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Instant Pot Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper

Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper
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5 from 18 reviews

This is pure cheesy comfort food! Perfectly cooked pasta shells nestled in a creamy, cheesy beefy sauce. Thanks to the Instant Pot, this homemade meal is done in minutes which makes it perfect for any night of the week!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 90/10 ground beef
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 4.5 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 1 pound pasta shells, small
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, must use freshly shredded

Instructions

  1. Set your Instant Pot Duo Crisp unit to Sauté, Level 5 (or you can use 1 if you want it to sauté slower). In a small bowl, mix together all of your dried seasonings. Once it says to “add food” add the ground beef half of the seasoning mixture and water. Using a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula, break up the meat into small bits. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom too. Sauté until the meat is all browned. Shut the Instant Pot off, remove the pan and drain the grease from the meat.
  2. Place the meat back into the pan followed by the rest of the seasonings and the butter. Whisk together the stock and Worcestershire then pour that over top. Add in the tomato paste and give the mixture a quick stir.
  3. Dump the pasta shells in and using the back of a spatula, press the pasta into the liquid as much as possible. Do not stir it in. It’s OK if it’s not all submerged.
  4. Close and lock the lid. Press the Pressure Cook button, set the time to 5 minutes, and, if your unit has it, set the Steam Release for Quick Release. This unit will do all of the work, including the quick release. If yours does not, when the 5 minutes is up, safely perform a quick release.
  5. Unlock the lid, and give the mixture a stir. Pour in the cream, stir, and then the cheese. Stir until the mixture is fully coated in a creamy, cheesy mixture.
  6. Plate and enjoy. Store the leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Equipment

Notes

*Cooking time does not include pressure-building time.

Find it online: https://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2022/11/14/instant-pot-homemade-cheesy-hamburger-helper/