One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta (Easy 25-Minute Dinner)

Name: One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef (90/10); 2 cups low-sodium beef broth; 1 1/2 cups milk; 2 cups dry cavatappi pasta or macaroni noodles; 1 tablespoon ketchup; ½ teaspoon paprika; 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

↓ Jump to Recipe

This one pot cheeseburger pasta recipe is my homemade version of boxed Hamburger Helper, and it's been a go-to dinner at my house for years! Lean ground beef, corkscrew cavatappi, and sharp cheddar come together in a single skillet, with the pasta simmering right in a creamy, beefy sauce. It's on the table in about 25 minutes, which makes it a lifesaver on busy weeknights.

The big difference from the box is real cheddar and a handful of pantry seasonings instead of a powdered sauce packet. Serve it with a crisp salad or garlicky green beans, and if you want it to taste even more like a cheeseburger, a spoonful of mustard and dill relish gets you there!

Overhead view of a skillet of the finished cheeseburger pasta.

Jump to:

Quick Look
Why This Recipe Works
Cheeseburger Pasta vs. Hamburger Helper
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Cheeseburger Pasta
Scott's Tips
Make-Ahead Tips
Storage and Reheating
What to Serve with Cheeseburger Pasta
Substitutions and Variations
Frequently Asked Questions
More Burger and Pasta Recipes
📖 Recipe
Check out these other pasta recipes

Quick Look

Total time: 25 minutes
Key ingredients: lean ground beef, cavatappi pasta, beef broth, milk, and sharp cheddar
Flavor: cheesy, beefy, and a little tangy, like a cheeseburger in a creamy cheddar sauce
Method: brown the beef, simmer the dry pasta right in broth and milk, then stir in the cheese, all in one skillet
Serve with: a crisp green salad or a simple vegetable side
Storage: leftovers keep in the fridge and reheat well for lunches

What I love most about this recipe is that it's real comfort food without a lot of fuss. There's no separate pot of pasta water to boil and drain, and you probably have everything you need in the pantry and fridge right now. It's also one of the most kid-approved recipes on the site. Readers have told me it won over a house full of picky eaters, and one reader's 4-year-old said "holy cow, this is awesome!"

It's also an easy recipe for newer cooks to master, since there's just one pan and four simple steps. If you make it, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a star rating and a comment below.

Why This Recipe Works

The pasta cooks in the sauce. As the cavatappi simmers in the broth and milk, it releases starch that thickens everything into a creamy sauce. No flour, no roux, and no extra pot to wash.
Broth and milk work together. Beef broth gives the sauce its savory, beefy backbone, and milk makes it rich and creamy. Using low sodium broth keeps you in control of the salt, since the cheddar adds plenty on its own.
Ketchup and paprika bring the burger flavor. A spoonful of ketchup adds a little sweetness and tang, and paprika gives the sauce a warm color. Garlic and onion powder dissolve right into the liquid, so the flavor reaches every noodle.
The cheese goes in off the heat. Cheddar melts smooth and glossy when you stir it in after the pan comes off the burner. Over high heat, the cheese can break and turn the sauce greasy or grainy.

Cheeseburger Pasta vs. Hamburger Helper

The idea behind this recipe is the same one that made boxed Hamburger Helper a weeknight classic: brown some ground beef, then cook the pasta right in the pan with a cheesy sauce. The boxed version gets its sauce from a seasoning and cheese powder packet. This homemade version is modeled after the boxed Cheeseburger Macaroni flavor, but it uses real sharp cheddar, milk, and a few spices you already have in the cabinet.

It takes about the same amount of time as the box, and you get a creamier sauce with a lot more cheddar flavor. You also decide how much salt goes in, which is a big plus if you're cooking for kids.

Ingredient Notes

Ground beef: I use 90/10 lean ground beef. There's less fat to drain, and the finished sauce won't feel greasy. 85/15 works too, just be sure to drain it well.
Beef broth: I reach for Swanson Low Sodium beef broth or Zoup! beef broth. Low sodium matters here because the cheese and seasonings add plenty of salt. Chicken broth works in a pinch.
Milk: I make this with 2% milk. Whole milk makes the sauce a little richer.
Cavatappi pasta: The corkscrew shape grabs onto the sauce and the little bits of beef. Elbow macaroni, small shells, or rotini are good swaps. Stick with a small shape that has a similar cooking time on the box so it finishes along with the sauce.
Sharp cheddar: Sharp cheddar has enough flavor to stand up to the beef and milk, while mild cheddar gets a little lost. Grate it yourself from a block. Bagged shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting smoothly and can leave the sauce grainy.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika (I use Spice Islands) plus Morton kosher salt and black pepper. Along with the ketchup, they give you that classic burger seasoning without a packet.

