Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe (My kids favorite meal!)

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5 from 8 votes
Published: September 17, 2021Author: Camille Beckstrand
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Forget Hamburger Helper - this made-from-scratch Cheeseburger Macaroni is my kids' favorite meal. This macaroni and cheese recipe is a fast dinner for those busy nights (and adults love it too) and is the perfect family easy dinner recipe.
Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe (My kids favorite meal!)

I am all about simple recipes during the week. And even better if I don’t have to make a huge mess in the kitchen while I’m doing it.

Or if it is one of those weeks where the dishes magically piled up and you only have a few clean dishes left (this never happens!), you can still make this easy dinner recipe!

If you love easy recipes, our one pot meals are a great option those busy nights!

You have got to try out our One Pot Cheesy Chicken Alfredo recipe, One Pot Turkey Spaghetti, and this super delicious One Pot Creamy Spaghetti and Sausage recipe.

 

Kid-Approved Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with Beef make for the perfect combination and filling meal. A kids classic turns into a culinary masterpiece that everybody is going to love.

Add a little kick and a little flavor to it and you have yourself the perfect dinner for the pickiest eaters.

I found this macaroni and cheese recipe over at Kevin & Amanda and it has quickly become one of our family’s favorite meals- mostly because my kids devour it.

It is easy to prepare- only takes about 20 minutes- and tastes amazing.

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Ingredients for homemade hamburger helper:

  1. Ground beef
  2. Taco seasoning mix packet
  3. Diced tomatoes with green chilies (we used this Rotel)
  4. Beef broth
  5. Elbow macaroni
  6. Butter
  7. Flour
  8. Milk
  9. Shredded cheddar cheese
  10. Salt
  11. Pepper

You can always make your own taco seasoning and omit the packet of taco seasoning mix.  Take a look at this great taco seasoning recipe from Allrecipes.com. If you do that I would add about 2 tablespoons of the homemade seasoning to this recipe.

How to make our Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet recipe:

Get out your large pan and brown up the ground beef until it is done. Then drain the grease and return the meat to the pan.

Next, stir in the taco seasoning, tomatoes, beef broth, and uncooked macaroni noodles (no need to cook them ahead of time) and bring everything to a boil in the pan.

Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let it simmer for about 12-14 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.

In another small saucepan, melt the butter.

Once the butter has melted completely, add the flour and whisk it into the butter, continuing to cook and whisk it for another 4-5 minutes. It should become a light brown color.

Now the butter and flour are brown, whisk in the milk, and bring the mixture to a boil.

Continue to whisk the butter and milk mixture until it begins to thicken up and is smooth. Then remove it from the heat.

After you take the mixture off the heat, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and stir it until the cheese is completely melted and combined.

Then add in the salt and pepper to the cheese and mix everything together.

Now, take the cheese sauce and pour it over the hamburger macaroni mixture and carefully stir everything together until it is combined well.

Lastly, serve it and enjoy it!

How to Brown Ground Beef

When purchasing ground beef, it’s important to understand that a higher fat to meat ratio means the meat is going to shrink up a little more as it cooks.

The store sells the higher fat beef cheaper and this may seem like the more budget-friendly option, but you are also getting less beef out of it. Either way, you get what you pay for.

When browning ground beef, you will want to use a nonstick skillet or spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add the uncooked beef to the pan and cook over medium-high heat.

Use a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to evenly break up the meat as it cooks. You could also use a spatula to break of the meat into small, evenly sized, pieces.

Cook until there is no pink left in the meat. Browning ground beef usually takes about 10-15 minutes.

Looking for another easy ground beef recipe? Try our 15 Minute Ground Beef Tostadas!

How to tame the spice in this Cheeseburger Macaroni:

Depending on the taco seasoning and the green chiles you buy, this could get a little spicy. We have found that to cool the spice, we mix in a little sour cream.

If you are looking for a healthier alternative, you could also use Greek yogurt.

Don’t love tomatoes?

If you have a few family members that don’t particularly love tomatoes, you could blend them up or use a little tomato sauce.

We recommend using sauce because it comes a little more flavored and salted than paste.

You could also use a little marinara sauce. However, changing up the ingredients might effect the consistency.

We recommend adding extra noodles or meat when leaving out the tomatoes and using a tomato substitute.

