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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Instant Pot Hamburger Helper

    Author: Peter Kolesnichenko · Published: Feb 7, 2020 · Modified: Jul 9, 2021

    Jump to Recipe

    This Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is a tasty comfort food that reminds me of my teenage years. A healthier recipe because it's made from scratch. With no processed foods and nothing unpronounceable, well not the Worcestershire Sauce! 😂

    bowl of hamburger helper beside instant pot
    Hamburger Helper made from scratch ingredients
    Pasta cooking in an Instant Pot

    I have fallen in love with using my Instant Pot, and lately have been sharing some recipes made in Multi-cookers or Pressure cookers. It's such a timesaver, one of my favorite kitchen appliances.

    What's Hamburger Helper?

    In North America, Hamburger Helper is a quick and easy dried pasta meal found in every supermarket. The hamburger part of the recipe is ground beef, mixed with spices and a powdered cheesy mix. A one pot wonder meal that's usually loved by kids. Sometimes called Cheeseburger Macaroni or Instant Pot Cheeseburger Helper. It's quick, cheap and easy.

    The good news is that my Instant Pot Hamburger Helper recipe is healthier and much tastier than the store bought version. There are no mystery powders or preservatives, just natural wholesome ingredients. They don't sell it here in Australia, so I've discovered that making a homemade version is the only way to make it. And I wouldn't want to go back to store bought again. Plus it's easier to make in an Instant Pot.

    What is an Instant Pot?

    An Instant Pot or IP is a wonderful Canadian brand of appliance that has taken the world by storm. Mine has many different functions. It's an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, warmer, with a sauté function.

    You'll find many different brands of multi-cookers sold across the world. However, there is only one Instant Pot. You can use any brand of pressure cooker interchangeably, like Ninja Foodi, Cuisinart, or Comfee to name a few!

    bowl of hamburger helper beside instant pot

    Instant Pot Hamburger Helper - Faster than Take-Out

    This will become one of your guilty pleasures when you need a fast, cheap and easy meal for dinner, especially after a long day at work. This Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe will be ready before your pizza will be delivered.

    It will take less than 30 minutes to make this recipe from start to finish. It's all made in the one pot, so it minimizes the dishes.

    How to Make Hamburger Helper

    • sauté the onions and ground beef
    • add spices and diced tomatoes
    • mix in the uncooked pasta and broth
    • set the Instant Pot on manual for 5 minutes for the pasta to cook
    • stir in cheese and sour cream for extra creaminess

    Easy Dinner Recipes You'll Love

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    bowl of macaroni beside a plate

    Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is an easy pressure cooker recipe, carb overload on a plate! A perfect budget friendly, comfort food dinner that your whole family will love. I'm sure you'll work it into your dinner meal rotations. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

    hamburger helper in a bowl

    Instant Pot Hamburger Helper

    Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is an easy pressure cooker recipe made with creamy pasta, hamburger and cheese. A perfect budget friendly, comfort food dinner that your whole family will love.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni, Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
    Servings: 6 people

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 1 small onion diced
    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 1 lb /500g ground beef
    • 2 cloves of garlic minced
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 can diced tomatoes
    • 4 cups beef broth
    • 4 cups uncooked macaroni pasta (18oz or 500 grams)
    • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
    • 1 cup sour cream

    Instructions

    • Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil. Fry the onions until they start to brown and caramelize. Add the ground beef and garlic to the onions and cook until browned. Mix in the spices, worcestershire sauce and diced tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes.
    • Add in the uncooked pasta and beef stock. Close the Instant Pot lid and set vent to Sealing. Set the pressure to Manual for 5 minutes. When cooking is done, carefully quick release the steam valve.
    • Stir in grated cheese and sour cream and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Although it only takes 5 minutes of cooking in the pressure cooker, it will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build before it seals to cook. I used White Cheddar, but if you use Orange Cheddar, the color of the pasta will be deeper in color.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @petersfoodadventures or tag #petersfoodadventures!

    ©PetersFoodAdventures.com

    Cheeseburger Macaroni made in an Instant Pot
    Cheeseburger Macaroni made in an Instant Pot

    Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brianna May

      August 16, 2022 at 2:41 am

      5 stars
      Looks so yummy!

      Reply
    2. Addie

      August 14, 2022 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      One of my favorites!

      Reply
    3. Emily

      August 13, 2022 at 7:25 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe, can't wait to make it on a school night!

      Reply
    4. Emily

      August 13, 2022 at 7:17 am

      5 stars
      Comfort in a bowl! I couldn't believe how easy it was to make. The whole family loved it!

      Reply
    5. Nancy

      August 13, 2022 at 1:11 am

      5 stars
      I remember my neighbor when she babysat us would make something similar to yours. Great recipe!

      Reply
    6. Vickt

      May 08, 2022 at 3:02 am

      Hi Peter,
      If I wanted to make half the recipe, should I reduce the cook time? TIA.
      Vicky

      Reply
      • Peter Kolesnichenko

        May 08, 2022 at 8:13 am

        Hi Vicky, I would keep the cooking time the same, as the pasta needs to cook through 🙂

        Reply
    7. Debbie

      February 10, 2020 at 6:34 pm

      Worked amazing. I have an Instant Pot. Delicious. I ate more than the kids.

      Reply
      • Peter's Food Adventures

        February 10, 2020 at 7:05 pm

        Haha, that’s me too! This recipe is so tasty, brings out the kid in me! So glad you loved it as much as we do!

        Reply
    8. Patrycja

      February 09, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      Hi, great recipe however I don't have a pressure cooker. How would I make this on a stove top?

      Reply
      • Peter's Food Adventures

        February 09, 2020 at 7:55 pm

        Hi Patrycja, great question. I use a large skillet or pot and follow the same recipe, excluding the instant pot. After adding the macaroni, allow to simmer together for about 15 minutes until pasta is cooked together. 🙂

        Reply

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    Peter's Food Adventures - where you'll find Russian recipes, Slavic and International favorites with some fun travel and cooking videos. A Russian Food Blogger.

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