On some days, you’re just in the mood for a simple yet hearty meal that you not only fills you up, but is very quick and easy to prepare. Without question, for me, Hamburger Helper fits the bill. Growing up, my mom would always buy the box of Hamburger Helper in the box and prepare it, and it was quite good. That said, now that I’m older, I’ve seen all of the stuff that’s in a typical box of Hamburger Helper and there’s surprisingly a lot of artificial ingredients and preservatives included. So I’ve started making my own from scratch, including this recipe with an Italian twist to it, and I’m happy to share it with you all!
Key Ingredients for Italian Shells Hamburger Helper
This homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is made with your standard ingredients: Ground Beef, a blend of spices, a blend of cheese and table salt. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of Unsalted Beef Broth, Tomato Sauce as well as Heavy Whipping Cream.
- Unsalted Beef Broth: Most recipes for homemade Hamburger Helper will call for the use of regular Beef Broth, with the main difference being that it contains salt. I personally prefer to use unsalted beef broth for this recipe. For one, the tomato sauce that’s also included already contains some salt that will contribute to the dish’s overall flavor. But also, I like having at least some autonomy in the overall amount of salt that’s in the dish. With salted beef broth on top of tomato sauce, there’s the risk that the dish could end up either way too salty or without enough salt, depending on one’s palate. Thus, you’d end up having to adjust the amount of salt any way.
- Tomato Sauce: Why? For a couple of reasons. The obvious reason is that the tomato sauce is what gives this Hamburger Helper the Italian flare taste-wise, as it will be reminiscent of a pasta dish. But perhaps the more important reason is that the acidity from the tomato sauce will help to neutralize the richness of the cheese that is added, which allows for a more balanced flavor profile. There are also some recipes that will call for the use of tomato paste instead of tomato sauce, but the reason I prefer to use tomato sauce is because, with its higher water content, it contributes considerably more moisture to the dish so that it doesn’t dry out as it cooks.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: There are many recipes for Hamburger Helper that will call for the use of milk or even half and half. The reason I prefer not to use either of them is because they both contains a much higher water content, which dilutes the fat contained in them and thus dilute the flavor they contribute to the dish. For this same reason, the biggest problem with milk is it will also have a tendency to curdle if you’re not careful with how high the heat is and how long you allow it to cook. The higher fat content is also what helps to give the hamburger helper a velvety texture by making a creamy sauce.
And that’s all there is to it. While this has been categorized as a dish for dinner, it it often enjoyed by many for lunch as well. By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this dish yourself. This is the perfect recipe for when you’re getting home after a long & hard day at work and don’t feel like making some elaborate meal.
Tips for Making this Recipe
Don’t overcook the pasta. The nice part about this Hamburger Helper recipe is that you don’t have to boil the pasta shells separately before incorporating them into the dish. The shells will cook in the same pan with the other ingredients while they simmer, as they will absorb the moisture in the pan to soften and become edible. That said, you do still want to be careful not to overcook the pasta. If you do, it will end up negatively affecting the final texture of the dish, as your shells will end up becoming gummy. Ultimately, the pasta should be cooked until it is al dente, meaning it is tender but still firm to the bite with slight fork resistance.
For better cheese pull, use freshly grated cheese. This is not required, and my recipe doesn’t officially call for it. It won’t really affect how the Hamburger Helper tastes or cooks. That said, I understand some folks are big on aesthetics when they’re trying to impress others they’re looking for and a big on making their food look pretty. I typically use pre-shredded cheese for my hamburger helper, but pre-shredded cheeses are usually coated with an anti-caking substance which prevents them from melting as efficiently when you heat them. Conversely, blocks of cheese that you freshly grate do not have this anti-caking substance, thus have an easier time melting. This is how people get those nice-looking cheese pulls.
Avoid freezing. There are many homemade dishes that you can preserve in the freezer without negative impacting the taste and texture (which is great if you’re wanting to avoid wasting food). Unfortunately, Hamburger Helper is not one of those dishes. What ends up happening is when you attempt to freeze hamburger helper, or frankly any dish that contains pasta, the pasta will end up becoming mushy when you thaw it and try to reheat it. This is because the ice crystals that form inside the pasta while it’s freezing have a tendency to break down the cellular structure of the pasta that helps to keep it somewhat firm. That’s why freezing leftover hamburger helper should be avoided at all cost.
