Y’all know I love to get creative with flavors, but every once in a while I get in the mood for straight-up American comfort food, like cheeseburgers. When that craving hit this week I decided to make a cheeseburger flavored pasta, which gives me all that cheeseburger flavor with a lot less actual burger. Because when meat is one of the most expensive items at the grocery store you have to streeeeeeeeetch it any way you can. This One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta does just that. If you loved Hamburger Helper when you were growing up, you’re going to love this homemade version even more!
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Hot Dog Relish is the Secret Ingredient
This cheeseburger pasta is super good even without the relish, but adding a couple spoonfuls of hotdog relish at the end really makes it taste like you’re eating a hamburger. What is hot dog relish? It’s basically a dill pickle relish mixed with yellow mustard. If you can’t find hot dog relish at your grocery store, you can buy plain dill relish and mix a little yellow mustard into it (about a teaspoon).
How to Serve Cheeseburger Pasta
I’m usually all about stuffing my recipes with as many vegetables as possible, but I couldn’t figure out a way to incorporate more vegetables into this recipe without making it less hamburger-like, so I’m just going to suggest you serve it with a simple side salad. Nothing fancy, maybe just some Romaine, tomatoes, and dressing. Keep it easy. :) And maybe Homemade Garlic Bread. Because every meal is better with garlic bread. ;)
Freeze Some For Later
Saucy pasta dishes like this freezer pretty well, IMHO, so if you’re cooking for yourself this would make a good cook-and-freeze-for-later dish. If you’re extra sensitive to texture changes like pasta getting slightly softer, though, you may not be a fan of the leftovers.
Tips for Cooking One Pot Pasta
Cooking one pot pasta recipes is a little bit like riding a bike. You have to watch it and adjust to the nuances of the pasta as it cooks, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze. Here are a few tips:
- Use heavy, thick cookware to help the ingredients heat evenly.
- Use a burner size close to the size of the bottom of your pot for even heating.
- The broth does not need to fully cover the pasta for it to cook, so resist the urge to add extra water or broth.
- Make sure the liquid is simmering the whole time the pasta is cooking. If the heat is too low, the pasta will just get gummy.
- Stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking, but not too often or your risk breaking down the pasta.
- Use your judgment. If your pasta looks close to being cooked through, but there is too much liquid left in the skillet, let it finish simmering with the lid off. If the liquid is gone but your pasta is still not tender, add a splash more water or broth and continue to simmer.
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Servings 4 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 yellow onion ($0.25)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 1/2 lb. ground beef ($2.50)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1 8oz. can tomato sauce ($0.29)
- 2 cups beef broth ($0.26)
- 1/2 lb. pasta shells, uncooked ($0.50)
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded ($0.75)
- 2 Tbsp hot dog relish ($0.16)
- 2 green onions, sliced (optional) ($0.20)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion. Add the onion, olive oil, and ground beef to a large deep skillet and sauté over medium heat until the beef is fully browned and the onion is soft and translucent. Drain off any excess fat, if needed.
- Add the flour to the skillet and continue to stir and cook for one minute more. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the skillet. Be careful not to let the flour burn.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the flour off the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the uncooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine. The liquid in the skillet may not fully cover the pasta, but that is okay.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let the liquid come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, give it a quick stir to loosen any pasta from the bottom of the skillet, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to low. Let the pasta simmer, stirring occasionally (always replacing the lid), for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened. Turn the heat off.
- Add the shredded cheddar to the skillet and stir until it has melted into the sauce. Stir the hot dog relish into the sauce and then top with sliced green onions. Serve hot.
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Equipment
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet
Nutrition
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If you love easy one pot pasta dinners, check out our One Pot Meals category!
How to Make Cheeseburger Pasta – Step by Step Photos
Start by finely dicing one onion. Add the onion, 1/2 lb. lean ground beef, and 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large deep skillet. Sauté the onion and beef until the beef is fully browned and the onions are soft and translucent. Drain off any excess fat, if needed (if you’re using 90% lean or higher, there probably isn’t anything to be drained off).
Add 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour to the skillet and continue to stir and cook for one minute. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the skillet. This is okay, just be sure to watch it closely and not let it burn. The flour will help thicken the sauce and help the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce.
Add an 8oz. can of tomato sauce and 2 cups beef broth. Stir to dissolve the flour off the bottom of the skillet.
Add ½ lb. uncooked pasta shells to the skillet and stir to combine. The liquid in the skillet does NOT need to fully cover the pasta for it to cook. The steam in the skillet will help cook the pasta that is above the surface and the pasta will be stirred to ensure even cooking.
Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the liquid to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, give it a quick stir to loosen any pasta from the bottom of the skillet, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer, stirring occasionally (always replacing the lid), for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened. Turn the heat off.
