)

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories while still melting well.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often cheaper.

Dice 1/2 onion.

Add 1 pound ground beef and the diced onion to a skillet.

Add 2 teaspoons garlic powder to the skillet.

Brown the ground beef and onion until no longer pink.

Scoot the ground beef to one side of the skillet and soak up excess fat with paper towels using tongs.

Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 tablespoon paprika to the beef mixture and cook until thickened, about 1 minute.

Add 1/4 cup dry sherry (or beef broth) to the skillet and scrape the bottom to release brown bits until evaporated.

Add 3 cups beef broth gradually while scraping the bottom of the pan.

Add 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the mixture and bring to a simmer.

Stir in 2 cups rotini pasta, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for about 18 minutes until pasta is tender.

Stir in 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese until melted and incorporated into the mixture.

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens