Take a trip down memory lane and reminisce over the creamy and cheesy Hamburger Helper flavors with this Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe. In just 4 minutes you can ring that dinner bell and watch your family come running. Ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and loads of cheese to claim this as a total comfort dish.
Since I got my Instant Pot I have really gotten away from box meals for a handful of reasons. I mean in 4 minutes time you can make a homemade meal, whereas boxed Hamburger Helper on the stovetop takes a lot longer! Now, if you can’t let go of your boxed mixes, don’t worry, I will share how you can make them in the Instant Pot as well.
4 Minute Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper
How to Make Boxed Hamburger Helper in the Instant Pot. You can also see how to make Mac N Cheese In the Instant pot as well. I know what it is like to have kids and need to have a quick and easy meal also if you have a limited budget you may like to use the boxed foods on occasion. Also, don’t miss out on my how to make Rice a Roni in the Instant Pot.
Tips For Making Homemade Hamburger Helper In Instant Pot
So, if you are taking on this recipe, let me share a great tip that will set you up for success!
- Cheese | Reach for deli-style cheese that is quality. I used American cheese. You don’t want to use shredded cheese or pre-sliced as it has a higher oil content and you won’t get that creamy texture you are looking for.
- Toppings | Feel free to add a few toppings to elevate the flavor. Maybe some fresh parsley, a dollop of sour cream, green onions, or even more cheese!
- Ground Beef | One key is to ensure that you help break up any meat that is on the bottom of your Instant Pot. This will help prevent you from getting the burn notice. Some people skip this and then get a burn notice and think what happened. By ensuring the bottom of your pot is free of stuck on beef, it will help prevent your chances of burn notice happening.
Looking for more inexpensive meals? Check out A Month of Family Friendly Instant Pot meals with a Budget.
Can You Freeze Homemade Hamburger Helper
Yes, you can freeze homemade hamburger helper. One tip I always share is cooking your pasta until it is al dente and then scoop into containers or freezer bag. If you overcook your pasta, when you go to reheat it, you will find it can become mushy.
Can I Double The Homemade Hamburger Helper Instant Pot Recipe
I use my 6-quart Instant Pot and I hate to say it you can’t double the Homemade Hamburger Helper Instant Pot recipe. There just isn’t enough room in the pot for it to cook properly.
Is Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper Affordable
You will end up with a lot of hamburger helper from this recipe, which is great for saving back for leftovers for another night. Or if you have a large family it feeds a big family no problem. For wanting a hearty and filling meal that doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, this fits the bill. It can be a very affordable meal, especially when you snag deals on your ground beef, pasta, and other supplies.
Give this Instant Pot homemade Hamburger Helper a try, and let me know what you all think!
Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper
Creamy and Cheesy Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper will not disappoint anyone.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 cups beef broth
- 16 oz cheddar cheese
- 4 oz American cheese
- 1 tbs onion powder
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 8 oz milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Saute ground beef and seasonings until crumbled and meat is no longer pink.
- Pour in uncooked pasta and broth
- Place pot on manual high pressure for 4minutes.
- Do a quick release and milk and slowly Stir in both kinds of cheese.
Notes
Serve. I hope you enjoy this.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 992 Saturated Fat: 34g Cholesterol: 203mg Sodium: 1154mg Carbohydrates: 61g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 2g Protein: 47g
Cindy commented
This recipes reminds me of beef stroganoff.
Molli taylor commented
this looks good i love the taste of hamburger helper but i hate box food
Jana Williams commented
Thanks So Much for Sharing this Recipe for Instant One Pot Hamburger Helper, I Really Appreciate it! I Love Hamburger Helper but I Generally Just Make the Stuff in the Box So it’s Really Nice to Have This Easy but Delicious Recipe on Hand! I have Bad Chronic Pain from a Bad Motorcycle Accident I Was in and Most of the Time I Don’t Feel Like Standing Up to Cook Big Meals So I Love Having a Good Standby Recipe That’s Easy to Make but That Tastes Amazing! Thanks Again for Sharing, Have a Blessed Day! – Jana
Jennahfire commented
Is that 16oz of Cheddar cheese by weight or by volume? I’m assuming weight since you didn’t say “2 cups” but wanted to make sure. I don’t really believe there’s such a thing as too much cheese, but want to make sure I don’t put too little!
