Vegetarian Hamburger Helper

4.84 from 6 votes

Easy, hearty one-pot vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. It's a meatless hamburger helper of the childhood favorite boxed version that many of us grew up with.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Vegetarian entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegetarian hamburger helper

Servings:

Calories: 862.9kcal

Author: Susan Pridmore

Equipment

Chef's knife
Large skillet with a lid

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion about ½ of a large onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound Impossible Beef * see Ingredient Notes for substitutions
1 ½ cups whole milk * see Ingredient Notes for substitutions
1 ½ cups Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Bouillon Paste, or vegetable broth
½ cup marinara sauce * see Variations for substitutions
2 cups rotini pasta noodles uncooked
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese * see Ingredient Notes for substitutions

Optional Finishing Touches

2 dashes hot sauce
2 tablespoons chopped parsley to serve

Instructions

Meal prep. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and set aside.
Whisk together the corn starch with the chili powder, dried oregano, paprika, salt, pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Sauté. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the diced onions. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until it's fragrant.
Add the vegan meat, and break it up using a wooden spoon. Once it's broken up, brown the meat substitute cooking for 5 - 6 minutes, only occasionally turning it over with the onion.
Sprinkle the cornstarch and spice mixture over the mixture in the skillet, and stir to coat everything
Make the sauce. Stir in the milk, broth and marinara sauce, and bring to a simmer.
Add the pasta. Add the pasta to the pan, and push it into the sauce. Cover the pan, and lower the heat maintain a simmer for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
Pro tip: Be sure to check the pasta a couple of times while it cooks to ensure the pasta is submerged as much as possible. I stir it a little to move things around. This helps the pasta to cook evenly.
Finish and serve. Remove the lid and stir in the cheese until melted. Add a couple dashes of hot sauce if you like a little heat. Serve topped with chopped parsley.

Nutrition