I hate to admit it, but I ate a large amount of processed, half-prepared meals as a kid. My parents often worked late, which meant Kraft mac and cheese, Stove Top stuffing, and Hamburger Helper were on regular rotation as we children were left to fend for ourselves.

Watching episode four of the latest season of “The Bear” took me right back to those moments when my older siblings would teach me how to make boxed comfort foods taste better. A pat of butter here, a splodge of ketchup there, et voilà, fine dining as I knew it.

In the episode, Chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) prepares Hamburger Helper for TJ, her cousin’s teenage daughter, giving the familiar shelf-stable meal a few cheffy touches while dissecting sticky life scenarios, such as sleepovers — both real and proverbial — and in the end, sating both their hunger and pangs for connection.

A tasty upgrade

The box instructions say to brown ground beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, then drain the excess fat. After that, Sydney goes off script. She dices half a yellow onion and sautés it with the drained beef until softened. Then adds a couple tablespoons of double-concentrated tomato paste “to deepen the flavors and make it taste like it didn’t come out of a box,” she explains. She also substitutes some of the milk called for with heavy cream for a richer sauce. As another flavor boost, she enlists TJ’s help to grate fresh cheese and stir it into the final dish.

To give the creamy pasta some textural contrast, Sydney toasts up some panko breadcrumbs in the oven (presumably to scatter on top). Toss about a cup of breadcrumbs with a tablespoon of neutral oil and half a teaspoon of kosher salt. Spread the crumbs out on a baking sheet and toast in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes, until golden brown.

Finally, she minces up fresh parsley to sprinkle on top. This may seem optional, but the herb really helps to brighten up the dish and make it taste gourmet.

My honest review

It looked like something I’d expect to be served at a restaurant — or proudly offer to guests at my own table. And once I dug in, it was every bit as satisfying: deeply savory and beefy, creamy and comforting. The tomato paste brought a hit of umami and mellowed the artificial yellow from the powdered cheese, making the dish look more natural. The real cheese added a tangy edge, but it was the parsley and panko that were my favorite additions, adding a fresh, green note and satisfying crunch.

Is it as good as a pasta sauce made completely from scratch? No. But it’s not meant to be. As in the episode, the meal isn’t delicious enough to distract from the meatier topic at hand: sleepovers and how to handle complicated relationships. Its point is to make your loved ones feel full and content in a pinch, and on that note, it succeeds.

Tips for making this ground beef pasta

(Perry Santanachote is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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