I’m pretty sure hamburger helper was one of, if not the first, meals I learned to cook as a kid. The meals were so easy to make and required little effort.

Nowadays, I am all about the little to no effort meals. Yeah, you know the one I’m talking about. The ones that take 30 minutes or less to whip up but taste like a gourmet meal.

I whipped up this quick and yummy vegan hamburger helper as the perfect meal prep for the week.

Grocery List:

Macaroni pasta
Green bell peppers
Yellow onions
Tomato paste
Garlic
Vegan cheese
Vegan ground meat or beefless crumbles
Plant-based milk
Vegetable broth
Olive oil
Seasonings: garlic & onion powder, black pepper, salt, parsley

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of elbow noodles

2 1/2 cups of beefless crumbles or vegan ground "meat"

1 bell pepper, diced (green or red)

1/2 cup of yellow onions, diced

2 tsp of minced garlic

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp of salt (or to taste)

1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped

2 1/2 tbsps of tomato paste

1/2 cup of plant-based milk

1/4 cup of vegetable broth (or more if needed)

1 1/2 cups of dairy-free cheese

oil for cooking as needed

Instructions:

In a pot, cook elbow noodles until al dente

In a skillet, cook vegan ground meat until browned and slightly crispy (I recommend doing this because vegan meat tends to soften quickly when added to a liquid which comes in later steps). Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl

In the same skillet, add in the chopped bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook until tender

Next, add in all of the seasonings, tomato paste, plant-based milk, and vegetable broth. Stir until combined well

Now, add in the the cooked pasta, the cooked vegan ground meat, and the vegan cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted

Top with additional cheese, fresh parsley, and enjoy!