Adventures of a Nurse commented
I used a 16oz bag I found in the store 🙂
kay commented
I doubled the recipe and it didn’t come to pressure. I switched to my larger 8 qt pot but same thing. Turns out that everything is scalding to the bottom. Any thoughts? Do you stir the ingredients in the pot?
Adventures of a Nurse commented
humm not sure what happened did you double the liquid?
Lora commented
Way old comment, but I’d suspect she added the milk/cheese before cooking causing the burn message.
Carolyn commented
Did you switch it from saute to pressure?
Chloe commented
Can this be done stove top?
Jeanette Schutz commented
Too much cheese for my family. 16 oz. including 4 oz of the Velveta was just about 8 oz too much for us. Except for that, it was good. Next time I will cut back on the cheese.
Jeanette
Brenda N. commented
Very easy and yummy, too! I added one diced onion and some garlic. I used a bit more than 2 cups of broth, too. It’s a keeper! Thank you for sharing it.
Vera commented
I made this and the pasta isn’t cooked all the way. What did I do wrong? I added more liquid and I’m cooking it again for 4 minutes at high pressure. I hope it works!
Aleaha commented
I had the same thing twice now. Alll the noodles on the top were raw and I let it natural release. I think it needs more liquid and time
Annie commented
If you are at high altitude cook 4 min then rest it 5 min
Adventures of a Nurse commented
wow so strange sorry 🙁
Patrick commented
Going to make this tonight with ground turkey instead of beef so I’m not worried about straining now but just out of curiosity do you strain the beef when it’s done and then put it back in?
Lisa commented
i made this tonight, i added a little salt and pepper to it. it was a little thin, but like the box, leave it about 2 min and it thickens. tastes GREAT! thanks!
Michele L commented
Hi, why is this just 4 mins but the goulash is 12. Will the pasta really cook with just 4 mins time?
Adventures of a Nurse commented
Because I was new at the instant pot when I did the goulash 🙂
Wendy commented
One site I used for reference for making something similar to this, stated to do a GRADUAL quick release. You definitely want a towel handy for over the release valve and protect your fngers. I hope this additional info is helpful. I sure love my Instant Pot!
Sheila Bradbury commented
Do you need to drain the beef for this recipe? I’m so excited to try this tonight! 🙂
aja Buckley commented
i was thinking the same thing? did you?
Maryann commented
I turned off pot after sauté was done. Piled my hamburger to the side and just blotted up the grease with paper towels. Turned out great.
Maryann commented
This is 5 stars. Don’t know how to edit.
Misty commented
I am having trouble like the other reviewer that doubled the recipe. I had to double to feed my large crowd, and same thing…no pressure and sticking to the bottom. I doubled everything, including liquid.
Nancy commented
American cheese? Not sure what that is can I just add more cheddar?
Ally commented
I wonder if the pot is too full for those that are trying to double the recipe… Pasta needs room to cook and the instant pot needs space to be able to function as well…just a thought. And be sure to stir really well after you put the pasta in the pot?
Nicole commented
Wow that was super easy thank you from a fellow RN mamma : ) I made it exactly as the recipe was written minus the American cheese because I didn’t have any. I topped it with salt and pepper and a large dollop of sour cream. My kids ate it too which is rare!
Carrie commented
Great quick recipe. I know there are others wondering if it can be done dairy free and/or gluten free. Yes and yes! Subbed almond milk and rice noodles. Only change was I did instant pot for 3 minutes not 4 so the noodles didn’t get mushy. Thank you! Life saver recipe
Kim commented
Thank you! We are GF and Dairyfree too.
Jenn commented
Have made this three times now. It’s a terrific and really flexible recipe.
A couple of changes I make are to add some ketchup, dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to the broth and milk. Instead of the American cheese, I usually add about 4 ounces of cream cheese, which really kicks up the creaminess factor. Tonight, I used some chopped onion instead of the onions powder and some chopped white mushrooms also.
