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Healthier hamburger helper in a serving bowl next to ingredients.
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Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper with Veggies

A homemade, lightened up version of a classic dish, this easy crock pot ground beef recipe is packed with vegetables. It's creamy, comforting, and flavorful, making it the perfect dinner for a weeknight or even parties.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 5 2-cup servings
Calories 658kcal
Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ medium onion finely diced, about 1 cup
  • 1 large carrot finely diced, about ¾ to 1 cup
  • 1 small red bell pepper cored and finely diced, about ½ cup
  • 1 rib celery finely diced, about ½ cup
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups beef broth divided, see instructions
  • 12 ounces dried elbow macaroni 3 cups
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley from about ½ bunch
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Warm olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion to the pan. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon as you go, for 6 to 8 minutes until browned.
  • In the meantime, prep the vegetables by dicing them into very small pieces. This is an important step, because finely dicing the veggies makes them easier to cook in the slow cooker and more palatable to eat in the dish.
  • Add the cooked beef and onion to the slow cooker. If desired, drain the grease from it before adding it. You can also use a slotted spoon to remove it from the skillet so that excess grease drips off of it.
  • Add the carrots, bell pepper, celery, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Pour in 3 cups of the beef broth (save the last cup for later).
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours until the vegetables are softened. Cooking times may vary depending on the slow cooker. Check as early as 2 and a half hours if you have a newer model that you know cooks things quickly.
  • Add the macaroni and last cup of broth to the slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and cook for 15 more minutes until the macaroni is tender. Stir occasionally to promote even cooking.
  • Add the milk, cheese, and parsley to the slow cooker. Keep stirring until the cheese melts and the macaroni is creamy.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy!
  • Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!

Notes

  • You want to have about 3 cups of finely diced vegetables in total, so feel free to use more or less of certain veggies to get to 3 cups depending on what you have on hand.
  • Consider substituting bone broth to add more protein.
  • If you want the recipe to be lower in sodium, use a low sodium broth and/or reduce the salt.
  • Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in 30-second intervals on high in the microwave until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3907IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 4mg