Everyone Loved Hamburger Helper In The '70s: Here's How To Prepare It Today For A Flavor-Packed Comfort Meal

Remember Hamburger Helper, the boxed meal kit that's been around since the '70s? You just need a pound of ground beef and the instructions on the box, and you have a quick and easy comfort meal for the whole family. Hamburger Helper has a variety of flavors these days, but as an adult who's palate has matured, it rarely tastes as good as it used to. Fortunately, you can recapture the nostalgia by making it taste even better. 

It won't be as quick and easy as it was when your mom made it, but it will be worth it. Start by sautéing some aromatics like chopped onions and garlic. Add the ground beef, brown it, and drain the grease before returning the meat to the pan. Next, toss in extra seasonings to your liking, like garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, to cook with the meat before adding the sauce packet and liquids.

The instructions direct you to add some water and milk, but you're going to replace that water with beef broth. That will amp up the flavor of the ground beef and make the whole dish tastier. If you're preparing a Chicken or Tuna helper, use chicken broth or even vegetable broth. But to really elevate this dish, you're going to use a splash of heavy cream in place of milk. Add the pasta after the liquids are boiling and allow to cook covered for 6 minutes. And right before serving, sprinkle on some shredded cheese. The end result? You have a flavorful, well-seasoned, creamy Hamburger Helper meal that everyone will compliment you on.

Each flavor may require different ingredients to jazz it up. For example, the Cheesy Enchilada variety could do with a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes to take your Hamburger Helper to the next level (those are the ones with green chiles) and a packet of taco or fajita seasoning along with shredded nacho or Mexican blend cheese.

For the Italian-style flavors (Tomato Basil Penne and Cheesy Italian Shells), use onions and garlic as your aromatics. You can even use seasonings like onion and garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper if you like, but this time, you're also going to add some fresh herbs. Chop up some basil and oregano and sprinkle them on top just before serving for a pop of real Italian flavor. Serve it with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Or try adding chopped green onions to the Chicken Fried Rice or a drizzle of hot honey to Sweet Heat Barbecue. Get creative and try different fresh herbs or seasonings with every flavor they have for a restaurant-quality weeknight meal. This is one of those struggle meals that actually tastes delicious.