Velveeta hamburger helper from scratch is an easy cheap one pot meal that’s family friendly. Homemade cheeseburger helper Velveeta skillets style. Like our cheesy Crockpot Hamburger Casserole but made quick on the stove.
Homemade Velveeta skillets dinner is a family favorite weeknight dinner for us! Just 4 ingredients plus seasonings is all you need to make a creamy cheesy pasta dish in a pan on your stove tonight. Ready in 20 minutes start to finish, no boiling noodles required, it all cooks together. (post may contain affiliate links present)
Velveeta Cheeseburger Helper
Back in the day we made everything low and slow. My schedule has changed since then and it is sometimes easier to make elbow macaroni noodles and ground beef together in a pan vs. our Crockpot Hamburger Helper dish. We love both but it depends on how much time I have in the morning, which one I will make.
When it is snowy and just cold outside we are all about comfort food in a bowl. With a few pantry ingredients I can make this Old Fashioned dish my mom used to make, but now I know exactly what is in it. 😉 For a quick and easy casserole follow our skillet dish below or Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe.
Copycat Velveeta Skillets
I bet you have eaten something similar back in the day with powdered cheese with macaroni in a box. You supplied the meat and threw it all together in the 90’s when you came to dinner with teased bangs and leg warmers on. 😉 Over the years things have evolved and although you can still buy that version, this is better
Honestly it doesn’t take that much longer and you know exactly what you are eating. Instead of macaroni and cheese style dairy in a pouch, it is already hydrated and you just cut it into chunks so it can melt with all the other ingredients. You can even go so far as making Homemade Velveeta Cheese ahead of time.
Homemade Hamburger Helper with Velveeta
If you have never used this style of cheesy block that is not in fact refrigerated it is quite handy and delicious. We use it to make cheesy Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti too!
Velveeta is classified as a “cheese product” rather than real cheese. It’s a type of processed cheese that is made from a combination of cheese, milk, and other ingredients. Because it’s a processed product, it may not have the same flavor profile or nutritional benefits as natural cheese.
You can make your own cheese sauce using real cheese, milk, and a thickener like flour or cornstarch. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that has a cheesy, nutty flavor that is another option. Or use cashew cheese which is a dairy-free alternative made from soaked cashews blended with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and seasonings.
Homemade Cheeseburger Helper Recipe
Could you use Kraft singles instead of Velveeta? Yes, they can be used as a substitute in many recipes. While singles are also a processed cheddar cheese product, they do have a different texture and flavor profile. Individually wrapped they are too known for their meltability and creamy texture.
When substituting, keep in mind that the flavor and consistency may be slightly different, so you may need to adjust the recipe accordingly. You can use regular cheese with our Hamburger Mac and Cheese.
- Great lean ground beef recipe
- or use half ground spicy sausage and half beef for a bit of heat
- ground turkey is a lower fat choice but doesn’t offer as much flavor
- 1/3 c ketchup
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Velveeta cut into chunks
- 4.5 c water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
Other noodles could be used as well but I suggest small versions of shells or squiggly shapes are best since those don’t take much longer to get tender. I prefer leaving them a bit al dente but that is up to you. Diced onions or bell peppers could be added with the meat too, or crushed chips on top like with our Taco Hamburger Helper.
Cheesy Hamburger Helper
Just like our One Pot Spaghetti, all the sauce and pasta cooks together at the same time!! Two great things about that is you just have one dirty pan, and best of all you get more flavor vs. boiling noodles in just water.
- Brown the ground beef in a large/deep skillet.
- Drain as much of the grease as possible.
- Stir in the ketchup, onion powder and garlic powder. Add the dry pasta along with 4 ½ cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until pasta is cooked.
- Once the pasta is cooked (there will still be some liquid in the skillet), add the Velveeta cheese cut into smaller chunks.
- Continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened. (If you would like a slightly thinner consistency, add another ½ cup of water or broth).
- Remove from heat, add salt & pepper to taste and enjoy.
Now if you wanted something similar cooked low and in a slow cooker I would follow the steps in our Goulash in the Crock-pot recipe. If you do have leftovers it saves well. Just cool, transfer into a container with a lid and reheat within 3 days for another busy weeknight when you need something quick.
Velveeta Hamburger Helper
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, or half spicy sausage half beef
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1/3 c ketchup
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 16 oz Velveeta, cut into chunks
- 4.5 c water
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large/deep skillet. Drain as much of the grease as possible. Stir in the ketchup, onion powder and garlic powder. Add the dry pasta along with 4 ½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until pasta is cooked.
- Once the pasta is cooked (there will still be some liquid in the skillet), add the Velveeta cheese cut into smaller chunks. Continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened. (If you would like a slightly thinner consistency, add another ½ cup of water or broth). Remove from heat, add salt & pepper to taste and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
