Vegan Hamburger Helper

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make One-Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper:

And a few important ingredient/substitution notes:

Macaroni - I have only tested this recipe with elbow macaroni but any smaller short cut pasta shapes should work out ok. Possibly even broken up spaghetti? Use gluten-free pasta if necessary.
Vegan ground beef - I used Beyond Meat but any ground vegan beef style substitute will work in this recipe. The quantity doesn't have to be exact if your pack size varies a little. Just keep it roughly the same. For a budget-friendly and healthier alternative use cooked green or brown lentils. You could even use half vegan ground beef and half lentils for an in between option, saving the rest for another meal.
Chili powder - This should be American style chili powder. If you are in the UK/Europe be sure to check the recipe notes. Your chili powder is not the same!
Vegan cheese - Any vegan cheese shreds that will melt nicely into the sauce. The recipe is still really good without the cheese so if you're looking to save a few dollars or want a healthier casserole feel free to omit it. You could even add a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a savoury cheesy flavour instead.
Plant milk - This is for added creaminess and any dairy-free variety such as cashew milk, soy milk or almond milk will do. It must however be unfavoured and unsweetened. Double check it hasn't got sugar or vanilla in it (the fastest way to ruin a savoury dish!), and I don't recommend using homemade oat milk because it doesn't heat well.
Olive oil - You can easily omit the olive oil and saute in a little water if you eat oil-free.

Tip - It's perfect just as it is but feel free to add up to 2 cups of chopped easy cook vegetables such as bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, peas or corn for even more flavour and texture.

How To Make Vegan Hamburger Helper

You wont believe how quick and easy this one-pot meal is to make. You don't even need to boil the macaroni in water!

Here's a quick summary of how it's done (for the full and detailed recipe see the recipe card):

how to make vegan hamburger helper step by step

Cook the onion, garlic and vegan ground beef/lentils together in a large pot or skillet until browned.
Add everything else except the cheese and stir.
Simmer until the macaroni is just tender.
Add the cheese, stir in and allow to melt before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Vegan Hamburger Helper is perfect served alongside a crisp green salad, vegan broccoli salad, steamed veggies, air-fried zucchini, garlic bread, or fresh crusty bread. My No Knead Focaccia or sourdough would be perfect!

Tip - Turn into a cheeseburger hamburger helper by topping with diced fresh tomatoes, diced pickles, chopped iceberg lettuce, and a drizzle of burger sauce or hot sauce!

Storing Leftovers & Reheating

Store leftover hamburger helper in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I haven't tried freezing it but I would think it should be ok.

Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop. The macaroni has a habit of sucking up all of the moisture while it's in the fridge so I add a little water before reheating to moisten it up.

Recipe FAQs

How do I use lentils instead of vegan ground beef?

Use 1½ to 2 cups of cooked green or brown lentils to replace the vegan ground beef in this recipe. 1 cup of dried lentils equals about 2 cups when cooked. Simply put the dried lentils in a pan with at least double the volume of water or stock and simmer until just tender. They should take approximately 35 to 40 minutes. (Note that I do not recommend using red lentils in this recipe).