I’m not one to bash a good boxed meal, but sometimes you just want to know exactly what you’re putting on your plate. This homemade hamburger helper is so much yummier than the original and since we’re making it in the Instant Pot I would argue that it’s even easier! The peas added at the end give this recipe the perfect little pop of flavor.
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The Process
Start by turning on sauté, adding a bit of oil and one yellow onion. Next, add a pound of ground beef and cook all the way through. You can absorb any excess beef fat with a paper towel. Add your seasonings including the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.
Next, deglaze the pot with 3 cups of beef broth and add a pound of elbow noodles. No need to mix, just push the noodles down into the broth.
Pressure cook for 2 minutes let it natural-release for 5 minutes and then you can release the pressure.
Once the pressure is released, slowly incorporate 3 cups of cheddar cheese and 1/2 to 1 cup of milk to your liking. At the end add in 1 cup of frozen peas for both a pop of flavor and a pop of color!
I’ve been told that this recipe is a hit among kids and adults alike, let me know if it gets approved by your picky eater!
FAQ
I got the burn signal, what did I do wrong?
Since we’re cooking the beef using sauté mode you need to make sure to deglaze the pot before you start pressure cooking! Deglazing is when you add some liquid to a pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the burned bits stuck to the bottom. Those burned bits hold a punch of flavor and skipping this step is the main culprit in triggering the burn signal. If you’d like to see a video showing how to deglaze the Instant Pot click here! (LINK)
I don’t have tomato paste, what can I use instead?
If you don’t have tomato paste use ketchup! Whenever I buy tomato paste I save and freeze the leftover using ice cube trays or the 2 TBSP Souper Cubes. You can throw those in the Instant Pot still frozen, it’s so useful!
Can I freeze this hamburger helper?
Yup! I like to use 1 cup Souper Cubes when I freeze leftovers for meal prep so that it reheats easily and in smaller portions. For the best flavor eat within 3 months.
Tools
The Recipe
Turn on sauté normal and add the onion to the inner pot. Let that cook for a few minutes and then add the ground beef, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, mustard powder, pepper, salt, Worcestershire Sauce, and tomato paste. Cook thoroughly.
Deglaze (scrape the burned bits from the bottom of the pot) the pot with the beef broth. Then turn off sauté
Add the elbow noodles and don't stir, gently push them into the beef broth.
Add the lid and Pressure Cook for 2 minutes. When it's done, let it Natural Release for 5 minutes then you can do a delayed quick release.
When all the steam has released, remove the lid and slowly stir in the cheddar cheese. Add the milk to your liking and the peas.
Ingredients
Directions
Turn on sauté normal and add the onion to the inner pot. Let that cook for a few minutes and then add the ground beef, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, mustard powder, pepper, salt, Worcestershire Sauce, and tomato paste. Cook thoroughly.
Deglaze (scrape the burned bits from the bottom of the pot) the pot with the beef broth. Then turn off sauté
Add the elbow noodles and don't stir, gently push them into the beef broth.
Add the lid and Pressure Cook for 2 minutes. When it's done, let it Natural Release for 5 minutes then you can do a delayed quick release.
When all the steam has released, remove the lid and slowly stir in the cheddar cheese. Add the milk to your liking and the peas.