Whitney Reynolds commented
How much sauce, kitchen and Dijon did you add?
Heather commented
I just got my instant pot and I’m in love with It! This was last night’s dinner and it was a hit! My son was excited to try it and my husband got thirds lol!
Kimc commented
This recipe was AWESOME! This is my go to comfort food and it tasted just like the box, but sort of kind of healthier. Kids and hubby agreed!
Kate commented
Is it really one tablespoon of both onion powder and garlic powder? Seems like a lot of both of those.
Beth Fuchs commented
Made this for dinner tonight with a few minor changes. I knew that the cheeseburger macaroni recipe has dried tomato powder in it so I added about 1T of tomato paste. I also cut the pasta in half but kept the liquids the same. I did 4 minutes with a 10 minute natural release followed by a quick release. It turned out awesome!
Dana commented
What is American Cheese?
Yvonne commented
American cheese is the yellow cheese cheese that you would use on sandwiches. You could also use Velveeta. I love all these comments, they are so helpful. I haven’t made this, but I plan to. Since we are onion and garlic free in our house. Allergies. I plan to use Italian seasoning and make it with mozzarella and Parmesan. I love these recipes for the instant pot. Thank you!
PhysTherMom commented
Thank you! This is one of my new go-to’s ever since finding it half a year ago. I use it for my “helping” meal (helping those who are moving or had a new baby, etc) it’s an easy one and I can’t find a single kid or adult who doesn’t ask for seconds. Thank you!
Sylvia commented
Very easy and so good!! Husband loved it. Served with a nice green salad with apples and toasted pecans! Will make again!
Abbey commented
I’m traveling and was forced to leave my beloved IP at home =( Can this be converted to a slow cooker or regular range recipe?
Carrie commented
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I love my instant pot and happened upon your recipe searching for ground beef instant pot recipes. It was a big hit with the kids! My daughter said I should make it every week. It was so easy and fast! Perfect for a crazy busy day!
Trisha commented
Do you make everything in the pressure cooker?
Kirsten commented
This recipe sounds amazing and I’m anxious to try it but I thought I read that milk would curdle if used in the IP and shouldn’t be added until afterwards. You haven’t noticed that as being a problem?
Fern commented
I had my Instant Pot for a few weeks, but busy with summer and vacation. Today, I hauled it out and got to reading the instructions and looking up recipes online. I fell on this one and decided to go for it. I added some onions and mushrooms. I set the timer wrong. Had it set for 4 hours! After 4 minutes I released the steam lock. Once it unlocked I opened and everything was done perfectly. We love this. Hubby loves Hamburger Helper. I don’t due to add the added sodium. Thank you for helping me create my first meal in my Instant Pot! Took some of the scary out of it.
Adventures of a Nurse commented
YAY I am glad you liked it 🙂
Brandi commented
What kind of pasta did you use? The regular pasta always cooks in 4 minutes for me. Anything more hardy takes a minute or two longer. Next time if the pasta isn’t quite done, I would just turn on saute and let it cook with the lid off.
Brandi commented
I believe I’ve solved some of the issues from the comments above. I have another recipe I use that only calls for 1 1/2 cups of pasta per 16oz water/ broth, 1 cup of milk. It turns out perfectly every time without sticking. There may not be enough liquid to absorb 2 cups of pasta with the recipe on this page. Also, if it looks a little thin after cooking, add in about 1/4 cup of cream or sour cream to help. My recipe calls for an additional 3 tsps of paprika. I put a towel over the top when quick releasing pressure. I think natural release would over cook the pasta. happy eating!
Sara commented
I looked it up online and 16 oz of macaroni noodles equals about 8 cups ?♀️ No wonder it wasn’t turning out for me. Should change the recipe to say 2 cups
Deb commented
OMG! This is better than Hamburger Helper. This is my mom’s “casserole.” I think the only one she ever made. Except it doesn’t have nasty cream of mushroom soup and everything is easy to do in just the IP. Thanks for the memories!
