One Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
This one pot cheeseburger casserole makes for a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love. With all the flavors of an actual burger, serve it with your favorite toppings for an easy authentic taste in one stop, pasta casserole form!
Prepping family dinner can be harder than I’d like to admit.
Sometimes even something like cheeseburger seem like too much of a stretch to me after a long day.
Luckily, that’s where casserole’s come in to play.
They’re a win for everyone as far as I’m concerned.
Dinner’s on the table in less than an hour, and with flavors the whole family loves.
All I had to do? Well that was pretty much to throw some ingredients in a pot and stir everything around until done.
Just the kind of meal I need on a busy night- this one pot cheeseburger casserole.
Ingredients Needed
I love a trusty one pot meal.
This one doesn’t require any complicated ingredients either.
Just another positive check off the list for me!
- ground beef – you can use any variety, but I recommend a leaner cut because of less grease and less meat lost during the cooking process.
- olive oil
- onion – white onion works best, and you’ll need to peel and dice it.
- diced tomatoes – the canned variety, and you can use either regular diced tomatoes or the petite kind.
- tomato sauce – plain tomato sauce, not spaghetti sauce and not a seasoned variety.
- chicken broth – homemade or store bought will both work
- water
- ketchup
- mustard
- pasta – you want a short pasta that will cling to the ingredients, like rotini, elbow, shells, or penne.
- cheddar cheese – shredded cheese, the bagged kind or freshly grated will both work in this recipe.
- toppings – your favorite burger toppings, examples being freshly diced tomato, sliced green onions, shredded lettuce, dill pickle chips, etc.
This cheeseburger casserole recipe is super easy, & so quick to prepare, and all with the same great cheeseburger flavors we crave.
And I can’t stress this enough… it did in fact taste just like a cheeseburger!
How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole
To a large heavy bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, add the oil.
Heat it over medium heat, until the oil’s hot. A good indication the oil’s hot & ready is when it looks shimmery on the surface.
Add the onions and stir, cooking until softened.
Add the ground beef to the pot, and let it cook. Use a sturdy spoon to break it up as it does.
Continue cooking the ground beef until it’s cooked through and completely crumbled.
Drain off the excess grease, and then season the cooked beef with salt & pepper to taste.
At this point add in the tomatoes, sauce, broth, water, pasta, ketchup, and mustard.
Stir everything together to evenly combine.
Increase the heat to high, and let the mixture come to a rolling boil. As soon as it does, reduce the heat significantly.
Watch and make sure the mixture’s only at a simmer, and stir.
Cover and let the cheeseburger casserole mixture cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta’s tender.
Remove the pot from heat, and give everything in the pot a good stir.
Stir in one cup of shredded cheddar cheese, until evenly incorporated.
Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese evenly out over the one pot cheeseburger casserole.
Return the lid to the pot, and let the dish sit until the cheesy topping has melted completely.
Less mess, less clean-up, but some very satisfied customers.
Suggested Topping Ideas
Sprinkling on some of our favorite traditional cheeseburger toppings rounded out the truly authentic taste.
Ideas included:
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- sliced dill pickles
- onion rings, red or white
- crispy bacon
- avocado
- sautéed mushrooms
- other condiments, like ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, or even a drizzle of hot sauce
While the rest of us opted for more traditional offerings like tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and pickles- I did have to draw the line for the oldest son at mayonnaise.
There is no good way to top this one pot cheeseburger casserole with mayo.
As much as I love mayo on my burgers too, it really doesn’t need it either.
What is it about teenage boys and mayonnaise? He puts it on everything.
Eventually I caved at steak sauce, as long as it remained only on his plate.
This one pot cheeseburger pasta meal really is outstanding.
Shake things up, and step outside of the box, the next night you’re craving burgers by giving this a try!
Other Savory One Pot Dinner Ideas To Try
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One Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire seasoning optional
- 1/2 tsp Montreal steak seasoning optional
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- freshly diced tomato
- green onions thinly sliced
- pickles
- shredded lettuce
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, or large pot, add olive oil. Over medium heat, saute onions until softened.
- Increase heat to high and add ground beef. Brown ground beef. Drain.
- Return beef to pot and season with salt and pepper.
- Add canned tomatoes, sauce, broth, water, pasta, ketchup, and mustard to the pot. Stir to evenly combine.
- Bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Once pasta is cooked, remove the pot from heat and stir in one cup of cheddar cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over top the pasta and re-cover with lid until the cheese is melted.
- Serve, with your choice of the traditional cheeseburger toppings to enjoy.
Nutrition
post originally published August 26, 2013
recipe adapted from Number 2 Pencil
