Best One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

When I think of my go-to comfort dish that would please everyone in the family and is also easy to make on a weeknight, this cheeseburger pasta is at the top of my list. A hearty family meal that is incredibly meaty and cheesy! This creamy ground beef pasta dinner is rich and flavorful, and a cool take on the American classic food that I guarantee you and your family will love. Make sure to top it with the classic cheeseburger fixings to make it extra tasty!

I like to serve this with my creamy crack mashed potatoes, and my picky eaters always drizzle this Big Mac sauce on top. This addictive side dish is full of cheddar cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon. For more quick and delicious family recipes, try my homemade cheeseburger casserole or these sloppy joes.

This dinner always gets my kids excited as it turns their favorite fast food item into an incredibly cheesy and comforting pasta dinner. The pasta shells are loaded with juicy and perfectly seasoned ground beef, crispy bacon, and ooey-gooey cheese. Best of all, it’s a frugal, effortless one-pot meal that takes me 30 minutes to put together. Ideal for busy weeknights when I crave something hearty without spending all evening in the kitchen.

Why you will love this recipe

• Because it is fast and easy: Perfect for busy weeknights, I made this recipe in less than 30 minutes with just ground beef and a few items found in most kitchens. There’s probably no need for a shopping trip. I usually have everything I need when I make this recipe.
• It feeds the whole family: I also want to emphasize that this easy meal feeds the whole family, and there will still be leftovers. Well, in my house, we usually call them second helpings.
• There is only one pan to clean: I love to make one-pot meals because I hate washing dishes. This is one of my favorite one-pot recipes because it’s so easy and my kids love it.
• It is very inexpensive: I make sure that my recipes are cheap enough so that my readers can actually make them. There are no fancy, expensive ingredients here that would have to be specially ordered. Just the basic kitchen items that almost everyone has already.

What you will need

• Pasta – I use large pasta shells because they hold a lot of the sauce, ground beef, and bacon, so I get a mixture of flavors in every bite.
• Meat – It is important to use lean ground beef like 85/15 or 90/10 so there is less grease to worry about while still having plenty of flavor. I love thick-sliced maple bacon for its smoky, sweet maple flavor, and it is not too greasy. I get a nice bite of bacon so I can actually feel it when I get a piece in my mouth.
• Aromatics and seasoning – I prefer yellow onions because they have a nice balance of pungent and sweet flavors that are slightly strong but not overpowering. Minced garlic cloves release more of their juices and oils, bringing out their spicier, sweeter flavors. A hint of smoky, mildly sweet flavor, with a bit of kick from paprika and a bit of heat from red pepper flakes—salt and pepper to taste.
• Wet ingredients – Worcestershire sauce with anchovies, soy sauce, tamarind, molasses, and vinegar; this sauce has a little bit of every flavor, from salty to sweet, with hints of spicy, sour, and tangy. One of the main ingredients: I strongly recommend high-quality San Marzano tomato sauce. It is rich, sweet, and thick, with an intense flavor that tastes better than any other tomato sauce.
• Cheddar cheese – Do not buy pre-shredded cheese. It is treated so it doesn’t clump in the bag, which makes it less flavorful and harder to melt. Get a fresh block from the deli and shred it.
• Garnish – For cheese lovers, add extra cheese on top when serving. Extra bacon on top when serving will take this to a whole new level of deliciousness. I also recommend pickles and parsley.

How to prepare

Fry the bacon: First, I cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy, then place it on paper towels to drain. Afterward, I chop it and set it aside.

Brown the beef: Next, I remove all the fat except one tablespoon from the pan and brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until nicely seared. Then, I drain the grease and add the garlic and onion, stirring to cook for one more minute.

Everything else: Add the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, pasta, tomato sauce, and ¾ cup water. I stir and cook until the pasta is al dente, about eight or nine minutes.

Add the cheese: Then, I add the cheese and eight slices of chopped bacon, stirring to combine.

Garnish and serve: After one minute, when it has melted, serve, garnished with pickles, bacon, cheese, and parsley.

Expert tip

Drain the beef grease

Any excess fat is undesirable and not good for health. So, drain the grease, especially if the ground meat is not lean. Unlike lean meat, regular, inexpensive ground beef is about 30% fat by weight. This amount is significantly lower in lean ground meat, so there is not much to drain if you use this kind. Remember that as you drain the grease, you are also draining away flavor. To avoid this, use leaner meat, but the downside is that it costs more.

More tips to consider

• Instead of water, I almost always use chicken broth or stock for extra flavor.
• Use heavy cookware with a thick bottom to help it heat evenly.
• Make sure the pasta is simmering the whole time. If it is too low, it will become gummy.
• Start with a warm skillet to make the sauce smooth and help everything cook evenly.
• Have all the ingredients measured and ready to go because this recipe comes together quickly once it starts.
• To drain the grease, tilt the pan and let it flow to one side. Collect it with a spoon and discard it before soaking up the rest with a paper towel.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different meat: Instead of ground beef, sometimes I use ground turkey or chicken. The flavor is milder, er and it has less fat.
• More veggies: I love to add more veggies like chopped bell peppers, baby bella mushrooms, and even diced potatoes.
• Spicy: Along with the red pepper flakes, my husband loves it when I add somejalapeñoss too.
• Add ranch: For some extra addictive flavor, I also like to add some of my ranch seasoning mix.
• Relish it: For extra pickle flavor, add a teaspoon of dill pickle relish.

Serving suggestions:

One-pot cheeseburger pasta is best served right after you make it, and I usually set a few bowls with toppings for the family to choose from. I include crispy bacon bits, chopped pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, more shredded cheese, and even sour cream. I like to serve it with a side of cheesy garlic bread, perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce.

Some of my favorite wines to pair with this dinner include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Shiraz. I also like to make a tossed salad to go with it, something like this effortless, creamy, and crunchy salad with cucumbers and tomatoes, or this classic Greek salad. For dessert, I like something light and airy, like this pineapple fluff or matcha panna cotta.

How to store leftovers

• Refrigerate: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge. 
• Freezing: To freeze, place leftovers in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to three months. 
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
• Reheating: Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, microwave for about a minute, or air-fry at 340 degrees F for five minutes. 

Reheating pasta

One of the main reasons I don’t like to make too much extra pasta is that reheating it can be tricky. Some dishes can end up turning rubbery, while others turn it into mush. Others dry out completely.

I have found some ways to reheat most pasta dishes without ruining them, and I want to share them with my readers. First, I cannot guarantee these ideas will work on all pasta dishes because it depends on the pasta shape, sauce, the dish itself, and the cooking method (microwave, oven, stovetop).

My favorite way to reheat this particular dish is to put it back in a pan and reheat it on the stove. First, I add a splash of broth to a non-stick skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Then, I pour in the pasta and let it cook, stirring frequently, until it is heated through. If I am in a hurry, I will just put it in a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a wet paper towel. It only takes about a minute to reheat, but I stir it after 30 seconds.

If I have time and don’t feel like working over the stove, I put it in a baking dish and cover it with foil. Then I bake it in the oven, preheated to 350 degrees F, for 10 to 15 minutes. Either way I reheat it, I make sure it still has enough moisture so it doesn’t dry out as it reheats. If not, I add some tomato sauce or chicken broth.

Frequently asked questions

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