Hamburger Helper Lasagna

4.95 from 34 votes

Mafalda pasta with ground beef, in a tomato cheese sauce, cooked in one convenient skillet- just like the boxed brand you grew up with! Recipe can be doubled for a large family size dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: hamburger helper lasagna, homemade hamburger helper

Servings: servings

Calories: 569kcal

Author: Erin

Cost: $3.10

Ingredients

½ lb ground beef
2 cups chicken stock
3 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon sugar
2 cups milk
2 ½ cups dry uncooked mafalda pasta or broken up lasagna pasta pieces
¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded off block, not pre shredded
¼ cup Parmesan, Monterey jack, or mozzarella cheese shredded off block, not pre shredded
salt and pepper to taste see recipe notes below on salt

Instructions

In a deep skillet: sauté ground beef (½ lb.) on medium high heat until browned. Drain grease if necessary.
To the same pan, still on medium high heat: pour in the chicken stock (2 cups), tomato paste (3 oz. or half of a small can), onion powder (1 tsp.), garlic powder (½ tsp.), dried oregano (1 tsp.), dried basil (1 tsp.) sugar (½ tsp.), and salt (½ tsp.-see note on salt) and pinch of pepper to taste.
Stir broth, tomato paste and seasonings until well blended and increase heat to high for 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
Reduce heat to low, and temporarily remove the pan from the burner to stop the simmer. Add the dry, uncooked Mafalda pasta (2 ½ cups), give a slight stir, followed by 2 cups milk. Do not overcook it, and do not use higher than medium low heat, as this can curdle the milk.
Once the milk has been added, give a quick stir and return the skillet to the burner.
Simmer, covered, on low heat about 6-7 minutes for al dente, or according to pasta package time. (See note on pasta cooking time.)
When the pasta is done, remove lid and skillet from heat. Stir in shredded cheese (½ cup total- a blend of cheddar and Parmesan, mozzarella or Monterey jack) until melted.
Serve immediately, and enjoy.

Notes

For Pasta:

Any pasta shape can be used, but Mafalda is the pasta that the boxed Hamburger Helper Lasagna uses.
Breaking regular lasagna sheets into 1 inch pieces resembles the pasta also, but note that the cooking time might longer. Refer to package to determine the cooking time for your pasta of choice.
Aim for al dente, as pasta will continue to soften in the sauce due to residual heat and moisture.

For the Salt:

Chicken stock often has much less (if any) salt/sodium than chicken broth. They can be used interchangeably, but taste test before adding salt, especially if you are using broth- you may not need any, or not as much.

Other Notes:

Ground beef can be adjusted from anywhere between one half pound to 1 pound.
Recipe can be doubled.
While boiling the stock, tomato paste and spices on medium-high/high heat, the liquid level will reduce and condense; this is normal and necessary to concentrate the flavors.
Use any blend of cheddar, Monterrey Jack, mozzarella, or like cheese to a combined total of ½ cup shredded cheese.
Before adding milk and uncooked pasta, remove the pan from the burner surface to avoid instantly boiling the milk. Stir in the pasta first (this automatically reduces the temperature), then stir in the milk. This way, the milk gradually comes to a simmer as you return the skillet to burner to simmer on medium low until pasta is al dente.

Nutrition