Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper
I make a lot of one--pot dishes in my house, because they are 1.) easy, 2.) delicious and 3.) a lot easier on the clean-up (my least favorite part of cooking. The dishes just never end!). There was one random night when I whipped this up, and Sam looked at me and said, "This is one of the best meals you've ever made." I always laugh when he says this because he generally mentions it when I make these wildly easy dishes... Not when I spend all day slaving over the stove. I'm not complaining, but also, be impressed with my soufflés and tartines! (jk, I don’t make soufflés…) ; ) All this to say, this dish is a great weeknight meal for when you're coming home from work or soccer practice. It all comes together in under 15 minutes. Adapt away, and enjoy this spin on a classic dish.
HOMEMADE ONE POT HAMBURGER HELPER
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 T butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 T tomato paste
- 1 T dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, 1/2 t of each to start
- 1/2 t paprika
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 cups elbow pasta
DIRECTIONS:
1.) Sauté butter over a medium high heat pan. Add your diced onions and carrots, and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
2.) Add your ground beef, crumble and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat from pan.
3.) Add all your seasonings to the pan, and stir to release the fragrance (2 T tomato paste, 1 T dijon mustard, 1/2 t paprika, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t of both salt and pepper). Coat your veggies with mustard and tomato paste before moving on to the next step.
4.) Add your pasta, 2 cups of milk, and 1 cup of beef broth. Stir to combine.
5.) Place the lid on, and lower the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 7 minutes, until al dente.
6.) You should be left with a delicious and creamy sauce, a combination from the milk and starch from the pasta. Any remaining fat will rise to the top with the bubbles. Don’t be alarmed! Either skim it off with a spoon, or mix it into noodles.
Sometimes we top with a little grated cheddar cheese, or a heaping tablespoon of sour cream to mix in, but it’s luxurious and delightful without it as well! Make sure you taste and add more salt if need be before serving.
