Enjoy a speedy, one-pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna recipe that’s healthier and family-friendly! With just 15 minutes of prep, it’s a fresh take on an American classic, ready in under an hour.
I love recreating new recipes based on childhood comfort foods, and this one pan lasagna is just that! I guess you can call this a copycat recipe!
Why You Will Love Hamburger Helper Lasagna
- One-Pot Recipe – Hamburger Helper Lasagna is an easy dinner with only 15 minutes of prep and one pot!
- Cheap – I love inexpensive meals, they are the best!
- Crowd-Pleaser – Picky eaters? No problem! This is a recipe the whole family will love.
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
Simple Ingredients for Hamburger Helper Lasagna
- Oil | Use quality olive oil to saute the onions and cook the ground beef.
- Onion | Enhance the natural flavor of the beef with one small yellow onion, finely chopped.
- Ground beef | Grab a pound of ground beef. I used my go-to favorite – 90/10, lean grass-fed, beef.
- Tomato paste | Achieve a fresh and robust tomato flavor with a can of tomato paste.
- Garlic | Use fresh garlic, not garlic powder, for the most authentic flavor.
- Seasonings | We’ll use Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and, of course, kosher salt and black pepper.
- Crushed tomatoes | I love the Pomi brand when a recipe calls for crushed tomatoes.
- Beef Broth | Thin the sauce without compromising flavor using beef broth. A quality beef broth, not condensed beef broth, goes a long way in this recipe.
- Pasta | For the perfect texture, use uncooked mini lasagna-shaped pasta and avoid “no-boil” or “oven-ready” noodles. Mafalda pasta is perfect!
- Cheese | Load the dish with classic Italian cheeses, like shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and whole milk ricotta cheese. Shredding or grating from a block of cheese produces the best flavor and will melt the best.
How to Make Lasagna Hamburger Helper
Step 1 | Saute onions and brown beef
First, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet (a deep skillet works best) over medium-high heat. Cook the diced onions for about three to five minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent.
Next, add the lean ground beef and cook beef for three to five minutes until it is crumbled and browned. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning, and pour the tomato paste over the ingredients, cooking for just a few minutes while mixing well.
Fresh Tip
- If you have picky eaters who refuse to eat onion, I suggest grating it instead of omitting it entirely. They won’t know the difference, and you can enjoy the lovely flavor onion adds to the ground beef.
Step 2 | Add tomatoes and cook noodles
Then, toss in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and noodles. Once the ingredients are brought to a boil, reduce the temperature to low heat and cover the pan. Gently simmer the dish for 18 to 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender– ideally al dente. Stir the recipe every few minutes to avoid sticking to the pan.
Step 3 | Add cheeses and finish
Now, sprinkle in half of the shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese to cook uncovered for a couple of minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon the ricotta cheese into the tomato sauce mix, pressing it gently into the mixture.
Finally, add the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese and cover the dish to melt the cheese for about five minutes. Uncover the pan, garnish, serve, and enjoy your delicious dinner!
Fresh Tips
- As the recipe cooks, remember to stir and occasionally scrap the bottom of the pan to ensure the ingredients are not sticking to the hot skillet.
- Pre-shredded cheeses will work for this recipe, but they usually produce a less creamy texture and do not melt as quickly as freshly shredded cheese.
The fewer dishes, the better! Some of my favorite recipes are those that create a meal to serve the whole family but use only one pan. Try more of my easy weeknight dinner recipes, like this popular Philly Cheesesteak Sliders, this French Onion Chicken Skillet Recipe, or One Pan Tuscan Chicken and this yummy Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole.
Variations & Substitutions
- Replace the fresh garlic with one heaping teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Swap the ground beef for Italian sausage, ground pork, ground turkey, ground chicken, or a blend of your favorites – Don’t forget to drain the excess fat from the fattier meats!
- Go vegetarian, adding more vegetables, like mushroom, zucchini, spinach, bell peppers, or a combination.
- If you can’t find mini lasagna noodles, use regular ones broken into 1 ½ or 2-inch pieces, bow-tie pasta, or egg noodles.
- Replace the crushed tomatoes with a store-bought marinara sauce. You may need to add additional liquid to the recipe.
- Make your own Italian seasoning blend combine – basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
- A traditional lasagna recipe uses ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, but you can use your preferred cheeses, like cheddar cheese or colby jack. Cottage cheese can be used as a substitute for ricotta.
- Beef broth may be substituted with chicken stock or chicken broth if desired.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Recommended Tools
- I love my Staub extra deep skillet with lid for these meals!
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope – Add the uncooked pasta from the package and cook the whole thing in one pot.
Easily make this tasty homemade hamburger helper recipe in advance, cool completely, then freeze or refrigerate in an airtight container to reheat later!
Your favorite childhood recipe, the boxed Hamburger Helper, is high in sodium and contains other additives to preserve the ingredients. This homemade recipe is a much healthier alternative and tastes better too!
Storage Tips
Refrigerate – Save leftover lasagna by storing it in an airtight container for up to four days. Remember first to allow it to cool to room temperature before storing.
How to Freeze – For longer storage, freeze this easy ground beef pasta recipe in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to two months.
Reheating – Reheat the meal from frozen by allowing it to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, microwave it or warm it in a skillet, slowly adding small amounts of water.
