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    Home » Recipes » Scrumptious & Simple Lunch » Cozy Vegan Hamburger Helper

    Cozy Vegan Hamburger Helper

    Published: Jan 4, 2022 · Modified: Mar 7, 2022 by Chelsea Peachtree · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    This vegan hamburger helper is an easy cheesy hamburger pasta. The vegan version has all the creamy cheesiness of the original dish, made meatless and dairy free! You will love this fast and easy meatless hamburger helper. The ultimate comfort food for the whole family, ready in 30 minutes.

    up close vegan hamburger helper in a light blue bowl

    How many of you grew up on this childhood favorite boxed dinner? There is something so nostalgic about the hamburger helper from childhood - creamy, cheesy, and beefy - but definitely not vegan. With a few easy substitutions, we can get the same creamy result made with plant-based ingredients. Plus, making it yourself is better than the boxed version anyway!

    It is all the coziness you would ever need in one plate. I love to eat this during a crazy work week or when I want something on a cold night. And when I am extra hungry, I love to pair it with my gluten free tomato soup recipe which really warms me up!

    Quick Tips

    • Save the remaining pasta water to help thicken the creamy sauce.
    • Use your favorite plant based meat substitute, like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger.

    Ingredients for Vegan Hamburger Helper

    ingredients needed for vegan hamburger helper

    You know I love simple and easy to find ingredients, and this dish is no different. You should be able to find all of these ingredients in your local grocery stores.

    Vegan meat crumbles - Lucky for us, there are a ton of different plant based meat options and meat substitutes on the market now. I've tried this recipe with both the Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger brands and it came out great. You can also use vegan ground beef and break it up into crumbles yourself.

    Pasta of your choice - This dish works well with any pasta shape. I like using elbow macaroni pasta, but corkscrew (cavatappi) also works well.

    Tomato paste - Buy the kind in the squeezable tube for less waste.

    Vegetable broth - Use whatever brand you prefer. You can use homemade broth also.

    Vegan cream cheese - This should be available in the vegan section of the grocery store. I personally love tofutti or trader joe's brand.

    Vegan cheddar cheese - Same as above. You can also substitute for vegan pepper jack cheese for a hint of spice. I recommend Mykonos.

    Spices - You probably already have these spices on hand - paprika, chili powder, and thyme. You can also add a pinch of garlic powder.

    How to make vegan hamburger helper

    I love this homemade vegan hamburger helper recipe because it's a delicious and easy meal (and you know I love a lazy weeknight dinner).

    First, in a medium pot, whisk together the water, tomato paste, and 2 cups of veggie broth. Heat until boiling, add in macaroni noodles (or your favorite pasta) and reduce to a simmer. Cook until noodles are al dente, stirring often.

    Do not drain any excess liquid from the pasta. There should be about ¼ cup remaining. This pasta water will help the final dish to be extra creamy. Set pasta and remaining water aside.

    Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic with olive oil until fragrant, then add in vegan meat crumbles and heat for 5 minutes.

    Once the vegan meat is heated, add in vegan cream cheese, vegan cheddar cheese, paprika, chili powder, and thyme. Stir to combine, then add in the cooked pasta with the extra liquid.

    Turn off heat and allow cheese to melt for about 3 minutes, mixing well to combine all ingredients. Do a final taste test and add sea salt and black pepper as needed.

    Top with fresh parsley, green onions, or hot sauce!

    heating up tomato sauce in a small pot
    Boil water, tomato paste, and veggie broth
    saute onions and garlic in a skillet
    Sauté onions and garlic
    vegan cream cheese, vegan cheddar, pasta, and beyond meat in a skillet with seasonings
    Add in the rest of the ingredients
    a skillet full of creamy vegan hamburger helper
    Enjoy your creamy vegan hamburger helper!

    How to store leftovers

    Store any leftover hamburger helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    How to reheat

    To reheat this vegan cheeseburger macaroni, add a little water or non dairy milk (like cashew milk or unsweetened almond milk) to loosen up the cheesy sauce. Microwave or reheat in a skillet.

    Substitutions & Variations

    You can add some extra ingredients to this recipe, or substitute some things out to your liking. Here are a few ideas.

