Cheese and Hamburger Macaroni

My step son begs for hamburger helper and we don't buy a lot of processed food.... So I made this with whole wheat noodles and "homemade velveeta" ( 8 oz American cheese, 4 oz cheddar and 1 1/2 cups milk), and he LOVED it! We had leftovers and ate it the next day, and it tasted even better!

If you haven't had Velvetta in 20 years - skip this recipe - you won't enjoy being reintroduced. I was looking for an easy comfort food dish, and saw the 5 stars so I thought I would try this. I always make something exact to the recipe the first time and then on the second add my own spin. Not using Velveeta and making my own cheese sauce might make it better.

I gave it 5 stars only because its very good for what it is.. a mac n cheese dish. It is quick, easy and inexpensive and the kids love it. If judged against all foods I'd give it a 3. Only change to the recipe was that I only had 1 and 1/2 cups of macaroni so I reduced the water to 1 and 1/2 cups as well. Came out great. Loved the one pot deal. My grandson loved it. All was well with the world.

This turned out amazing! I followed the recipe exactly & my family devoured it! I will definitely make this again!

i was looking for a homemade hamburger helper and came across this recipe. i used it as a start because i did make some changes but my family loved it. I used 1 lb of ground organic turkey, 2 tsp of both garlic and onion powder, one qtr onion, 1cup milk and 1cup water and about 2.5 cups rotini since i did not have elbows. i also omitted sour cream since i did not have. i used mozzarella but not a full 8 oz. it was really good and a great alternate to the box. will def make again and would prob add a veggi like broccoli.

This recipe has great potential but needs just a few minor changes. I used V8 juice for most of the water (2 small cans plus the water to make 2 cups). I did not use 8 ounces of cheese - I think that would be way overkill. I probably used about 4 ounces. I don't know that the sour cream added anything. I added a few red pepper flakes to my own portion to add some slight heat. Overall this is satisfying comfort food and can be changed to personal preferences. Thanks!

I'd rather dirty a skillet and my pasta pot and get it in half the time. Cook your pasta while you are browning your meat and seasonings. Drain the cooked pasta then add it to the meat mixture. I'm not a fan of Velveeta, so I used Asadero and cheddar (about half/half in portion). I did not add minced onion, I used french onion dip instead of sour cream at the end. Easy and quick.

Higher mark for quickness and ease. I upped the flavor by using tomato sauce in place of water and a mixture of cheeses, mosteralla, cheddar and pepper jack. Also wheat elbow macaroni. Could still taste better.

I made it with a few adjustments. I used 1 cup water and 1 cup milk as another reviewer suggested, added a little bit of cheddar cheese, used less onion and seasoned the finished product with more salt as it was a little bland. Turned out delicious, my boyfriend loved it!

Yeah, I've made this for years, but for my taste, I always add chili powder to it...hence, chili mac!

We loved this. To make it not so dry I added 1/4 cup milk. I also topped it with sliced American cheese and stuck it in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to brown. GREAT!

I made this but used a couple of substitutes I saw in the reviews. I made my own cheese sauce (milk and shredded cheese) and used tomato juice in replacement of some of the water. And I added a can chopped tomatoes and chilies. This was a huge success!!!

It was super easy to make and it was a hit with my picky kids. They said they loved it better than the boxed Hamburger Helper!

it was amazing ...my boyfriend loved it and he is a picky eater and it a easy recipe I don't cook that much and it is really easy

great recipe have made many diff versions of this recipe, instead of 2 cups of water I will use 1 cup water and 1 cup milk which makes it more creamy

I used shredded cheddar and a 1/2 cup onions. I would not drain corn next time to have more liquid. Had plenty of leftovers after feeding 3 . A great all round meal.

I added a 1/4 chopped green pepper and 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar... I also used a shredded cheddar blend to avoid the processed cheese food (Velveeta). I doubled the recipe and found it more reasonable.

