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It’s hard to go wrong with a cheesy pasta dish, but when you add savory ground beef and some simple herbs and spices? Now you’ve got an easy dinner that’s sure to be a hit.
And if that wasn’t enough, this cheeseburger macaroni is made in one pan in about 20 minutes.
Easy and delicious? Talk about a win-win!
What you’ll need to make cheeseburger macaroni:
- A large skillet with a lid – To help the pasta cook evenly, a wide skillet works best, ideally one that’s more than 12 inches in diameter.
- Mesh strainer – Normally you don’t need to drain the grease when cooking with lean ground beef, but if you do, a mesh strainer will help ensure you don’t lose any of the cooked meat.
- Heat resistant spoon or spatula – Ideal for cooking, stirring, and serving.
Notes & tips for homemade cheeseburger macaroni
- This recipe calls for cheddar cheese, but feel free to use any type of cheese that you like! Try Mexican blend or American cheese.
- I like to add tomatoes for a more authentic “cheeseburger” experience, but you can get creative with this step. You can use another type of canned tomatoes (like salsa or tomatoes with green chilies) to add a bit more flavor.
- In the mood for another delicious one-pot meal? Check out this recipe for One Pan Cheesy Taco Skillet.
More great pasta recipes
How do you make cheeseburger macaroni in one pot?
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
One pot recipes really are a thing of magic, but the process is simple enough. Use the right ingredients in the right order and you’ll only need to wash one pan when you’re done.
Step 1 – Cook and crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. You can use olive oil and season with minced garlic if you’d like.
Step 2 – Add your spices and mix them in with the cooked meat. For this recipe, it has Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3 – Add the liquid (typically chicken broth or water) and uncooked pasta (this recipe uses elbow pasta).
Step 4 – Bring to a boil, then cover the skillet and cook until pasta is tender, typically 10-15 minutes.
Step 5 – Mix in cheeses and any other additions you’d like. Cover the pot again and let the cheese melt for 2-4 minutes.
Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch salt, to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 8 ounce elbow pasta, (uncooked)
- 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 16 ounce diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
- parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden brown and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add ground beef to skillet and cook and crumble until browned, about 5-8 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Add Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, and pepper to ground beef, then quickly stir to coat the ground beef.
- Pour in chicken broth and elbow pasta to skillet, then stir. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and allow to cook until pasta is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Lift lid and add cheddar cheese and diced tomatoes, then stir to mix. Return lid and let cheeseburger macaroni sit for 2-4 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Serve cheeseburger macaroni immediately with chopped parsley as garnish.
Video
Nutritional Information
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Have you made this recipe?
Tag @homemadehooplah and hashtag it #homemadehooplah so I can see what you whipped up!
Darcy Reed
i love it it was so different and my family ate all of it I didnt change anything about it It was just so very good
Karen
This came out good, but I had to add more than a cup of chicken broth…it was not enough. I also added a bit of 1% milk and it’s nice and creamy. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Pat
Definitely add more liquid! Otherwise great recipe
Ashley
I added diced onions, carrots, and red bell peppers to the ground beef. Then I added 28oz of diced tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of cream to cook the noodles in. Also added Italian seasoning, could still use more seasoning, its slightly bland.
Teacher Mom
I would make these changes next time:
1. Cook the pasta separately – after 10 minutes everything was stuck to the bottom of the pan and the pasta was still uncooked. Or, you need to add lots more liquid.
2. Add a second can of diced tomatoes.
3. I also added 1 diced onion and cooked it with the ground beef. Could also use ground turkey.
4. Serve with diced pickles.
Delicious, but could use a bit of altering.