Homemade Cheesy Velveeta Hamburger Helper

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.

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!

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.

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