What to serve with One-Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna
Best sides to serve with Hamburger Helper lasagna recipe
While this is easily a meal, serve it with a crisp Italian Chopped Salad, or these easy Romaine Wedge Salad or my stovetop french style green beans.
Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
Loaded Italian chopped salad with fresh veggies, salami, provolone, kalamata olives, and homemade Italian vinaigrette. A light and delicious meal that will make you love salads!
Romaine Wedge Salad
Healthier Romaine wedge salad is topped with creamy blue cheese dressing, bacon bits, blue cheese crumbles, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and candied pecans; the best Steakhouse wedge salad.
Best Desserts to Serve with Cheesy Lasagna Hamburger Helper
End this delicious meal on a sweeter note with light and crisp Italian Pizzelle Cookies, silky and sweet Cream Puff Cake recipe, or this Tiramisu with custard and mascarpone – Yum!
Italian Pizzelle Cookies
Start a new tradition this year and make these unique and favorite Pizzelle cookies! These vanilla butter waffle cookies will be perfect on your Christmas cookie tray this year.
Italian Pizzelle Cookies are thin, crisp, waffle-like cookies with holiday flavor and lightly dusted with powdered sugar. They make great gifts too!
Cream Puff Cake Recipe
This Italian Cream Puff Cake recipe is a giant light and airy cream puff and creamy, delicious filling, this cake is the perfect end to any meal!
More Easy Pasta Dinners
Slowly adding ingredients and mixing well between each is key to making the perfect hamburger helper lasagna recipe!
What did you think about Lasagna Hamburger Helper? Be sure to rate and comment below the recipe card and share your creation on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest?
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Best Homemade Hamburger Helper Lasagna Recipe
Click stars to rate now!
Print Pin Save RateEquipment
- STAUB Everything Pan with Glass Lid
- Olive Wooden Spoon set
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef I used grass-fed 90/10
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic minced, may replace with 1 teaspoon garlic powder if needed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you like more heat
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes I like organic
- 2 ½ cups beef broth not condensed beef broth (too salty)
- 12 ounces uncooked mini lasagna-shaped pasta avoid “no-boil” or “oven-ready”
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- Optional garnishes: chopped fresh basil or chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil (2 TBL) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions (1 sm) and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef (1 lb), breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add salt (1 tsp), pepper (½ tsp), tomato paste (1 TBL), garlic (2 cloves, minced), Italian seasoning (1 TBL), and red pepper flakes (½ tsp). Stir and cook for about one minute.
- Stir in crushed tomato (28 oz), beef broth (2 ½ cups), and mini lasagna noodles (12 oz). Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for about 18-20 minutes until noodles are tender. Stir mixture every 5 minutes to prevent sticking.
- Stir in half the mozzarella (½ cup) and parmesan cheese (¼ cup). Cook uncovered for 1-2 minutes.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Spoon dollops of ricotta cheese (½ cup) onto the sauce. Gently press each dollop into the sauce mixture. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella (½ cup) and parmesan cheese (¼ cup), cover, and allow to sit for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Uncover and garnish with chopped basil or parsley if using.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Notes
Storage Tips
Hamburger Helper Lasagna can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Ensure the lasagna cools completely before freezing. To reheat, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or slowly in a skillet adding additional liquid as needed. Do I need to pre-cook the lasagna noodles? | No. That’s the beauty of this one-pot meal. The dry pasta cooks in the sauce itself and will absorb all the liquid.Substitutions and Variations
- Meat: Substitute one pound of your preferred meat – Italian sausage, ground pork, ground turkey, or a blend. Make sure to drain excess fat if using fattier meat to prevent the dish from becoming overly greasy. Or go vegetarian, replacing the meat with your favorite chopped vegetables. Mushroom, zucchini, spinach, or a combination of these would be delicious.
- Pasta: If mini lasagna noodles are unavailable, regular lasagna noodles (broken into 1 ½ or 2-inch pieces), bow tie, or egg noodles are suitable. Avoid the “no-boil” or “oven-ready” noodles.
- Sauce: A 24 oz store-bought jarred sauce can replace crushed tomatoes if needed. You may need to add liquid to your skillet while the pasta cooks. Best to add ½ cup at a time.
- Cheeses: Traditional lasagna uses a mix of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, but feel free to use your preferred cheeses. Preshredded cheeses work, but note that they may result in a less creamy texture. Cottage cheese can be used as a substitute for ricotta.
Angela
This was so good and so much better than the hamburger helper I remember! Definitely a new favorite dinner option!
Kathleen Pope
Thanks so glad you liked it!!
Gianne
The flavors melded beautifully, and the convenience of cooking everything in one pot made cleanup a breeze. This dish is definitely going to be a staple in my household for quick, delicious dinners.
Kathleen Pope
Live me a one pot meal!!
Ned
I love me a one pot meal and to make things even better, it was able to use my cast iron skillet for this recipe. Thank you for this yumminess!
Kathleen Pope
Thatโs so perfect!!!
Nathan
This looks like a fantastic recipe to feed a crowd for dinner! I haven’t had hamburger helper in years, but just by looking at the recipe I can tell this blows the store bought kind out of the water. Can’t wait to try it out for myself!
Kathleen Pope
Thanks so much!!
Laura Ashley Johnson
My family immediately gave this a 10/10!! Thank you!
Kathleen Pope
So glad to hear that!! Mom win!