Cheeseburger Skillet (Fall Comfort Food Series)

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This hearty dish is a real food version of Hamburger Helper, and honestly, it’s just as easy to make as the boxed kind! Made from scratch, you’ll save some money (which you could spend on grass-fed hamburger!), and avoid the MSG, artificial colors, and preservatives that lace store-bought Hamburger Helper.

As October days pile up and temperatures slope down into cozy blanket season, I find myself craving heartier fare at the dinner table. I want warm, comforting foods–childhood favorites and seasonal specialties that nourish body and soul.

So I wrote out a list (I love making lists!) of comfort foods I want to eat this fall.

As a shrewd observer of human nature, I can tell that I’m not the only one who dreams of comfort food when the weather turns cold. So I’d like to invite you to my (blog) table to share some mouthwatering dishes in the coming weeks. I’ll try them in my kitchen first, and if they turn out (since I’m inventing all these recipes from scratch!) I’ll share the recipe with you!

Look for desserts and breads, entrees, soup, sides–all courses, all comforting.

My comfort food recipe for you today is Cheeseburger Skillet. This hearty dish is a real food version of Hamburger Helper, and honestly, it’s just as easy to make as the boxed kind! Made from scratch, you’ll save some money (which you could spend on grass-fed hamburger!), and avoid the MSG, artificial colors, and preservatives that lace store-bought Hamburger Helper.

Better than a box

While we’re on the subject of ditching boxed goods, you might be interested in Kitchen Stewardship’s eBook, Better Than a Box, which is full of real food versions of common store-bought items. You can grab a copy of that HERE.

Cheeseburger Skillet

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 tsp salt we like this kind
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 15- oz can diced tomatoes
  • water
  • 2 c pasta we used bowtie pasta
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together spices.
  3. Pour canned tomatoes (with juice) into a large measuring cup. Add water to make 3 cups.
  4. Stir spices into browned beef. Add tomatoes and pasta.
  5. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer over medium-low until pasta is cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Fall Comfort Food Series - RichlyRooted.com

Want more comfort food recipes? Come back all season long for a cornucopia of comforting dishes from the Richly Rooted test kitchen!

6 Comments

  1. This looks really good. I made something like this when I first got married, almost 40 years ago, but I don’t know where the recipe went. I only made it a couple of times and was thinking about this recipe recently. I know what we will be having for dinner this week, probably tonight! I think the pasta I used was macaroni. luv

    1. Susan, was it good?? I am a newlywed (3 years) and still trying out so many new things! I did make Hamburger Helper in my college days, but this is so much better!

  2. As I sat down to make next week menu I too was bitten by the comfort food bug. To me that is soups, stews and casseroles! I pinned your recipe because I think my family will love it! Thank you!

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