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Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe

Cheeseburger pasta is a creamy, cheesy one-pot dinner with browned ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and a smooth cheddar-mozzarella sauce. Cook everything in a deep skillet, simmer the pasta in a seasoned beef broth, then finish with milk and melted cheese for a thick, comforting texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lean ground beef
  • 1 lb Lean ground beef
Elbow macaroni or shell pasta
  • 12 oz Elbow macaroni or shell pasta
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
Onion
  • 1 Onion Small, diced
Garlic
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
Tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes
Beef broth
  • 2.5 cups Beef broth
Whole milk
  • 1 cup Whole milk
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.5 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese Use shredded
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp Yellow mustard
Paprika
  • 1 tsp Paprika
Garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp Garlic powder
Onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp Onion powder
Salt
  • 0.1 Salt To taste
Black pepper
  • 0.1 Black pepper To taste
Chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp Chopped parsley

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the beef base
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
  2. Stir in the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until it softens and starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  3. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to darken it slightly. Stir in the diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
Simmer pasta and finish with cheese
  1. Add the uncooked pasta and stir well so it’s evenly coated in the liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover.
  2. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the whole milk.
  3. Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese, stirring until smooth and creamy. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: Use freshly shredded cheddar and mozzarella so they melt smoothly without turning grainy—if the sauce thickens too fast, loosen with a splash of broth or milk. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a little splash of milk. Freezing isn’t recommended because the pasta can become softer and the dairy may separate. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free elbow macaroni and check that your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.