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Hamburger Helper has never tasted so good! This homemade, vegan version is full-of-flavor, hearty, and down-right delicious. It’s simple to make and requires just one pot and about 30 minutes!

up close overhead image of skillet of one pot vegan hamburger helper

This post is sponsored by Kroger.

We teamed up with Kroger to bring this recipe to life using their Simple Truth Plant-Based Line, and wow, we are so impressed! We used their new Emerge Plant-Based grounds as the centerpiece for this Hamburger Helper, and it was PERFECT for this recipe!

overhead image of ingredients for one pot vegan hamburger helper

Growing up, hamburger helper was a staple for so many of us, so being able to create a vegan version with wholesome ingredients was a lot of fun. If you are in the minority and have no idea what hamburger helper is, it’s essentially a cheeseburger pasta dish. Who wouldn’t love that, right? 

overhead image of one pot vegan hamburger helper in a cast iron skillet

If you have a Kroger store near you, this new Simple Truth Plant Based line is a total game changer. With products ranging from plant-based cream cheese, to meat alternatives and cookie dough to a full line of plant-based milk, there is no shortage of options. Did we mention that everything is super affordable too? Whoever said eating vegan is expensive, hasn’t been to a Kroger store recently. 

overhead image of one pot vegan hamburger helper in a bowl with fork

Here are a few other one-pot pasta recipes that you may also like:

If you make this recipe, let us know what you think in the comments below! + If you post any photos on Instagram, make sure you tag us @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris so that we don’t miss it, we love seeing your photos!

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up close overhead image of skillet of one pot vegan hamburger helper

One-Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper (Cheeseburger Pasta)


  • Author: Jasmine @ Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Description

This Vegan Hamburger Helper is the ultimate comfort food staple. It’s hearty, packed with flavor, and the perfect copycat of the classic boxed pasta many of us grew up with. All you need is one-pot, 30-minutes, and 11 simple ingredients. 


Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 lb. Kroger Emerge Grinds (vegan ground beef alternative)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 cups warm Simple Truth unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened milk of your choice)
  • 1 1/2 cups warm vegan beef broth (see notes; we use this brand or you can use vegetable broth)
  • 2 cups Simple Truth rotini pasta (or pasta of your choice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded vegan cheddar cheese (or vegan cheese of your choice)
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add in the oil, onions and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions have softened and the garlic is fragrant.
  2. Add in the emerge grinds  (vegan ground beef alternative) and break them up with your cooking utensil. Cook, stirring often, for about 6 minutes. Drain any excess fat in the pan if needed.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch, oregano, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until uniform. Sprinkle the mixture over the mixture in the pan and stir well to distribute.
  4. Mix in the almond milk, broth and pasta, and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Remove from heat. Keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools.
  5. Sprinkle the shredded vegan cheese over the cooked pasta and stir until it has melted through.
  6. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you want to take this to the next level, replace 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce.
  • Prep Time: 8 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Category: Entree, Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Keywords: Entree, Pasta, Hamburger Helper, Cheeseburger, Stovetop, 30 Minute, Vegan

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Kroger but all opinions remain our own. The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!

Meet The Bloggers

hey there! we’re jasmine & chris.

Hi, we’re Jasmine and Chris! We share fresh and fun recipes to show you that vegan cooking is easy, approachable and delicious. When we’re not blogging, you will probably find us enjoying live music, tending to our backyard garden or playing with our dogs Berry and Louie

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66 Comments

  1. This was AMAZING! Taste just like the real deal. I used flour instead, impossible meat, and a box of Annie’s vegan cheddar mac instead seeing I didn’t have any cheese on hand. It was perfect and easy. Even my non vegan family (who usually doesn’t like any of my vegan dishes) loved it!

  2. This was SO delicious and amazing!!!!! After try the dish, my bf told me it was his favourite thing I’ve cooked for him yet. I will be using this recipe A LOT!! Thank you!!

    1. Very good!! A really nice change to have. Thank You!! I was concerned about it, but it tastes good!!

    1. You can substitute the things chili powder is made from: cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Roughly equal amounts of all, and adjust until you get the flavor you’re looking for. If you don’t have all of those ingredients, you can get by with just cumin, cayenne and paprika.

  3. So good! I was really hesitant about this, but my whole family (which includes two picky non vegan kids) loved it!

  4. I don’t have any beef-less crumbes on hand, but I have everything else!
    Would you suggest any easy alternatives? Or would I be okay with leaving that out? Thank you!

    1. We definitely recommend using some type of veggie ground if possible. If you don’t have any, cooked lentils may work as well.

  5. I’m very bad in general at cooking, so I was unsure about having that “much” chilipowder. But I trusted the recipe and WOW. I don’t think I’ve ever made anything this tasty for myself!
    I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!

    1. Made this tonight and it will definitely be added to the usual rotation. So good and a dead ringer for our childhood comfort food favorite before we went plant based. Highly recommend the tomato sauce substitute, was delicious! Thank you!

  6. I loved this recipe. I used Beyond Meat and added seasonings and it was so delicious. Total comfort food. Took me back to my childhood when all we ate was Hamburger Helper. But this was sooooo much better than that. Thank you for this recipe. It’s a keeper.

  7. I made this tonight and it is better than cheeseburger macaroni hamburger helper! I added the half a cup of tomato sauce like suggested at the bottom and turned out amazing.