This is the Lower Calorie version of the HamBULKer Helper recipe.
Hamburger Helper
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 621kcal
This Hamburger Helper is a one pot meal that is a variation of the boxed dinner with the addition of a variety of vegetables including carrots, celery, and spinach.
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs (908 g) ground beef 93/7
- 1 medium (200 g) onion
- 4 medium (227 g) carrots
- 4 stalks (112 g) celery
- 1 tbsp (15 g) oil
- 10 oz (283 g) elbow pasta gluten free if needed
- 14.5 oz (411 g) petite diced tomatoes canned
- 6 oz (170 g) spinach
- 1 tbsp (15 g) minced garlic
- 2 cups (480 g) 2% milk
- 2 cups (480 g) chicken broth
- ¾ cup (84 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 tbsp (45 g) grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp (51 g) ketchup
- 1 tbsp (3 g) dried basil
- 1 tsbp (6 g) paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Beef
- In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add the beef and allow it to brown and the fat to render off.
- Once browned, remove it from the pot, keeping all of the fat that was rendered off inside the pot. This will be used to cook the vegetables.
For the Vegetables
- While the beef is cooking, wash and cut the onion, carrots, and celery into a small dice of roughly the same size. Grate the garlic. Roughly chop the spinach into smaller pieces.
- Once the beef has finished and only the fat remains left in the pot, add in the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. If you need to, add more oil. Season lightly with salt to encourage the water to come out quicker. Allow this to brown and soften for 8-10 minutes.
- Once the vegetables have softened, season with 1 each of dried basil and paprika.
- Add in 2 cups of milk, 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 can of petite diced tomatoes, and 10oz of elbow pasta.
- Bring this mixture to a light boil, stirring occasionally then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the noodles have finished.
- Add in ¾ cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 6 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese, 3 tbsp of ketchup, and all of the spinach you chopped earlier.
- Mix well to incorporate the cheeses and wilt the spinach. Taste test, season with salt and pepper to adjust flavor as needed.
Plating
- This recipe makes 6 servings. Divide the mixture of the pot evenly 6 ways.
Nutrition
Calories: 621kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 23g
NUTRITION INFO
The information in the following table are estimates for the total nutrition of the recipe, as written. If you follow the recipe listed above, as written, you can use these tables to determine the nutrition information if you wanted to split the recipe, as written, into more or less servings than what is originally listed. If you update the number of servings in the “Servings” field of the recipe above, the information in these tables are no longer accurate as you have updated the ingredients.
Servings
Carbs
333g
Protein
293g
Fat
136g
Calories
3728 cals
This Post Has 10 Comments
I see potatoes in the instructions, but not the ingredient list. Can you check on that/update? Thanks!
Whoops, just a copy and paste error from the other version
I would also add in the vegetable section to add the beef back into the pot after adding the elbow pasta!
Gonna Try this tomorrow, smells amazing, only problem I had was there was so much residual liquid left over I had to keep boiling it for so long, any suggestions?
It may be an issue with the size of the pot. More surface area will lead to the water boiling off a bit quicker i presume
This recipe is delicious. I added a ton more seasonings.
Used 8oz of Banza chick pea based pasta. Only added 1.5c milk and 1.5c broth and it was a little wet.
I subbed the cheddar and parmesan with fat free mozzarella and laughing cow cheese wedges.
Your calorie note says 621, makes 6 servings, but the recipe calculator seems to be set to default to 5 servings like the higher calorie version. I assume you’re intending us to shrink the serving size as part of the lowered calorie level? Thanks for sharing this “lighter” version by the way!
Whoops, should be 6. I’ve fixed it
I assume you put it into the freezer (at least the meal for the last 2 days), right?
under “For the vegatables” line 2. sounds like you forgot that you removed the meat, cause it says “Allow this to brown and soften for 8-10 minutes.” Then if you read the rest of the instructions, you never say add the meat back to the pot. In any event, something seems off with the instructions. Thanks!