What to serve with Cheeseburger Macaroni:

Serves: 6

Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe

5 from 8 votes
Forget Hamburger Helper – this made-from-scratch Cheeseburger Macaroni is my kids' favorite meal. This macaroni and cheese recipe is a fast dinner for those busy nights (and adults love it too) and is the perfect family easy dinner recipe.
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning or about 1 ounce
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis such as a 10 ounce can of Rotel
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup elbow macaroni

Cheese Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef and drain grease.
  • Stir in taco seasoning, tomatoes, beef broth, and macaroni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer 12-14 minutes until macaroni is tender.
  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for 2-3 minutes until it becomes fragrant and starts to turn a light brown color.
  • Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and mixture starts to thicken. Remove mixture from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce.
  • Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.

Notes

Depending on the taco seasoning and the green chiles you buy, this could get a little spicy. We have found that to cool the spice, we mix in a little sour cream.
If you are looking for a healthier alternative, you could also use Greek yogurt.

Nutrition

Calories: 356 kcal · Carbohydrates: 27 g · Protein: 27 g · Fat: 15 g · Saturated Fat: 9 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 80 mg · Sodium: 1184 mg · Potassium: 549 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 983 IU · Vitamin C: 9 mg · Calcium: 210 mg · Iron: 4 mg

Equipment

  • Large Skillet
  • Small Saucepan
  • Whisk

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

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Cheeseburger Macaroni in a white bowl with a fork

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  1. Jill says:
    July 5, 2011
    I can see why this a favourite with the kids - YUM!!

