Copycat Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

I stumbled upon this recipe for beefy garlic and butter noodles that looked like a good recipe for a day when I wanted a one-pot dinner, so I’m sharing it with you.

The result is a dish that tastes just like beef stroganoff Hamburger Helper. Nearly identical and no preservatives!

This isn’t healthy. Like at all. But it’s comfort food at its best and most straightforward!

Let’s get into it.

Copycat Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

Recipe credit to Clap Recipes.

Time commitment:

Prep - 10 minutes

Cooking time - 30-35 minutes

Cooling time - 5+ minutes

Ready in 45 minutes to an hour!

Equipment list:

• Serving spoon

• Dutch oven or larger pot/skillet with a lid

• Beef masher (like this one) OR wooden spoon

• 1/2 cup measuring cup (or use 1/2 of 1 cup)

• 1 cup measuring cup

• 2 cup measuring cup (or use 1 cup x2)

• Tablespoon

• Cutting board and knife

• Cheese grater if using block parmesan

• Stovetop

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey (go lean to consume less fat!)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 4 minced garlic cloves (mince fresh or buy pre-minced)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 8 ounces of pasta (penne, macaroni, or even spaghetti noodles work well)

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan (buy pre-grated or shred your own from a wedge of fresh parmesan)

• Salt, to taste

• Pepper, to taste

Steps to get your copycat stroganoff:

1. Gather all your equipment and ingredients. Preheat your large pot on the oven on medium heat.

   • TIP: Chop your onion and garlic at this step, or do it while the meat cooks.

2. To your preheated pan add 1 pound ground beef/turkey, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook the meat until no longer pink, draining the fat if you want.

   • TIP: While the meat cooks, chop your onion and garlic! Or chop it all during your prep.

3. To the cooked meat add 2 tablespoons butter. Melt the butter, then add the chopped onion and sauté until it’s soft, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Stir in the garlic and cook until you smell it, but not any longer.

5. Pour 2 cups beef broth and 1 cup heavy cream into the meat mixture and stir.

6. Add 8 ounces of uncooked pasta to the pot and stir. Make sure your pasta is fully submerged in the liquid so it cooks!

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

   • TIP: Season as you cook! As the noodles cook, give the mix a taste. If you think it needs more salt and/or pepper, add it as the food is cooking, not after.

8. Boil the mix over medium heat for a couple minutes, then turn the stove down to low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for about 10 minutes, OR until the noodles are cooked to your liking.

   • TIP: Don’t boil on too high for too long, or let the noodles cook too long! They get soggy as the mix sits in the fridge leftover, and the longer you cook the noodles, the softer they get.

9. When the noodles are cooked, remove the pan from heat and stir in 1/2 cup grated parmesan. Taste the mix and see if you need more salt and pepper.

   • TIP: If the mix is very liquidy and thin, feel free to add more cheese. I added just over 1 cup and it was perfect!

10. Serve warm with bread, mashed potatoes, salad, or by itself.