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Instant Pot Hamburger Helper

Healthy instant pot hamburger helper is an easy weeknight meal your family will love!  Made with ground turkey, cheese, noodles and spices, this homemade cheeseburger macaroni tastes even better than the box classic and will be a weeknight dinner winner!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 506kcal
Author Lyndsey

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups shredded cheddar Monterey Jack or combination
  • 16 ounces sturdy pasta shells or cavatappi
  • 1 pound ground turkey can substitute ground beef also
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ½ medium onion diced
  • 3 tablespoon butter cut into small cubes
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce

Instructions

  • Using the saute mode, drizzle olive oil into the Instant Pot.  Saute onions until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add ground beef or turkey, salt and pepper and other seasonings. Cook beef until done, breaking up meat and moving frequently. Once cooked, stir in ½ can of tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce and remove meat to a side bowl.
    1 pound ground turkey, ½ medium onion, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • Cancel saute mode and add 16 ounces of sturdy pasta to the pot.  Add four cups of water and cook on manual for 4 minutes. Once the cooking cycle completes, carefully quick release and stir noodles.
    16 ounces sturdy pasta
  • Add in butter and stir until well incorporated.  Place meat back into pot.
    3 tablespoon butter
  • Add cheese and stir gently.  Add milk as needed for a smooth, creamy consistency. Season pasta with salt and pepper and additional seasoning and remaining ½ can of tomato sauce if desired.  Serve hot.
    2.5 cups shredded cheddar, ¼ cup milk

Notes

  • Make ahead: Make ahead to feed your family for a few days. When you make this cheeseburger mac ahead, add in a bit of milk when you reheat it for leftovers.
  • Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Freezing not recommended.
  • Reheat: Add a splash of milk and reheat in the microwave until heated through.
  • To avoid burn warning, add in enough olive oil while sautéing ground turkey or beef to ensure you do not get the burn warning.
  • Stir in some sour cream or Greek yogurt for extra creaminess (and protein if using Greek yogurt!)
  • Taco version: Stir in some enchilada sauce to make a taco version. Crunch a few tortilla chips on top for some extra texture (or check out walking taco casserole!)
  • To make vegan: Use plant based meat crumbles, vegan cheese, vegan butter and oat milk if you need to make this recipe dairy free and without meat.
  • To make gluten free: Use gluten free noodles to make recipe gluten free.
  • Part of this recipe was adapted from Pinch of Yum's Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese recipe.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.7g | Protein: 28.5g | Fat: 23.4g