Add 4oz. shredded cheddar cheese and stir it into the pasta until it is melted and creamy.
Finally, add 2 Tbsp of hot dog relish (mustard dill relish), and stir it into the sauce. I feel like the relish is what really made this taste like a hamburger, but if you’re not into relish you skip this last step and still have an amazingly cheesy beef pasta.
I had some green onions in the fridge, so I sliced a couple up and added them on top. They add just a little extra pop of flavor and nice visual appeal to the otherwise very monochromatic dish.
OMG look at that cheesy sauce! 😍
Came out pretty alright. Ended up using a 6oz can of tomato paste instead of 8oz sauce and used sweet mustard pickles instead of hotdog relish. Also doubled the amounts to avoid being stuck with a 1/2lb and reheated pretty well.
I wanted to like this, but it’s so bland and doesn’t taste like cheeseburger at all. My kids likes it though so that’s a win though!
Tastes really good and overall very easy to make, but sticks to the bottom of the pot like no tomorrow! Had to stir it nearly every minute, which resulted in my sauce reducing quickly and my pasta breaking down a little. I might skip the flour next time to ease that problem a little. I also doubled the recipe because I didn’t want to be stuck with 1/2 lb of ground beef, 1/2 bag of shredded cheese, and 1/2 a box of pasta leftover. Good recipe in a pinch, and very inexpensive! Makes plenty.
Great recipe. Very easy and super tasty. I simmered the pasta an extra 5 minutes as it wasn’t quite done at ten. Thanks so much!
Does it have to be hotdog relish or can it be hamburger relish?
I’ve never seen a relish labeled Hamburger relish near me, so I’m not sure what that entails! However if you use plain dill relish, you can just add a bit of mustard to it to get the same flavor as a hotdog relish.
I used regular dill relish – perfect.
This is fantastic. We have a toddler with some food sensitivities, so we swapped the pasta out for GF Penne, the cheese for Violife “Just like cheddar shreds” and the flour out for “Arrowhead Mills” all purpose GF flour and it’s really great. I fortunately can eat anything and I’m sure the recipe is too notch as Beth has written, but want others to know that the changes we made did not impact tastiness one bit. We used “Force of Nature” Ancestral Blend Beef with added organ meat for some additional nutrients and there is no organ meat flavor. 100% toddler approved over here. Thanks Beth! Ps. We served with some oven roasted broccoli.
I’m obsessed with how easy and tasty this is. It’s also vaguely nostalgic since it reminds me of (better) Hamburger Helper from my childhood.
Good combination of flavors! I made once per the instructions, but on the second time, I had a little better success with this recipe when I did not use the flour. This allowed me to boil the pasta at a higher temperature with less sticking. I waited till the pasta was about done, and just added approximately 1/4 to 1/2 cup more of broth mixed with a tablespoon of cornstarch, and cooked for a bit longer, and finished according to the instructions.
Where I live, hot dog relish is made with SWEET pickles and yellow mustard. How would that work here?
I didn’t have relish so I just cut up some of my favorite pickles very finely and threw that in instead :)
Definitely a family hit! Everyone loved it. Oddly tastes just like a McDonald’s cheeseburger per my 8 y/o son. Will absolutely make this again, especially on a busy school and sports weeknight.
A little too much tomato flavor, but otherwise quite good! I did season with Weber’s gourmet hamburger seasoning blend while the ground turkey cooked because I feel it is a crime not to season meat. I also think in the future I may reduce the amount of shells I use so the ratio of pasta to meat is closer to what I like. This totally satisfied my craving of hamburger helper without all the added sodium and crap of a boxed meal.
My husband liked this very much. When I made it, the flour made 2 piles of glues. I just put them in the trash and the dish was fine. Great for weeknight dinner. I served pan fried summer squashes with it and garlic toast.
I was so excited to make this recipe for my family. I recently was laid off from my job and this dish is the last straw. Quite awful. Now looking for something to eat for dinner instead of this. Maybe some seasoning, salt, or less tomato sauce would have made this edible?
Very very bland, I felt like I had to dump an entire spice rack in it. I added the relish and wish I didn’t! T
I thought this was going to be a leveled up hamburger helper, but I rather of cooked the hamburger helper!
10/10, this is the recipe that got me into cooking. I recommend trying it with Mexican blend cheese instead of cheddar, in my opinion it elevates it
I agree this recipe doesn’t need flour as the noodles and cheese alone thicken it up by themselves nicely. Reading the comments about the blandness I gotta address… Use your preferred seasonings after adding the broth and tomato sauce, this is just a bare bone recipe from reading it. Season your meat before it starts to cook as well! This is my 2nd time making this recipe. I must add: while adding the cheese and melting it, splash some milk to keep it a somewhat saucy cheese if you would like to have a similar cheesiness to the Hamburger Helper recipe. 1st time making it had to throw it out cuz the tomato flavor was too much and threw my mind for a loop as I was expecting cheese flavor. 2nd time around of adding seasonings and the milk trick made this dish flavorful.
