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Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Recipe

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.66 from 47 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on February 5, 2024

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A healthier, homemade version of Hamburger Helper made completely in the slow cooker — yes, even the pasta! (And no, it’s not mushy and overcooked!)

hamburger helper recipe in white slow cooker on grey background with metal spoon stuck in

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Something I always find interesting is the recipes that are popular on The Recipe Rebel a certain day, week or month, because my goal is to give you more of what you want.

Lately, my Healthier Homemade Hamburger Helper has been going a little crazy as people have gotten back to routine and are eating something other than chocolate and cookies. I (surprise!) have also been craving something other than chocolate and cookies.

With 3 young kids still in 3 very different stages of life (grade school, preschool and baby), I find myself running around like a mad woman come dinner time more often than I’d like to admit.

We use our slow cooker all the time. Probably at least 3 times per week!

slow cooker hamburger helper on grey plate close up with shredded cheese on top

I know you’ve been seeing a lot of Instant Pot recipes popping up here lately, but believe me — I’ve still got big love for my slow cooker (and a good slow cooker pasta recipe!) and I won’t be donating it to the thrift store anytime soon 😉

How to cook pasta in a slow cooker:

Learning to properly cook pasta in a slow cooker so that it wasn’t some gross overcooked mush was seriously life changing for me.

It takes a little reworking because you need to have just the perfect amount of liquid at the end of the cook time to cook the pasta for the last 10-15 minutes (the exact cook time will depend on the size and shape of the pasta you use), but my original Hamburger Helper recipe translated perfectly into a slow cooker recipe, and it is the perfect solution to the dinner time rush!

No stirring,  no keeping an eye on things — just let the sauce cook away for a good part of the day and add the pasta in the last 15 minutes and you’re good to go.

hamburger helper with slow cooker in the background and blue striped towel
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How this Hamburger Helper recipe is made healthier:

  • I use lean ground beef, but you could also use ground turkey or chicken or whichever you prefer.
  • I snuck in a ton of veggies, but no one ever really knows because they all cook down into the sauce (shred them or chop them up fine, and I promise this will please even the pickiest eaters!)
  • I use broth and low fat milk to make the sauce — instead of heavier milk or cream.
  • I pretty much always use a whole grain or ancient grains pasta for maximum fiber and protein, but you can use almost any pasta and it will work just fine (they all will require varying cook times though, so it’s something you’ll have to keep an eye on).

This is the perfect hearty meal to get you through the rest of the chilly days, but it’s also perfect for the warmer days when you just don’t want to turn your oven on!

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Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

written by Ashley Fehr

4.66 from 47 votes
This Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper is easily made entirely in the Crockpot, with ground beef and macaroni in a cheesy, tomato-y sauce with extra veggies! It's hearty comfort food made easy!
close up of slow cooker hamburger helper with a large spoon in it.
Review
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings
Calories 430cal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ½ medium onion (diced)
  • 1½ cups low sodium beef broth (plus additional if needed)
  • 1½ cups milk (any kind)
  • 1½ cups tomato pasta sauce
  • 1 bell pepper (diced) I used red
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more, if you like it spicy!
  • 3 cups dry uncooked macaroni (350-380 grams)
  • ½ cup shredded cheese

Instructions

  • In a medium skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is translucent. Add to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
  • Add in broth, milk, pasta sauce, bell pepper, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. (*The cook time here is really flexible — you want to cook the red pepper and get it hot enough to cook the pasta, so you can cook anywhere from 3 to 8 hours on low).
  • About 15 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to high and stir in macaroni. Check at 15 minutes, and add 5-10 extra minutes to the cook time as needed until the pasta is al dente. If the pasta is not cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, add ½-1 cup additional broth or milk as needed.
  • Stir in cheese (covering for 2-3 minutes if necessary to melt the cheese), taste and serve.

Notes

*Nutrition information is estimated and will vary depending on exact serving size, types and brands of products used.
 
