Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper with Tomato Soup

This is the best kid-friendly version of easy homemade hamburger helper with tomato soup. With finely chopped vegetables, juicy ground beef, tender macaroni noodles, and a creamy sweet tomato soup sauce. It is the perfect family-friendly meal at the end of a long busy day.

This easy homemade hamburger helper with tomato soup is the perfect weeknight dinner after a busy day of school and activities. I let my kids help make this recipe and pick the vegetables to add because this recipe is so versatile!

I grew up eating this recipe as a child myself. Often times my mom or dad would make this ahead of time so there was less fuss when dinnertime neared, especially if we had after-school activities.

Here are some other quick and easy meals that my family enjoys on busy weekdays 20-Minute Sloppy Joes, The Best Mac n Cheese, and Lasagna Soup.

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INGREDIENT NOTES

• Elbow noodles: Our favorite pasta to use for this recipe is elbow macaroni noodles. You can use whatever small pasta your family enjoys!
• Extra virgin olive oil: When you sauté the beef, do so in some EVOO for some great added flavor.
• Ground beef: The flavor of ground beef after being sautéed in olive oil is the best meat choice for this dish, however, you can use ground turkey or chicken, note it will change the flavor.
• Onion/Bell pepper: This recipe calls for fresh onion and bell peppers. You can use onion powder if you choose and you can add whatever extra vegetables you want to change out the bell peppers for another vegetable. We’ve made this using zucchini, mixed peppers, finely chopped spinach, etc. Red bell pepper is our favorite variation.
• Brown sugar: The brown sugar helps balance out the flavors of this recipe, it adds a nice tang to this easy homemade hamburger helper.

• Ketchup/Tomato soup: Adds a creamy texture and savory taste.
• Parsley: Parsley adds a nice garnish, texture, and taste to this already delicious hamburger helper.
• Cheese: Cheddar cheese adds such a great cheesy flavor to this dish. The cheese wraps around the noodles as it melts.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat a large skillet with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat.
• Bring a medium to a large-sized pot of water to a boil to cook elbow noodles.
• Sauté onion and bell pepper for about 2 minutes in the skillet, then add in the fresh ground beef and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook elbow noodles el dante.

• In a small mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, and tomato soup.
• Once the meat is cooked through and juices run clear, remove from heat.
• Once the noodles are cooked remove them from the heat, and drain off the water.
• Add the cooked ground beef mixture to the hot noodle pot. Add in the tomato soup mixture.

• Mix everything together until it is well combined.
• Dish up and serve with a garnish of parsley, medium sharp cheddar cheese, and garlic toast.

EXPERT TIPS

If you want to add a garnish of cheese, freshly grated cheddar cheese is best for both taste and texture, it melts much more smoothly than the pre-shredded kind. You can also completely skip the cheese if you are not a cheese fan. My dad does not like the cheese and he still LOVES this dish!

Instead of fresh onion, you can use onion powder. You can also add more or less when it comes to spices and seasonings! You may want a little more salt and/or sugar!

Let the dish set for 20 minutes before serving to allow all the ingredients to set together.

SERVING TIPS

Along with what I have mentioned about a garnish of cheese and parsley, my family also enjoys garlic toast with this hamburger helper recipe. However, this hamburger helper is a great hearty meal on its own.

I also usually make a side salad like this Spinach Berry Melon Salad to serve with it or some freshly steamed broccolini.

STORAGE TIPS

This hamburger helper recipe is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a serving to a bowl or plate, and heat for 30-second intervals, stirring in-between until heated through. Add some more cheese and extra ketchup before serving.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

I am all about those homecooked meals, and knowing what ingredients are in what I am eating, and how much!

While boxed hamburger helper is great on those busy days when dinner needs to be plated ASAP, homemade can be served in less than 30 minutes and without all the added preservatives.

VARIATIONS

• Protein: You can use ground turkey or chicken for this recipe instead of ground beef. My family prefers ground beef for this particular recipe.
• Pasta: You can use any type of small noodle like shells, however, elbow macaroni noodles are my family’s first choice.
• Vegetables: You can add whatever vegetables you want, just ensure to finely chop them. My favorite way to chop my vegetables especially if trying to hide them from my kids and save time is using this vegetable chopper.

HERE ARE MORE GREAT FAMILY-FRIENDLY MEALS TO TRY

• Mac N Cheese
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Shepherd’s Pie
• Sloppy Joes
• Sheet Pan Fajitas