I’ve made this twice. First time I was missing the can of tomato sauce. I substituted pasta (a tomato based) sauce and tomato paste. I thought it tasted amazing. I enjoyed that much more than when I followed the recipe correctly the second time, that was bland
Hi there I was wondering. How much pasta sauce did you use with the tomato paste?
I remember using a 1:1 ratio for the pasta sauce. I for the tomato paste, I don’t remember exactly, I want to say a table spoon, but I recall feeling it out and doing it to taste
Delicious. I used plant-based grounds instead of the beef to make it vegetarian, and it turned out really well. Looking forward to the leftovers!
It was certainly easy enough, but I felt the flavor a bit bland. I used a full # of ground beef. Added some chopped yellow peppers & a full T. of Worcestershire sauce & about a t. Of smoked paprika.
In regards to the added relish: didn’t find “hot dog relish” so added mustard to the dill relish I had
Everyone loved it! And was surprised at the “relish” that was in it. I’ll make it again but I’ll add shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes to it at the end
This absolutely does NOT need the flour; the first time I made this it ended up with a awful congealed, heavy mess of a sauce that made the dish so hard to eat. On my second run I completely omitted the flour and got a much better result – the pasta being cooked in the sauce gives it more than enough thickness.
We don’t have hotdog relish here in my country so for seasoning I added salt and pepper, mustard, worcester sauce, smoked paprika and – this is the ingredient that I think really makes it – diced gherkins. The gherkins add a tanginess that’s really reminiscent of a cheeseburger flavour. I might try adding some dill next time as you mention this is what’s in the hotdog relish and see if that makes it any better.
RE hot dog relish. A lot of commenters are unable to find it, I get it. Would it perhaps be a regional thing? Around here you can get both Sweet and Dill relish but the sweet has no mustard in it. But we do have something called Chow-Chow that may be what’s needed. Ever hear of it?
Delicious and super easy to make! This is going into the regular rotation of recipes for sure! Makes for great left overs too!
My family and I make this quite a lot. The kids are always excited when they ask what’s for dinner that night and we tell them CheeseBurger Mac. We always used to use the Primo shells from Aldi which were a little more expensive but the were AWESOME with this recipe. Now we cannot find those shells at any of our local Aldi stores now. But regular shells work well. Highly recommend this recipe 10 our of 10.
Definitely not a fan. Wanted it to be good, but even my teen passed on it.
Bland. Ended up throwing out. Family wouldn’t eat it
This pasta is delicious! Quick and easy to make, and I love how it tastes like Hamburger Helper. I used elbow macaroni instead of shells and omitted the hot dog relish as they didn’t have those things at my grocery store. The cheese is a perfect touch and melted perfectly.
a new favorite! way better than hamburger helper but just as tasty and comforting. i added a few things; added 1tsp smoked paprika, 1/2tsp dried garlic, and 1/4tsp black pepper to the flour, and then about a tbsp each of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce. i also shredded a whole zucchini and added it in with the pasta for extra veggies. this will be in the regular rotation for sure.
THIS. WAS. SO. GOOD. 5 stars, hands-down.
I didn’t add the soy sauce or zucchini because I didn’t have them, but I made it this way with the additional spices and it was amazing. My husband said he’d eat it twice a week lol.
I made a double batch of this and it was delicious!! I used penne pasta since that was all I had, and omitted the relish. It was simple to make and turned out fantastic!
Made this last night and it was so simple and tasty. The one pot and minimal chopping meant easy cleanup. I made it with violife just like cheddar shreds because my husband is lactose intolerant. I ended up with an amazingly creamy and cheesy dish! I loved the mustard and dill relish but only added it to my portion. Will definitely make again!
I didn’t have onions and hotdog relish doesn’t exist in my country, so I substituded the onion for a tablespoon onion powder. This pasta is like getting the perfect bite of bechamelsauce and tomato sauce in a lasagna. I will absolutely be making this again.
this was gross and had no flavour. I would not recommend
3 stars for the inspiration. After reading the reviews I chose to put my own spin on it. Browned ground beef with onions and garlic. Don’t like sugar so used tomato paste, beef broth concentrate, flour, water. Cheddar cheese, seasoned salt, squeeze of ketchup, yellow mustard and chopped dill pickles and chopped raw onions sprinkled on top. Kids and adults loved it. Will be making this again. In fact my husband asked for the recipe to be written down and stuck on the fridge so he can make it himself.
I enjoy many recipes from BudgetBytes. This wasn’t one of them. The dish is bland and oddly sweet from the tomato sauce (which I’d cut if I were to ever make this again). I was hoping it would at least make for good leftovers, but it didn’t.
