Homemade Hamburger Helper
Think of this as the most luxurious Hamburger Helper you’ve ever had. It’s how Mark Rosati, the culinary director of Shake Shack, turns leftover ground beef into a complete weeknight dinner. The entire dish — even the pasta — is made in one pot, and melds the indelible comfort of macaroni and cheese with the complexity of a good Bolognese. This definitely has a kick, so adjust the hot sauce according to taste.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ¼cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
- 1large yellow onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 5strips uncooked smoked bacon, finely chopped
- 1pound ground beef
- 1cup dry white wine
- 3cups chicken stock or water
- ¾cup heavy cream
- ¼to 1/3 cup hot sauce
- 2teaspoons hot smoked paprika
- 1bay leaf
- 8ounces elbow pasta
- 5slices American cheese, ripped into small pieces
- 1 ½cups grated Cheddar
- ½cup finely chopped chives
Instructions
Step 1
Heat a large (12-inch) sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, and add oil and onion; season lightly with salt and pepper. (The hot sauce added in Step 6 will add a lot of flavor, so be careful not to overseason here.) Let cook until the onions turn light beige in color and begin to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.Step 2
Add garlic, and cook until fragrant and starting to brown ever so slightly, about 2 minutes.Step 3
Increase heat to medium-high and add bacon and ground beef, using the back of a large spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Continue to cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the meat starts to sear and develop a crust on the bottom of the pan, 12 to 15 minutes.Step 4
Remove pan from the heat and carefully drain off most of the fat, leaving a little in the pan to keep the meat moist.Step 5
Return pan to the medium-high heat and add white wine, allowing it to reduce until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.Step 6
Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, hot sauce, paprika and bay leaf to the pan. Mix until combined and bring to a boil over medium-high.Step 7
Once the mixture is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring often, about 9 minutes.Step 8
Reduce the heat to low and stir in both types of cheese, stirring until completely melted and sauce is thickened.Step 9
Remove the pan from heat, stir in chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.