High Protein Cheesy Hamburger Pasta: A Classic Beef Recipe
Updated: Feb 22
Ground beef tossed with farfalle "high protein" pasta, smothered in a creamy cheese sauce. If you love Hamburger Helper, you'll love this! #beefpasta #beefrecipes #hamburgerpasta #hamburgerhelper
Why You'll Love This Cheesy Beef Pasta
High in Protein – Made with lean ground beef and protein-rich pasta to fuel your body.
Quick & Easy – A one-pan meal that only takes 30 minutes to cook with minimal cleanup.
Nostalgic - A healthier, tastier twist to the classic Hamburger Helper meal many of us ate as a kid!
Ingredients You'll Need
Ground beef
Garlic, minced
White onion
Chili powder
Salt + pepper
Tomato paste
Roma tomato
Beef broth (low sodium)
Barilla farfalle “protein +” pasta
Cheddar cheese
Parsley
Cooking Utensils
Nothing fancy is needed for this recipe:
One nonstick cooking pan (with high sides to ensure food doesn't spill over)
Knives
Cutting boards
Measuring tools (measuring cups, spoons)
Cooking spatula/spoon
Substitutions
Here are some easy substitutions to keep this recipe flexible and delicious but keep in mind that they may slightly change the flavor or texture compared to the original recipe:
Regular Pasta → Wheat pasta, Chickpea pasta, Zucchini noodles, Squash noodles
Ground beef → Ground turkey, Tofu
Beef broth → Chicken broth, Vegetable broth
Need more healthy swaps recommendations? Check out my "Healthy Swaps Chart"
Have you tried these HIGH PROTEIN pasta brands below?
Barilla Protein +: Made from wheat and protein from lentils, chickpeas, and peas.
Banza: Made from chickpeas.
Goodles: Made from wheat and chickpeas.
Brami: Made from Italian durum wheat and lupini beans.
I have only eaten Barilla protein + pasta (several times). I highly recommend this brand! I eat A LOT of pasta and when I made this simple swap I barely noticed a difference in taste and texture. There are various types of pasta to choose from too. Based on the reviews of the other brands, they are worth a try!
