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One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta is a creamy weeknight dinner with seasoned ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and melted cheddar. Cook everything in one Dutch-oven-style pot, then finish with cream cheese and a gradual cheese melt for a smooth, saucy texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lean ground beef
  • 1 lb lean ground beef lean ground beef
Yellow onion
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
Garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
Tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Ketchup
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
Yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Paprika
  • 1 tsp paprika
Onion powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
Garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Salt
  • 1 tsp salt
Beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
Milk
  • 1.5 cup milk
Elbow macaroni
  • 12 oz elbow macaroni uncooked
Sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
Mozzarella cheese
  • 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese
Cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese
Fresh parsley
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
Dill pickle slices
  • 0.25 cup dill pickle slices optional

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and build the base
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until cooked through and no longer pink. You should see browned bits forming on the bottom of the pot.
  2. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes. Stir until the onion softens and turns slightly translucent.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic for 30 seconds. Keep it moving so it becomes fragrant without browning too much.
  4. Mix in the tomato paste, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute until the mixture looks evenly combined and thickened.
Cook the pasta
  1. Pour in the beef broth and milk, stirring to combine with the seasoned beef. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  2. Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni until submerged. Make sure the pasta is evenly distributed in the liquid.
  3. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Look for steady bubbles across the surface rather than a hard rolling boil.
  4. Cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the pasta is tender. Watch for the pasta to soften while the sauce thickens.
Melt cheese and finish
  1. Reduce heat to low. This prevents the milk proteins from separating as you melt the cheese.
  2. Stir in the cream cheese. Stop when it fully disappears into the sauce and looks smooth.
  3. Add the cheddar and mozzarella gradually until completely melted. Keep stirring so the cheese melts in without clumping.
  4. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and optional dill pickle slices before serving. Add the pickles for a tangy, burger-style bite.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, keep the heat on low once you start melting cheeses so the sauce stays smooth. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk or broth. Freezing is not recommended because pasta and dairy can change texture after thawing. If you need a dairy swap, use a dairy-free cream cheese and a melty dairy-free cheddar-style cheese substitute.