Food and Recipes Pasta Cheeseburger Pasta Is One-Pot Magic 4.8 (4) 4 Reviews The pinnacle of comfort food, cheeseburger pasta is simple but satisfying. By Elizabeth Nelson Elizabeth Nelson Elizabeth Nelson is a professional recipe developer, writer, and recipe editor with over 10 years of experience. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on May 14, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 6 Cheeseburger pasta is full of nostalgic flavor, and still quick enough to make for a weeknight. Our hearty take on this classic meal comes together in just one pan—no need to boil water separately for the pasta. Learn how to make cheeseburger pasta. It's very nearly a one-dish meal, so it'll be a favorite for the cook and the people around the table. Cheeseburger Pasta Ingredients This pasta has several ingredients, but most are pantry staples. Olive oil: For sautéing the vegetables. You can use another high-heat oil, including vegetable oil or canola oil.Onion and garlic: Key flavor-builders for this pasta.Seasonings and condiments: Seasoned salt, pepper, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, mustard add great umami and smoky flavor, much like you expect from a cheeseburger.Ground chuck: It wouldn't be cheeseburger pasta without the meat. We like ground chuck, but you can go leaner with a ground sirloin.Liquids: Beef broth, water, diced tomatoes, half and half add flavor and creaminess.All-purpose flour: For thickening the sauce so you get a rich mouthfeel.Cavatappi pasta: We like the shape and size of this pasta, but you can use any tubular pasta that's a similar size, like penne or rigatoni.Extra-sharp Cheddar cheese: The other namesake ingredient in Cheeseburger Pasta. Swap for a milk or sharp if you don't like the tang of extra-sharp cheese.Scallions: Fresh scallions give a satisfying fresh flavor when sprinkled on top of the pasta. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox How To Make Cheeseburger Pasta This cheeseburger pasta is great for many reasons, and the fact it's made in one-pot is top of the list. Here's a brief outline of the process; get the full recipe below. Step 1: Cook the onions and garlic with the dry seasonings until tender. Warming the spices with the aromatics will help them to bloom and develop more flavor.Step 2: Add the ground chuck, and cook until meat is browned and crumbly. Then sprinkle with the flour and cook 1 minute, coating the meat in the flour.Step 3: Stir in diced tomatoes, beef broth, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Then add pasta, cover, and cook until tender.Step 4: While the pasta cooks, slice the scallions. Keep the dark green parts separate for topping the pasta.Step 5: Once the pasta is tender, add half-and-half, cheese, chili sauce, mustard and the white and light green parts of the scallions. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the dark green parts of the scallions. Our Tips for the Best Cheeseburger Pasta This recipe is incredibly easy to make, but there are a few secrets that will make your pasta even better: Use a skillet with high sides that can accommodate all of the ingredients.Keep the pasta cooking at a simmer (not a full boil), and stir occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking together.If the pasta is getting a little dry towards the end of the cooking time and isn’t tender yet, add a little water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) and keep simmering until it’s ready.Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese won't melt as smoothly in the sauce. Cheeseburger Pasta Topping Ideas For some fun variations, try adding your favorite burger toppings to the pasta. A few of our favorites: Cooked and crumbled baconChopped picklesSauteed mushroomsSliced pickled jalapeño peppers Some of Our Favorite One-Pot Pasta Recipes: If you like the simplicity of dinners that require just one pan, good news. We have several more of these dinners: One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta French Onion Pasta Ravioli Lasagna One-Pot Pasta Ingredients 2 tsp. olive oil 2 cups chopped onion (from 1 large) 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp. seasoned salt 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. smoked paprika 1 lb. ground chuck 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth 1/3 cup water 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 8 oz. uncooked cavatappi pasta 1/2 cup half-and-half 8 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) 4 scallions 1/4 cup chili sauce 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard Directions Cook onion, garlic, and seasonings: Heat olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add onion, garlic, seasoned salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook 3 minutes until beginning to soften. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Cook ground beef: Add ground beef, and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat until brown and crumbly, about 6-8 minutes. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Add liquids: Stir in diced tomatoes, beef broth, water, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Cook pasta: Add pasta, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost fully absorbed and pasta is tender, about 10-11 minutes. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Prepare scallions: While pasta cooks, thinly slice white and light green parts of scallions. Measure dark green parts of scallions to equal 1/4 cup and keep separate. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Add half-and-half and cheese: When pasta is tender, remove from heat. Add half-and-half, stirring until combined. Stir in cheese until smooth. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Stir chili sauce, mustard, and white and light green parts of scallions. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and sprinkle with dark green scallions. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Rate It Print