This Easy One-Pan Taco Hamburger Helper is a creamy, flavorful, semi-homemade dinner made with Hamburger Helper, taco seasoning, and a few pantry staples. The perfect quick and easy comfort food for busy weeknights!
If you grew up loving Hamburger Helper, this semi-homemade twist is going to be your new weeknight favorite! My son has always loved Hamburger Helper, he calls it “cheesy beef and noodles”, and corn is one of his favorite veggies. So I thought it would be fun to give one of his favorite dinners a little upgrade into a cheesy taco pasta!
This Easy One-Pan Taco Hamburger Helper takes that nostalgic boxed mix and turns it into a creamy, flavorful skillet meal with a fun taco-inspired twist. It’s rich, hearty, cheesy-tasting from the creamy sauce, and packed with family-friendly flavor, all in under 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy, one-pan dinner: Everything cooks in the same skillet for easy cleanup.
- Semi Homemade shortcut: Start with a Hamburger Helper box and a few pantry staples for a fast, comforting meal.
- Creamy and flavorful: The heavy cream and taco seasoning make the sauce rich and delicious.
- Family-approved: Kids and adults will love the cozy taco flavor twist.
- Customizable: Add black beans, bell peppers, or top with shredded cheese — make it your own!
Ingredients For This Hamburger Helper with A Taco Twist:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 box Hamburger Helper mix (I used Cheeseburger Macaroni, but any flavor works)
- 1 ¼ cups water (plus extra if needed) – you could also use beef broth instead
- 2 cups heavy cream (instead of milk)
- 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (15–16 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt, to taste (optional)
Ingredient amounts and entire recipe directions in recipe card below with print option!
How To Make Easy One-Pan Taco Hamburger Helper:
- rown the beef
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until fully browned. Drain the grease (or blot it with a paper towel like I do!).
- Add the pasta and sauce
Add the Hamburger Helper pasta, the seasoning packet from the box, water, and heavy cream. Stir until everything is combined.
- Add the extra flavor
Stir in the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with juices, frozen corn, and peas. Mix well.
- Cook and simmer
Cover the skillet with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks. You want the liquid to be mostly gone but want it to look long enough for the pasta to be done.
- Finish and serve
If the pasta isn’t quite tender, add a splash of water and cook for about 5 more minutes. Taste and add a little salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm and enjoy!
Angie’s Semi Homemade Suggestions:
- You can jazz this up even more by sprinkling on shredded cheddar, your favorite taco toppings before serving or a handful of crushed tortilla chips for a crunchy taco hamburger helper. It gives that extra “taco night” vibe, and if you have picky eaters, melted cheese never hurts. Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey jack would be great.
- Also a bit of sour cream and salsa with slices of fresh avocado would be great
- We don’t use onion in our recipes because Thomas is allergic but you could also sauté some onions with the beef if you wanted.
- To use homemade taco seasoning in this recipe, just remove the packet and use 2 tablespoons of your homemade seasoning.
What to Serve with Taco Hamburger Helper:
- side salad or roasted veggies
- Warm tortillas or cornbread
- Or just enjoy it by itself as a full meal in one pan
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. When reheating it, you may want to add a splash of milk or water to loosen up the sauce.
Want to try this taco update with a homemade version? I also have a recipe on BigBearsWife.com for a homemade taco hamburger helper if you’d like to try that.
MORE Pasta Recipes:
Easy One-Pan Taco Hamburger Helper
Easy One-Pan Taco Hamburger Helper
This Easy One-Pan Taco Hamburger Helper is a creamy, flavorful, semi homemade dinner made with Hamburger Helper, taco seasoning, and a few pantry staples. The perfect quick and easy comfort food for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 box Hamburger Helper mix (Cheeseburger Macaroni works great!)
- 1 ¼ cups water (plus extra if needed)
- 2 cups heavy cream (instead of milk)
- 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (15–16 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt, to taste (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Brown the beef
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until fully browned. Drain the grease (or blot it with a paper towel like I do!).
Step 2: Add the pasta and sauce
Add the Hamburger Helper pasta, the seasoning packet from the box, water, and heavy cream. Stir until everything is combined.
Step 3: Add the flavor
Stir in the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with juices, frozen corn, and peas. Mix well.
Step 4: Cook and simmer
Cover the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks.
Step 5: Finish and serve
If the pasta isn’t quite tender, add a splash of water and cook for about 5 more minutes. Taste and add a little salt if needed. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Try sprinkling some shredded cheese or crushed tortilla chips on top before serving.
If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes — We love to see what you’re making from the blog!
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