Why Stroganoff Stands Out As The Worst Hamburger Helper Variety

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Since its introduction to shoppers in 1971, Hamburger Helper has consistently remained one of the best budget-friendly comfort meals. In fact, more and more people are buying boxes of the brand's affordable one-pan meals now as they attempt to overcome inflated grocery costs and a rising cost of living. While many of the brand's 40-plus varieties are winners, it's not surprising that some fall short of modern culinary expectations.

Tasting Table tried and ranked eight Hamburger Helper flavors to see which ones stood the test of time. Of the ones we tried, we found that the stroganoff was the most disappointing. The box contains pasta and a sauce mix, which is described on the packaging as "creamy and savory." On the Hamburger Helper website, customers are encouraged to "Add Your Own Twist! Elevate the comfort! Stir in cooked fresh mushrooms and a dollop of sour cream just before serving." Perhaps those suggestions are the reason why the dish, when prepared as-is, ended up leaving us wanting more.

When comparing this version with a hearty, homemade beef stroganoff, our taste-tester found this one severely lacking. They found the substitution of wheat flour pasta, rather than the traditional egg noodles, to be a major step down. Also, the preparation instructions on the box recommend using ground beef, which is also a huge downgrade from the slow-cooked sirloin typically used to make stroganoff. Though the sauce mix was meant to be savory, it wasn't as creamy as it should have been, and the overall flavor was drab. The lack of umami notes, combined with the almost unnoticeable seasonings, left the sauce under-seasoned and thin.

Though Hamburger Helper meals are more popular than ever, some shoppers think that the quality has gone down. In a Reddit post, one person asked, "What in the heck has happened to [H]amburger [H]elper?" They went on to say, "[I] purchased some after many many years of just not eating it for whatever reason and my god what is in this? It isn't just that it's not the taste I remember, it's absolutely disgusting! I thought there was something wrong with it."

The post, which has over 1,000 upvotes and close to 1,000 comments, inspired others to join in agreement, with one person saying, "It's sooo gross now. I dunno what happened to it. It went from Hamburger Helper to Hamburger Helpme." Another person commented, "I saw a stroganoff hamburger helper in the store and my mouth watered... it was disgusting! My stroganoff is so much better!!" Yet another person chimed in to say, "I used to love the stroganoff one and bought it a few years ago for the feels. I almost couldn't eat it."

More than one shopper suggested that making your own one-pan pasta meals is actually just as cheap, and much tastier, than using Hamburger Helper. Another person agreed, saying, "If you follow a recipe for ground beef stroganoff, it's literally the same amount of work and tastes 100x better." Though a box of Hamburger Helper stroganoff is only $1.48 at Walmart, it's worth it to make your own if you want a dish that is actually flavorful and satisfying.