How To Turn Hamburger Helper Into A Gourmet Delight à La 'The Bear'

Easy, budget-friendly dinners are on our weekly playlist these days, and if Hamburger Helper isn't part of yours, it should be. Hamburger Helper is on par with those boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese, but just like you can upgrade those well-known blue and yellow boxes, the chef character, Sydney Adamu, from FX/Hulu drama-comedy series "The Bear," has proven this boxed dinner mix can be transformed into something gourmet, and it's all about the execution. In Season 4, Episode 4, Adamu uses common household staples to dress up her box and make it feel like a homemade Hamburger Helper: onions, garlic, tomato paste, cheddar cheese, and toasted panko breadcrumbs, along with some heavy cream and fresh herbs. These simple additions make all the difference.

It starts with the traditional browning of the ground beef in a 10 to 12-inch skillet. It's wise to go bigger so this meal doesn't bubble over and splatter as it cooks. To this, add diced onions and minced garlic to create a fragrant and flavorful protein. Next up is that tomato paste. As Adamu explains to her young cousin, use this thick tomato paste "to deepen the flavors and make it taste basically like it didn't come out of a box."  The cousin astutely likens it to chili, which Adamu affirms. This addition allows those aromatics to caramelize and give the meat another layer for the taste buds.

It's time to add the water, milk, and the sauce powder and pasta from the box of Hamburger Helper to the skillet, just as you would normally do to prepare it. If you want to make it truly creamy, add some heavy cream in place of the milk — the way Sydney Adamu does. While it simmers and reduces, toast up those breadcrumbs in a separate pan. Butter will add a rich flavor, but you can also use olive oil to get them nice and golden brown or toast them up in the oven on a sheet pan.

Next up is the cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is a fatal mistake for homemade mac and cheese because of those anti-caking agents used to keep it from clumping, and using it here isn't the best idea either. Instead, grate your cheese and add it to the hamburger helper until it is fully melted and incorporated. When you are ready to plate, sprinkle some of those toasted bread crumbs on for added texture. If you want to get fancy, sprinkle some fresh herbs over it or chopped scallions, and voila, you've got a gourmet meal à la "The Bear."

If you like this version of Hamburger Helper and want to come up with other iterations, consider changing up the cheese. Parmesan or provolone are lovely choices. Slip in some fresh or frozen veggies for the kids, or transfer the prepared Hamburger Helper to a casserole dish and bake it. The options are endless.