    • Add in a can of fire roasted tomatoes with juices drained to the pasta sauce for some extra veggies.
    • You can also try a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies for a little kick of spice.
    • Use smoked paprika instead if you like a smokey flavor.
    • Instead of vegan meat crumbles, you can use vegan ground meat and break it up while cooking.
    • If you prefer not to use a plant based meat substitute, you can add in cooked green lentils or chopped mushrooms instead.
    • If you want more veggies, you can add in a diced green pepper and sauté with the onion and garlic.
    • To make this vegetarian instead of vegan, you can use non vegan cheese.
    • You can omit the garlic if you have an intolerance.
    • To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free pasta. Also sure your vegan cream cheese and cheddar cheese are gluten free as well.
    • Make it spicy with a pinch of cayenne pepper or adding a diced jalapeño.
    • Add a bit of nutritional yeast for extra cheesy flavor.

    FAQs

    Can you use beyond meat for Hamburger Helper?

    If you want to make the boxed version of Hamburger Helper vegetarian, you can use a meat substitute like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger. But this from scratch version is way better in my opinion!

    What vegan cheese do you recommend?

    Some popular brands of vegan cheese are Mykonos (my personal favorite), Violife, Follow Your Heart, and Daiya.

    Can you freeze this?

    I don't recommend freezing this, as the noodles will get mushy.

    a bowl of vegan hamburger helper on a cutting board with 2 smaller white bowlfuls around it

    Other quick and easy recipes for dinner

    • Easy Vegan Buffalo Mac and Cheese
    • Easy Vegan Black Bean Sheet Pan Tacos
    • Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetable Gnocchi
    • Easy Buffalo Chickpea Sandwich
    up close vegan hamburger helper in a light blue bowl

    Vegan Hamburger Helper

    Chelsea Peachtree
    This vegan hamburger helper is an easy cheesy hamburger pasta. All the creamy cheesiness of the original dish, made meatless and dairy free. Plus its ready in under 30 minutes!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 411 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup Water
    • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
    • 2 cups Vegetable Broth
    • ½ lb Pasta of your choice I like elbow or corkscrew
    • ¼ cup Yellow or White Onion finely diced
    • 2 Cloves Garlic minced
    • ½ cup Vegan Meat Crumbles I like Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat
    • ¼ cup Vegan Cream Cheese
    • 1 cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • 1 tsp Chili Powder
    • 1 tsp Ground Thyme
    • Fresh Parsley for garnish finely chopped

    Instructions
     

    •  In a medium pot, whisk together the water, tomato paste, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
    • Add in pasta and reduce to a simmer. Cook until noodles are al dente (approximately 12-15 minutes) stirring often. Do not drain any excess liquid. There should be approximately ¼ cup of liquid remaining. Set pasta and remaining water aside.
    • In a separate skillet, sauté garlic and onion over medium heat with olive oil until fragrant.
    • Add in vegan meat crumbles and heat throughout, for about 5 minutes.
    • Once heated, add vegan cream cheese, vegan cheddar cheese, paprika, chili powder, and thyme, plus cooked pasta with the extra liquid.
    • Turn off heat and allow to warm for 3 minutes, mixing well to combine all ingredients.
    • Option to top with parsley and hot sauce! Enjoy.

    Notes

    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    You can use any meat crumbles. I have made this recipe with Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat.
    If you prefer to use non vegan cheese and non vegan cream cheese, you may.
    If you have an intolerance to garlic, you may omit.
    To make this recipe gluten free, use GF pasta (and be sure your vegan cream cheese and cheddar cheese are GF).
    You may sub pepper jack cheese for cheddar cheese.

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 1017mgCalcium: 94mgVitamin C: 5mgVitamin A: 513IUSugar: 4gFiber: 6gPotassium: 300mgCholesterol: 1mgCalories: 411kcalSaturated Fat: 4gFat: 13gProtein: 14gCarbohydrates: 59gIron: 3mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gabe

      January 04, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      I am not vegan, and I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I was eating it by the spoonful.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Chelsea! I am the food blogger behind my blog, Chelsea Peachtree.

    Complicated recipes are not my thing, so here you will find vegetarian and vegan recipes using easy to find ingredients, with most taking under one hour to make!

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