Used 8oz of shredded cheddar and 1 cup of milk. Turned out good! If you want a cheesier dish add another cup or so of cheese.

This was a simple and yummy, no-frills quarantine meal! Like others, I chose to use half velveeta and half freshly shredded cheddar, as well as a splash of milk. As written, however, I don’t see how this is a meal for four - it was perfect for two along with a salad and bread. Definitely will keep this in the comfort-food rotation.

I think maybe using a little milk or less of the velvetta would help. Maybe I just made it wrong but it was SUPER thick. It tasted okay but I could literally feel my arteries clogging! Might make it again but definitely going to have to tweak it a little.

I added a bit of cayenne for zip but it worked out well, the kids loved it.

It was easy and very filling. The seasoning, is a little light....not a broad range of flavors.....but if you need a good hearty meal in a hurry this will do.

I substituted Johnsonville Italian sausage for the ground beef and loved it! I used regular Velveeta and sour cream, not low fat. I will definitely make again!

I had to substitute some ingredients. I used ground turkey instead of hamburger. I didn't have onion powder so I added onion soup mix. I made a separate basic cheese sauce because I didn't have Velveeta cheese. I served a side of mixed vegetables with this. It's a pretty high-calorie dinner, sort of a comfort food dinner. Everyone liked it. I'll make it again but not too often.

It was good! I doubled the recipe, subbed 1/2 the water with milk, used a block of cheddar shredded, and added a dash of lawrys. I think I may prefer no sour cream and a bit more cheese if I made it again. I loved how easy this was!

Made this for my boyfriend and his dad; his dad doesn't eat a lot so made me feel good that he went back for seconds. Fast and easy to make. Of course, all though I used all the ingredients, I didn't quite measure anything and ended up with a huge pan on of it. It didn't go to waste.

I used cheddar cheese and mozzarella and made a white sauce first. My son is an adult but he is still a picky eater complains about too much. He asked for mac and cheese with hamburger. He likes the box stuff I don't. Made this almost the same except added cheese in white sauce mixture. This was so creamy and delicious even my son didn't complain. Asked me to save this recipe so I could make it again. Doubling this recipe was easy and still came out the same.

This is a great family night dinner. So fast and easy. I made with a box of Cracker Barrell Mac and cheese, turned out awesome!

it was great will make it again

Strong flavor, too much garlic and onion powder.

I made this per the recipe and thought it was pretty good. I'll definitely do it again and add mushrooms and a couple other items, yet to be determined

My husband and I fixed this dish and added black garlic to it and that made it so awesome. We also didn't hold back on the cheese or sour cream - very yummy dinner!

Our grandkids liked it very much. I will make it for them again. The cheese is Velveeta so was quite salty without adding additional salt.

Just OK. Won't make again.

Simple and pleasing . My kids like it . I triple this recipe (LG fam)but I only double the cheese . I have tried this with just cheddar cheese , no good . Wish I could find a good sub for processed cheese .

We made this tonight. We didnt have velveeta nor do we eat velveeta so I made cheese sauce with cheddar. It was really good. Kind of like a macaroni and cheese with beef. The sour cream changes it up a bit to make it more like Hamburger Helper. I did half water and half milk(nonfat) like others suggested. Came out creamy and tasty. I would make it again.

nothing very exciting about it.

This is good comfort food, that I make about twice a year. I use gluten free macaroni, and this time I used a couple tablespoons of dried onion flakes in place of chopped onion. Otherwise I make exactly as directed. My only advice when using gluten free pasta, is to only cook the pasta for 8 minutes total.

this was so good i will make it again

It was very good next time I use less macaroni that's why I gave it a 4

I made it tonight and it was so dry. If I use a can of cheese soup it would maybe give more flavor and less dry.

The recipe was simple enough to make and the taste is pretty good. I would definitely make this again.

Added more cheese when done and ready to eat.

