This high-protein Homemade Hamburger Helper is creamy, cheesy, comforting, and made entirely in one pot. (*Cue Ina Garten’s voice, “What’s not to love?!”)

It has all the nostalgic appeal of the boxed version, but it’s made with simple ingredients like lean ground beef, tomato sauce, sharp cheddar, and cottage cheese blended into the sauce for a high-protein, relatively low-calorie meal.

Each serving has 26-30g of protein and about 395 calories, depending on the brands and ingredients you use. I’m not strict about macros or calories, but I do aim to get 25-30g of protein in each meal, and I know people want an idea, so there you have it. 😉

And if you’re wondering, it doesn’t taste like cottage cheese! Blending the cottage cheese with broth makes it completely smooth and gives the finished sauce a rich, creamy consistency while adding more protein.

This is exactly the kind of dinner I want on a busy weeknight: cozy, satisfying, family-friendly, and ready in about 30 minutes. Use bone broth or high-protein pasta if you want to increase the protein even more.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Hamburger Helper

• It’s an easy one-pot meal: The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, so there’s no separate pasta pot to wash.
• It’s high in protein: Lean beef, cottage cheese, and cheddar make it hearty and satisfying.
• It’s extra creamy: Blended cottage cheese creates a silky sauce without heavy cream.
• It uses simple ingredients: Everything is easy to find at a regular grocery store.
• It’s flexible: Use traditional, gluten-free, or high-protein pasta.

The High-Protein Cottage Cheese Sauce

Cottage cheese is the secret to making this healthier version of Homemade Hamburger Helper creamy while adding an extra boost of protein.

Blend it with Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup of broth until completely smooth, then add it to the skillet with the remaining broth. The cottage cheese disappears into the sauce—you won’t see or taste any curds.

I prefer 4% cottage cheese because it produces the richest, creamiest texture. Two-percent cottage cheese will also work, but fat-free cottage cheese won’t create quite the same silky result.

Ingredient Notes

• Ground beef: I use 90% lean ground beef, also called 90/10. It has enough fat for good flavor without making the finished dish greasy and keeps the macros friendly. Some stores sell 93% lean and that works also.
• Pasta: Choose a short-cut pasta shape that catches the sauce, such as elbows or cavatappi. Rotini, penne, pipette, or small shells also work. Use gluten-free pasta if needed or high-protein pasta for an additional protein boost.
• Cottage cheese: Full-fat 4% cottage cheese creates the smoothest, creamiest sauce. You can use a lower-fat cottage cheese, but consider a higher-fat beef if you do that. The dish is relatively low in fat with 90/10 ground beef and only 1 cup of cheddar and you need a little fat to emulsify the sauce.
• Tomato sauce: After blooming the garlic and chili powder, the tomato sauce is added directly to the hot skillet. Use it to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. You can sub tomato paste + 1/2 cup of hot water, if needed.
• Chili powder: Chili powder gives the dish a warm, savory flavor reminiscent of chili mac without making it spicy. Paprika can be substituted 1:1 for a milder cheeseburger-macaroni flavor.
• Broth: Chicken broth keeps the flavor light, while beef broth makes it richer. Bone broth is an easy substitution if you’d like to add more protein. I wrote this recipe with chicken stock instead of bone broth to keep the grocery cost lower, but if bone broth fits into your rotation, it’s an easy way to add more protein.
• Worcestershire sauce: This adds savory depth and a subtle tang that balances the richness of the beef and cheese. You can skip it if you don’t have any, but if you have it, it’s a great trick to add tons of flavor.
• Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the dish the best cheesy flavor. If possible, grate it yourself from a block because pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking ingredients that can prevent it from melting as smoothly.

How to Make High-Protein Hamburger Helper

1. Brown the Beef and Onion

Cook the ground beef and onion in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Season with salt and break the beef into small pieces as it cooks.

2. Cook the Garlic and Chili Powder

Once the beef is browned and the onion is soft, lowerf the heat add the garlic and chili powder. Cook for about one minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant (this is called blooming the spice and aromatics). Dry spices and fresh garlic burn easily and become bitter, so always lower the heat and stir to bloom the flavors without overcooking them.

3. Deglaze With Tomato Sauce

Pour the tomato sauce into the skillet. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

4. Blend the Cottage Cheese

Blend the cottage cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 cup of broth until completely smooth and creamy.

5. Cook the Pasta

Add the blended cottage cheese mixture, remaining broth, and dry pasta to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover.

Simmer until the pasta is very al dente, stirring every few minutes so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick.

6. Add the Cheddar

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the freshly grated cheddar. Let the pasta rest uncovered for three to five minutes so the sauce can thicken.

Tips for the Best Homemade Hamburger Helper

• Use a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven so the pasta has enough room to cook evenly.
• Stir thoroughly every two to three minutes, scraping along the bottom of the pan.
• Keep the heat at a gentle simmer after the mixture comes to a boil.
• Cook the pasta only until very al dente. It will continue cooking in the hot sauce as it rests.
• Keep extra broth nearby. Gluten-free and high-protein pastas can absorb more liquid than traditional pasta.
• Use low-sodium broth so you can control the seasoning.
• Grate the cheddar from a block for the smoothest sauce.
• Let the finished pasta rest before serving. The sauce will look slightly loose at first but thickens quickly.

Variations and Additions

• Use paprika: Substitute ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika for the chili powder. Paprika creates a milder flavor, while chili powder makes the dish taste a little more like chili mac.
• Add extra vegetables: Add a shredded carrot and/or one small shredded zucchini (wring out the water) with the onion until tender. If preferred, you can even blend the cooked veggies with the cottage cheese mixture to make them nearly undetectable.
• Use another ground meat: Ground turkey or ground chicken can replace the beef. Add a small drizzle of olive oil when browning very lean meat.
• Make it gluten-free: Use a short gluten-free pasta and make sure your Worcestershire sauce is certified gluten-free.
• Make it cheesier: Add another ½ cup of freshly grated cheddar. Or sub monterray jack or your favorite melty cheese.

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