How to Make Cheeseburger Pasta

Brown and drain the beef. Cook the beef over medium-high heat and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon so you get beef in every bite. Let it get some real browning instead of just turning gray, since those browned bits add a lot of flavor. Drain off the fat, even with lean beef, or the sauce can turn greasy.
Add the liquids, pasta, and seasonings. Pour in the broth and milk, then add the pasta, ketchup, and seasonings. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and make sure the pasta is mostly under the liquid.
Boil, then simmer low and covered. Once it comes to a boil, give it a good stir, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to low. Stir every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom. It's ready when the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. The sauce should still look a little loose at this point.
Melt in the cheese and let it rest. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheddar until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. The sauce thickens as it rests and clings to every noodle.

Close up shot of the finished cheesy pasta with ground beef.

Scott's Tips

Heat control is everything. I've made this one for my family more times than I can count, and the biggest lesson is not to let it keep boiling. A hard boil scorches the milk on the bottom of the pan and cooks the outside of the pasta before the inside is done. Bring it to a boil, stir, cover, and drop it straight to low.
Use a heavy 12-inch skillet with a lid. I use a cast iron skillet because it holds steady, gentle heat and gives the pasta room to cook in an even layer. A tight-fitting lid keeps the liquid from evaporating before the pasta is tender.
Scrape the bottom when you stir. Use a flat-edged wooden spoon and run it across the bottom of the pan each time you stir. That's where the pasta likes to stick. Just don't stir constantly, or the pasta can break apart.
Taste after the cheese goes in. Cheddar adds a good amount of salt, so taste the finished pasta before adding any more salt or pepper.

Make-Ahead Tips

The easiest way to get a head start is to mix up a jar of the cheeseburger pasta seasoning. Combine 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons onion powder, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons paprika, and 2 teaspoons black pepper in a small jar and shake well. That's enough for four batches. Use a scant 2 tablespoons (5½ teaspoons) per pound of beef, and store the jar in the pantry with your other spices.

You can also brown and drain the ground beef up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. On the night you make it, add the beef to the skillet with the broth, milk, pasta, ketchup, and seasonings, and pick up from the boil.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta keeps soaking up the sauce, so it will be thicker the next day.

To reheat, warm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until it's creamy and hot. In the microwave, cover the bowl, add a splash of milk, and heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between.

Freezing

Let the pasta cool completely, then freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove with a splash of milk. The pasta softens a bit and the cheese sauce can turn slightly grainy after freezing, so it's at its best fresh or from the fridge.

What to Serve with Cheeseburger Pasta

This hearty hamburger pasta is rich and cheesy, so I like to pair it with something bright and crunchy. A tangy salad cuts through the cheese, and a simple green vegetable rounds out the plate.

Substitutions and Variations

More burger flavor: Stir 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard in with the broth and milk, then stir in 2 tablespoons of dill pickle relish along with the cheese. A dash of Worcestershire sauce or a tablespoon of tomato paste stirred in with the seasonings adds even more savory depth. Dijon works in place of the yellow mustard for a sharper bite.
Fresh onion: Brown ½ cup of diced yellow onion with the beef for a little sweetness and texture.
Extra creamy: Stir in ¼ cup of sour cream or 2 ounces of softened cream cheese along with the cheddar for an even richer, tangier sauce.
A little heat: Add a pinch of cayenne with the seasonings or a few dashes of hot sauce at the end.
Bacon cheeseburger pasta: Stir in 4 to 6 slices of crumbled cooked bacon with the cheese, or sprinkle it on top right before serving.
Ground turkey or sausage: Swap in lean ground turkey or ground pork sausage for the beef. Turkey is milder, so taste the sauce at the end and add a pinch more salt or garlic powder if it needs it.
Burger toppings: Top each bowl like a burger with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, chopped dill pickles, or sliced green onions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, but move it to a large Dutch oven or deep pot so all of the pasta fits under the liquid. It will take a few extra minutes to come to a boil and may need a few more minutes to simmer. Start checking the pasta at the original time and keep going until it's tender.

What if the pasta is still firm or the sauce is too thin?

If the liquid is gone but the pasta still has some bite, add a splash of broth or water, cover, and simmer a few more minutes. If the pasta is done but the sauce looks thin, simmer it uncovered for a minute or two. Remember that the sauce also thickens once the cheese goes in and the pasta rests.

How can I make it lower in sodium?

Use low-sodium broth and start with 1 teaspoon of salt instead of 1½ teaspoons. Since cheddar is naturally salty, taste the pasta after the cheese is stirred in and add more salt only if it needs it.

More Burger and Pasta Recipes

If you try this recipe, don't forget to leave a RATING or COMMENT below. I would love to hear from you!!! And FOLLOW me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest recipes!

Add As a Trusted Google Source

📖 Recipe