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a great weekend!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
    Reply
  2. GinaAnn says:
    April 20, 2012
    This is seriously SO GOOD. My whole family loves it and my husband even likes the left overs better. Easy and delicious!
    Reply
  3. Linda says:
    June 28, 2013
    well looking for easy easy easy kid friendly, for a 2 and a 3 year old..they are picky... i have leftover taco meat..i think i am just gonna make some mac and cheese and add some...see how that goes over! thanks for the idea!
    Reply
  4. Glenda says:
    July 14, 2013
    I found this recipe on Pinterest. We made it tonight--the only change was that we used 2 tablespoons of my homemade taco seasoning instead of the packaged kind. We all loved it--especially my husband! Thank you!
    Reply
  5. Laura says:
    August 1, 2013
    Do you drain the rotel?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      August 1, 2013
      You don't need to drain the rotel. :)
      Reply
  6. Karen McKenzie says:
    August 20, 2013
    made this tonight for dinner, OMG, Yum, everyone loved it, definite addition to my dinner menu
    Reply
  7. Stacia says:
    September 9, 2013
    I made this for dinner tonight. Unfortunately I couldn't find the mild Rotel so I used the original. It was very spicy. Luckily my kids are older so they were still able to eat it, but we all agreed it would have been much better without that extra spice.
    Reply
  8. Monica says:
    September 30, 2013
    I found your recipe on Pinterest and have made it twice in two weeks now ! my family LOVES it, thank you for sharing!!!
    Reply
  9. stacey says:
    December 11, 2013
    Im from canada and am on your site daily and recently bought your book! Can you tell me what rotel is? We dont have that here and dont want to mess the recipe up!?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      December 27, 2013
      Rotel is a type of canned diced tomatoes. Some of the cans have diced green chilies added to it.
      Reply
    • Carol says:
      August 23, 2020
      Even the mild Rotel is too spicy for my sensitive taste buds; whenever it’s called for in a recipe, I substitute a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of Ortega Diced Green Chiles.
      Reply
  10. Vicki says:
    April 27, 2014
    Do I need to change anything if I double this?
    Reply
  11. mary kate says:
    September 6, 2014
    Can this be made ahead and frozen?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 9, 2014
      Yes, put it in an airtight freezer container.
      Reply
  12. Felicia says:
    November 2, 2014
    Do I have to boil water first for the macorni
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      November 5, 2014
      Don't cook the macaroni first, brown and drain ground beef. Stir in taco seasoning, Rotel, beef broth, and macaroni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer 12-14 minutes until macaroni is tender
      Reply
  13. Marissa C. says:
    December 11, 2014
    This was ridiculous!! I had to wait for the family to get home to eat. I could've eaten the whole pan myself. It's a keeper! Thank you. :)
    Reply
  14. Janel says:
    February 3, 2015
    I used Tostitos cheese dip for the sauce and it was so easy and delicious... a family favorite at our house also!
    Reply
  15. Tomeka says:
    February 23, 2015
    I do not eat beef. Can I substitute chicken broth for the beef broth?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      February 28, 2015
      It should work fine, the taste will be altered since it's a different flavored broth.
      Reply
  16. Rikki says:
    May 5, 2015
    I made this tonight and it is very good. I thought the 1 c. of pasta sounded a bit low but I still went with it (especially because that is how much I ended up having leftover from a previous use). It did come out very soupy. I think I will go ahead and make it with at least 1.5 cups next time.
    Reply
  17. Jocelyn says:
    September 4, 2015
    I made this for dinner and it turned out great! It is definitely a keeper. It was quick and easy. I used one teaspoon Morton's seasoned salt instead of taco seasoning because I wasn't sure my kids would go for the taco seasoning. My 9 year old loved it but the 6 year old is super picky and claims she didnt like it (i think she spit it out before she even gave it a chance). I enjoyed it and was happy it was done in under an hour.
    Reply
  18. Jenny says:
    September 20, 2015
    I was wondering if I could do this recipe in the crockpot?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 22, 2015
      You brown the hamburger and cook the macaroni until tender. I'm sure you could make it and keep it warm in the slow cooker but you couldn't make it in the slow cooker.
      Reply
      • Jen says:
        March 24, 2016
        I've seen this adapted for the Instant Pot. Sautéed the ground beef in the pot, added other ingredients and HP for 3 minutes. Made the cheese sauce on the stove and added after.
        Reply
  19. Kelly says:
    February 11, 2016
    This was AMAZING! Made it tonight for a quick-fix dinner. Hubby and teen son loved it as did I. Super simple and am definitely adding this to my go-to recipes! Thanks!!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      February 12, 2016
      Thanks Kelly!! We are so glad that it was a winner with the family!! Have a great weekend!
      Reply
  20. Carla says:
    February 16, 2016
    I have been trying a lot of recipes from your site and book and this one is one of my favorite ones.. (i have a ton more favotire recipes)..my little ones love it.:) thank you
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      February 22, 2016
      Thanks Carla!!! You are so sweet. You made our day!!! Thank you for stopping by our blog!!! :) Have a great week!
      Reply
  21. Lavinia says:
    March 24, 2016
    I made this for the first time tonight. I love it! Super easy! We prefer hot here so I used the Hot Rotel (tomatoes with jalepenos) and omitted the salt because the broth I used already had a lot. Definately, making this again. Thanks!
    Reply
  22. Jan says:
    April 11, 2016
    Made this tonight with petite diced tomatoes with green chili's and it was spicy and yummy! If your family is not into a little hot, I would simply get the tomatoes without chili's. I used a 14 oz can of those and upped my pasta to 1 1/2 cup.
    Reply
  23. Erin says:
    May 15, 2016
