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Cheeseburger Pasta

Cheeseburger pasta with golden ground beef and elbow macaroni in a velvety American cheese sauce, finished with pickle chips and ketchup drizzle. A cheesy pasta skillet that cooks in one pot for an easy weeknight family dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheeseburger Pasta
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cup elbow macaroni or rotini
  • 2.5 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 0.5 cup American cheese cubed
  • 1 dill pickles sliced (for topping)
  • 1 extra ketchup for topping
  • 1 extra mustard for topping

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef with the diced onion. Cook until the beef is browned, drain excess fat, then stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Simmer the pasta
  1. Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni or rotini, beef broth, whole milk, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the shredded sharp cheddar and cubed American cheese until fully melted and the sauce turns creamy.
Finish like a cheeseburger
  1. Top the cheeseburger pasta with dill pickle chips and drizzle ketchup and mustard before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: for the creamiest texture, keep stirring while melting the cheddar and American cheese off the heat so the sauce emulsifies smoothly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk. Freezing is not recommended because the cheese sauce can separate. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cheddar and milk while keeping the same cheese-cubed melting step.