Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

A healthier, homemade version of Hamburger Helper made completely in the slow cooker — yes, even the pasta! (And no, it’s not mushy and overcooked!) Packed with sneaky veggies.

Something I always find interesting is the recipes that are popular on The Recipe Rebel a certain day, week or month, because my goal is to give you more of what you want.

Lately, my Healthier Homemade Hamburger Helper has been going a little crazy as people have gotten back to routine and are eating something other than chocolate and cookies. I (surprise!) have also been craving something other than chocolate and cookies.

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With 3 young kids still in 3 very different stages of life (grade school, preschool and baby), I find myself running around like a mad woman come dinner time more often than I’d like to admit.

We use our slow cooker all the time. Probably at least 3 times per week!

I know you’ve been seeing a lot of Instant Pot recipes popping up here lately, but believe me — I’ve still got big love for my slow cooker (and a good slow cooker pasta recipe!) and I won’t be donating it to the thrift store anytime soon ?

How to cook pasta in a slow cooker:

Learning to properly cook pasta in a slow cooker so that it wasn’t some gross overcooked mush was seriously life changing for me.

It takes a little reworking because you need to have just the perfect amount of liquid at the end of the cook time to cook the pasta for the last 10-15 minutes (the exact cook time will depend on the size and shape of the pasta you use), but my original Hamburger Helper recipe translated perfectly into a slow cooker recipe, and it is the perfect solution to the dinner time rush!

No stirring,  no keeping an eye on things — just let the sauce cook away for a good part of the day and add the pasta in the last 15 minutes and you’re good to go.

How this Hamburger Helper recipe is made healthier:

• I use lean ground beef, but you could also use ground turkey or chicken or whichever you prefer.
• I snuck in a ton of veggies, but no one ever really knows because they all cook down into the sauce (shred them or chop them up fine, and I promise this will please even the pickiest eaters!)
• I use broth and low fat milk to make the sauce — instead of heavier milk or cream.
• I pretty much always use a whole grain or ancient grains pasta for maximum fiber and protein, but you can use almost any pasta and it will work just fine (they all will require varying cook times though, so it’s something you’ll have to keep an eye on).

This is the perfect hearty meal to get you through the rest of the chilly days, but it’s also perfect for the warmer days when you just don’t want to turn your oven on!

Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

A healthier, homemade version of Hamburger Helper made completely in the slow cooker — yes, even the pasta! (And no, it’s not mushy and overcooked!) Packed with sneaky veggies.

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Ingredients

• 1
  lb
  lean ground beef
• 1/2
  medium onion
  diced
• 1
  bell pepper
  diced (I used red)
• 1
  pinch
  red pepper flakes
  or more, if you like it spicy!
• 1
  tsp
  minced garlic
• 1
  tsp
  salt
• 1
  tsp
  Italian seasoning
• 1
  cup
  finely chopped fresh spinach
• 1 1/2
  cup
  1% milk
• 1
  cup
  beef broth
  low sodium
• 1 1/2
  cups
  seasoned tomato or pasta sauce
• 3
  cups
  dry uncooked macaroni
  (340g)
• 1 1/2
  cups
  shredded cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is translucent. Add to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.

2. Add in bell pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, spinach, milk, beef broth and tomato sauce and stir. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

3. 10-15 minutes before serving, stir in pasta. Cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes, until desired tenderness is reached. Stir in cheese (covering for 2-3 minutes if necessary to melt the cheese) and serve.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

*Nutrition information is estimated and will vary depending on exact serving size, types and brands of products used.

Nutrition Facts

Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

Amount Per Serving

Calories 486
Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g
17%

Saturated Fat 6g
30%

Cholesterol 71mg
24%

Sodium 1119mg
47%

Potassium 829mg
24%

Total Carbohydrates 62g
21%

Dietary Fiber 1g
4%

Sugars 7g

Protein 36g
72%

Vitamin A
33.2%

Vitamin C
38.7%

Calcium
27.2%

Iron
30.5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*This post was originally published February 8, 2016