    We loved it! I used ground turkey and substituted Cajun seasoning and did need to add a little extra cooked macaroni in the end which wasn't a problem (more leftovers). Maybe I should've drained the tomatoes? Really yummy on a cold Spring day in Buffalo.
    Reply
  24. Andrea says:
    August 26, 2016
    My husband hates tomatoes :/ would it work to blend the tomatoes? Or does that throw off the liquid ratio? I made this once as is and it was great. My husband picked out some of the tomatoes and gave up. Ha ha.
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 6, 2016
      I'm sure you could blend the tomatoes to disguise them. :)
      Reply
  25. melissa tilley says:
    October 15, 2016
    I made this dish a few nights ago, my 5 children loved it and they are all picky. My husband who is ridiculously picky, raved about it and even took leftovers the next day for lunch and he hates leftovers! I changed the 1 cup of pasta, to 1.5 cups. I also doubled the whole recipe and it made a ton! I think next time I would make it and add another 1/2 batch. I have 7 people in my family. It does make good leftovers. The kids enjoyed it with tortillas chips. Thanks for a great recipe!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      October 17, 2016
      Hi Melissa. You made our day with your sweet comment. That's what we love to hear! So glad even your picky eaters liked it. Thanks so much for stopping by our blog and have a terrific week!!!
      Reply
  26. Stephanie Hirsch says:
    October 16, 2016
    This was great, I didn't know that I should buy mild rotel and we bought original...made the dish pretty spicy, so we called it taco macaroni, lol. We used some sour cream to ease out the spice, next time I'll try it with mild rotel, but it's a great meal that was fast and yummy. I think just the ground beef/rotel/cheese sauce mix would make a great taco dip!
    Reply
  27. Crystal says:
    November 2, 2016
    This was a hit with the whole family except for our vegetarian! And that was okay, because more for the rest of us-so delicious! Thank you!
    Reply
  28. Krista says:
    December 20, 2017
    Even my picky eater gave it a 7/10. Delicious! Filling! Thanks for sharing. I found I needed to add another 1-2 cups of water for our bowtie pasta substitute:)
    Reply
  29. Stacie says:
    December 26, 2017
    I made this tonight for my family. It was a HUGE hit!!! I used veggie pasta and my 5 year old and 2 year old cleared their plates!!
    Reply
  30. Jennifer says:
    April 27, 2018
    I double the recipe larger family with hungry teens. Anyhow, I use one can of Rotel and one can of diced tomatoes for the recipe.
    Reply
  31. Kat says:
    September 27, 2018
    This gets ?? from my family! I always know when they like a meal after being fed so many compliments! I added onion and garlic and omitted the rotel tomatoes. Instead stewing approx. 6 medium fresh tomatoes and mixing with 1cup tomato sauce.
    Reply
  32. Charlotte Brown says:
    October 27, 2018
    Add One lb of shredded sharp cheese. Oh my goodness gracious, it's beyond amazing!
    Reply
  33. Amber says:
    December 30, 2018
    Before I could afford not to serve Hamburger Helper, it was a staple. I knew better but when one is so eager to be grown in a world where bills are due, one learns quickly how to adapt in order to survive on their own. I learned very early how to jazz up boxed meals. Once college was complete & life led me to a more comfortable place, I ditched the boxed foods vowing never to travel that road again! (many) Years later, I find myself perusing Pinterest, looking at this homemade-from-scratch recipe & wondering how good it really tastes. Reluctant to head to the grocery store, I had exactly what the recipe called for & little else. Hey, cut me some slack here. It's Dec 30th! I cooked the pasta dish including additional ingredients for a total of 25 minutes to soften noodles. I didn't have Rotel on hand (we love it so it was long gone) but I had a can of diced tomatoes. Those worked out very well. I had 1/2 of a fresh tomato, so that too went in. For those who don't have tomato (canned or fresh) on hand, no worries! You can use tomato sauce or tomato paste (just water it down & add a little salt & spices to make it flavorful) Don't like tomato of any kind? Just skip this part! For a more saucy dish w/o the tomato, you can swap the red sauce for a white sauce by adding in 1/2 cup sour cream. I had 1/2 a zucchini that was also diced & tossed it. I used lean ground turkey because that's what I had on hand & for those asking, ANY meat (or tofu) can be subbed in here with ease. I prefer the flavor of vegetable or chicken stock & already had chicken stock open from Christmas cooking, so that's what I used here. I like 30% less sodium taco seasoning but had a tbsp left of an open packet of fajita seasoning (same macros as 30% less sodium taco seasoning) so for those wondering, that is an easy sub as well. Before cooking the meat, I sauteed a diced sweet yellow onion but any color onion (or no onion) work here. This was a pretty good twist on a once prominent staple. After vowing to never cook from a box, I'm happy to have come across this delicious recipe which is far from a box but is nearly just as easy. This should be 1 of many recipes mothers give to their children when they move out. I ran into a group of young people the last time I was at the grocery store. One of the girls said she was trying to re-create a recipe her mother made. They try. they really do. Make life easier on them & give them a book with their top 5 main dishes & top 3 desserts. Thanks for sharing your edible love with us & Happy New Year!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 3, 2019
      You made our whole week with this sweet comment. This is a simple and hearty dish that the family will eat! Have a Happy New Year!
      Reply
  34. Amy says:
    January 7, 2019
    Made this today and it was a hit with my family and I! Such a great comfort fish with great flavor. I doubled the recipe for leftovers and I’m glad I did! Try this recipe!
    Reply
  35. Ami Calhoun says:
    February 28, 2019
    Haha. I put the whole lb. of pasta im because I read it wrong. It was still DELICIOUS! I can’t wait to taste in when I cook it correctly. 🙈
    Reply
  36. Lisa says:
    March 16, 2020
    So yummy!! Just wondered if anyone ride thought it was a little too soupy? Maybe drain the tomatoes or a little less broth maybe?
    Reply
  37. BOBBI says:
    September 21, 2020
    A hit with the kids!