My daughter added taco seasoning and used nacho shredded cheese to add a kick to it

1.5 cups of noodles

Fast and tasty

Loved it! I cooked half the macaroni in the beef as per recipe, and added some leftover home made mac and cheese for the other half..perfect!

Quick and easy to substitute noodles to make it gluten free

Very good and easy to make. I actually cooked macaroni and hamburger separately. When mixing the two together I added milk. Delicous

Was very good and super easy!! The only thing I changed was I used 4 ounces of Velveeta and 4 ounces of cheddar cheese instead of all Velveeta.

I used cheddar cheese and mozzarella and made a white sauce first. My son is an adult but he is still a picky eater complains about too much. He asked for mac and cheese with hamburger. He likes the box stuff I don't. Made this almost the same except added cheese in white sauce mixture. This was so creamy and delicious even my son didn't complain. Asked me to save this recipe so I could make it again. Doubling this recipe was easy and still came out the same.

Look, this is a solid recipe for sure. My only issue is that using the box is cheaper, easier, and tastes nearly the exact same. This recipe is a little more natural - but you are still using that processed cheese, which reduces the value of a 'homeade' recipe further. Good recipe, but the boxed kits are easier and you get basically the same thing.

Could be great with just a bit more flavor. Maybe I’ll try broth in place of water next time.

It was definitely worth making. The taste was as I remembered as a child. My mom made hamburger helper a lot lol.

I made homemade velveeta as the first commenter did as we are gluten free and do not eat processed foods as well and used gluten free elbow pasta it was delicious

Great. I put less Velveeta cheese and added sharp cheddar. So good.

I used real cheese not Velveta & my kids loved it!

I added some left over peas. Half the Velvetta and shredded cheddar cheese.

I used vegetarian grounds instead of beef and also 12oz normal cheese plus 1-1/2 cup milk instead of velveeta (as another review suggested). I also added in broccoli before the noodles were done. Very good recipe to go off of.

Fast and easy. Tastes just like Hamburger Helper.

It was easy to make and tasted good but it was so heavy/thick.

I like this recipe because it's versatile and hard to break. I made a lot of changes to fit what I like and what I had on hand. I used a pound of ground beef to start. I ended up with about 1 1/2 cups of minced sweet onion so threw it all in. I like the idea of cooking the macaroni with the sauteed onion and ground beef and seasonings because the pasta absorbs more flavor that way. I used 2 teas. dry chicken bouillon, a generous few shakes of garlic salt, McCormick Steak seasoning which has various herbs, salt and pepper. When the pasta was cooked I threw in a handful of chopped fresh parsley and 8 ounces of grated sharp cheddar cheese. I don't ever have Velveeta on hand. I forgot the sour cream and it turned out wonderful anyway. I will make again soon!

Excellent comfort food supper on a near zero night. Added some sliced Baby Bella mushrooms and served with steamed Green Beans.

My son doesn't like to eat meat. He's a carb lover, he eats the bread off his hamburger and walks away from the meat. This is a great way to sneak some lean protein into his diet. And he Loves It!! I swapped ground turkey for beef and organic vegetable radiatore (Trader Joe's) for the pasta. It came out pretty thick, I think I'll thin it out with some milk next time. I must admit, I really like it too...

Easy dinner that comes together quickly. Simple comfort food! I use a whole pound of ground beef, gluten free macaroni, and grate a block of extra sharp cheddar (instead of the processed cheese). I also add the optional cumin and chili powder as noted in the recipe. My teenagers love it.

Delicious

I did change this just a little. I used one lb of hamburger and minced onion instead of fresh. sub the water for v-8 and used less cheese(one mini block of Velveeta) my son loved it!

This is good, nice and creamy and cheesy. It is a great recipe, and if you like basic mac and cheese, try this.

A little thick for our liking but It was decent.

I made this exactly as instructed and was pleasantly surprised. Much better than the store bought boxed versions.

