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!
Check out more of the very best slow cooker pasta recipes like Slow Cooker Baked Ziti, Crockpot Beef and Noodles and Crockpot Lasagna!
Table of Contents
- Why we love this Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Recipe:
- Reader Rating
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Ingredients:
- How to make Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to store Hamburger Helper
- Can I freeze Hamburger Helper?
- Serving suggestions:
- More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love!
- Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Recipe
Cooking pasta in the slow cooker is so much easier than you may realize. No stirring, no keeping an eye on things – just let the everything cook away for a good part of the day and add the pasta in the last 15 minutes and you’re good to go!
The only element of Crockpot Hamburger Helper that needs to be cooked outside of the slow cooker is the beef. Then, everything gets mixed right into the Crockpot and cooked low and slow to cheesy perfection… I might be drooling.
Once you master this easy homemade Hamburger Helper Crockpot recipe, you’ll never go back to the store-bought box again! And if you don’t have a Crockpot, no worries. You can also make Hamburger Helper on your stove-top!
Why we love this Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Recipe:
- Filling: This is one of those entrees that will fill you up after just one serving, but it’s so delicious that you might find yourself going back for more.
- Cheesy: There’s the perfect amount of shredded cheese in the mix to tie everything together. Cheddar cheese is always great, but you can use any kind you like.
- So Easy: When I say this slow cooker recipe is fail-proof, I mean it! The steps here really couldn’t be easier.
Reader Rating
“Family favorite for my picky eaters! Both my boys 1 & 6 are so picky and it’s nice to be able to make something besides nuggets that they’ll eat haha! My 6 year old requests this all the time! Prep does take me a minute but it’s so worth it! Delicious and thank you for sharing!” — Kalie
Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Ingredients:
- Ground Beef: I like to use lean ground beef so it doesn’t render a lot of excess fat. If you end up with grease in your skillet, drain it before adding the meat to the Crock Pot.
- Milk: Any milk will work! You can substitute with half and half or cream, but I find that the cooking liquid gets to be quite a bit thicker and doesn’t cook the pasta as well, so I prefer to use milk for just a touch of creaminess.
- Tomato Sauce: Any seasoned tomato sauce will work like a marinara or similar.
- Pasta: Elbow macaroni is my favorite. This recipe will work with other types of pasta, but be sure that the weight and cook time is the same. I prefer not to use whole grain pasta here as it can take longer to cook and become gummy.
- Onion: A white or yellow onion will both work very well.
- Cheese: For the best flavor and consistency, try to use a freshly shredded cheese if you can.
- Beef Broth: I always recommend using low-sodium beef broth. That way, you can add more salt if desired and better control the amount of sodium in your dish.
- Pepper: A red pepper adds the perfect touch of natural sweetness.
- Garlic: necessary!
- Seasonings: There’s wiggle room here. I like to sprinkle in a simple combo of salt, Italian seasoning and just a pinch of red pepper flakes.
How to make Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper
Thanks to the slow cooker, making homemade Hamburger Helper has never been so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for more exact ingredients measurements and steps.
- Cook the ground beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is translucent and add to the slow cooker.
- Add in the rest of the sauce ingredients and cook on low.
- About 15 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to high and stir in macaroni noodles. Be sure to keep an eye on these and cook just to al dente!
- Stir in cheese, taste and serve.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make it dairy-free: you can easily make this recipe lactose-free with lactose-free milk and cheese. You can also use plant-based milk and cheese, or omit and substitute with additional broth.
- Can I make it gluten-free? I don’t recommend gluten-free pasta in one pot recipes because they cook differently and become mushier much more quickly.
- Veggies: Feel free to toss in more veggies like shredded carrots, zucchini or spinach.
- Spice: You can spice things up a bit by sprinkling in even more crushed red pepper flakes! Just be careful because a little bit goes a long way.
How to store Hamburger Helper
You can store leftover Hamburger Helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a splash of water or broth and pop individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
Can I freeze Hamburger Helper?
