This Vegan Hamburger Helper Copycat, otherwise known as Vegan Cheeseburger Pasta, is cooked all in one pot and ready in under an hour. It tastes as nostalgic as the original, but it’s all plant-based and homemade!
A Nostalgic Comfort Food Classic
Full disclosure, I was never the biggest fan of Hamburger Helper as a kid. My parents didn’t use it growing up and I only tried it a few times at friends’ sleepovers, but even back then I did not like the flavour of the ground meat in this dish.
But I know Hamburger Helper is a core memory for a lot of people, so I set out to veganize it. And it was surprisingly simple. The cooking process is similar to my One-Pot Vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese, which is probably the easiest pasta you’ll ever make in your life. This vegan version hits all the same cozy, cheesy, one-pot notes, and I have to say I like it even more than the original!
What You’ll Need
A few important notes on some of the ingredients used in this Vegan Hamburger Helper recipe:
Vegan Ground Meat: Beyond Beef or Impossible Meat would give the most realistic effect, if you’re looking to recreate the exact flavour of the original Hamburger Helper. But you could also use a lighter vegan ground like Lightlife Plant-Based Ground (which is what I use in my Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl) or Gardein Ground Be’f which also add the necessary texture to this dish.
A note on packaging size: Depending on where you are in the world, your package of faux meat may come in packages of 300g (UK), 340g (Canada), or 16oz (USA). Since I’m Canadian, I developed this recipe for the 340g packages. But it’s flexible enough to work with the other package sizes too, because the ingredient ratios don’t have to be super precise.
Seasonings: Just pantry-staple spices in this one. Garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder (or smoked paprika for a milder version), and salt.
Better Than Bouillon: I also like to add some Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base to boost the meaty flavour of this cheeseburger pasta.
Soy Milk: Instead of water, you’ll be cooking the pasta in plant-based milk for an extra creamy sauce. I’m using my Homemade Soy Milk but you can use any plain milk (please please please make sure it does not contain any flavourings)!
Vegan Cheese: In the process pics below, I’m using a very old and crushed pack of Violife Cheddar Shreds (lol) but any vegan cheese will work. Cheddar or parmesan flavours work best for this recipe. You can even use slices or blocks instead of shreds if that’s all you got. It will all melt up nice and good in the end.
Pasta: The only acceptable choices for cheeseburger pasta are macaroni or cavatappi, change my mind.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Sauté onion in oil on medium heat until soft and translucent. Here I am using a mix of yellow onions and green onions.
Step 2: Add Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger to the pot. Brown it while breaking it up with your spatula, until it resembles ground meat.
Step 3: Stir in tomato paste, Better Than Bouillon, and spices.
Step 4: Pour in the water (or soy milk) along with the pasta.
Step 5: Add cheese on top. When the pot starts to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low.
Step 6: Simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is tender and liquid has thickened into a rich sauce.
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
Fridge: Store Vegan Hamburger Helper in the fridge for up to five days. Note that as the pasta sits and cools, it will absorb more liquid and swell. So when you reheat it, expect it to have a softer texture.
Freezer: You can freeze Cheeseburger Pasta for up to three months in an airtight container. After thawing and reheating, the pasta will be very very soft. Just keep that in mind.
What to Serve with Vegan Cheeseburger Pasta
More Plant-Based Pasta Recipes
Recipe Card
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Vegan Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
Switch between volume vs weight measurements:
- 2 tbsp oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 pack Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger see Note 1
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder or smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Beef Base
- 3 cups water or unflavoured plant milk I used my homemade soy milk
- 1 ½ cups shredded vegan cheese I used a mix of Daiya Cheddar + Violife Parmesan
- 2 cups (6 oz) dry short pasta such as macaroni or cavatappi
Instructions
- Sauté ½ yellow onion, diced in 2 tbsp oil on medium heat until soft and translucent.
- Add 1 pack Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger to the pot and brown it while breaking it up with your spatula, until it resembles ground meat.
- Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp chili powder or smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Beef Base.
- Pour in 3 cups water or unflavoured plant milk and 2 cups (6 oz) dry short pasta.
- Spread 1 ½ cups shredded vegan cheese on top. When the pot starts to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes, or until pasta is tender and liquid has thickened into a rich sauce.
Notes
- Impossible Meat/Beyond Meat: Depending on where you live, Impossible Meat or Beyond Meat packages may come in sizes of 12 oz (340g) or 16oz (454g). This recipe is developed for the 340g packages, but you can use the 16oz package without any modification to the other ingredients. Or use the excess meat for my Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup recipe 🙂