Vegan Hamburger Helper

A quick and easy 1-pot vegan hamburger helper. Vegan burger meat cooked with pasta in a creamy cheese sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword vegan cheeseburger mac, vegan hamburger helper

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 506kcal

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion diced or (1/2 tsp onion powder)
3 cloves garlic minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 (12 oz) package vegan burger meat Like Beyond or Impossible Beef, or 3 vegan burgers broken up into pieces.
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups macaroni uncooked
2 cups vegan cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried parsley (optional)

Peel and dice an onion, then add it to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté it until slightly translucent.
Add the vegan hamburger meat to the onions, along with 3 minced cloves of garlic. (If using hamburger patties, use a spatula or a wooden spoon to break them up into small bite-sized pieces.) Sauté for about 5 minutes until the hamburger is cooked through.
Add the spices (chili powder and onion or garlic powder if not using fresh) and tomato paste to the cooked vegan burger meat, then sauté for another minute.
Pour in 4 cups of vegetable broth and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, stir well, then add 2 cups of pasta (or 1/2 of a 16 oz package) and turn the stove up to medium heat and stir well again.
Place a lid on top of your pot and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After the pasta has cooked for 10 minutes, add a bag of vegan shredded cheese to the mixture and stir until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Garnish with parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.

You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to the dish towards the end of cooking, depending on the size of the pasta used. It will also help to make it saucier if desired.
If you want a lower-sodium option, be sure to use low-sodium broth and soy sauce.