Homemade Lasagna-Style Hamburger Helper
A one-pan, better-than-boxed lasagna-style hamburger helper made with ground beef, marinara, bowtie pasta, cottage cheese, and melted mozzarella. Budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and feeds at least six.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef Ground Italian sausage, turkey or chicken all work well too!
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 Cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 5-6 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Seasoning Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 12 oz Bow Tie Pasta
- 2.5 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1.5 Cups Cottage Cheese or ricotta if you prefer
- 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 tbsp Chopped Parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until browned. Drain grease. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add seasonings and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Stir in marinara sauce.
- Add dry pasta and chicken broth. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce to simmer, and cook 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
- Stir in cottage cheese. Top with mozzarella.
- Broil on high (middle rack) for about 4 minutes until golden and bubbly. Garnish with parsley if using.
- Let rest 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave.
- To freeze: Cool completely, wrap securely, and freeze up to 2 months.