A super easy one pot dish that's cheesy, flavorful and done in 30 minutes! Boxed hamburger helper doesn't have anything on this.
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INSTANT POT HAMBURGER HELPER HEALTHY
Growing up in the '90s and even sometimes through college Hamburger Helper was a staple for dinner. That's because it's super easy, cheap and not time-consuming. I loved me some Hamburger Helper. Now mind you, I haven't had it in years and just because I am a Registered Dietitian doesn't mean I don't crave or miss certain foods from time to time. So this got me to thinking about how I can just about duplicate the taste and add nutritional value to it! That's where this recipe was born.
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Homemade Hamburger Helper with Ground Turkey
Most recipes will call for ground beef for hamburger helper. For my Instant Pot Hamburger Helper I decided to use ground turkey. Since I have the health of you and your family in mind, I recommend swapping to ground turkey instead. Why? Read on.
- Ground beef is still red meat and to maintain an overall healthy diet red meat should be limited to just a few times per week.
- Limiting red meat comes from several health authorities including the American Heart Association and the American Institute for Cancer Research.
- Ground turkey has less unhealthy fats and calories! This is a plus if you are trying to lose or maintain your weight.
- Turkey is considered lean meat which makes it a healthier option.
- Don't worry. You aren't compromising on taste by switching to ground turkey .
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How To Season Homemade Hamburger Helper
To make this a very easy and quick recipe I just used a packet of taco seasoning. To add even more flavor, I added garlic powder and cumin. You can get pretty creative with this recipe and use chili powder or Worcestershire sauce for example. Use the flavors that you appeal to you!
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Homemade Hamburger Helper without Milk
For this Instant Pot Hamburger Helper recipe, I didn’t need to use milk, which is great news if you have an allergy/intolerance to dairy milk. Simply swap the milk for broth. This recipe still contains dairy because of the cheese. However, if you are lactose intolerant but can deal with a reasonable amount of cheese then you should be fine. This instant pot hamburger helper recipe still has a lot less total fat and saturated fat than most homemade hamburger helper recipes!
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Making Hamburger Helper without Meat
- Simply skip the 1st step where you brown the ground turkey
- Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth
- Add more beans if you'd like!
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Homemade Hamburger Helper Nutrition
For 1 cup serving size. This recipe serves 6 people.
- 334 calories
- 40 grams of carbohydrates
- 7 grams of fiber
- 24 grams of protein
- 9 grams of total fat
- 4 grams of saturated fat
- 425 mg of sodium
- 415 mg potassium
- 194 mg calcium
Who is this recipe suitable for?
- People managing diabetes because of the high fiber and low-fat content of this meal.
- People with high cholesterol who need to make low-fat meals.
- People looking for meals low in sodium (500 mg of sodium per serving).
- People looking for a healthy pasta dish
*Nutritional values are approximate and will change if you use different ingredients and amounts. Comment below if you have a question on this recipe.
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Can You Make Pasta Healthy?
Absolutely! Pasta gets such a bad rap but there are actually some good nutritional qualities of pasta. I love pasta (like most people) so let me tell you a little more about it. Whole grain pasta is better than enriched (white) pasta but even enriched pasta still gives us some fiber and certain vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. Whole grain pasta provides even more fiber which is essential for a healthy lifestyle!
Here are some simple steps to make a healthy dish out of pasta:
- Add a lean protein like chicken, ground turkey or seafood
- Include plenty of vegetables either mixed in or on the side
- Add some flavors with seasonings, herbs, squeezed lemon or grated parmesan cheese
- Choose healthy fats such as olive oil or low-fat options like non-fat Greek yogurt to add creaminess
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What's A Healthy Pasta Dish?
- Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That by The Miller's Kitchen
- Shrimp Scampi with Spinach by Jenny Shea Rawn (Registered Dietitian) of Cape Cod Kitchen
- Garlic Ginger Vegetable Ramen Stir-Fry by Andrea (Registered Dietitian) of Beautiful Eats & Things
- Marinated Chicken & Basil Whole Wheat Greek Pasta by Andrea (Registered Dietitian) of Beautiful Eats & Things
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Have you made this recipe? Before you leave this page give it a rating. The easiest way to rate the recipe is directly on the recipe card where you see the "5 Stars". I would also love to hear your comments below.
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Instant Pot Hamburger Helper (Homemade!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Dreamfields Elbow 2 cups dry
- 2 cup College Inn Unsalted Chicken Broth
- 1 packet McCormick Taco Seasoning
- 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 can pinto beans can also use black beans
- ½ lb Ground Turkey
- ¼ teaspoon each of garlic powder, paprika and cumin *optional but I highly recommend adding it for extra flavor
Instructions
- Hit the SAUTE function on the Instant Pot and let it heat up a little. It's usually hot in 2 minutes. Add ground turkey to the pan and brown. You do not need to add oil. Just continue to brown with a heat resistant spoon to stir up what sticks to the pot.
- Add seasoning to ground turkey and mix well. Add broth and noodles. Mix well and press mixture down so all the noodles are under the liquid.
- Cancel SAUTE mode. Hit PRESSURE COOK then set to HIGH for 3 minutes. Place lid on instant pot and turn valve to SEALING.
- After it beeps, use a pot holder or fork to turn the valve to VENTING. Be very careful not to burn your hand from the steam being released once it turns to VENTING.
- After you no longer hear the steam released, open the lid and stir together.You may need to break it up a bit using your spoon. Add the beans and mix well. Add half of the cheese and stir until it starts to melt then add the rest of the cheese until it is completely melted.
- *To thin out the consistency add a little more chicken broth. I would try adding the broth by 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time until it's thinned out to your liking.
Notes
- After refrigerating the hamburger helper and warming up the next day, you may decide to add more chicken broth to "loosen" the mixture and add more moisture.
- Corkscrew noodles work really well for this dish too!
- Add non-starchy vegetables to make it a complete meal. Broccoli and green beans go really well with this dish.
Nutrition
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Amanda
Our family loves this recipe. It’s in our regular rotation. It’s quick and tasty!
KeyVion Miller RDN, LD/N
Hi Amanda! I'm so happy to hear that. It's so nice to have easy go-to recipes that the whole family enjoys.
Sindy Dykstra
This recipe was definitely family friendly. My kids gobbled it up! Even my cheese hater loved it! I've been browsing through your blog and not only do I love the recipes, but love the health information you give with along with your recipes. So glad I found your blog!
KeyVion
Hi Sindy,
I am so happy to hear that the kids gobbled this up and even the cheese hater loved it. I always appreciate feedback on my recipes and blog posts so keep them coming! I am so sorry that I have just responded to you. I literally had to be admitted to the hospital the following day and I delivered our son the day after that. It's been a whirlwind. Please let me know if I can help you with anything.