Adventures of a Nurse commented
Thanks 🙂 I am glad you liked it 🙂
Jennifer commented
Very good!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Cooke4u commented
This was very dry when all ingredients were combined so I added a few things. 2tbs beef broth, 1/2 cup fat free1/2&1/2, 1/2c skim milk, 1/4 cup sour cream, 4oz cream cheese-I sprinkled fresh parsley on top, fabulous result! Btw-I used heavy cream at the beginning, one of our fav ingredients?
Dustin commented
Used this recipe tonight, and followed it very closely, and it turned out very bland with no flavor at all. Thankfully the kids had already eaten because after taking a couple of bites the wife and I decided to just throw it out.
Kathy Bradley commented
I made this recipe a few weeks ago. Husband and daughter loved it. I used lactose-free milk and lactose free cheese (daughter didn’t have to use her lactose pills). Definitely will be making this again. Thanks again.
Jillian commented
I made this as my second ever instant pot dish. It was pretty good and easy. The only changes I made was to add salt and pepper to the beef and a dash of worcestershire sauce.
Start to finish (pulling beef out of fridge to putting in a bowl to eat) was 30 min – not bad at all for a full meal.
I seem to be in the minority that mine had ZERO liquid left when I finished letting the pressure out, in fact it was starting to brown to the bottom, but hadn’t burned, so I just scraped, added the cheeses and stirred. In hindsight, I probably should of added a bit more stock or milk when I did this as the noodles were already sticky and the cheeses just made it glumpy. It was still delicious just not as loose as the image.
Next time I might add another 1/2C of stock before cooking or just have extra on hand when stirring in the cheeses, might also drop down to 12oz of cheese. Would also be delicious with some fresh cherry tomatoes stirred in with the cheeses.
Nena commented
Did you drain the beef? And is it a full 16oz box of noodles or 2 cups of dry noodles?
Michelle commented
Made this the other night – IT’S A KEEPER! Mine also came out with almost no liquid left so I added the cheese and started stirring, then started adding more and more milk and beef broth until it was wet enough. Then reheated each portion in the microwave. (Next time I’ll add more liquid ahead of time). But it was definitely good! We all were fighting over leftovers. Seemed as good as the real deal, but healthier! Thanks for the new “regular rotation” meal!
Lisa commented
i absolutely love this recipe! It’s Saturday night and my family and I have decided that it’s just too cold to go out. This cooks up quicker than any of those unhealthy boxed meals. This is the second time that I’m making this and it’s very consistent. This meal will be put into our rotation of quick meals! Thank you so much for this recipe!
lisa commented
We’re making this tonight– I’m interested to see how it will come out! I’m wondering how you were able to add the cheese without it getting all glumpy? I usually have to heat my milk or cream in a separate pot and then add shredded cheese to the milk in order to get the creamy texture you have in the picture.
lisa commented
Me again. 🙂
I made this and it was a hit! Here are some things from the previous comments that I changed in my recipe:
* I didn’t use onion or garlic powder. Instead, I sauteed half an onion and a minced clove of garlic with my hamburger.
* I added a cup of chopped mushrooms, a shot of worchestershire sauce, and tablespoon of tomato paste– just because we like those flavors.
* I didn’t drain the hamburger after it was done.
* I followed the listed directions for the liquids: two cups of beef broth, 1 cup of milk.
* 4 minutes cooked the pasta perfectly!
* I added two and a half cups of cheddar cheese (cheddar only, I didn’t have American), and it melted surprisingly well– no clumps!
One thing I would do differently: I used the quick release and it made a HUGE mess! Next time, I’ll use the natural release. I don’t know if this will overcook the pasta, but I’m willing to take the risk in order to avoid the clean up.
Thanks for this recipe! I’ll definitely make it again!
Sharla commented
I thought you weren’t supposed to put milk and cook under pressure in the IP,
that it would curdle
Judy commented
Only the meat, broth, seasonings and pasta are under pressure. The milk goes in with the cheese afterwards. Read the recipe.
Karin commented
It would have been helpful if the recipe stipulated what size pot to make it in. I got half way done cooking the beef in my 3 Qt and then decided to half everything. I didn’t try this one because I don’t eat beef, but the feedback I got was that it was a little bland and it lacked vegetables.