We skipped the relish and added mustard, worcestershire sauce, and a bag of baby spinach stirred in to wilt at the end. Great comfort food!
I did not find hot dog relish at my market or could make it for this recipe, however I did thoroughly enjoy it, and would make it again soon with the relish. I doubled mild cheddar for extra cheesiness and ground beef for more filling recipe.
It wasn’t until I taste tested this dish at the finals step did I realize that the most basic seasonings, S+P, weren’t listed. Definitely recommend at least a teaspoon of salt to compliment the sweet relish.
It was good. The relish is a definite, but it needs some more seasoning. We’ll make it again, but doctor it up a bit.
I love this recipe! I always double the ground beef. It’s so good on a chilly winter night. It just hits the spot with the ground beef and the cheese and the carbs. I’ve started keeping hot dog relish in the house for when we crave it!
This is a basic, bland, cafeteria-tasting goulash. I gave it two stars because it is easy to make that’s its only saving grace.
I added salt, pepper, and some garlic powder hoping it would save it but the pasta was STILL bland. I tried it because it had 5 star reviews but I am disappointed.
First, I’m obsessed with all of the Budget Bytes one pot meals! They always turn out so great and I’m so grateful for the easy cleanup on busy week nights. This pasta is delicious and really does evoke a cheeseburger! Thanks for another lovely recipe that appeals do the adults AND the kids in the family!
I don’t believe that the pasta came out looking like the picture using shredded cheese. My pasta came out very stringy and almost dry. This was okay, but I think it would have been much better using Velveeta instead of shredded cheese.
Were you using pre-shredded cheese? You’ll always get a smoother melt if you shred the cheese yourself since pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents.
This was SO good. After I tried it the first time, I started thinking about the elements I like in a cheeseburger, and I decided that maybe a drizzle of ketchup and mustard might take it to the next level— I was right. Just drizzled it right on top of my personal serving. Definitely recommend to anyone wanting that authentic cheeseburger flavor! Just a tiny amount is perfect.
This has become one of my family’s favorite meals! It’s so good! The only problem I’m having is the noodles are constantly sticking to the bottom of the pan. I will stir every couple minutes and they continue to stick. Any advice?
I’d recommend turning down the heat just a little. I’d also suggest maybe stirring a little bit less. Stirring too much makes the pasta release starch, which will cause it to stick even more. ~ Marion :)
This was so simple and so amazing! Thank you, Beth, we love this recipe so much! The only change I made was to add salt and pepper because I use salt free beef stock and salt free tomato sauce. My husband and I were both skeptical of the relish so we added a tiny amount to our bowls after serving. It was soo good, it totally changes the dish! We will be making this again for sure!
Amazing and so simple! Thank you Beth we loved this recipe! My only change was to add salt and pepper because I had salt free beef stock and salt free tomato sauce. My husband and I were both skeptical of the relish and we were so glad we added it! It totally made the dish.
Hi, Beth. I made this last night for dinner. As promised, it was affordable, really quick and easy to put together, and super tasty!! Thank you so much for the recipe.
The relish was way too overpowering for me (and I love relish). It was still easy and overall pretty good. I think 1 tsp of relish for a hint of that flavor would have worked better but that’s just a personal preference.
This was really good! I made it with Morningstar Crumbles to make it vegetarian. I absolutely DESPISE mustard so I used green chile instead. It was easy as heck to make and full of flavor.
I have made this so many times since I found this recipe. Sometimes I use ground Turkey instead of beef just because I’m trying to eat less red meat, but it still comes out great!
Honestly, Beth taught me how to cook. This is my go-to comfort meal. Highly recommend.
I found this when it was 4pm and I had nothing planned and no desire to make dinner. This turned out delicious and everyone loved it! I only had Annie’s mac n cheese boxes when it came to pasta shells, so I used three boxes as well as the powdered cheese in place of shredded; everything else I kept the same. It was perfect!! I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you!!
I love that you post images. Thank you for that.
Absolute winner prepared exactly as listed with no changes!! Smash hit in my house and I make it again and again. It’s soooo delicious and easy to make during the week. Thank you, Budget Bytes! I’m a huge fan of your recipes. :)
Thanks for being here, Nikki! XOXO -Monti
Do recommend cooking this the day of or can this be made the night before?
