If you’ve had a busy week and haven’t made it to the grocery store, I’ve got a winner of a ground beef dinner recipe which I can almost guarantee you’ve already got all the ingredients on hand to make!
Homemade Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper is ready in 30 minutes, made in 1 skillet, and uses fridge and pantry staples. The recipe calls for just 7 ingredients compared to the boxed version’s 27 (I counted!)
Watch How to Make It
If you’ve been reading IGE for any length of time then you know that one of my favorite things to do is remake processed, packaged foods like Taco Seasoning, Ranch Dressing, and Seasoned Salt to make them healthier at home. Well, today Homemade Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper is joining the ranks. Heck it may even be the new captain.
All aboard!
Ok, that was cheesier than this dish, which actually doesn’t have that much cheese and is still yummy even if you want to leave it out. Ground beef is seasoned with homemade taco seasoning then simmered with long grain white rice and chicken broth until tender. Freshly shredded cheddar cheese is stirred in at the end then the whole dish is topped with taco-inspired toppings like salsa, avocado, green onions, and crushed tortilla chips.
If your family likes quick, easy and satisfying meals, then they will absolutely gobble this one up!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by browning ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat with chopped shallot or onion. Drain then return to the skillet.
Next sprinkle in taco seasoning (either this single packet recipe, or 1-1/2 Tablespoons of my large batch taco seasoning, or a taco seasoning packet). Add the whole thing but don’t use the water that’s called for in the seasoning recipe or on the packet.
Next add your favorite salsa plus chicken broth then turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
Once boiling stir in long-grain white rice then place a lid on top, turn the heat down to low, and cook until the rice is tender and all the liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat then stir in shredded sharp cheddar cheese until creamy and melted. Place a lid on top then let the rice continue to steam for 5 minutes.
When time is up, scoop the homemade taco hamburger helper onto plates then add your toppings and dig in. Just think of how much better you’ll feel serving this hearty, totally yummy meal to your friends or family knowing it didn’t come from a preservative-filled box, right? And it was so easy, too – like I said, 30 minutes from start to finish. Enjoy!
More One Pan Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
- Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet
- One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
- American Goulash
- Italian Rice Ball Skillet
- Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
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Homemade Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
Description
Homemade Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper is much healthier than the boxed version. Made in just 1 skillet and ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1lb lean ground beef
- 1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 taco seasoning packet OR 1 batch homemade taco seasoning (see notes), do not add water
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1-3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice, such as basmati or jasmine
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Toppings: tortilla chips, salsa, sliced avocado, chopped green onions
Directions
- Brown ground beef with shallot in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain then return to the skillet. Add taco seasoning, salsa, and chicken broth then bring to a boil. Stir in rice then place a lid on top and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender then remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Place lid back on the skillet then let sit for 5 minutes before serving with toppings.
Notes
- For the taco seasoning: Use my single packet recipe, or 1-1/2 Tablespoons of my large batch homemade taco seasoning recipe.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
This recipe has become a weekly dinner in our house. I have to double it every time I make it because everyone wants seconds or even third helpings! Thank you!
I’m thrilled to hear that, Becca!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is amazing!! Please make it, you will be so happy. It is the best kind of comfort food – so fun with all the toppings, delicious leftovers- if you have any!
Thank you so much for the glowing recommendation, Lisa! I so appreciate it!
I made this tonight for the first time and IT WAS THE BEST!! So good, quick and easy. Major bonus points for it being a one pan meal. Will definitely be adding this to our dinner rotation
I’m so, so glad to hear it, GeeAnn! It is in heavy rotation at our house for the exact same reasons. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Great easy dinner. Family loved it!
So glad to hear it, Justin! I’m making it for dinner tonight. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is delicious and I have made your recipe plenty times. Sometimes the rice gets mushy. In this recipe that you show, what rice do you use?
I only use Lundberg Family Farms brand rice. This is their jasmine rice (pink bag) shown in this dish. :)
Delicious, thank you. I uses ground chicken and it worked great.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit, Susanne!
This is super easy and something everyone in our family enjoys. Perfect for our dinner rotation!
Such a crowd pleaser, right? So glad it was a hit with the whole family, Maggie – thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Need a gluten recipe for vegetable beef soup no tomato juices
7 years later…still making this and my family is still loving it. Never gets old!!
I really liked your dish, crunchy taco hamburger helper. But I thought I had grabbed the salsa but it turned out to be taco sauce and where I thought I had taco seasoning, I had fajitas seasoning. But you know what? It turned out great!. A new dish but what a delicious dish.
WOW!!!! This knocked my socks off! AND my husband’s! So good! Seriously, if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, I would consider this as an option. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe. It’s definitely a keeper!
Ahh – what a compliment!! Thrilled to hear you and your husband both deemed this recipe a winner – thank you so much for letting me know!
My husband’s comment was OMG this is delicious!! So glad I tried it…he had a stroke this past spring and is limited in what he eats and this is a welcome addition to our food rotation. Thanks so much!
The crunchy taco hamburger is the only one I ever buy because it’s my boys favorite. So glad to find a healthier version to try. I know that this will become a standby at my house. I will be tripling this recipe as I am cooking for 8 of us.
This looks so good! Question: my son doesn’t like rice (what?!?) so was going to have on the side. Will the meat mixture need any of the chicken broth or can I leave it out since I won’t include rice in it? Thank you!
You should be fine to leave it out! :)
Love having something that reminds me of childhood without it being processed!!