High-Protein Chickpea Pasta Hamburger Helper

Name: High-Protein Chickpea Pasta Hamburger Helper
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz chickpea elbow pasta; 1 lb 85/15 ground beef; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tbsp hamburger seasoning blend; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes; 1 cup cottage cheese; 1/4 cup milk; 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

This High-Protein Chickpea Pasta Hamburger Helper swaps traditional pasta and cream sauce for chickpea pasta and a creamy blended cottage cheese sauce, delivering a meal-prep-friendly comfort dish with significantly more protein than the classic version.

🌍American 🏷️Hamburger helper 🏷️Pasta 🏷️Ground beef 🏷️High-protein Meal-prep

🏷️

🏷️Weeknight

-0:00

jackiehartlaubonTikTok

Total

25 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$23–$38

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by jackiehartlaub

-0:00

jackiehartlaubonTikTok

Ingredients

8 oz chickpea elbow pasta
1 lb 85/15 ground beef
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp hamburger seasoning blend
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup milk
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chickpea pasta and cook according to package directions, about 9 minutes.
2
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.
3
Season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, and hamburger seasoning blend. Stir to combine.
4
Add the diced onion to the skillet with the beef and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onion has softened.
5
Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and the can of diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for a few minutes.
6
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse with cool water.
7
In a blender, combine the cottage cheese and milk. Blend until completely smooth.
8
Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Pour the blended cottage cheese mixture into the beef sauce, then add the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
9
Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the skillet.
10
Stir everything together until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.
11
Serve immediately or portion into containers for meal prep.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Blend cottage cheese until completely smooth before stirring into the sauce to avoid lumps and ensure a creamy texture.
Brown ground beef thoroughly and drain excess fat before adding seasonings to prevent a greasy final dish.
Stir pasta into the sauce immediately after cooking while still warm so it absorbs flavors and reaches proper consistency.
Taste and adjust seasonings after combining all ingredients—the cottage cheese can mute the hamburger seasoning blend slightly.

Substitutions

Ground beef → ground turkey or plant-based ground meat (note: adjust cooking time and liquid as needed)
Chickpea pasta → lentil pasta or high-protein pasta blend (note: may alter texture and cooking time slightly)
Cottage cheese → Greek yogurt (note: use 3/4 cup Greek yogurt per 1 cup cottage cheese to avoid over-thinning the sauce)
Worcestershire sauce → soy sauce or tamari (note: use 1 tsp and taste before adding more)

Storage & make-ahead

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk to restore sauce consistency.