This easy Instant Pot Hamburger Helper recipe is better than the box! All you need is pasta, ground beef, diced tomatoes, cheese and veggies.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – any neutral cooking oil such as canola or avocado oil can be used here.
- Extra-lean ground beef – use ground turkey to make this recipe a bit leaner.
- Yellow onion – white onion or shallots would also work.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch.
- Celery stalks – add in some carrots instead for a bit of crunch or leave this out altogether.
- Italian seasoning – make your own using a blend of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, thyme and garlic powder.
- Thyme – oregano will provide a similar flavor.
- Salt & pepper – dissolve a beef bouillon cube into hot water or use chicken broth instead.
- Can diced tomatoes – you could also try using crushed tomatoes but it may have a different texture.
- Scoobi do pasta – macaroni pasta or another small shaped pasta will also work for this recipe.
- Green pepper – swap out for any colour bell pepper of your choice.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – feel free to use another cheese of your choice like low-fat cheddar.
- Fresh parsley – you can leave this off altogether if you don’t have any on hand.
How to make hamburger helper in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Brown the ground the beef.
Sauté the ground beef with the onions and garlic until browned.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients.
Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed except for the sour cream and cheese.
Step 3: Cook on high pressure.
Seal the valve and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, then do a quick release of the pressure until the lid is safe to open.
Step 4: Stir in the sour cream and cheese, then serve!
What to serve with hamburger helper
This Instant Pot hamburger helper is an entire dish on its own, because you have the ground beef, veggies and pasta all in one dish. If you’re like for more side dish options, here are some ideas:
- Green beans, corn on the cob or steamed broccoli
- Cornbread, dinner rolls or garlic bread
- Mac and cheese
- Tater tots, crispy green bean fries or sweet potato fries
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re making hamburger helper from the box, you might need to add some more spices to up the flavour. My recipe is already packed with flavour because it uses real ingredients! If you want, you can add in more veggies like spinach, zucchini or mushrooms. You could also spice things up by adding in some sriracha or red pepper flakes.
I like using scoobi do or macaroni pasta, but you can use any smaller shaped pasta of your choice.
You can double this recipe as long as your Instant Pot is big enough and you don’t go over the maximum line! You might need to brown the ground beef in batches. Cooking time will remain the same.
To avoid the dreaded burn notice, make sure you add olive oil to the pot before browning the ground beef. You also want to make sure you’re adding enough beef broth to the pot, and that you’re using canned diced tomatoes in their juices (diced fresh tomatoes won’t contain enough liquid).
This recipe is designed specifically for the Instant Pot, but if you’re looking for a stovetop option, check out my one pot hamburger helper recipe.
Storing and reheating
If you have any leftover Instant Pot hamburger helper, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. To reheat, all you have to do is sprinkle some water over top then microwave for 2-3 minutes and voila! A dish that’s as good as new.
Can you freeze hamburger helper?
You sure can! Freeze this Instant Pot hamburger helper without the cheese in airtight glass containers or freezer-safe Ziploc bags for up to 3 months. You can freeze it in individual serving sizes or one big family-sized portion.
When you’re ready to enjoy, let the hamburger helper defrost in the fridge overnight. You can reheat is on low in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat. If you’re in a rush, reheat it in the microwave from frozen for 6-8 minutes – just make sure to sprinkle some water over top before reheating and to stir halfway through.
More pasta Instant Pot recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this recipe into leftovers.
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
The Best Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lb rotini pasta or macaroni
- 1 13oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Add olive oil to Instant Pot and turn to saute mode. When oil is hot, add onions, garlic and ground beef, breaking up with a spoon and sauteeing for 4-5 minutes until browned.
- Add in remaining ingredients in order that they are listed except for sour cream and cheese, adding in pasta last.
- Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes (Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to preheat then cook the 3 minutes). Do a quick release of the pressure, then stir in sour cream and cheese. Serve and enjoy!
