Ground beef is an essential ingredient in hamburger helper. If you do not wish to use it, you can leave it out completely and make a plain, cheesy pasta. If you are looking for a healthier alternative to products like Beyond Meat, I'd recommend u003ca href=u0022https://myquietkitchen.com/vegan-ground-beef/u0022u003eMy Quiet Kitchen's Vegan Ground Beef u003c/au003erecipe made from soy curls, mushrooms and walnuts. You will need to prepare this separately ahead of time.