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Vegan Hamburger Helper

Make my vegan hamburger helper recipe with mushrooms! It’s just like the stroganoff hamburger helper of your childhood, but plant-based! Why settle for a boring dinner when you can have a delicious vegan version of hamburger helper in just 30 minutes?

A large bowl of vegan hamburger helper.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you grew up in the United States, there is a good chance Hamburger Helper was a part of your family’s dinner rotation. But throw away the box and say hello to the vegan version of the classic comfort food! This plant-based recipe will bring new life to your dinner table with its bold flavors – Hamburger Helper has never tasted this good!

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Pasta: Change it up depending on what you have in the pantry. Elbow and rotini pasta has never steered me wrong, and I used chickpea noodles, but feel free to use what you have.
  • Olive Oil: Saute the vegetables in olive oil, coconut oil, or vegan butter.
  • Onion: Onions combine with the mushrooms and garlic for added flavor to the gravy.
  • Garlic: I suggest using four garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
  • Mushrooms: Since mushrooms are the star of this dish, I like using a variety of mushrooms for more nutritional value. My favorite combination is oyster, shiitake, and white mushrooms. Feel free to mix them or use one of your favorites.
  • Spices: Add seasoning to our vegan hamburger helper with dried parsley, salt, pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  • Coconut Milk: What would Hamburger Helper be without creaminess? Include full-fat coconut milk for the perfect texture.
  • Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast replaces cheese in this recipe while adding protein. You’ll love the sweet nuttiness it provides.

Additions and Substitutions

  • Replace the chopped mushrooms with Beyond Meat, tofu, or lentils.
  • In addition to the mushrooms, feel free to add other vegetables like green beans, carrots, peas, or corn.

How to Make Vegan Hamburger Helper

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Cook one package of noodles in a saucepan according to the package and set it aside.

Noodles boiling in a sauce pan.

Step 2: Warm olive oil in a saute pan. Then, add the onions and cook until they become translucent and soften. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Onions cooking in a saute pan.

Step 3: Add the mushrooms and saute until heated through and caramelized, for about 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid if necessary.

Mushrooms added to the sautéing mushrooms.

Step 4: Stir parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, continue cooking.

Spices added to the mushroom mixture in the saute pan.

Step 5: Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Cook for 5 minutes.

Coconut milk and vegetable broth added to the mushroom mixture in the saute pan.

Step 6: Reduce the heat, and stir in the reserved noodles.

Noodles and nutritional yeast added to the mushroom mixture in the saute pan.

If you enjoy the meal, try one of these vegan recipes!  

A large bowl filled to the brim with vegan hamburger helper.

Serving Suggestions

What to do with the Leftovers

  • Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container. Vegan hamburger helper will keep for 3-5 days.
  • Reheat: Warm the leftovers in the microwave or stovetop, and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can hamburger helper be made without meat?

Make this recipe, and you be the judge. But to answer the question, yes. You can make Hamburger Helper from a box or a homemade hamburger helper without meat. I love using diced mushrooms as my source of protein, but other options include beyond-meat crumbles, tofu, or lentils.

More Plant-Based Recipes:

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A large bowl of vegan hamburger helper.

Vegan Hamburger Helper

Tressa Jamil
Make our vegan hamburger helper recipe; just like the box Hamburger Helper of your childhood, but vegan! And it comes together in 30 minutes.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 151 kcal
Equipment
  • Saucepan
  • Saute Pan
Ingredients
  
  • 1 package chickpea noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper, coarse ground
  • 3 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 can coconut milk,
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • ¾ cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
 
  • Cook one package of noodles in a saucepan according to the package and set it aside.
  • Warm olive oil in a saute pan. Then, add the onions and cook until they become translucent and soften. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  • Add the mushrooms and saute until heated through and caramelized, for about 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid if necessary.
  • Stir parsley, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and white pepper, continue cooking.
  • Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, and stir in the reserved noodles.
Notes
Nutrition Disclosure:
  • The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Recipe Rating




Shariq

Thursday 1st of December 2022

So good! I ate this for a few days and still crave it. It is even better than the meat-based original. Thank you for sharing this recipe.