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If you grew up loving Hamburger Helper, this lighter, homemade cheeseburger pasta skillet will take you right back — only healthier and WW friendly. It is creamy, cheesy, and comforting, but comes together in one pot with simple pantry staples. I think that’s what makes it one of the most popular WeightWatchers recipes of all time here on Simple Nourished Living. My family loves it, and I think yours will too.
(If you love simple, comforting pasta dishes, you might also enjoy my hamburger goulash macaroni, another reader favorite.)
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lean ground beef — I use 95% lean for less fat and fewer WW Points. You could swap in ground turkey, chicken, or even vegetarian crumbles.
- Garlic powder — Quick and easy, though fresh garlic works if you have it.
- Smoked paprika — Adds depth and a hint of smoky flavor. Use regular paprika if that’s what is in your spice rack.
- Low-sodium chicken broth — Keeps things lighter; vegetable broth (affiliate link) also works.
- Canned diced tomatoes — Fire-roasted adds a kick, but regular is fine.
- Elbow macaroni — Classic and kid-friendly, though shells, fusilli, or penne work too.
- Shredded low-fat cheddar cheese — Melts beautifully without too many Points.
- Scallions — Brighten the finished dish with a little crunch and color.
WW Points and Nutrition
According to my calculations each generous 1-cup serving has:
- Calories: 350 calories
- Points: To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) - Old WW Points: 9 PointsPlus
How to Make this Easy Cheeseburger Skillet Step-by-Step
Step 1: Brown the beef
Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet (affiliate link) with cooking spray. Add ground beef and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon (affiliate link), until browned. Stir in garlic powder and smoked paprika; cook for about 30 seconds.
Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet (affiliate link) with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat until hot. Add the beef and cook, breaking into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned.
Step 2: Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta
Pour in the chicken broth, canned tomatoes, macaroni, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 10–15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the cheese
Remove skillet from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar until melted and creamy.
Step 4: Garnish and serve
Spoon into bowls, sprinkle with scallions, and serve warm — straight from the skillet if you like.
Divide mixture evenly among six plates or bowls. Sprinkle with scallions. Enjoy alone or with a green salad!
Recipe Notes and Variations
- Different pasta: Any small-cut pasta works here—shells, penne, or fusilli.
- Vegetarian: Use vegetarian crumbles, lentils, or beans instead of beef.
- Spicier: Replace the tomatoes with fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles.
- More veggies: Stir in chopped zucchini, cauliflower, or corn along with the pasta.
Serving Suggestions
This cheeseburger pasta is hearty enough for dinner on its own, but I like to pair it with a big green salad tossed with light Italian dressing. Garlic bread or roasted vegetables also make great sides.
If you enjoy this Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet, be sure to check out my other Weight Watchers friendly recipes including: Mom’s Hamburger Macaroni Goulash | Southwestern Goulash | Crock Pot Hamburger Stew | 3-Ingredient Sloppy Joes | Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet | Crock Pot Tomato Beef Macaroni Soup | Lightened-Up Skillet Lasagna
If you’ve made this protein-packed One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound 95% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 6 ounces (1-1/2 cups) shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat until hot.
- Add the beef and cook, breaking into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon (affiliate link), until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder and smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds or so.
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese until well blended and melted.
- Divide mixture evenly among six plates or bowls. Sprinkle with scallions.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 7 SmartPoints (Green plan) 7 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 7 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 9 PointsPlus (Old plan) No ground beef? Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken or chicken or turkey sausage. Vegetarian? Substitute ground beef with vegetarian crumbles, cooked lentils or beans and vegetable broth for the chicken broth. No smoked paprika?
Substitute regular sweet paprika or mild chile powder or skip it altogether. Spicier? Replace the can of diced tomatoes with a can of zesty fire-roasted ones with diced chiles. More veg? Add chopped zucchini, cauliflower or corn in step 2 of the recipe instructions. Or add chopped onions and/or bell peppers to the ground beef in step 1. No elbow pasta? Use whatever small cut of pasta you prefer and have on hand, such as shells, fusilli or penne.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: adapted from Slimming World Magazine (affiliate link)
More Easy WeightWatchers Comfort Food Recipes
If you loved this lighter homemade hamburger helper, try these other WW comfort food favorites:
- This classic Weight Watchers meatloaf is another comfort food favorite made lighter.
- With a zesty twist on the classic, Southwestern Goulash offers up a tasty Tex-Mex flair.
- This easy recipe for Slow Cooker Italian Sloppy Joes is a weeknight comfort food dinner that’s big on flavor.
Discover More WW-Friendly Recipes
Make dinnertime easier with my Slow Cook Yourself Slim Ultimate eBook Bundle. It is packed with easy, healthy, WW-friendly comfort food recipes that fit right into busy lives.
I’ve been cooking this recipe for a few years — I likely got it from you. I saved and printed someone’s version, “Cowboy Macaroni.” I make it in my wok, as it holds everything and is easy to stir. It’s a great meal. The family loves it.
This recipe is the best copycat Hamburger Helper recipe I have found. The flavor is great and my husband loved it! It will be on our regular meal rotation. It would be a great recipe for meal prep also. Thanks!
Nice flavor. The only thing I would change is the amount of chicken broth. It seemed like soup, so I had to drain some out of it.
Hi SB, thanks for taking the time to share your experience. ~Martha
This dish is delicious! My kids even liked it, they picked around the tomatoes obviously ? but they had a second helping. I may have used a little more then 8oz of pasta but it still turned out great!
Hi Danielle, So happy this worked for you and your family. Thanks for taking the time to let us know. ~Martha
Love this have made it many times. It would be nice to have your nutrition data include amount of calcium per serving as I need to watch my calcium intake each day.