Description
This easy cheeseburger pasta dinner casserole is a quick, family-friendly meal that combines the bold flavors of a cheeseburger with the creamy comfort of pasta. Packed with ground beef, cheddar, and a tangy ketchup-mustard blend, it’s a satisfying weeknight casserole that kids and adults will love.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 cup beef broth
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup chopped pickles (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni until al dente, then drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until it begins to brown.
3. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Continue cooking until beef is cooked through and onions are soft.
4. Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, tomato paste, ketchup, and mustard. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
5. Pour in the beef broth. Bring to a light simmer. Stir in cream cheese and half of the cheddar until smooth.
6. Add cooked pasta and mix everything together until evenly coated.
7. Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
8. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–20 minutes until bubbly and golden.
9. Optionally, top with chopped pickles before serving.
10. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking.
Use any short pasta like penne or rotini if elbow macaroni isn’t available.
For added heat, toss in a few dashes of hot sauce or chopped jalapeños.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg