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Elevated Hamburger Helper Lasagna (One Pot)

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This elevated Hamburger Helper Lasagna combines the noodles from the familiar boxed dinner with a homemade meat sauce and 2 different kinds of cheese. It’s a delicious one pot lasagna meal that’s so easy to throw together!

$14.90 per recipe / $1.86 per serving

Fork lifts noodles from bowl of homemade hamburger helper lasagna.

I’m a big lasagna fan, so when I saw some videos on Pinterest for a one pot lasagna, I knew I had to put my own twist on it.

I originally set out to make this recipe with mini lasagna noodles, but I ended up switching to Hamburger Helper Lasagna noodles when I realized they were much easier to find in stores.

This recipe works because it’s:

  • Truly one pot. Any recipe that only gets one dish dirty is a must-make in my book.
  • Creamy and delicious. Our first time eating this recipe, my son could not stop saying how yummy it was. Mom win!
  • Easier than traditional lasagna. There’s no layering or baking required for this lasagna recipe!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please visit my disclosure policy for more information.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Hamburger helper lasagna ingredients on table included ground beef, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese.

Add 1 pound of ground beef and 2 cloves of minced garlic to a dutch oven or large soup pot. Brown ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat.

Cooked ground beef in dutch oven with wooden spoon.

Once the ground beef is cooked, drain off any excess oil. Add 3 ounces of tomato paste, 15 ounces of diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon oregano to the pot. Stir to combine.

Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Tomato meat sauce in dutch oven with wooden spoon.

Add 2 packages of Hamburger Helper Lasagna noodles (not the seasoning) and 4 cups of chicken broth or water to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil.

Uncooked mini lasagna noodles in pot filled with tomato meat sauce.

Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente.

Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 ounces of cream cheese and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella to the noodles. Stir until the cheeses have melted.

Block of cream cheese and shredded mozzarella in pot of meat sauce and pasta.

Top with an additional 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and parsley.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Dutch oven with homemade hamburger helper lasagna topped with melted cheese and dried parsley.

You don’t have to make this recipe with Hamburger Helper noodles if you don’t want to! You can try mini lasagna noodles or another favorite shape. I chose to use the Hamburger Helper noodles because they are available at most grocery stores. The mini lasagna noodles are harder to find.

You could also try regular lasagna noodles broken into pieces!

Try these swaps to make this one pot lasagna fit your tastes:

  • 8 ounces of ricotta cheese instead of the cream cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella
  • 8 ounces of cottage cheese instead of the cream cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella
  • 24 ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce instead of the tomatoes and seasonings

I originally intended to add cottage cheese to this recipe but it was already so cheesy from the cream cheese and mozzarella that I didn’t end up using it.

The Hamburger Helper noodles are thinner than regular pasta so you’ll want to watch them carefully to make sure they don’t overcook and become mushy.

Try these substitutes if you’re out of certain ingredients:

Recipe Costs

This recipe costs $14.90 to make which comes to $1.86 per serving. It’s enough to feed a large family or a smaller family for two meals, making it the perfect weeknight favorite that’s wallet-friendly.

  • Ground Beef – $5.98
  • Garlic – $0.06
  • Tomato Paste – $0.42
  • Diced Tomatoes – $0.96
  • Oregano – $0.10
  • Hamburger Helper Lasagna (x2) – $3.98
  • Chicken Broth – $1.28
  • Cream Cheese – $0.46
  • Mozzarella Cheese – $1.66

More Like This

Bowl of homemade hamburger helper lasagna with gold fork and striped towel nearby.

Looking for more delicious lasagna recipes? You’ll love these!

And be sure to check out these sides for lasagna including:

  • Appetizers like bruschetta or mozzarella sticks
  • Salads like prosciutto melon salad or pesto caprese salad
  • Bread like sourdough focaccia or French bread
  • Vegetables like air fryer brussels sprouts or zucchini with eggs

FAQs

One pot lasagna in dutch one covered with melted mozzarella cheese and dried parsley.
What are mini lasagna noodles called?


If you want to try making this recipe without the Hamburger Helper noodles, you can use mini lasagna noodles, also known as mafalda noodles.

Where can I buy mafalda noodles?


If your local grocery store doesn’t sell mafalda noodles, you can find them on Amazon. Or you can buy campanelle noodles which have a similar shape and may be more readily available.

How do I know if the noodles are al dente?


Getting noodles to al dente is a tricky process, so here are a few tips.

First, al dente means “to the tooth” in Italian and is the point when noodles are firm and still have a slight bite to them.

Always cook your noodles 2-3 minutes less than suggested on the package, unless the package lists a time for cooking to al dente.

When the timer goes off, remove a few noodles from the pot. Bite into one and check the center. If it still looks firm and uncooked, then the noodles are done. You don’t want all of the noodle to be firm, just the very center.

I hope your family loves this elevated hamburger helper lasagna! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!

 

And if you’d like to get a 4-week meal plan featuring my recipes, just enter your email in the form above and you’ll get it straight to your inbox!

Fork lifts noodles from bowl of homemade hamburger helper lasagna.

Elevated Hamburger Helper Lasagna

The Ashcroft Family Table
This elevated Hamburger Helper Lasagna combines the noodles from the familiar boxed dinner with a homemade meat sauce and 2 different kinds of cheese. It's a delicious one pot lasagna meal that's so easy to throw together!
4.75 from 4 votes
$14.90 per recipe / $1.86 per serving
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 421 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 ounces tomato paste, about 5 tablespoons
  • 15 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 2 boxes Hamburger Helper Lasagna, 6.9 ounces each
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • dried parsley, optional

Instructions
 

  • Add ground beef and minced garlic to a dutch oven or large soup pot. Brown ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat.
  • Once the ground beef is cooked, drain off any excess oil. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and oregano to the pot. Stir to combine.
  • Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add 2 packages of Hamburger Helper Lasagna noodles (not the seasoning) and chicken broth or water to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil.
  • Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente.
  • Reduce the heat to low. Add cream cheese and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella to the noodles. Stir until the cheeses have melted.
  • Top with an additional 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and parsley before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1995mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 467IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 3mg
Keyword hamburger helper lasagna, homemade hamburger helper lasagna, one pot lasagna
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4.75 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating