Name: Homemade Hamburger Helper Stroganoff
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced); 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped); 8 oz mushrooms (baby bella or button, sliced); 1 lb lean ground beef; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 3 cups beef broth; 1 cup whole milk; 8 oz wide egg noodles; 1/2 cup sour cream (at room temperature); Fresh parsley (for garnish (optional)); Salt and black pepper (to taste)

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Homemade hamburger helper stroganoff comes together in one pan in about 40 minutes. It's creamy, beefy and every bit as nostalgic as the boxed version, except this one's made from scratch with real pantry ingredients!

If you love this, my Homemade Beefaroni is another skip-the-box classic I make on repeat. And Ground Beef Alfredo is the creamy, mushroomy weeknight dinner my family asks for the most.

hamburger helper stroganoff with mushrooms

So many of us grew up on the boxed hamburger stroganoff, but once you make it from scratch, you realize how little it actually takes to beat the box and how much better it tastes without all the powder.

My version of homemade hamburger helper stroganoff doesn't have any cream-of-soup cans or a powdered seasoning packet. It's simply a cozy weeknight dinner that the whole table actually fights over.

And if you've got picky eaters? Leave the mushrooms out. Honestly, that's the version closest to the boxed stroganoff most of us remember anyway, and it's the one the kids will hoover up without a single complaint.

Why you'll love this hamburger helper stroganoff

It's a one-pan, fail-proof dinner. The noodles cook right in the sauce, so there's just one skillet to wash.
It's made with simple pantry ingredients. Just ground beef, egg noodles, a few basics you already have and a creamy sour cream finish.
It's fast and kid-approved. Just 40 minutes start to finish, and it's the kind of cozy, beefy comfort food everyone goes back for seconds of.

What you'll need

Olive oil - just enough to get the onion going.
Yellow onion - finely diced so it melts right into the sauce.
Mushrooms - baby bella or button are perfect. I love them here, but leave them out for the true-to-the-box, picky-kid version.
Lean ground beef - I use 90/10 so the sauce doesn't turn greasy. Break it up well as it browns.
Plain flour - this is what thickens the sauce into something gravy-like.
Beef broth - low-sodium, so you stay in control of the salt.
Whole milk - for that creamy, boxed-stroganoff richness.
Wide egg noodles - these are the classic option, but any other type of short pasta would do.
Sour cream - the tangy finish that makes it stroganoff. Take it out of the fridge ahead of time so it's at room temperature when you stir it in.
Seasonings - smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard for those classic stroganoff flavors.

Pro tip

Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the sour cream, and let it cool for a minute to avoid curdling.

hamburger helper stroganoff with fusilli

How to make hamburger helper stroganoff

This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.

Heat the olive oil and soften the onion and garlic for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook until their liquid has cooked off. Add the ground beef, break it up, and brown until there's no pink left. Drain off any excess grease and season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

hamburger helper stroganoff cooking steps

adding spices to a hamburger helper stroganoff

Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute to lose the raw taste, then add the Worcestershire and Dijon and stir to coat the beef.

adding flour to a hamburger helper stroganoff

Pour in the beef broth and milk and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the egg noodles, cover, and cook until they're tender and the sauce has thickened.

adding milk to a hamburger helper stroganoff

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sour cream until the sauce is silky. Taste for salt and pepper, finish with parsley, and serve.

Substitutions and variations

Skip the mushrooms if you want the version closest to the boxed Hamburger Helper, and the one that picky eaters tend to accept happily.
Stir a handful of shredded cheddar in at the end to make it cheesy. If your family likes it even cheesier and spoonable, my Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup is basically the soup cousin of this dish.
Use half-and-half instead of whole milk for extra richness.

Helpful tips for the best homemade hamburger helper stroganoff

The noodles keep soaking up the sauce as it sits, so if it looks a touch loose in the pan, that's perfect; it'll thicken right up on the plate.
If you like your hamburger helper saucier, you can add more beef broth.
This is a whole meal on its own, but you can also serve it with a green salad or some warm garlic bread.
Want more no-box comfort food? My Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta is the next one your kids will love!

Leftovers and storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce.
Freeze the beef sauce only (without the noodles, which go mushy) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, and cook fresh noodles to stir through.

More cozy dinner recipes you'll love

If you've tried this homemade hamburger helper stroganoff recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below! I'd love to hear how it turned out.

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