Cheesy Pizza Hamburger Helper (Print version)

A from-scratch one-pot pasta dinner with ground beef, pepperoni, tomato sauce, and melty pizza-style cheese.

# Ingredients:

For the beef and sauce

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
06 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
09 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) tomato sauce
12 - 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
13 - 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk

For the pasta and cheese

14 - 8 oz (225 g) small shells or elbow macaroni
15 - 3 oz (85 g) pepperoni, quartered or use mini pepperoni
16 - 1 1/2 cups (170 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
17 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded cheddar cheese
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and no pink remains. Spoon off excess grease if needed.
02 - Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth, milk, and dry pasta. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
04 - Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened. Add a splash of broth or water if the skillet gets too dry before the pasta is done.
05 - Reserve a small handful of pepperoni for the top. Stir the rest into the hot pasta and let it warm through for 1 minute.
06 - Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 cup of mozzarella and all of the cheddar a handful at a time until melted and creamy.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and reserved pepperoni over the top. Cover for 1-2 minutes until melted, then garnish with parsley or basil if using. Serve hot.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served right after cooking while the sauce is creamy and the cheese is stretchy.
02 - If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a splash of warm broth or milk.
03 - Use block cheese and shred it yourself for the smoothest melt.

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