Ingredients and Substitutions:
  • Ground beef: use lean ground beef or drain the fat before adding to the slow cooker. You can also swap this with any ground meat, even ground Italian sausage. 
  • Onion and pepper: these are the vegetables we use and they add lots of flavor. You can omit one or both, or stir in others like shredded carrot, zucchini, or finely chopped spinach.
  • Seasonings: feel free to adjust the seasonings to your tastes. If you like a bit of kick, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or a bit of hot sauce.
  • Milk: any milk will do here! You can substitute with half and half or cream, but I find that the cooking liquid gets to be quite a big thicker and doesn’t cook the pasta as well, so I prefer to use milk for just a bit of creaminess. 
  • Tomato pasta sauce: and seasoned tomato sauce will work, i.e., a marinara or similar. Something with flavor!
  • Macaroni: this recipe will work with other types of pasta but be sure that the weight and cook time is the same.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 430cal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1121mg | Potassium: 880mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1096IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 5mg
Keywords crock pot pasta, crockpot pasta, ground beef pasta, hamburger helper, slow cooekr pasta

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*This post was originally published February 8, 2016

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Michelle says

    I haven’t had hamburger helper in years, but I was intrigued by this recipe. This was absolutely delicious! Easy to add in extra veggies, too – I added a few extra handfuls of spinach, as well as some diced carrots. Will be adding this to our regular rotation.

    Reply

  2. Sativa says

    Is there any way that you could convert this for an instant pot I tried making it on the slow cooker function of my instant pot and it didn’t translate well but I love this recipe

    Reply

  3. Ann says

    I haven’t tried this yet, but I am planning to. I have a question: does the dry macaroni really completely cook in 10-15 minutes in the slow cooker? I don’t have to cook it first?

    Reply

  4. Sharon says

    If you doubled the recipe (meat), do you think the pasta would still work out okay? Thinking of making for a crowd, and don’t have multiple slow cookers to use.

    Reply

  5. jack says

    Why would you cook this for 8 hours in a crockpot when you can easily fix this in 15 minutes on a stove and not run the risk of overcooking the pasta?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      You don’t run the risk of overcooking the pasta if you just keep an eye on it, and I would say that fixing this on the stove is going to take you at least 30 minutes, maybe more depending how many veggies you are chopping. I also have a stove top version, and we like them both.

      Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Peggy! Unfortunately I don’t know the serving size in grams or volume, but if you need, I would weigh the entire recipe, divide by 6 and then individually portion according to weight. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  7. danielle says

    I am in love with this. Especially excited that it can be made in the slow cooker. This is one of those amazing comfort food recipes that you love to have in the cooler weather. So much deliciousness!

    Reply

  9. Danielle says

    I am obsessed with those slow cooker liners! I use them every single time we make something in the slow cooker. I’m also a huge hamburger helper lover, so this healthy version sounds sooo good!

    Reply

  15. Dorothy Dunton says

    Hi Ashley! I am loving all the crock pot recipes! Not only are they easy but they are so comforting! And added veggies are always a good thing! We are carnivores but also love vegetables in abundance! 🙂

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Thanks Dorothy! And I love making the slow cooker recipes! Lol. They are so much easier and practical for our busy family! I hope you had a great weekend 🙂

      Reply

  16. Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says

    This looks insanely easy and flavorful. I’m always trying to find new things to make for dinner. Although I don’t eat ground beef, I can totally substitute in some turkey meat. I think this would be a hit in my house. Thanks for sharing, Ashley. 🙂

    Reply

  17. marcie says

    I love those slow cooker liners — washing a slow cooker can be quite the pain sometimes! I grew up on Hamburger Helper and I love that you lightened this up and you can let the slow cooker do most of the work for you!

    Reply

  20. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    Those slow cooker liners are the best! It saves me so much time in the kitchen! This hamburger helper is just what I need after devouring one too many snacks over the weekend! Love that you can toss everything in and let the slow cooker do its magic!

    Reply

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