I recommend cooking this the day of, as the pasta will soak up the sauce overnight and might get mushy with reheating. We have not tested prepping it the day before, so we cannot tell you for sure what the results will be. However, if you need to prep it the day before, try just making the sauce and then finishing with the pasta the next day. You might also want to experiment with adding uncooked pasta to the sauce and letting it sit in the fridge overnight. The pasta will soak up some of the sauce and soften. Then you can just warm it up the next day. Again we haven’t tested this method, but it’s what I would do if I were in a time crunch. XOXO -Monti
Great recipe, and really well written, as always. To be even MORE BudgetBytes-y, I blitzed some grilled hamburger patties that were leftover from our cookout this weekend in a food processor, to make it into crumbles. Instead of ground beef, I sauteed chopped mushrooms at the beginning with the onions, to add more meaty flavor to the sauce, followed all other steps as written, and then added the already-cooked ground beef when I added the cheese, and honestly, it was fantastic. As someone who does not enjoy eating leftover cooked meat, this recipe delivered. It was delicious, AND it allowed us to avoid wasting valuable food!
Don’t skip the relish!! I don’t like relish on most things and my husband hates pickles, but it took this dish to a whole new level.
Love this as something quick, easy, and cheap to make with leftovers and pantry staples!
Made this. Big hit subbed a tablespoon of taco seasoning for the relish.
I love your one pot pasta recipes!
I tried one last week (creamy mushroom, did it twice once for me and once for my sister in law) and decided to give this one a go.
It’s super good. Creamy and comforting. Followed the instructions and turned out great. Some pasta attached to the pot, but that’s probably because the bottom of my pan isn’t that thick/I didn’t stir enough after adding the liquid. But it was a success anyway, the atraching was really minor. Definitely doing it again soon!
This is a favorite in our house! My 1.5 year old son absolutely devours it and my husband and I love it too so I usually make it about once a week.
Some minor additions – I didn’t have relish the first time I made it so I omitted that, but added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and some squirts of Dijon mustard when I added the tomato sauce. Super flavorful!
This is an all-time favorite in our house, with a few tweaks. I omit the relish, cut the cheese in half, and add about 4 oz. of tomato paste. The paste thickens it up a bit to give it this super creamy texture. We usually use bow-tie pasta instead of shells (personal shape preference). Overall, this is an incredibly easy recipe that has become an instant favorite!
So easy to make.so great to eat.
Hello!
Just wanted to let you know that my wife and I tried this recipe the other night. It so happens that my inlaws were there too. They like the recipe so much that they ask for the leftovers to go!
Anyways, thanks a lot for sharing this. Excited to send the next recipe here to my wife.
Have a great day!
I opted not to use the relish and instead stirred in a dollop of sour cream. Recipe works great with ground turkey too!
Had this for dinner tonight. It was delicious!
What a easy dish this was. I put some twists on it, I added some chili powder, ketchup and garlic. Best part was I charred the ground beef to give it the grilled flavored.
Added ground mustard, ground cayenne, fresh cracked black pepper, and smoked paprika to bump up the flavor since we had no relish. It turned out great- we will definitely be revisiting this quick comfort meal!
Delish ! I followed the recipe 100% except to use 1 lb lean ground beef
Do not skip the hot dog relish ~ it makes the flavour !
My toddlers loved this. It’s the perfect Friday night meal when you want something quick and easy but also super fun to get your weekend started. I totally agree that the relish at the end really makes it.
Absolutely delicious. I omitted the relish and green onions and just did a simple “Hamburger Helper”. I’ll never buy it boxed again.
Followed the recipe as is and here are my thoughts: Not enough beef, way too much cheese, and no seasoning whatsoever. I would follow the other commenter’s advice and lessen the cheese, add more beef, and season to your liking.
Hi
Very good Cheeseburger pasta recipe. I like.
Can anyone recommend the best gluten free flour to replace the all-purpose?
I think any of the all purpose GF flour blends but without any of the gums (xanthan gum, etc) are good; I like King Arthur GF All purpose flour). The gums might make it a little too thick or rubbery.
Mmmmmm – so good and easy! I had ground venison in the freezer so I thawed it and used instead of beef. I also had to use a mix of cheddar and swiss cheese. Added some salt and pepper in the end – sooooo good! Will definitely make again. Hubby loves it too!
I used Light Life Smart Grounds, Daiya cheddar shreds, and vegetable broth to make this vegan and it was *chef’s kiss*
Very good and satisfying. I cooked the noodles separate, used a whole lb of ground beef & seasoned with salt pepper & garlic powder.
Yummy! Doubled recipe and subbed fusilli for shells. This was a hit with the whole family; the kids added ketchup. Adding it to our rotation of recipes to make while camping since it’s so fast and easy and is simple to clean up! Thanks!
Beth wtf this is so goooood!!!! I am not a big cheeseburger fan but I had been seeing the picture from this recipe on your homepage for so long and it looked so appetizing I finally tried it. Holy smokes!!!! It’s incredible!!! Like another commenter, I used veggie broth and fake ground beef and it was just perfect. I didn’t have relish but I used ketchup (like a different commenter suggested) and now I really want to try it with relish. A+ 10/10 will DEFINITELY make again.
