copycat hamburger helper

Beef

Copycat Hamburger Helper

In this easy ground beef skillet supper, very finely chopping onion, mushrooms and carrots in the food processor is not only fast, it also makes the vegetables hard to detect for choosy eaters. Serve alongside a green salad for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones halved
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
3 3/4 cups unsalted beef broth, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish (optional)

Directions

Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced. Add carrots and mushrooms; process until finely chopped. Turn the processor off; add onion and pulse until roughly chopped.
Cook beef and tomato paste in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in 3½ cups broth, noodles and Worcestershire; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Whisk flour with the remaining ¼ cup broth in a small bowl until smooth; stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.