American
One-Pan Cheeseburger Pasta
Elbow pasta simmers in the same skillet as seasoned ground beef, tomato, and a cheddar finish. Dill pickle chips stay on the side so the sauce stays savory instead of briny.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The elbows cook in the beef and tomato liquid, so the seasoning gets into the pasta.
- Tomato paste is cooked for a minute so the sauce tastes roasted, not raw.
- Cheddar goes in off the heat so it melts smoothly instead of turning grainy.
- Pickles are a side, not a simmered ingredient, so the sauce does not go sour.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the beef and onion. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces, until the onion is soft and the beef is browned with no pink left. Check the thickest pieces for 160°F.
- 2
If the pan looks greasy, spoon off the extra fat and leave about 1 tbsp. Stir in the garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, and pepper. Cook 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire. Stir for 1 minute, until the paste darkens a shade.
- 4
Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the broth. Scrape the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the dry elbows and bring the liquid to a boil.
- 5
Drop the heat to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered 12 to 14 minutes, stirring often so the elbows do not stick, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened into a sauce. If the pan goes dry before the pasta is cooked, add 1/4 cup water.
- 6
Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the cheddar until it melts into the sauce. Taste and add salt if the broth was unsalted.
- 7
Spoon into bowls. Serve dill pickle chips on the side, not stirred into the pasta.
Pro tips
- Use a deep skillet or Dutch oven. A shallow pan boils over once the pasta and broth go in.
- Stir more often in the last 5 minutes. That is when elbows settle and scorch.
- If you only have 80 percent lean beef, drain the fat down to about 1 tbsp before the tomato paste goes in.
Easy substitutions
- ground beef
- ground turkey, cooked to 165°F
- elbow macaroni
- small shells of the same weight
- shredded cheddar
- shredded Colby Jack
Storage and reheating
Storage
Cool leftover pasta in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep it covered for up to 3 days. The cheese will thicken in the cold.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet over medium-low with a splash of water, stirring until the sauce loosens and the pasta is hot, about 5 minutes. A microwave works in 45-second bursts if you stir between them.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 740
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop, One Pan · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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