I also tried another version where I added chili powder, a little cumin, and half a green pepper and that was amazing, especially with some salsa.
replying to this five months later to say that this is still SO GOOD, probably my favorite recipe on Budget Bytes. I make it probably four or five times a month. Someday I will get sick of it but it has not happened yet! Thank you Beth for a fantastic recipe!!
We love this recipe and have been making it for years. It says it was updated in May, but I don’t see noticeable differences. Did you change something?
My husband and I have more recipes in our rotation than I count that belong to you. Thank you so much for this website!
– Sam
No changes to the actual recipe, just updated the photography and written instructions for clarity. :)
Can I sub tomato sauce for ketchup?
I don’t suggest that as ketchup has a lot of sugar compared to tomato sauce, so your pasta will end up being very sweet.
I made this vegan by using Beyond meat, veggie broth and vegan cheese and it turned out fantastic. It was so quick and easy to make and it was a big hit with everyone.
This was phenomenal! I decided to use a velveeta Mac & cheese box and added some extra ketchup but wow this was great.
I made this today using impossible burger and mushrooms instead of the ground beef and it was SUPER TASTY. I also didn’t have any relish but finely chopped pickles seem to work great too
Wow!! I am pregnant and this hit the craving spot. The whole family loved it too.
This was so satisfying. Like everyone else on here I hemmed and hawed about it as it was cooking but it came out great! We loved it.
Any way to make this without ground beef? Would I have to add anything if I used brown lentils instead, for instance?
I’ve made similar dishes with canned black beans or pinto beans in place of the beef and it works great. :) No need to add anything extra. Just add the drained beans after the onion is sautéed and go from there.
wow I didn’t even see this comment before I made this, but I did exactly that (I had black beans on hand already and didn’t feel like buying ground beef) and it was delicious and still tasted plenty “meaty.” I thought the texture of the beans might make things a little weird, but it didn’t! idk how but the way they end up incorporating into the sauce as it simmers leaves you with spmething not too far off in texture from a meat sauce.
Would ground chicken ruin it? I guess it wouldn’t have that beefy flavour…has anyone tried?
Hi Cindy, I use ground chicken for this meal every time and it’s delicious!
Oh yea of little faith! OK, I doubted…I didn’t believe …I was skeptical. I’m old, I’m grumpy and I am a cynic.
Virtually every recipe from this site has, here to for, been four or five stars. The difference is really only our personal taste preferences, because each one is terrific-every single one. This time, I thought, ‘this young whipper snapper is really going to step in it this time!’ I lived in California 35 years and ate dozens and dozens of Cheese burgers from In ‘n Out Burger-The gold standard for Cheese Burgers in America.
I followed the recipe, I added a few simple ingredients, I stirred, it burbled and I’m thinkin’, ‘Ain’t no way’. Then we sat down to eat. I took one bite…. and I started to laugh. My wife looked at me and said,”What’s so funny?”. ” It tastes like a damn cheeseburger!” It’s supposed to be four servings, but we ate 3/4 ths of the pan…and we were trying to be restrained! We’ll have to double the recipe so we can have left-overs for the freezer….but why when it’s so easy to make? So let me close with one more comment…about this “young whipper Snapper”.
She is, in my personal experience, the rarest of all human creatures. Straight arrow to the bone…solid as a rock…A no BS kind of lady. And probably one who is not to be toyed with! If she says it, it is so. Ya got me Beth…we love you, and your food. If you enjoy cheese burgers make this recipe!
You are FAR too kind! ❤️
So good! The flavors really come together into a fantastic tasting dish. I totally agree on that note that the hot dog relish really gives the dish an oomph. I only wish it made more because I’m so excited to eat this it disappears fast. One note, the pictures don’t show nearly how cheesy it is. I love the cheesiness, but did the recipe actually mean 4 fluid ounces, ie 1/2 cup, rather than 4 net wt ounces, which is about a cup? It’d probably come out good either way, but you really should specify. Great recipe, highly recommend it
whoops, forgot to put the five star rating there
It’s weight ounces. :) Solids, like cheese, are always weight ounces, while fluids are always volume ounces.
I’m usually on the fence about “one pan” or “one pot” meals because they lack flavor, or they’re just a pot of mush. Not the case here. This is grown up hamburger helper. I recently had to go gluten-free for health reasons, so I replaced the flour for cornstarch and the regular pasta for Trader Joe’s black bean fusilli pasta. Instead of hot dog relish, I used Cha Cha (chow chow) for a little less sweetness. This is definitely in the regular rotation!
Oh my STONKIN godness, this recipe is far, FAR more than the sum of its parts. I needed to cook something for the end of the month–the fridge was looking a little bare but I had thawed some ground beef and had some pantry things and cheese…enough to make this.