Reheat leftovers on stove. The cream and cheese will have a tendency to harden once you place it in the refrigerator to chill, but this is perfectly normal. The thing is, this does make it harder to reheat the Hamburger Helper the next day as it may tend to break up or fall apart when transferring it from the refrigerator directly onto a plate. This is why, for the best results, I recommend warming up any leftover hamburger helper on the stovetop in a pan. In the even the hamburger helper needs a little extra assistance to give it that creamy texture again, you can always add a splash of milk, half-and-half and even heavy cream to the skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you add diced vegetables to this recipe?
I’m personally not a fan of having these extra ingredients in my hamburger helper (personal preference), which is why I officially excluded them from my recipe. It’s mainly because I dislike the texture they give the hamburger helper. That being said, if you prefer having these items in your hamburger helper, you can certainly add them at your leisure. If you do add diced onions or minced garlic, I would just advise omitting the onion and garlic powder from the recipe (so that the onion and garlic flavor isn’t overpowering).
Can you use gluten-free pasta?
While using gluten-free pasta may not significantly change the taste and texture of the final dish, you should be mindful of the fact that gluten-free pasta doesn’t require nearly as much time to cook because it lacks the structure and elasticity of regular pasta. So you may have to adjust the cooking time to account for this.
Can you substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or pork?
Absolutely! I would just be mindful of the fact that both ground pork and turkey will have a tendency to dry out somewhat faster than ground beef does, as they are both relatively leaner types of meat. Thus, you may have to adjust the cooking time slightly to account for this.
Can I use lean ground beef for this dish?
Absolutely! This recipe officially calls for the use of 80/20 ground beef. And if I’m being completely honest, the reason I prefer using 80/20 ground beef for this dish doesn’t really have anything to do with the flavor. Rather, the main reason I use 80/20 ground beef is because it is notably cheaper than the leaner packages of ground beef sold at the grocery store. That said, if you prefer to use, say, 85/15 ground beef or even 93/7 ground beef (as examples), it should really change the final product. The only thing, you would simply skip the step in the process where you have to drain the excess grease from the meat & skillet.
How long can you store hamburger helper?
As long as the Hamburger Helper is stored in an airtight container or skillet, it should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, they may begin to lose their flavor & texture. Once 5 days have passed, I would advise that you dispose of the hamburger helper as it may no longer be edible.
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Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Italian Shells
Equipment
- 1 Spatula or Cooking Spoon
- 1 Colander
- 1 Measuring Cups/Spoons
- 1 Large Skillet With Cover
- 1 Meat Masher (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 LB 80/20 Ground Beef
- 8 Oz Small Shells Pasta
- 2 Cups Unsalted Beef Broth
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 15 Oz Tomato Sauce
- 4 Oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 4 Oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 TSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TSP Onion Powder
- 1/2 TSP Iodized Salt
- 1/2 TSP Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 TSP Dried Basil
- 1/2 TSP Dried Oregano
- 1/2 TSP Dried Parsley
- 1/4 TSP Ground Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat large skillet on medium heat
- Once skillet is hot, add ground beef and break apart thoroughly. Cook ground beef until browned (approx. 5-10 minutes)***
- Once browned, turn off heat and remove ground beef from heat and drain in colander
- Place skillet back on stovetop burner and add ground beef back to skillet with heat turned off
- Add beef broth, tomato sauce, pasta shells and seasoning to skillet and stir until well-blended with ground beef.
- Turn on burner to high heat and warm skillet until boiling briskly.
- Once boiling briskly, stir ingredients in skillet to ensure there's no sticking or clumping and reduce heat to low.
- Cover skillet and allow hamburger helper to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.***
- After 10 minutes, remove cover and add heavy whipping cream + cheeses to skillet, then stir until well-blended with other ingredients
- Place cover back on skillet and continue to simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.***
- Stir hamburger helper to ensure no clumping or stick then remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.