If you are searching for a simple meal for a tight budget that the whole family will love, you should try this Cheeseburger Pasta. It’s bursting with flavor from the cooked bacon, sharp cheese, and umami from the Worcestershire sauce. It tastes exactly like a classic cheeseburger!
I like to refer to this recipe as a homemade cheeseburger hamburger helper. The only difference is that it tastes so much better than the boxed version. I’ve made this dinner many times and everyone always asks for it by name. It is by far one of my favorite ground beef pasta recipes. Plus, it’s all made in one pan!
If you like easy-baked pasta recipes, you will love Meatlovers Pizza Pasta Casserole, Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Recipe, Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad and The Best Baked Stuffed Shells.
Why You’ll Love This Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
- Family favorite: The flavors of this bacon cheeseburger pasta are pleasing to even picky eaters making it the perfect contender for your weekly dinner rotation.
- Great leftovers: Reheating leftovers of this cheeseburger pasta bake is super easy. It even heats well in the microwave.
- One pot meal: This entire meal is cooked in a single pot, saving you so much time with clean up.
Ingredients
Many of the ingredients in this recipe are added based on the flavors of an actual bacon cheeseburger. It’s an inexpensive recipe the whole family will love.
- Elbow macaroni: My go-to pasta for this one-pot cheeseburger pasta is elbow macaroni but you can use any variety that you like! Another favorite of mine to use is medium shells.
- Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef. My favorite is 80% lean because it still has a little bit of fat. You can easily substitute ground turkey if you prefer.
- Tomato sauce: This gives the cheeseburger pasta richness and mimics the flavor of ketchup.
- Worcestershire sauce: One of my favorite ingredients is Worcestershire sauce. It adds a subtle but noticeable flavor punch.
- Dry mustard: I prefer dry mustard over regular mustard because it adds a touch of mustard flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Bacon: Any variety of bacon is great. Hickory and applewood smoked are my favorite choices for this cheeseburger macaroni recipe.
- Cheddar Cheese: I use cheddar for the sharp flavor but you can also use mozzarella or Monterey jack. I recommend shredding the cheese yourself if you can because it melts so much better.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Big Mac Pasta: Drizzle the finished pasta with chopped pickles, onions, and Big Mac Sauce as a nod to the McDonald’s classic.
- BBQ Cheeseburger Pasta: Use your favorite BBQ sauce in place of the tomato sauce for a rich and tangy twist.
- Spicy Southwest Cheeseburger pasta: Add corn, black beans, and green chiles for spice. I even recommend a little taco seasoning for more flavor.
- Vegetarian: Use your favorite ground meat alternative and omit the bacon. It’s a very simple swap.
How to Make Cheeseburger Pasta
Here is a look at how to make homemade one-pot cheeseburger macaroni. Once your oven is preheated and you grease the casserole dish, all of the ingredients are combined and baked in the oven at the same time. It’s the best 30-minute meal.
Step 1: Add the macaroni and beef. Start by adding the macaroni to the prepared baking dish and crumbling the beef on top. Then, sprinkle with the diced onions and season it with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
Step 2: Make the tomato sauce mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and well combined. Pour it evenly over the macaroni and beef then, stir.
Step 3: Cover and bake it. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake it for about 25 minutes.
Step 4: Stir together. Remove the pan from the oven and uncover it. Stir the pasta, sauce, and meat together.
Step 4: Top with the bacon and cheese. Add some of the crumbled bacon, then the shredded cheese and more bacon to finish. Keep some extra bacon or cheese on hand to sprinkle when it’s ready.
Step 5: Melt the cheese. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and all of the other ingredients are fully cooked.
⭐️ Hint: Check to be sure the beef is cooked and the macaroni is tender before adding the bacon and cheese. If either ingredient isn’t ready, cook in 5-minute intervals until the noodles are soft and the meat is no longer pink.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole, Artichoke and Spinach Chicken Casserole, Baked Rigatoni, Easy Oven Baked BBQ, Jalapeno Mac and Cheese or our Bacon Cheeseburger Pie.
Storage Directions
Refrigeration: Store leftovers of this hamburger macaroni casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: You can reheat leftovers of this recipe easily in the microwave. Cover it with a damp paper towel to keep it from drying out and heat for 1-2 minutes or until warmed.
Freezing: This dinner is very freezer-friendly! Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for a quick meal. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or bake straight from frozen.
Make the Dish Ahead of Time: Cook the dish completely but don't add the cheese and bacon. Remove the foil, stir the dish, and allow it to cool. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days. When ready to reheat, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then add the cheese and bacon to the top and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- A simple salad would go great with this cheeseburger pasta casserole. I recommend that you try Easy Cold Asparagus Salad and Greek Lentil Feta Salad.
- You can always add a veggie! Try Glazed Green Beans and Carrots or Slow Cooker Corn on the Cob the next time you make this one-pot meal.
- I like Air Fryer Dinner Rolls with pasta dishes. Even Sweet Onion Sage Bread is great, too!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overbake: When there’s a risk of underbaking, there is also a risk of overbaking. Once the cheese is melted and the pasta is cooked, it’s ready. Leaving it in the oven longer can cause the noodles to become mushy.
- Choose the right pasta: Any variety of pasta that can hold the sauce well is perfect for this recipe so feel free to experiment.
- Make it cheesier: Feel free to add some cheese to the pasta mixture to up the cheese flavor!
Recipe FAQs
The likely answer is that they haven’t cooked long enough. Place the dish back in the oven for a few extra minutes to ensure the noodles are cooked. If it seems dry, add a splash or two of water and recover it before placing it back in the oven.
Yes! Brown the beef and cook the onion then add the macaroni and the other ingredients. Cover and simmer until the pasta is tender. Garnish with cheese and bacon! Just be sure to use a large enough pot with a lid.
Replace 1 cup of water with milk. It will add just the right amount of creaminess to the sauce mixture.
Video
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Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 slices bacon cooked crumbled divided
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ⅓ cup chopped dill pickles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees and bake on middle rack. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread macaroni into prepared dish, crumble beef into ½-inch pieces over top, sprinkle onion on top and season with salt and pepper.
- Whisk water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, sugar, garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Pour into dish with macaroni and stir gently to combine. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove dish from oven and stir macaroni thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of dish. Add bacon crumbled and reserve some for top if desired. Sprinkle cheese over top and sprinkle with remaining bacon. Return uncovered dish to oven and continue to bake until macaroni is tender and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove dish from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Don’t overbake: When there’s a risk of underbaking, there is also a risk of overbaking. Once the cheese is melted and the pasta is cooked, it’s ready. Leaving it in the oven longer can cause the noodles to become mushy.
- Choose the right pasta: Any variety of pasta that can hold the sauce well is perfect for this recipe so feel free to experiment.
- Make it cheesier: Feel free to add some cheese to the pasta mixture to up the cheese flavor!
Michael Fagan says
Recipe sounds great! Can't wait to try it!
Karin and Ken says
It’s so easy and delicious too. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! All the best. Karin