I looked at the ingredients list and
I DOUBTED. “I don’t have any relish; it probably won’t have the right flavor.” I put the lid on the pot to simmer and I DOUBTED. “This is going to taste like pasta with canned tomato sauce, even with all my seasoning. Sigh.” Then I stirred in the (weighed out) cheese, watched the sauce thicken, and felt HOPE. “Well, maybe this will turn out all right!” I stirred 1 T ketchup and 1 T mustard to substitute for the relish. Then I took the FIRST BITE and became a BELIEVER!!! HOLY COW IT’S DELICIOUS!!! Thank you, BudgetBytes! I don’t think I can ever go back to that boxed stuff!
I’ve never used better than bouillon before. How much do we use in this recipe?
One teaspoon to two cups of water will be sufficient for this recipe. You’ll love using it.
For some reason this turned out so bland! I followed everything as directed and the end result was a goopy, tasteless dish. I even added salt and pepper and then when it still seemed tasteless, I added some sour cream and a bit more salt. Kinda disappointed. :(
I’ve never heard of hot dog or mustard relish and couldn’t find it in any stores. Is there a substitute?
You can just grab dill or sweet pickle relish.
Should probably add mustard as well if you’re going to do that
We loved this so much we made it twice in a day (just made 2 servings on the first try) and made a few changes. I used ground turkey (93/7) and macaroni noodles instead, which made the sauce way too thick the first time around so on the second try I doubled the beef broth and that fixed it. I also used dill pickle relish instead of mustard relish since we’re not big on mustard and it gave it just the right amount of tang! Looking very forward to having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. This is my first time trying a recipe from Budget Bytes and I’ll definitely be coming back for more!
Welcome to Budget Bytes! That pickle relish swap sounds amazing. I may have to try that next time I make this.
Love this one as a stand-by when I’m not up for something more involved.
As others have noted, I do like to salt and pepper during cooking, and I think kosher salt gives the best results.
REVELATION: Arugula. I was served a cheeseburger with arugula instead of lettuce a little while back, and it blew my mind how much it added. Tried adding one 8 oz package of baby arugula at the very end of this (after the cheese is incorporated into the sauce) instead of scallions, and man is it good! Really lifts the dish up, in my opinion, and lets you get a vegetable in along with all the delicious meat, cheese, and carbs.
I toyed with the idea of
Adding spinach to it, but then forgot. Maybe next time.
I had to add salt and pepper while browning the meat, and to taste when it was done. I also did a full pound of hamburger, and thus had to add a little more liquid. But it was super good, my husband loved it. This amount fed two of us for dinner, and for lunch the next day.
This is pretty good, but I felt it needed some modifications. Don’t be afraid to season the meat and onion mixture with salt, pepper, and maybe even some other spices. Although I thought that the dish would be salty because beef broth is salty, the noodles actually soaked up the salt, and the sauce tasted kinda bland. To help remedy that, I added salt and tang in the form of ketchup, about 1/2 cup, mustard about 1/8 cup, more relish and a splash of white vinegar.
As a side note, I made this dish with organic gluten free noodles from Aldi, and they turned out great. Also used Daiya vegan cheddar cheese with good results.
Next time, I think I will also reduce the amount of flour by half, and maybe add 1/4 cup more liquid.
Overall, a hearty, comforting, I’m-not-sorry-I’m-American dish!
I converted this recipe for my Instant Pot and it turned out amazing! I cooked the meat using the sautee function, then added everything else and put it on manual for 5 minutes. I did a quick pressure release and the pasta was perfectly cooked but the sauce was still thin. I added some more flour and a Tbsp of tomato paste (already ready in my freezer thanks to your old article!) and it thickened up beautifully. I think next time (there will be a next time!) I’ll try doing a natural pressure release for 10 minutes or so and see if that helps thicken the sauce more. Thanks so much for your recipes, I love your site!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I made it in my instant pot today and did the 10 minute natural release. The pasta was perfect and the sauce was fine. I didn’t use the flour at all. My family loved it.
I. Am. Obsessed. I swear I make this 3-4 times a month. It’s so easy, so few dirty dishes, and such a good comfort food. I sub veggie broth and veggie grounds to make it vegetarian, and it’s great. The recipe is great just as it’s written, but also simple enough that you can experiment with it a little. I like to add some minced garlic in with the onion, along with some dried oregano, paprika, and sometimes dill. A can of diced tomatoes is a good addition too. One problem I’ve had is that my liquid tends to boil off before the pasta is cooked, so I just add an extra cup or so of water or broth.
(A note about the veggie grounds: Trader Joe’s and Lightlife both hold up well, Beyond Meat definitely does NOT. Those are the only brands I’ve tried so far.
