The BEST Vegan Hamburger Helper

This Vegan Hamburger Helper is easy and delicious! This easy dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! Full of all the flavors you grew up loving, this casserole dish will bring you right back to your childhood!

I remember when I was a kid and my mom was out of town, dinners with dad were always so much fun. He would always make us delicious dinners like Hamburger Helper or Mac and Cheese with Ground Beef. I don't know if it was the overly processed, pre-packaged foods that made them so good or if it was the fake cheese but whatever it was it was delicious.

I think most Americans have grown up eating some form of Hamburger Helper and this will remind you exactly of what you grew up eating. Creamy vegan ground beef paired with a cheesy cashew sauce, this recipe will remind you exactly of your favorite dish from childhood.

For some other great recipes, check out these Vegan French Dip Sandwiches or this Thai Curry Meatball Sub

Why This is The BEST Vegan Hamburger Helper

• On the table in 40 Minutes- This is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. It will be on the table in 40 minutes flat and it makes enough to serve the whole family!
• Plant-Based Cheese Sauce- There is no fake processed "vegan" cheese here! The cheese sauce is made with whole food ingredients including, cashews, potato and carrots!
• Hidden Vegetables- Most Hamburger Helper skillets out there are just a mixture of meat, cheese sauce and noodles. The hidden vegetables such as the bell pepper and mushrooms help round out the dish and will be sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Ingredient Notes

• Vegan Ground Beef- Part of what makes this Vegan Hamburger Helper Skillet so great is the inclusion of Vegan Ground Beef. I used Impossible Meat in this recipe, however, you can use Beyond Beef or your favorite beefy crumbles.
• Noodles- The Noodles help to round out the dish, turning it into a full meal. I used regular fusilli noodles, however, you can use whatever type of noodles that you prefer. If you are gluten-free, you can swap these for gluten-free noodles.
• Nutritional Yeast- The nutritional yeast is what gives the cheese sauce its cheesy flavor. This yeast is grown specifically to be used as a food product. The yeast cells are killed during manufacturing and not alive in the final product. It is used in cooking and has a cheesy, nutty, or savory flavor.
• Cashews- The cashews in this recipe help to give the cheese sauce the thick and creamy flavor that we want. To keep this recipe nut-free, you can swap it with some cooked cauliflower if you prefer.

See the recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

• Dice the bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, and garlic and add them to a cast iron skillet with the vegan ground beef. Cook until the onion is translucent and the vegan beef is no longer pink
• In a large pot boil the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

How to Make the "Cheese" Sauce

• Roughly dice the potato and carrot and add them to a small pot with the cashews. Fill with water and bring to a boil.
• Boil on high for 10 minutes.
• Drain and add the mixture to a high-speed blender. Add the almond milk, garlic powder, salt, and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth.

How to Assemble the Vegan Hamburger Helper

• Add the noodles to the pepper and beef mixture.
• Stir in the vegan cheese sauce
• Top with desired toppings
• Serve warm!

Hint: Use the same pot to boil the noodles and potatoes, carrots, and cashews. I do it in batches so I don't have to dirty up too many dishes. I start with the cheese sauce first, then drain and then boil the noodles.

Substitutions

• Nut-Free - Swap the cashews out for some roasted cauliflower. It will thicken the cheese sauce and keep it nut-free!
• Low-Sodium - Omit the salt to lower the amount of sodium in this recipe.
• Whole-Food Plant-Based - If you are sticking to a WFPB lifestyle, feel free to leave out the vegan ground beef. It is processed so it wouldn't necessarily fit into a WFPB lifestyle, however, this would still be delicious with just mushrooms, peppers, and onions!

Variations

• Spicy - Top with some crushed chili pepper flakes to take the heat up a notch!
• Keto - Make this Hamburger Helper keto-friendly by either leaving out the noodles or swapping them for zucchini noodles!
• Extra Creamy- Omit the cheese sauce and make this Hamburger Helper Casserole extra creamy with vegan cream cheese! Just stir it into the warm noodle and beef mixture.

Check out this Baked Walking Taco Casserole that uses a cream cheese sauce!

FAQ's

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Chef Knife
• High-Speed Blender
• Stockpot

Storage

Store the Vegan Hamburger Helper in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to four days. This recipe works great for meal prep, just portion out into individual portions and it is a grab-and-go lunch!

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top tips

• Top this Hamburger Helper with pepperoncinis, red pepper flakes and parsley to give the skillet more flavor and tang.
• Load this Hamburger Helper up with vegetables by using bell peppers and onions. You can add extra veggies if you like, however, bell peppers and onions are perfect to sneak healthy plant powered foods into this dish.
• Serve this casserole alongside a hearty salad, or vegetable to make this a full meal! We love making a giant salad to pair alongside this dish!
• Cashew-based sauces tend to get thick quickly once they are in the skillet and when they cool down. If needed, add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it back up. 

Other Recipes You'll Love!

• Vegan Philly Cheesesteak with Peppers and Onions
• Mediterranean Chickpea Gyros
• Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich with Cranberry Relish
• Vegan French Dip Sandwiches
• Vegan Thai Curry Meatball Subs

The BEST Vegan Hamburger Helper

kaydimaggio

This Vegan Hamburger Helper is easy and delicious! This easy dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! Full of all the flavors you love from childhood, this skillet is a healthier version of your favorite meal! 

5 from 20 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 528 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound fusilli noodles
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 8 ounces baby bella sliced mushrooms
• 16 ounces vegan beef crumbles
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ½ cup cashews
• 1 carrot
• 1 small to medium yellow potato
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Dice the bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, and garlic and add them to a cast iron skillet with the vegan ground beef. Cook until the onion is translucent and the vegan beef is no longer pink, set aside.
• In a large pot boil the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Roughly dice the potato and carrot and add them to a small pot with the cashews. Fill with water and bring to a boil.
• Boil on high for 10 minutes.
• Drain and add the mixture to a high-speed blender. Add the almond milk, garlic powder, salt, and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth.
• Add the noodles to the pepper and beef mixture.
• Stir in the vegan cheese sauce
• Top with sliced pepperoncinis, parsley, or vegan Parmesan. Serve warm! 

Notes

• Load this Hamburger Helper up with vegetables by using bell peppers and onions. You can add extra veggies if you like, however, bell peppers and onions are perfect to sneak healthy plant powered foods into this dish.
• Serve this casserole alongside a hearty salad, or vegetable to make this a full meal! We love making a giant salad to pair alongside this dish!
• Cashew-based sauces tend to get thick quickly once they are in the skillet and when they cool down. If needed, add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it back up. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 82.4gProtein: 13.9gFat: 18.1gSaturated Fat: 10.9gSodium: 413mgFiber: 9.1gSugar: 9g

Keyword entree, Vegan

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.