I love Hamburger Helper® Cheeseburger Macaroni. I've said before, and I'll say it again...I'm trying not to buy boxed mixes because of moving to the UK and trying to save money. I really had a craving for this dinner so I went to trusty ol' Recipezaar to find a copycat. I didn't find quite what I was looking for, but I did find a recipe that I changed to make it taste how I wanted it to.
I liked the taste of this and Lee loved it. He said it tastes so much better than the boxed stuff. I'm used to the boxed mix, so it tasted a bit like something was missing to me, like it needed a bit more spice, but it did taste delicious and I'll plan to make it again. The garlic and paprika are approximate amounts. I just kept adding to it to make it taste how we liked, and will probably tweak it again next time. Definitely make those suit your own tastes if you try this recipe. The paprika does add a bit of spice. I also loved how adding the flour to the meat dried up the juices without me having to drain it, brilliant! I recommend shredding your own cheese. I used to buy the pre-shredded stuff, but when I made the macaroni and cheese a couple of months ago, I noticed that shredding your own fresh cheese makes such a difference in flavor and texture.
Cheeseburger Macaroni
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups cooked macaroni
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- In a dutch oven, heat oil.
- Add onion and garlic. Sauté about 2 minutes, then add the ground beef a cook until browned.
- Add flour, cook it and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the milk, butter, tomato sauce, and spices. Stir until creamy.
- Add the macaroni and stir until well coated. If sauce is too thin, simmer to thicken.
- Top with the cheese and stir to melt.
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