This cheeseburger macaroni is everyday fare, to be sure, but it’s quick, easy, and packs a serious homemade vibe. It is incredibly satisfying comfort food. The Instant Pot makes it almost too easy.
Cheeseburger Macaroni in an Instant Pot
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
generous servingsPrep: use a food processor to shred the cheese. Then pulse the onion, and then pulse the mushrooms. Mix the spices, and then prepare the stock (if it’s coming from a reduction or bouillon).
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
4 cups beef broth, divided
1½ Tbs paprika
1-2 tsp powdered onion
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp mustard powder
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbs tomato paste
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 oz elbow macaroni
12 oz. (3 cups) shredded cheddar, monterey, or colby jack cheese
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ, more, 30 minutes. Don’t bother to wait for the “hot” indication. Brown the beef just until no pink remains, 5 minutes. Remove to a colander and allow any liquid to strain off. Meanwhile, add butter to the (unwashed) pot. Once it’s melted, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have softened, 2 minutes. Add 1/2-cup of the broth and thoroughly deglaze the pan with a wooden spatula. CANCEL the sauté.
- Stir in remaining broth, strained beef, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, chili powder, ketchup, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add macaroni, pushing down to submerge the macaroni, but do not stir.
- Set the pot to PRESSURE COOK, high, normal (4 minutes). Quick release.
- Add the cheese and cream and stir until the cheese has melted.
Notes
- Substitute turkey for the beef: not as good, but not bad. If you do use turkey, scale the garlic powder back by half. Consider whole-wheat pasta: not quite as delicious, but probably better for you.
- I like the full 2 teaspoons of onion powder for what it contributes to the flavor punch this dish has. Scale back to 1 teaspoon if you’re not a huge onion fan.
Adult Lunchbox
This reheats well, so it’s great to pack in a lunch, given that you’ll have access to a microwave at work. The pasta continues to soak up liquid long after you’ve cooked it, so the leftovers are dryer, but not in a bad way. I like to add a bit of extra shredded cheese to the leftovers.
The Backstory
My mom raised five very hungry boys (and a girl who never seemed to be quite as hungry), and I have to confess to you that Hamburger Helper was sometimes involved. I used to love the “cheeseburger” version. Well, those days are far behind me now, and I can’t imagine touching a box of Hamburger Helper except ironically, which I did last summer. I saw it in the store and wondered if it’d bring back memories. It didn’t. It was awful! I don’t know if it went downhill over the years, or if I moved uphill. I think it might be both.
This week, I happened to have some extra macaroni onhand, and thought I might recreate this dish in the way I imagined it: insanely good, mountains of flavor, and with such comfort food power that you can’t stop eating it. And do it all in an Instant Pot, no less. This is all of those things.
Cheeseburger Macaroni in an Instant Pot
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man!, unless otherwise indicated. Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. References: Foodie Crush, Kelsey Smith, Love from the Oven, The Daring Gourmet, This Mom’s Menu. Make It Like a Man! has been ranked by Feedspot as #13 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs!
Keep up with us on Bloglovin’
I love cheeseburger macaroni. And it really does reheat very well. My Mom used to make it once every other week for dinner. I don’t remember her ever using Hamburger Helper but I do remember there was a boxed Kraft meal of chicken and noodles she would make and it was horrible but she loved it.
Haha!
I am bookmarking this page for a fall meal. It sounds delicious but we have entered summer now and we tend to eat lighter foods.
I will visit it again in late October!
Thanks, Anne!
Such a clever idea and not to mention that it looks so comforting and moreish.
Thanks, Angie!
superbe assiette bien appétissante!! j’en mangerai!
a bientôt
Josette
Thanks, Josette!
Tu plato tiene un aspecto delicioso, cremoso y lleno de sabor. Y muy fácil y rápido hecho en Instant Pot.
Muchas veces idealizamos los sabores de la infancia pero también es cierto que muchos platos preparados no saben igual que cuando éramos pequeños pues sus recetas originales han ido cambiando con el tiempo, sobre todo en lo relativo a saborizantes y conservantes. Sí, ellos van cuesta abajo y nosotros cuesta arriba (adoro tu frase).
Buen día.
Thank you!
This looks incredibly delicious! And easy! If I’m trying to get the macaroni to caramelize like a baked mac ‘n cheese, do you think leaving it in the pot on sauté for 10-15 minutes extra might do that?
I don’t know. I’d worry that I’d burn it. You could toast the macaroni ahead of time, though.
My mother used to make it and hide the box lol. I tried it years later and it was awful! This recipe is my kind of comfort food. Pinned!
You too! Haha. So it wasn’t just me!
What a cozy and insanely delicious dish! Beef, onions, and mushrooms (not to mention the cheese) combined with pasta? I’m in!
Thank, Ben!
I had a similar experience as you, Jeff. Hamburger Helper just did not bring back the good childhood memories like I expected. I make a slow cooker version of this same thing…and holy cow! Now THAT does bring back memories…even if the version we ate as kids wasn’t that delicious. Comfort food central here, my friend!
Thanks, David!
Love this idea – it reminds me a lot of something my mom made and called Hungarian Goulash… with apologies to all Hungarians everywhere, as it is neither Hungarian or Goulash! Will look forward to trying this on the stovetop!
Thanks, David!