Ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness is coming your way in the form of One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta.
I know we’re nearing the end of comfort food season, but after an especially trying 13 months, I think we’re allowed a little over-indulgence, don’t you?
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta is the exact warm, comforting, culinary hug you need in your life.
Why is One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta the book-inspired recipe for Wow, No Thank You?
Imagine my surprise to find the book-inspired recipe for Wow, No Thank You already in the book! Samantha Irby’s hilarious collection of essays isn’t a cookbook, but Irby frequently talks about how much she loves food.
She includes her tried-and-true recipe for “Cheeseburger Macaroni” in her book. Although she admits to not being a cook, she says she loves this recipe because it’s yummy and easy to make.
Girl, I hear ya. I’m all about the easy dinner recipes.
And I’m about to make cheeseburger pasta even easier by making it in only…ONE POT.
I’m a huge fan of one pot recipes. Fewer dishes = a happier me.
So, I liberally adapted the “Cheeseburger Macaroni” recipe in Wow, No Thank You to suit my tastes.
And, most importantly, to cook it all in one pot.
If you loved Hamburger Helper as a kid…
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta tastes a lot like Hamburger Helper. Or, so I’ve been told.
I’ve never actually eaten Hamburger Helper. **turns in her Child of the 80s card**
However, Mr Tart assures me that this hearty casserole tastes just like the beloved boxed wonder, but BETTER. Because it’s homemade.
Just like Hamburger Helper, One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta is easy to make without too many extra steps.
There’s the requisite chopping of veggies and browning of ground beef. Admittedly, there’s a good deal of stirring involved, but you can just think of that as a pre-dinner arm workout.
But that all doesn’t really matter because. What matters is that, when you’re done cooking, you have a big ol’ Dutch Oven of creamy, beefy, spicy pasta to throw on your dinner table.
Why I love One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta basically weaves together all the major food groups.
You’ve got seasoned ground beef for protein; diced tomatoes, peppers, and onions for veggies; shredded cheese and milk for dairy; and elbow mac pasta to cover my favorite group, CARBS.
When you think about it, One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta is practically a health food!!!
No, not really. But we can pretend, can’t we?
(Please don’t eat vats of this and blame me at your next cardiologist visit.)
If you’re looking for a solid, comforting meal that comes together without a lot of fuss, look no further than One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta, people.
And shelve the box of Hamburger Helper in your pantry for when the next pandemic hits.
What do you serve with One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta?
Like I said, Cheeseburger Pasta is an all-in-one (pot) meal. You don’t need anything else.
But, if you’re looking for some extra health benefits, maybe serve the casserole with a crunchy Simple Shepherd’s Salad. If you want a light dessert after dinner, try some Lemon Sable Cookies or Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies.
This pasta dish also works great for game day feasts, along with meals like Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings, Cottage (or Shepherd’s) Pie, and Tex Mex Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas.
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 14-oz can of crushed tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups freshly grated yellow cheddar cheese
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Grate cheese and set aside.
- Dice onion and pepper and set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced pepper, diced onion, salt, oregano, paprika, and black pepper to the pot and stir to coat with oil. Let cook until veggies soften, stirring regularly, 7-10 minutes.
- Stir tomato paste into the veggies and let cook another minute.
- Add the ground beef to the Dutch oven and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the flour into the browned beef and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the milk, crushed tomatoes and their juice, and broth to the Dutch oven. Stir ingredients together and bring mixture to a boil.
- Add the uncooked elbow pasta to the Dutch oven and stir to combine, making sure all pasta is submerged in the liquid. Let the mixture come to a boil again, then lower the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook the pasta in the mixture until al dente, stirring regularly, about 20 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of grated cheese into the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top, along with more paprika and oregano if desired, then bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes until bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.