    5 stars

    Reply
  38. Patrice says:
    September 27, 2020
    This recipe was easy to make and soooooo delicious! My family loved it. Thanks.😀

    5 stars

    Reply
  39. Tammy says:
    November 20, 2020
    Omgosh my family LOVED this!!!
    Reply
  40. Samantha Doebler says:
    November 23, 2020
    5+ STARS! WE ALL LOVED THIS!! Not a drop left in the pan. My 8 year old said, “Mom, pleeeeeaase make this again tomorrow!” Praise indeed! I used the rotel tomatoes but I ran them in the blender since my kids are picky about tomato chunks. Genius! Thanks for sharing this with us. 🙏❤️

    5 stars

    Reply
  41. Nicole T says:
    December 30, 2020
    I think this is a typo: 'Now the butter and flour are brown, whisk in the butter, and bring the mixture to a boil.' It should say whisk in the MILK not butter.
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      January 13, 2021
      Thanks for catching that!
      Reply
  42. Terri Parrish says:
    January 29, 2021
    Can you substitute chili seasoning and make Chili Mac?
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      February 3, 2021
      Sure, this recipe is so easy to tweak to your own liking and tastes.
      Reply
  43. Kelsey says:
    February 1, 2021
    I would like to make this to bring to a friend. Could I make it ahead and refrigerate? What would you recommend for reheating instructions?
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      February 3, 2021
      You could make it all the way through and then put in an airtight container and stick it in the fridge. Then they could reheat it over the stove, in a slow cooker, or in the microwave until heated through.
      Reply
  44. Emily says:
    March 21, 2021
    This recipe is awesome! We add an entire box of noodles therefore we use about 4 cups of beef broth and maybe another cup of plain water to there is enough liquid for the noodles. We then just add a little bit extra cheese. It’s a hit in this house w/ the whole family!
    Reply
  45. Barbara says:
    April 16, 2021
    We all loved this recipe and it was soooo easy 😋 to make. I will double it next time. My boys are 14 and 17 with big appetites. Thusxwas a greatxtwist on tge original store bought brand if nac and cheese. I'll never buy it again.

    5 stars

    Reply
  46. Barbara says:
    April 20, 2021
    This recipe hit it out of the ballpark. It will be put into the rotation for sure. Love it.

    5 stars

    Reply
  47. Donielle Link says:
    May 13, 2021
    I loved this recipe and so did my picky 71 year old mother. Thanks for always having my back. Without you sisters we’d be eating the same five meals.

    5 stars

    Reply
  48. Westysmomma says:
    September 19, 2021
    Your name is soooo much nicer! My kids call this slop in a pot. Lol - but it’s a family favourite and they all love it and ask for it!!

    5 stars

    Reply
  49. Amy says:
    October 14, 2021
    LOVE at first bite!!! Had to make a few adjustments as we didn't have some of the ingredients on hand, but was confident enough that I doubled the recipe so we could put 1 casserole in the freezer, so glad because it was a HUGE hit! I left out the green chilis, doubled the amount of noodles, used a 15 oz can of tomatos and 15 oz can of tomato sauce, used boullion instead of broth and cut down on the water since I had "extra" liquid from my bigger cans of tomatoes. Used twice as many noodles as called for because my kids are huge meat fans. Also used half and half turkey/beef. It was SOOOOOO good! I have yet to find a recipe from six sisters that isn't a win in our house!
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      October 14, 2021
      Amy, this is great!! So many fun substitutions to work for your family! This is what we love to hear! Thanks for your sweet comment! Have a terrific weekend!!
      Reply
  50. Eva Piutau says:
    November 1, 2021
    I love this soooo much! My mom would make hamburger helper growing up. But she found this recipe and told me about it! I just tried it out and now my husband loves it too! He is such a picker eater haha - we love it!

    5 stars

    Reply
  51. Ruth Orr says:
    December 16, 2021
    This recipe is so easy and soooo good! I keep all the ingredients in my pantry so I can see this being that go to in a pinch dish
    Reply
  52. Marsha Wyatt says:
    January 18, 2022
    This recipe exceeded my expectations! It was so easy to make, my hubby had 3 helpings! Thanks so much for sharing!
    Reply
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