The Canned Ingredient That Makes Hamburger Helper Surprisingly Delicious

When you're searching for a quick boxed meal, there are so many more options than Kraft Dinner. In particular, you can fall back on an old classic: Hamburger Helper. This boxed pasta includes a packet of powder that turns into a thick, cheesy sauce when mixed with milk and cooked ground beef. The result is a filling dish that really sticks to the ribcage on cold winter days. However, you can bump up the fresh flavor a notch with the simple addition of some Ro-Tel canned tomatoes with chilis.

These canned tomatoes and chiles come in several varieties, ranging from mild to "Xtra Hot," and can be found in most grocery stores. This is hardly a new hack, but it's an inexpensive and easy one that the internet has come to adore. When discussing this trick, one Reddit user said "my grandma used to do this, along with a can of mixed veggies," while another Reddit user said "those Ro-Tel tomatoes add a flavorful and spicy kick to them." With most Ro-Tel costing less than $1.50 per can, you can add plenty of spicy, tangy goodness to your easy dinner without breaking the bank.

While some sort of Ro-Tel is probably on hand in most Texas kitchens, Hamburger Helper seems to be one of those ground beef dishes most have forgotten about. It consists of a dry macaroni pasta and a sauce that uses onion powder along with other spices, prepared with cooked, drained ground beef and milk. While the ingredient list is long and contains numerous preservatives, the taste it creates is simple, which makes it the perfect target for add-ins and upgrades. There are also several variations on the original, including stroganoff and spicy kinds, that also blend easily with a can of Ro-Tel.

Ro-Tel is a tomato-based product, often used for dips or salsas. It generally consists of diced vine-ripe tomatoes and some sort of chopped green chilis seasoned with natural spices and flavors. The taste is bold and straightforward, with plenty of acid bite that cuts through the fatty richness in Hamburger Helper. It's also very simple to include. All you have to do is drain the can, then stir it in during cooking so it comes up to heat with the rest of the mixture. You'll be good to go with a slightly larger and more nutritious meal that can serve multiple people on a low budget.

While we wouldn't recommend serving Hamburger Helper during Thanksgiving dinner, there are other ways to elevate this pantry staple to make it tastier or healthier. Rather than using beef, try out ground turkey for a lower-calorie and lower-cholesterol option; add fresh or canned veggies to bump up the nutrition and make portion sizes bigger; and for a richer, thicker sauce, try putting in a few spoonfuls of yogurt or sour cream. Of course, if you're a true cheese fiend, get fancy with cheddar or mozzarella as a topping or a mix-in.

If you still want to stick with Ro-Tel, you're in luck. Rather than selecting the classic tomatoes and green chilis, you can pick from one of its other canned options. Its lime and cilantro mix can help you create a taco-mac feel; the fire-roasted varieties can add a smoky flavor that accentuates your ground beef; and if you're watching your sodium and don't want to make already-salty Hamburger Helper even moreso, go for its no-salt-added tomatoes. Adding any of these cans to your pan is sure to result in stronger flavors, more nutrition, and a heartier portion of beefy mac and cheese.