Alana Morris commented
Put a towel over the valve as it’s releasig steam ?
Saladflambe commented
This is the most husband- and toddler-approved Instant Pot recipe I’ve ever cooked 🙂 Delicious. Change nothing.
Kerri commented
I tweaked this recipe for my family. I cooked the beef with an onion. When everything was done I added a package of defrosted frozen peas with the cheese. I also used less cheese as I had a package of cheese ready for my homemade macaroni and cheese (8 oz cheddar, 4 oz Colby Jack) My kids loved it.
Jeremiah Kobe Reynolds commented
I followed the recipe step by step by and it wouldn’t get to pressure and it stuck to the bottom. What went wrong?
Linette commented
Where do you saute the hamburger? On the stove or in the instant pot?
Staci commented
Super dry and followed the recipe exactly. I question an entire box of pasta for this, was that a typo?
Adventures of a Nurse commented
nope it’s a f ull box 🙂 you could add more milk or cream at the end 🙂
Keri commented
I made this last night, but instead of American, I used a Mexican blend, because that’s what I had on hand. The flavor was excellent. The pasta was a little TOO al dente for us (almost crunchy). I think it needed an add’l cup of liquid. When I released pressure, the liquid was mostly gone, so I had to add some milk to smooth out the cheese. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to drain the beef? Either way, I will make it again, because the flavor is great, and dinner was done in roughly 15 minutes. I will just add more liquid next time. Thanks for the quick easy meal idea!
Jamie commented
Made this for supper tonight had to cook for 6 minutes instead of 4 but my family loved it thank.you
Sarah commented
It seemed at first like there wouldn’t be enough liquid bit after it cooked, it was fine. I added some of the Also steak seasoning to the meat while cooking to add some more flavor. It’s so good. I’ve had many dinner recipes from blogs flop so I’m skeptical but thanks for this good one that works!
Janice commented
This is a family favorite that brings back memories of my childhood. So easy even my son conquered his fear of cooking to make it.
Thanks for sharing.
Jennifer commented
Has anyone figured out if it’s 16oz of pasta as in a full box or 16oz as in 2 cups? I had to cook the pasta 3 times and add more broth too. I hope it’s a full box or the rest of the recipe is thrown off from too much pasta being used
Adventures of a Nurse commented
16oz is the standard box of pasta
Sara commented
I’m sorry if this was already asked but did you measure out the two cups of pasta? Or use the 16oz box? I did the box and the pasta didn’t cook all the way, despite adding a little extra water. Other than that, this was good! Might add some extra seasonings.
Adventures of a Nurse commented
I used a 16 oz box 🙂
Mary commented
What a fun recipe! Delicious!
I used ground turkey, 1/2 milk and 1/2 yogurt. Very tasty!
Laura commented
Looking forward to making this. Do you think the leftovers could be frozen?
David Alan commented
I noticed in your video that the American cheese was cubed. I don’t know of any store-bought A.C. that doesn’t come in SLICES. Were you using Velveeta?
Adventures of a Nurse commented
NO i bought it at the deli 🙂
Jill commented
I got an instant pot recently and wanted to comment that this recipe was awesome. I live in Canada on the west coast and made This tonight with 5 year old cheddar, some cave aged Gouda (it was just lying around waiting to be eaten) and then threw in some marscapone cheese for extra creaminess. OMG. Cleaned out the cheese drawer AND made the hubby SOOOOOOO happy. Thanks for the recipe, this will become a regular at our house!!
Janice B commented
Hubby sent this. He was feeling nostalgic for our early married days before I learned to cook. This, plus being UP quick, worked! Turned out great. Simple. I was short on cheese, so used a can of cheddar soup.
Katy. commented
My pot arrives on Friday and I’d like to try this. Is there a meat I can just put in the pot with the other ingredients and cook it ll together?
Meghan commented
I made this for my family of 6 last night and it was a hit! After reading all of the comments I decided to add a 1/2 cup more broth and I diced the American cheese to speed up the melting process. It was wonderful. Thank you for saving me on one of our many soccer practice nights!!
