Let this easy
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- Homemade "hamburger helper" only needs a few simple ingredients
- Slow cooker meals are so helpful for busy weeknights
- Tastes just like two comfort food favorites—cheeseburgers and creamy mac and cheese!
Crockpot cheeseburger macaroni casserole is a satisfying, hearty meal that makes the whole family excited for dinner time.
It's a busy mom's best-kept secret for feeding even the pickiest eaters—without any complaints because it's full of flavor and cheesy goodness!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Add cooked ground beef, onions, soup, and seasoning in
slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. - Stir in the uncooked macaroni, put the cover back on and let cook for another 20 to 30 minutes. Macaroni should be tender - if not let cook a bit more.
- Stir in Velveeta, cover, and let cook 10 more minutes. Stir.
- Sprinkle on grated Cheddar, cover, and let stand until the cheese melts. Serve.
🥫 Storage
Crockpot cheeseburger casserole leftovers are so good, everyone will enjoy eating them again! Plus, storage is simple.
Spoon the cooled casserole into an airtight container or heavy-duty storage bag. Refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months.
Let any frozen leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, to reheat from the fridge, simply pop the noodles and meat mixture into the microwave. (Be sure to use a microwave-safe dish.)
Heat in one-minute increments, stirring in between until it's heated to your liking. Depending on the portion size, it may take a couple minutes.
📖 Variations
This crock pot cheeseburger macaroni recipe makes an easy dinner because there are so many ways to switch it up if you need to!
- Feel free to use whatever ground meat you like or have on hand—ground turkey, chicken, and even sausage are all good substitutes.
- Swap the macaroni noodles with another similar shape, like shells, rigatoni, or farfalle (bow-tie pasta.)
- Instead of pasta, use diced potatoes! Cut them into half-inch cubes.
- Sharp cheddar cheese has that classic hamburger helper flavor, but you can substitute it with another kind. White cheddar, American, Pepper-Jack, or a Mexican blend would work well, too.
- If you can't get up to the grocery store for some Velveeta cheese, you can use cream cheese in its place.
- Some people like to add a little bit of diced dill pickles, celery, or green pepper. It's a great way to add more texture (and sneaky veggies!)
- We love to serve crock pot hamburger helper with some hot sauce on the side. Some people like it with a scoop of sour cream or fresh parsley.
- You can also cook the pasta and stir it in the last 20 minutes of cooking time.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Remember to use uncooked pasta. If you have leftover cooked elbow pasta to use up, just stir it in at the end.
- Don't forget to drain the excess grease before spooning the beef into the crockpot. Otherwise, the delicious casserole will taste oily.
- Use a small food processor to quickly dice the onion. (Plus, this prevents onion tears!)
- Crockpot ground beef casserole tends to dry out (and the pasta gets a little mushy) when left on the "warm" setting. Serve it as soon as it's finished cooking for the best results.
- You can get a little prep out of the way ahead of time by browning the meat and combining it with the soup mixture. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two days, or until you're ready to dump it in the crockpot.
👩🍳 FAQs
I recommend it! Though the beef would cook okay in the crockpot, browning it first provides the best texture.
Condensed French onion soup is made with delicious onion flavor and beef broth, but it's thick enough to make a creamy crock pot recipe. If you have to swap it out, use another thick, condensed soup, like cream of mushroom.
No, ma'am! This recipe is perfectly delicious as written. However, if you like a little tomato flavor, feel free to add a few tablespoons in.
Sure! Just watch it closely, and test for doneness before turning off the heat. Gluten-free pastas sometimes take longer to reach al dente.
📚 Related recipes
- Ditch the
slow cooker and try this traditional Hamburger Noodle Casserole—it's quick, easy, and you can make it ahead of time! - Hearty Ground Beef Dorito Casserole combines beef, cheese, beans, and veggies with a topping made from everyone's favorite chip!
- Beef, potatoes, and cheese—how could Hamburger Potato Casserole be anything but scrumptious?
- Don't turn on the oven—Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet is one of those easy recipes that everyone loves from the second they hear "bacon."
🍽️ Serve with...
- Southern Green Beans are a hearty, smoky side dish with tons of flavor.
- Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls perfectly complete any meal!
- Peanut Butter M&M Brownies satisfy that after-dinner sweets craving.
🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends
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📞 The last word
I like to make a big batch of this and then portion it out and freeze it. It makes it super easy to have a couple of casseroles ready to go at any time!
You might also like this crock pot sausage and potatoes casserole. It's hearty and cheesy!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef, 90/10
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 31.5 ounces condensed French onion soup, 3 10.5-ounce cans
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and break it up into crumbles.
- Cook until there is no pink left, about 10 minutes.
- Drain any grease and add the ground beef to the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker.
- Add the onion,soup, garlic powder, and onion powder to the slow cooker.
- Stir to combine.
- Place the cooker on low heat for 6 hours.
- Add the macaroni and stir to combine.
- Continue to cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the noodles are fully cooked.
- Add the cubed Velveeta, stir it in.
- Place the top back on the pot and wait 5 minutes.
- Stir until all of the Velveeta is melted.
- Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and replace the lid.
- Cook until the cheese is melted, 10 minutes or so.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Be sure to use uncooked pasta. If you want to use cooked pasta or have some left over just stir it in at the end.
- Don't forget to drain the excess grease before spooning the beef into the crockpot. Otherwise, the delicious casserole will taste oily.
- Use a small food processor to quickly dice the onion. (Plus, this prevents onion tears!)
- Crockpot ground beef casserole tends to dry out (and the pasta gets a little mushy) when left on the "warm" setting. Serve it as soon as it's finished cooking for the best results.
- You can get a little prep out of the way ahead of time by browning the meat and combining it with the soup mixture. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two days, or until you're ready to dump it in the crockpot.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Lonni says
I made this and found I had to make a cheese sauce because it was to dry I had to add a can of diced tomatoes to make this dish not so dry I believe the next time I will just make a cheese sauce from the beginning and add cooked noodles
Marye says
I've never had it come out dry. Did you make any alterations in the recipe?