From scratch Hamburger Helper – high protein!

Last Updated on April 25, 2025 by Michelle

This homemade hamburger helper recipe was born out of the need for a high protein weeknight dinner.

I needed an easy dinner recipe, and my brain pulled Hamburger Helper from the depths of my brain. But, alas, I signed and continued to think of something healthy I could make for dinner, since I assumed making Hamburger Helper from scratch would be laborious without the chemical-laden box to help out. (After all, helper is in the name, right?)

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Turns out, making Hamburger Helper from scratch is literally faster and just as easy as making it from a box.

How to make homemade hamburger helper high protein?

Between the ground beef, Greek yogurt and cheese, bone broth and extra bone broth powder, this used-to-be-junk food turns into a healthy, high protein homemade hamburger helper recipe that my whole family loves.

If you want to get even more protein in, double the amount of meat to 2 pounds, and keep the noodle amount the same. You may need to adjust the spices to taste. Not only is this homemade hamburger helper recipe high protein, but the whole thing comes together in less than 15 minutes. What’s not to love?

Let’s break down all the high-protein ingredients in homemade hamburger helper to give you an idea of how much protein might be in each serving;

• Ground beef has 70-75 grams of protein per pound (If you’re using ground pork like I often am, that’s upwards of 80 grams of protein!).
• Greek yogurt has about 17 grams of protein per cup, 8-9 grams per half cup.
• Mozzarella cheese has a whopping 25-35 grams of protein per cup.
• Real bone broth has 8-10 grams of protein per cup, making this recipe upwards of 30 grams of protein just in bone broth.
• Just Ingredients real bone broth powder has 9 grams of protein per scoop.
• A high-quality pasta will be a bit higher in protein than normal. My favorite Kamut pasta has 8 grams of protein per serving, roughly 32 grams per dish. (Bonus points if you have time to make your own egg pasta, it’ll be even higher in protein!)

=That means this whole dish has 195 grams of protein total (depending on a few variables, of course). With this meal making four generous servings, that equals 48.75 grams of protein per serving. Not too shabby!

One of my favorite (bonus!) ways to add protein and extra nutrients to my meals is to use an ancestorial blend for my ground meat. A pound of ground been with organ meats added can be over 90 grams of protein! Plus you’re getting the amazing added benefits of organ meat.

My favorite meat company sells a regenerative, grassfed ground beef  organ meat blend that’s amazing. Plenty of organs packed in, but you can’t even tell! It just tastes like good ground beef. PLUS my code “soulyrested” will save you cash on your first order. Hard to beat that!

Why make homemade hamburger helper instead of a box?

Well, besides the fact that homemade hamburger helper is just as quick and easy as the boxed kind, making your own allows you to control the ingredients (no preservatives, colors and thickeners here, please!), but it also allows you to add good stuff in.

Nourishing bone broth, high-protein Greek yogurt, salt/spices rich in minerals, organic cheese, and organic Kamut or Durum noodles turn a would-be boxed dinner into a nourishing meal that will keep you full and satisfied for a long time. Not to mention it offers all the comfort and nostalgia of the boxed version.

The boxed hamburger helper is also really high in low-quality sodium. If you’re making your own, you can use high-quality salt that’s high in minerals.

Boxed hamburger helper also contains plenty of other ingredients that I prefer to avoid, such as;

• artificial flavors and colors
• hydrogenated oils
• refined, white pasta
• preservatives and thickeners
• sneaky added sugars

Making your own allows you to not only avoid those pesky ingredients, but also add in better ingredients that will benefit your health.

How to make hamburger helper healthier

Making your own is a great option to make hamburger helper healthier already. If you’re looking to add more fiber or veggies into your homemade hamburger helper, feel free to add veggies into the mix (I like broccoli or green beans, or a salad on the side!). The addition of bone broth also helps up the nutrition factor of hamburger helper. Also substituting whole wheat pasta for traditional pasta (if you want to make your own noodles, here’s my go-to recipe) will up the fiber and overall nutrition of your hamburger helper.

Some healthy add-ins for hamburger helper include;

1. Veggies. I really love broccoli mixed in or tomatoes on top of the dish.
2. Wholegrain pasta. So much more nutritious than refined, white pasta.
3. Real cheese. No fake, gummy cheese powders here, please. (If you’re really looking to up your protein, parmesan cheese is one of the highest-in-protein cheeses!)
4. Real herbs and spices. No artificial flavors needed. (This is my favorite real seasoning blend to use in my hamburger helper!)
5. Organ meat flavor blends. Blends like these utilize dehydrated organ mean powder for a nutrient and protein boost, but also taste good.
6. Adding a REAL bone broth powder can up the nutrients and add extra protein, too.

What makes a good weeknight dinner recipe?

In my opinion, there are several factors that equal a good, healthy weeknight dinner.

I want a weeknight dinner to be quick to make. (Check, this comes together in literally 15 minutes!)

I want a weeknight dinner to be healthy and high protein. (Check, and check!)

I want a weeknight dinner to be high fiber. (Check, using wholegrain pasta makes this a great source of fiber!)

I want a weeknight dinner to not require a lot of clean up. (CHECK! This literally uses ONE skillet!)

I want a weeknight dinner to be cozy and comforting. (Check for nostalgia, and check for general deliciousness!)

I want a weeknight dinner to be customizable, so I can easily make exactly what I’m craving. (Check, super customizable!)

This homemade, high protein hamburger helper checks all the weeknight dinner boxes. It’s on an almost-weekly rotation at our house, because it’s just that good, easy, and comforting.

Homemade Hamburger helper recipe–high protein:

Makes four generous servings

What you need:

1 pound ground beef, pork, or turkey

3 cups bone broth (or water)

1.5 cups noodles of any kind (my favorite is elbow pasta)

1 tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon season salt

1 scoop bone broth powder (optional, but adds extra flavor and protein)

A sprinkle of dried basil or other herbs, to taste

sprinkle of salt and pepper, as needed

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Cheese, for garnish

What to do:

In a large cast iron skillet, brown your meat. When it’s cooked, add in your noodles of choice and stock or water.

As the noodles start to cook, add in all the other ingredients except the yogurt and cheese.

Simmer on med-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are fully cooked. If you happen to run out of liquid before your noodles are cooked, add extra water or stock.

When the noodles are soft, stir in the greek yogurt, and garnish each serving with cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

More like high protein hamburger helper recipe:

• Easy and yummy Country Style pork ribs
• New England style chicken pot pie (biscuit top)
• Sourdough bread made with fresh flour
• Double chocolate energy bar recipe

P.s. Want to get more protein in? This is my favorite clean, nutritious protein powder that’s super easy to add to anything–yogurt, coffee, lasagna, you name it. Use code “SOULYRESTED”