Homemade Hamburger Helper

If you grew up in the 90s or 2000s, you already know.

Hamburger Helper absolutely slapped.

We love the stuff. What we don't love is the laundry list of processed ingredients that comes in the box.

So for Episode 12 of Worth the Bite, our buddy Morgan from @sote.kitchen is taking us straight back to childhood and making Hamburger Helper from scratch.

We're talking 100% grass-fed Force of Nature Ground Beef, pasta, bone broth, whole milk, tomato paste, spices, and plenty of cheese, all cooked together in one pot.

It's beefy, cheesy, packed with protein, ridiculously cozy, and tastes like the Hamburger Helper you remember, just all grown up.

Fall comfort food doesn't get much better than this.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pack Force of Nature Ground Beef
• 1 bag Frankies Rigatoni, or your favorite pasta
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 jar FOND Tomato, Thyme & Garlic Beef Bone Broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan, plus more for serving
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Chopped parsley, for serving
• Extra virgin olive oil, for serving

PREPARATION:

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent.

Add the tomato paste and stir well. Add the Force of Nature Ground Beef, break it into small pieces, and let it cook for about 4 minutes so the beef can begin to brown and crisp.

Add the onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir well, then pour in the red wine and cook for about 1 minute, scraping up all the good stuff from the bottom of the pot.

Add the FOND Beef Bone Broth and whole milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the pasta, stir, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the noodles don't stick.

Remove the lid and stir in the cheddar and Parmesan until melted, creamy, and delicious.

Time to plate! Spoon into bowls and finish with Parmesan, cracked black pepper, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Welcome back to childhood. Enjoy!

Morgan's Cooking Tips

Get some color on the beef. Let it actually brown before moving on. Those crispy bits mean more flavor.

Keep stirring the pasta. It's cooking directly in the sauce, so give it a stir every couple of minutes to keep it from sticking.

Use whatever pasta you love. Rigatoni is great, but this is Hamburger Helper. We're not here to make things complicated.

Eat it hot. Creamy sauce, melted cheese, crispy beef. Get in there.