You can, but the texture will change. Pasta will become softer after freezing so just be aware before you choose that route to store it.
Let everything fully cool to room temperature, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge for a few hours prior to reheating.
Serving suggestions:
You can serve Hamburger Helper all by itself! Or, have some fun and whip up a side dish like Air Fryer Broccoli or Green Beans with Bacon to add a pop of fresh flavor to your plate.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love!
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast — a comfort food classic.
- Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup — perfect for a rainy day!
- Crockpot Meatloaf — so easy and moist!
- Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Glaze — this one is a reader favorite.
Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper
written by Ashley Fehr
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
- 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
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Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebel*This post was originally published February 8, 2016
Parveen says
Can this be made with oat or another plant based milk?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Parveen, that is a tough question because I don’t normally cook with oat or plant based milk. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Han says
Hey Parveen- we used 1 can of coconut milk instead of regular milk and it was delicious! We did add the cheese at the end however.
Super delicious and creamy and have already shared this recipe with my sister 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Han!
Kathryn says
My kids will not eat cooked spinach or bell peppers if they can see them. So, I put them in the food processor and pureed them before adding them to the slow cooker. They loved it! It is a super quick and easy recipe that the family likes and a way for me to get veggies into my kids without them even knowing.
The Recipe Rebel says
Love that idea! So glad you enjoyed it, Kathryn!
Megan says
I love this recipe and have made it several times. I want to try to make it with gluten-free elbows, do you think it would come out the same? Has anyone tried this or have any suggestions? Thank you!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Megan, I don’t think it would. Gluten free pasta is very tricky, ones it gets cooked it can get mushy quickly. With that said, if you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Ali says
I have done it! Came out just fine!
But it cooks faster and so you have to check it frequently because it will get mushy and soggy quite fast.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the tip Ali!
Chrissy says
This is so delicious. My husband and I had this for the first time and we will make this a regular dish.
Thank you.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Chrissy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Kalie M says
Family favorite for my picky eaters! Both my boys 1 & 6 are so picky and it’s nice to be able to make something besides nuggets that they’ll eat haha! My 6 year old requests this all the time! Prep does take me a minute but it’s so worth it! Delicious and thank you for sharing!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kalie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Megan says
I LOVE this recipe, so easy to dump and forget. What is a serving size for this dish? Do you have it in grams? Again. Great recipe!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Megan! I did not measure out the servings. It’s just 1/6 of the recipe. So glad you enjoy it!
Nicole says
This recipe is my favorite. I’ve also made this in my Instapot. Ground the beef and onion on the sear setting, throw the rest of the ingredients in including the noodles. Pressure cook for about 4 or 5 minutes. Perfection!
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks Nicole!
Kg says
So far it was easy to make! I made one mistake though – I put the noodles in too early so they are going to cook for 7 hrs. They will probably be mush by the time we eat. I’ll have to make it again and put the noodles in as directed. Oops.
The Recipe Rebel says
Oh no! Hope you were able to enjoy it!
JB says
Followed the instructions and it looks nothing like the pictures. Other than the pasta, everything in it cooked down to nothing. Disappointing. Why say 7-8 hours on low? It’s either 7 or 8 hours. It may have made a difference? And milk curdles in a slow cooker btw.
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, JB. The method and timing has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you too.
Maria F says
Absolutely love this recipe, it’s so easy and delicious. I live alone but I make it all the time because it makes for great leftovers. I made it for my mom when she was recovering from surgery and she absolutely loved it! I always double the spinach and add shredded carrots.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Maria! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Meredith says
This recipe is so good, i make it once a week and the whole family loves it. I switch up the veggies for whatever i have on hand carrots, zucchini, cauliflower etc. It’s so versatile
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Meredith! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Suzannah m says
This has become a staple in our home! My picky toddler loves it and doesn’t care that it has green and red stuff in it! I’ve found that the noodles need much longer than 15 minutes- in my crock pot on low it’s more like 45-60. But now that I know that I just plan for it 😃
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Suzannah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!