(Slow Cooker & Crockpot) HEALTHIER SLOW COOKER HAMBURGER HELPER RECIPE

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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.

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.

CourseMain Course

CuisineAmerican

Keywordcrock pot pasta, crockpot pasta, ground beef pasta, hamburger helper, slow cooekr pasta

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time8 hours

Total Time8 hours 10 minutes

Servings6 servings

Calories486kcal

AuthorFood Lovers

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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Notes

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

Nutrition (this is an estimate)

Nutrition Facts

Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

Amount Per Serving

Calories 486Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 71mg24%

Sodium 1119mg49%

Potassium 829mg24%

Carbohydrates 62g21%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 36g72%

Vitamin A 1660IU33%

Vitamin C 31.9mg39%

Calcium 272mg27%

Iron 5.5mg31%

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

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