One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
If you love Hamburger Helper, then you’re going to flip for this One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta. Ground beef and macaroni are mixed with a rich, cheesy sauce for the ultimate family dinner that’s as easy as it is delicious.
You guys, we make this recipe all the time. It’s everything Hamburger Helper wishes it could be! Rich, cheesy, and so beefy, this is a fantastic recipe for family dinners or potlucks and parties.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It uses basic ingredients, most of which are already in your kitchen.
- It’s a quick and easy one pot meal.
- It’s hearty, filling, and delicious.
- It makes a great weeknight meal or potluck dish.
🛒Ingredients
You’ll only need a few basic ingredients to make this dish, and most of them are already in your kitchen right now. If you need anything on this list, you’ll find it super quickly at your local grocery store.
All the ingredients for this cheeseburger pasta are listed here, but you’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Lean ground beef
- Cornstarch
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Pepper
- ketchup
- Beef broth
- Milk
- Elbow pasta
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Parsley for garnish
🔪 How to Make One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
This is a one pot dish, so you already know it’s easy! The entire process only takes about 40 minutes from start to finish, and even beginners can make this super simple recipe.
Step 1: Cook the Beef
Cook the beef in a large pan over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
Step 2: Add the Sauce Ingredients
Add cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, pepper, ketchup, beef broth, and milk to the pan and stir to combine.
Step 3: Add the Noodles
Add the noodles and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the noodles are cooked.
Step 4: Add Cheese
Stir in the cheese and let melt. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Spicy – Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Ground Beef – You can make this with ground pork or turkey.
- Cheddar Cheese – Cheddar, Colby Jack, and Cheddar Jack all work well in this recipe.
- Macaroni – Any short pasta will work in this recipe.
If you think this cheeseburger pasta looks good, we think you’ll enjoy our skillet enchilada pasta.
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large skillet
- Spoon
🥫 Storage
Refrigerate this one pot cheeseburger pasta for up to 4 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.
What to Serve with Cheeseburger Pasta
This delicious cheeseburger pasta is a super filling dish that will leave even the heartiest eaters satisfied. As such, we recommend serving it with crusty bread, Texas toast, garlic bread, or breadsticks.
💭 Tips
- Stop cooking your beef as soon as it’s browned. Overcooking it will make it rubbery and flavorless.
- Cook the beef pasta until the noodles are al dente and no further or your pasta will get mushy and fall apart.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Cheeseburger pasta is a one pot pasta dish made with ground beef, a creamy cheese sauce, and macaroni.
Essentially, yes, although it’s far, far better than Hamburger Helper.
Lean ground beef works best. There’s a lot of flavor in this recipe, so there’s no need for fatty ground beef to enhance flavor.
If you simmer your dish for too long, the noodles will overcook and break apart as you stir in the cheese.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy one pot dishes? Then try these delicious recipes:
- Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Steak and Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and Noodles
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- large skillet
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups milk
- 16 ounces elbow pasta
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a large pan over a medium-high heat, add ground beef brown, crumble and drain.
- To the pan with the beef add your cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, pepper, ketchup, beef broth and milk.
- Stir to combine.
- Add in the elbow pasta.
- Stir and bring up to boil.
- Cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the noodles are cooked through.
- Stir in the cheese.
- Once the cheese is melted garnish with parsley and serve!
