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bacon cheeseburger with broccoli healthy hamburger helper
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4.91 from 42 votes

Bacon Cheeseburger Healthy Hamburger Helper Copycat

A low calorie spin on the classic Hamburger Helper favorite.
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Healthy Pasta Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bacon cheeseburger hamburger helper copycat, healthy hamburger helper copycat
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 270kcal
Author: Mason Woodruff

Ingredients

Hamburger Helper Core Ingredients

  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef macros with 96/4
  • 2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 16 oz Frozen Broccoli steamable
  • 1 bag 8.5oz Barilla Ready Pasta, elbows
  • 3 slices Cooked Bacon diced

Lower Calorie Cheese Sauce

  • 6 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
  • 3 Tbsp 42g Light Butter, I used Land o Lakes
  • 1/4 C 32g Cheddar Powder

Instructions

  • In a large skillet or saucepan, cook the ground beef with the paprika and black pepper. Reduce heat to low when no pink remains.
  • While the beef cooks, add the broccoli to the microwave and cook per instructions on the package (about 5-6 minutes). After the broccoli is finished, microwave the Ready Pasta and cooked bacon. Cut the cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces. Set everything aside.
  • Add the cream cheese and butter to a bowl. Microwave for 20-30 seconds or until both are soft enough to mix evenly. Add the cheddar powder and stir well.
  • Add the cheese sauce to the beef before adding the pasta and bacon. Stir well before gently folding in the broccoli.
  • Enjoy! Salt and pepper to taste. 

Notes

  • Each serving has 7 Smart Points.
  • To calculate the weight or measurement of your serving sizes, I recommend weighing the total finished recipe and dividing that weight by six. For more help with this, check out my guide to using a food scale for tracking macros.
  • Refer to the notes section of this post for more info on potential swaps for cream cheese and light butter. The macros for the cheese sauce as-is are as follows: 471 calories, 29g of protein, 27g of carbs, 25g of fat
  • The macros for Ready Pasta if you decide to swap: 420 calories, 14g of protein, 84g of carbs, 4g of fat
  • Cheddar powder alternatives: Knorr cheese sauce mixes, cheese packets from boxed mac and cheese, real cheddar cheese or reduced fat cheddar cheese, or for a non-dairy option, nutritional yeast (I used a tasty mixture in my air fryer potato chips).

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 9g