I like my cheeseburger mac with a little spice, so i used the Mexican Blend Velveeta cheese and a can of diced chilis to go with it.

Plus you can't have a cheeseburger without bacon, so i cooked up some bacon chopped it and added it a few minutes before the end of cooking.

will definitely make this again.

I add some tomato paste 4 oz

This is way better than the boxed helper meals. Homemade flavor, quick preparation and great served with green beans.

Easy to prepare and hardy dinner.

Ran out of sour cream so added miracle whip (about 1.5 tsp)

Easy, easy, easy! I will be making this again for sure, my family loved it! Did not change one thing.

Does taste a lot like hamburger helper.. Which is good! I had a. Hard time trying to keep it creamy like I prefer though.

I really wanted to like this. Based on the review of cstock26, I reduced the Velveeta by 2 ounces and mine was still really thick. Admittedly, this was my first time cooking with Velveeta. I think the dish tasted like overly processed noodles rather than a dish with multiple layers of flavors. If you aren't used to eating many processed foods, follow this recipe to step 2 and then add a homemade cheese sauce.

I added a can of Rotel and enough water to make 2 cups. This was great with a side of Cornbread

A little thick and plain tasting other then that, great! Everyone is diff.

This was good, but consistency was sticky. I forgot to add the sour cream at the end which may have helped some. Won't be making very often--it's not a very healthy choice.

Made it, but with ground turkey and used real cheese shreds instead of processed. Worked out great! I added a little milk to keep it creamy and used real garlic and onion with the powders too. Kid likes it, husband likes it. Win!

This was absolutely delicious!! My husband ate a huge plate in less than 5 minutes!! I didn't have enough velveeta cheese so I used cooper sharp cheese and it was still amazing!

Great recipe. Easy to make. I freeze it and take it for lunch!

awesome last minute recipe, velveeta shells and cheese was Apparently the Exact measurements for the last half, thanks pal!

Delicious and simple! Thanks!

Loved it and yes I will make it many more times!!!!!!

This is the best hamburger mac recipe I have found so far! I reduced the velveeta to 6 oz, added some milk (about 1/4 cup) and cheddar cheese (1 handful), and I added a dash of paprika and a dash of oregano. My picky son (and pickier husband) loved it!

Used a block of Kraft cheddar and tasted great. Will make this again!

I would increase the water a little more next time. Noodles were still a little crunchy and ran out of water to cook in so started to brown on the bottom of the pan. I also added 1/3 cup cheddar cheese at the end before sour cream to make it a little cheesier. It was good and I would make it again. My toddlers both loved it!

Really good! Everyone had seconds. :)

it was easy and budget friendly and not all that time consuming. I think if I ever made it again I would dial back on the onion,and i think i would also use another cheese with the velveeta. Plus i added milk because it was super thick and very difficult to stir

I followed the recipe exactly.
This dish can be prepared quickly and easily. It's a good week-night dinner.
Next time I'll a add a dash more salt and sour cream.

It was delicious but I made several changes. I don’t use velveeta. I made a cheese sauce from 1 cup cheddar cheese, some Cojack and whipping cream.

My kids really liked this. I doubled everything except the pasta and added finely chopped broccoli, garlic and taco seasoning.

My granddaughter loves it. She didn’t want ketchup on it!

When i browned the meat with the powders I didn't add the onions until I added the macroni. It was perfect. My husband loved it.

I added less macaroni than it required. My family loves their meat and they felt it was hidden by all the macaroni other than that, this was a family hit! I make it once a week.

I used brown rice gluten-free macaroni and threw in a can of Rotel. My onion was not small so I omitted the onion powder. It seemed like it needed more cheese so I added a handful of Mexican-blend shredded cheese at the end. This was very good, but even better the next day. I will have to double the recipe next time!

Very good but I I'd prefer just a little less macaroni, maybe one and a half cups instead of two.