Amy commented
I made this tonight and it was very thick, kinda like glued together. My pasta also wasn’t cooked all the way, too. Any ideas what I did wrong? I followed the recipe exactly.
SandyToes commented
A half recipe of this cooked perfectly in my Mini and made for 2 plentiful servings. We thought it was very bland, though, and needed additional seasonings to make it work. Perhaps a tablespon of tomato paste and some Worcestershire sauce would help, I’m just not sure.
Vikki commented
While my family liked the taste, I think I’d use at least another half cup of broth. Some of my macaroni was a bit “crunchy”. Just a suggestion! ?
Alina commented
Hi! Thank you for sharing this quick and easy recipe. I made it tonight but made a few changes. I used ground turkey instead of beef and did not drain juices. I added sweet frozen corn after the shredded cheese and added a few dashes of cayenne pepper in addition to the spices in the recipe.
Kathy commented
This was a good recipe but it needs far more liquid than two cups of broth for the 16 oz, of pasta, I ended up using a total of 28 oz. of broth (two cans) after the initial 4 minutes revealed pasta that was not cooked and dry and that was barely enough after an additional 2 minutes of pressuring, I also added more milk but it was still quite dry, next time I will use 1 1/2 cups of milk.
Lisa commented
992 calories per serving? What is serving size? Thank you!
Donna Stubblefield commented
Not sure what I did wrong but my pasta wasn’t cooked all the way. I did cut the recipe in half just not sure what went wrong. Is the keep warm supposed to be on when it’s pressure cooking? I did shut the keep warm off so maybe that’s what I did wrong. Getting past the pasta the cheese & ground beef was great 🙂
Emily commented
I read a bunch of comments and followed the recipe exactly. Any thoughts as to why the cheese was SUPER stringy?
Amy commented
Question, do you use frozen ground beef or is it already thawed before you put it in the Instant Pot? I’m a new user and not a great cook, so I have no idea!
Adventures of a Nurse commented
Defrosted
Linda commented
In the early years before I learned to cook Hamburger Helper was my friend. Hubby loved it! But sooo much sodium and other ‘stuff’. But over the years he developed high blood pressure, and I learned to cook better. Tried this recipe tonight and he liked it! He did however add a bit of red pepper flakes to it for a kick, but I actually thought it tasted just like the boxed stuff. I used only cheddar cheese and low sodium broth. I increased the broth a little and added water to make sure the pasta was well covered. Approx 3 cups liquid. 4 minutes was just right. Gotta say this is a great stretchable meal for people with kids and/or on a tight budget! And if you’re tight on time, get an Instant Pot! I love it! Thank you!
Colleen commented
Recipe was pretty good flavor-wise. However, I found that 2 cups of beef broth was not enough to cook the pasta. Will make this again, but will definitely add more beef broth!
Laura kowalski commented
Making tonight, I would like to add 16 ounces of frozen mixed vegetables. Do i need to do anything different?
Kari commented
I got started and realized my box of pasta was only about 1/4 full. I substituted 2C of rice and it’s delicious! I had to pull out a serving for my husband without cheese, so next time, I’ll reduce the cheese by about 1/3.
Meidy commented
Excellent !
Thank you so much for your kindness sharing your recipe.
My picky eater just keep eating and say delicious!
Even me and my husband love it.
Thank you so much, God bless you and all your family 🙏
Denise Anderson commented
OMG! Your Cheeseburger Helper recipe is amazing! Also my first Instant Pot meal!
Denise Anderson commented
I love this recipe! I’ve made it 5 out of the 8 times I’ve used my new instant pot.
Thanks!
Nate commented
My family loves this recipe and ask for it often. We have made our own personal changes over time. We do 1/2 diced onion and 3 cloves minced garlic and removed the dry seasoning. 1 pound turkey meat and then add 4 oz chopped mushrooms after browning the meat. We then add whole wheat noodles and add the 3 cups broth. To make the sauce a little thinker we some plain Greek yogurt or sour cream rather than milk or heavy cream.
This times a few more minutes be it let’s add a little more Whole Foods to the meal. But we often do the great recipe above when we are in a hurry. It’s super fast and easy.
Thanks for the great recipe my family thanks you for the many meals.