Vegan Hamburger Helper
This hearty, delicious one-pot meal is easy to cook on a weeknight! A childhood comfort food favourite that’s 100% vegan.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 lb vegan ground I used Beyond Meat
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne or chipotle optional
- 3 tbsp brandy or white wine optional
- ½ cup pasta sauce pomodoro or marinara
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup soy milk or cashew or light coconut milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- salt and pepper to taste
Vegan Cheese Sauce (See Notes for Substitution)
- 1 medium potato peeled and chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 small onion or shallot or 1 tbsp onion powder
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup olive or capers brine optional
- 1 teaspoon vegan lactic acid or 2 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid aminos or tamari or soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the chopped potato and carrots to a large pot. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil until the potatoes are cooked for about 15 to 20 minutes.1 medium potato, 1 medium carrot
- Remove from heat. Add the cooked potato and carrot to a bowl with the cooking liquid. Set aside to cool.
- Return the empty pot to the stove over medium heat. Allow any remaining liquid to evaporate then add the oil.2 tbsp oil
- Add the onions and cook until they start to brown for about 3 minutes.1 large onion
- Add the garlic with the vegan ground. Use a spoon to break it up into smaller pieces. Cook until it’s browned for about 5 minutes.2 cloves garlic, 1 lb vegan ground
- Lightly season with salt and pepper. Many of the other ingredients already have salt added. It’s best to be light-handed with the salt at the beginning and add more if needed at the end of cooking.salt and pepper
- Stir in the paprika, cayenne/chipotle, brandy and pasta sauce. Cook for 4 minutes while scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne or chipotle, ½ cup pasta sauce, 3 tbsp brandy or white wine
- Pour in veggie stock and soy milk. Add the bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes at high heat.3 cups vegetable stock, ½ cup soy milk, 1 bay leaf
- Remove the lid and stir in the macaroni. Cover and cook for 9 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.8 oz elbow macaroni
- Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cooked potato and carrots with the remaining ingredients for the cheese sauce. Add ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and blend until creamy. Season lightly with salt (about ½ tsp) and pepper. Again, you can always add more at the end.1 clove garlic, 1 small onion or shallot, 4 tbsp nutritional yeast, ¼ cup olive or capers brine, 1 teaspoon vegan lactic acid, 1 teaspoon liquid aminos, salt and pepper
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the vegan cheese sauce. Continue to cook on low until it thickens for about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes
- Lactic acid, apple cider vinegar, olive brine and capers brine all give the sauce a sharp, cheesier taste. Use one or a combination of all of them and adjust to your taste.
- You can also use 1 1/2 cups (170g) of your favorite brand of vegan cheddar cheese instead of the cheese sauce.
- Try soy crumbles, cooked lentils or your preferred brand of meatless ground for this recipe.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Reheat in the microwave or stovetop with a bit of water added.
- Recipe adapted from New York Times.
- More vegan one-pot recipes: Sweet Potato Chili, One-Pot Pasta, Jambalaya.