Instant Pot Hamburger Helper

Did you know that you can make a homemade hamburger helper in the instant pot, it is basically a cheesy hamburger mac and cheese!

You know it, and boy do you LOVE IT, it’s my HAMBURGER MAC AND CHEESE!! This is basically just a homemade hamburger helper, and, this time, it is made in the instant pot!!

It is basically, you know, a Mac and cheese burger recipe. It’s packed with protein, rich, creamy and insanely delicious. Bowls, forks and pots are licked CLEAN when this is made! Worth EVERY point. (Oh, and try stopping at just one serving!)

It is not your typical chicken and Mac and cheese. Obviously, that is why it is called hamburger Mac and cheese. It combines all the flavors you love about a hamburger, like ketchup, with a creamy Mac and cheese sauce. Could you think of a better combo.

If I could pick the first dish of mine for anyone to make, it would be this one. I have tons of favorite recipes of mine, sweet and sour chicken, sweet asian taco meat or a bloomin onion (click the links for those recipes), but homemade hamburger helper, is the ultimate recipe.

It is everything you love about not being "on a diet" while also being "on a diet", except WW is far from a diet.

Substitutions in This Instant Pot Hamburger Helper Recipe

I make this dish with ground chicken. That is my preference, I love chicken and Mac and cheese together. I have tried it out with ground beef, and while it is amazing, I much prefer the chicken with this recipe. But with that being said, I do lean more towards liking chicken, while the beef version is amazing, I am a chicken gal.

If you do not have an instant pot, you can make a homemade hamburger helper on the stovetop! Just follow my hamburger Mac and cheese recipe.

I also have a pretty similar recipe called pizza Mac and cheese. Similar to this one but has some more pepperoni pizza flavors in it. In addition, I have a bacon burger Mac and cheese, this one is made with beef and has bacon in it. Highly recommend that one as well. You can also try some similar Mac and cheese burger recipes such as my Big Mac and cheese, taco Mac and cheese or just my normal Mac and cheese recipe.

Let's take a moment to appreciate how amazing this looks!!!

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Here Is What You Need for a Homemade Hamburger Helper in the Instant Pot

First things first is an instant pot of course. I use the original instant pot brand and I love using the non-stick bowl insert easy clean up; however, you do not have to. Alternatively, there are many brands of pressure cookers you can try; however, I have not.

Now for the ingredients:

For this cheesy hamburger helper recipe, here is what you will need. Okay, it kinda seems like there are a lot of ingredients for this dish but I promise it is not that bad and totally worth it. I like to create most of my recipes with things I (and you) would typically have in your pantry. While I obviously need to pick up some fresh chicken, you get the point.

Reduced fat cream cheese and chicken broth are staples in my pantry! Definitely stock up on those.

• Minced garlic
• Onion
• Ground chicken breast
• Pasta
• Tomato sauce
• Sugar-free ketchup
• ⅓ less fat cream cheese
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Seasonings

Ingredient Suggestions and Substitutions

Pasta

For the pasta, I use elbow shaped noodles. You can use any shape but I like the elbow, it gives a classic Mac and cheese look. There are many times when I randomly crave this homemade hamburger helper style mean and grab any pasta I have in the cabinet. The elbows look better, and more like Mac and cheese, but it really does not matter.

This recipe; however, does use elbow shaped pasta. It does cook quicker; therefore, I use one less minute than I normally would with another pasta. If you are using a larger pasta, add an extra minute to the timer.

Ground Chicken

I use ground chicken breast because it is essentially fat free. That is my preference, I love chicken and Mac and cheese together. This is a healthy hamburger helper recipe after all. However, you are more than welcome to use a different percentage of chicken.

Tomato Sauce

99.9999% of the time I will make my homemade tomato sauce. But you can substitute with a bottled sauce or just crushed tomatoes if you do not want to make a whole homemade sauce.

Ketchup

My favorite sugar free ketchup is G Hughes, but I ran out and so did Publix. So I grabbed some sugar free Heinz. It is higher in calories, if you are counting that, but is zero-points as well, if you go that direction. I recommend stocking up on some G Hughes from amazon. You can order that here!

Cheese

A cheesy hamburger helper is going to need some cheese! I use reduced fat cheese for both the shredded cheese and the cream cheese. However, you are more than welcome to pick your own cheeses.

Here is What to Do to Make a Cheesy Hamburger Helper

Before you begin cooking, and this goes for any Instant Pot recipe, make sure you have all of your ingredients ready. Make sure to dice the onion and set that aside as well.

Drizzle oil on the bottom on the Instant Pot and set to the sauté setting. Once the oil is heated, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Stir while cooking, until slightly soft, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the ground chicken and start to break it up. Sprinkle on the seasonings and continue to break up while cooking. Cook the chicken until it is halfway cooked, it will continue to cook once pressure cooked.

Turn the Instant Pot off.

Add the pasta noodles, water, broth, tomato sauce and ketchup. Stir to combine and try to cover the pasta noodles in the water as much as possible.

Top with the cream cheese.

Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the pressure cook button to 4 minutes and start it. 

Once completely cooked, vent and de-pressurize the instant pot then open the lid.  

Add the shredded cheese and mix everything together while melting the cheeses.

After Cooking

I always top my dishes with fresh parsley!

The assistant absolutely goes crazy over this healthy hamburger helper too. She was having a full on panic attack while I was shooting pictures. She doesn't get like this always, it has to be a really good cheesy dish, such as this homemade hamburger helper. Look how funny she is!

But don't worry, I paid her by letting her clean up a few of the shredded cheese strands that were left behind. Her favorite part is the clean up! Now, if only she could do dishes too.

Serving Size

This dish makes four serving at one heaping cup per serving. I measured out a heaping cup and left the other portions for my husband's dinner and lunches.

It is a lot of food and keeps me really full. I just decided to use the biggest bowl on the planet!!

Stovetop Version

If you do not have an instant pot, you can make this on the stovetop by following my hamburger Mac and cheese recipe.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, drain well and set aside.

Heat a large pan on the stove over medium/high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

Make sure to use a wooden spatula when sautéing in an Instant Pot.

Place ground chicken into the pan, breaking it apart while cooking. Once slightly broken up, season with the seasonings. Cook almost through, until almost all the pink is gone.

Pour in tomato sauce, broth, ketchup and stir to combine. Allow chicken to cook completely. Stir in cream cheese and stir in until melted. Add in cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Add in the pasta and stir to combine in the sauce.

Okay, Okay, enough talking, let's get to this recipe.

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Instant Pot Hamburger Helper

Did you know that you can make a homemade hamburger helper in the instant pot, it is basically a cheesy hamburger mac and cheese!

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