Delicious alternative to the famous boxed cheeseburger mac recipe! This recipe uses a few simple ingredients, one pot, and is ready in 30 minutes or less!

Making It Gluten Free
I'll be honest I never had Hamburger Helper growing up. My parents thought it was chemical boxed poison or something. When I got to college and tried my first box I thought they were completely right. It was REALLY salty and had a weird aftertaste.
But something kept drawing me back (mostly because my first husband stocked the pantry with boxes of Hamburger Helper in case dinner turned out less than palatable--I wasn't near the cook I am now). I made a gluten free version down the road and thought it tasted wonderful! It was simple to make gluten free too--just substitute any gluten free elbow noodles!
Substitutions
- Dairy Free: Simply substitute plain dairy free milk or dairy free creamer in place of the milk.
- Macaroni: You can substitute any gluten free elbow macaroni.
- Cornstarch: You can use gluten free flour blend or arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch.
Storing
This recipe is pretty simple to store. It can be stored in an airtight container for several days in the refrigerator. You can even freeze it! I store individual portions in the freezer microwave to thaw it at lunch. It's a simple and inexpensive lunch time meal!
Copycat Gluten Free Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 ½ cups milk can substitute dairy free milk or creamer
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, brown the meat over medium heat. Drain and set aside. While the meat is cooling, add the cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, pepper, water, milk and macaroni to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn to medium heat and allow noodles to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add the browned beef and cheese to the noodle mixture and stir until cheese is melted. Serve.
Notes
Substitutions
- Dairy Free: Simply substitute plain dairy free milk or dairy free creamer in place of the milk.
- Macaroni: You can substitute any gluten free elbow macaroni.
- Cornstarch: You can use gluten free flour blend or arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch.
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