Made with vegan beef grounds, cream, and cheddar cheese. This plant-based Hamburger Helper tastes like your fave nostalgic childhood dinner!
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There are many great Hamburger Helper copycat recipes out there (Ambitious Kitchen and Defined Dish, to name a couple). I’m obsessed with recreating nostalgic faves from scratch in the kitchen, and there’s no reason our plant-based friends should miss out on the fun. Enter: the most bomb vegan hamburger helper you will ever taste in your life. Not to sound like a basic food blogger, but ~even my meat-loving husband is obsessed with this one.~ Okay, time to get down to business.
Vegan Hamburger Helper Key Ingredients
Onion and Garlic: Aromatics to get the party started.
Salt, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, and Black Pepper: Lots of spices to infuse this dish with flavor!
Vegan Beef Grounds: Use your fave! I’ve used both Beyond and Impossible successfully.
Tomato Sauce: The basic canned stuff with nothing added to it!
Frozen Peas: I know peas can be divisive, so these are optional. However, my Mom always threw these into our Hamburger Helper growing up, so I couldn’t skip it.
Dairy-Free Vegan or Heavy Cream: Califia Farms or Nutpods are ideal here.
Vegetable Broth: I prefer the low-sodium variety.
Short-Cut Pasta: I prefer shells or elbows for this recipe, but use any kind you like!
Vegan Cheddar: I prefer Violife as it provides the most authentic melt!
Make This One-Pot Dinner Step by Step
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion until softened and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and spices and allow everything to mingle for a minute. This allows the spices to toast and “bloom.”
- Add the vegan meat and sauté until browned and no “raw” spots remain, about 5-8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up until it’s well-distributed with the veggies. Add the peas (if using) and tomato sauce and allow it to simmer with the meat and veggies for about one minute.
- Pour in dairy-free creamer, vegetable broth, and pasta and stir until combined. Bring the whole mixture to a gentle simmer and stir frequently for 12-15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked al dente (soft but still slightly firm when bitten into). Make sure to use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck bits on the bottom of the pot as you go!
- Fold in the shredded vegan cheddar in ½ cup increments until fully melted and distributed. Portion into individual servings and enjoy.
I hope you’re super into this One Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper! IF you give it a whirl, be sure to leave a rating, review, question, or concern. You can also connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok. It truly warms my heart to see y’all try my recipes.
More Vegan Pasta
- Simple Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Pasta
- Clean Out the Fridge Green Goddess Pasta
- Vegan Pistachio Romesco Pasta
- Vegan Kale Caesar Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas
One Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp sea salt plus more to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (omit if you don't want it to be spicy)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 12 or 16-oz package vegan beef grounds (such as Beyond or Impossible)
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce (not marinara sauce!)
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 2 cups dairy-free creamer or heavy cream
- 1½ cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 12 oz short-cut pasta (such as elbows or shells) gluten-free if needed
- 1½ cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese (I prefer Violife because it melts down really nicely)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds-one minute. Finally, add salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper and sauté for about 1 minute so the spices can toast and mingle.
- Add meat and sauté until browned and no "raw" spots remain, about 5-8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up until it's well-distributed with the veggies. Add the peas (if using) and tomato sauce and allow it to simmer with the meat and veggies for about one minute.
- Pour in dairy-free creamer, vegetable broth, and pasta and stir until combined. Bring the whole mixture to a gentle simmer and stir frequently for 12-15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked al dente (soft but still slightly firm when bitten into). Make sure to use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck bits on the bottom of the pot as you go!
- Fold in the shredded vegan cheddar in ½ cup increments until fully melted and distributed. Portion into individual servings and enjoy!
Notes
Photography by Hope Agresti