This was soooo goood! I used egg noodles, and chopped dill pickle and a squirt of mustard instead of hot dog relish (which I couldn’t find where I live). The pickle really is key to the cheeseburger flavor. I also stirred it often to prevent sticking. At first I was worried it wasn’t enough liquid but it came together. One pot pasta dishes have a kind of heavy texture compared to when you cook the pasta separate and this dish was no different but the ease of the recipe was worth it and it was totally delicious and filling. Husband and toddler agreed!
My husband loved this but even with watching it closely and stirring while simmering, it burned to the bottom in a bad bad way. I had to soak the pan overnight to get the burned parts off. I think it may be good to add the flour after the pasta has cooked to thicken the sauce.
The Skillet Cheeseburger Pasta is amazing. Since my sister HATES pickle relish, we added 1/2 teaspoon. We also added ketchup and mustard, which made the pasta taste like a cheeseburger. It was so good that I came back for seconds. I want to make this recipe again in the future. Thank you, Beth!!! :-)
This was so delicious! I just made this with a full box of bowtie pasta (all I had on hand) and some homemade marinara sauce leftover from pizza night. I was little worried my flavored sauce would overwhelm the dish, but once I added the relish the whole thing came together and is so good! And I love that I only have one skillet to wash. Such a win!
Hi, thanks for posting this; I didn’t have any relish so I took inspiration from your post and subbed in 1 T ketchup and 1 T mustard and it made this dish AMAZING. Thank you!
This tasted delicious, but my boyfriend decided to doubled the entire recipe and the pasta was really tough. It was the shells that nested into each other too. It was hard to get these to soften up and separate. I think it’s hard to double one-pot recipes like this because of something with the water absorption ratio. We tried to add additional water well after the done time, but it made the pasta both gloopy and yet tough. Still the taste was DELICIOUS. My boyfriend was skeptical about the relish but soon was a fan and wanted to add even more relish, lol. We added peas in an it complimented the dish well. I am going to make this again very soon and then I will give it a rating. TIPS 1) Don’t double this recipe 2) Don’t use pasta that can nest into each other with these one pot recipes since the water cannot flow as freely between pieces of pasta 3) If Beth says to add an unusual secret ingredient, DO IT
This was amazing! Takes just like those cheeseburger hot pockets! We added small diced kosher pickles instead of the relish and it was perfect.
This was the first recipe I made from this site and I loved it. Not only was it easy, but it was delicious! It warmed up even better the second day. I didn’t want to share with my family – I just wanted to eat it all! Will definitely make this again.
I changed a few things. I used extra-lean ground beef and didn’t have to drain it. I cooked it with no oil, but I’ve never cooked ground beef in oil? I added onion and garlic powder to the cooking beef (instead of onions). I used a squirt of yellow mustard instead of relish and it gave the pasta a nice little zing.
So glad I found this site! I think almost all my recipes will come from it. Thanks very much!
Instant hit with my husband and toddler. I substituted lean ground turkey since it was what I had on hand and it turned out delicious! I also snuck a diced green bell pepper in with the onion to up the veggies. This cheap and easy family pleaser will be added to the rotation. Thanks Beth!
Beth, this looks so tasty and comforting. How can I make this part of my Sunday meal prep?
I have been brainstorming what would be good to pair this with for meal prep! Hopefully I’ll come up with something soon. ;)
Do I have to use flour? I don’t have any on hand but have everything else.
Thank you
It helps the cheese melt into the sauce rather then melt into a sticky clump within the pot.
Beth, any suggestions what a good side dish out of your recipes will go with this yummy pasta dish? :)
I’d just do a simple salad or maybe something simple like steamed green beans or broccoli. :) The pasta has a lot going on so I’d keep it simple!
I usually love that your recipes call for less meat but this time I actually have a whole pound of ground beef that needs using, will it mess up the texture or cooking time to use more beef?
It should still work fine. :)
Made this last night and everyone enjoyed it. I didn’t have any mustard relish, so I just added about a tablespoon of yellow mustard and it gave it a great zing. If my kids (7 and 9) weren’t so picky, I’d probably try a variation with a spicy brown mustard. I think that would be good too.
I made this – my kids loved it!!
Just made this tonight, it was great comfort food!
My husband is gluten free, so i made this with Trader Joe’s quinoa pasta and bob’s red mill gluten-free flour.
It turned out great!
Thanks for a quick and tasty recipe.
This sounds yummy and easy… I just can’t help but wonder if this couldn’t be adjusted for a slow cooker recipe? That would be AMAZING!
I’m 33 weeks pregnant and was utterly exhausted this evening- the thought of thinking up what to make for dinner and cooking it was making me want to cry! I had hamburger patties and cheese, so I Googled hamburger cheese pasta and this gem popped up. Thank you for saving my night! I added chopped zucchini for extra nutrients. Yum!
This was some serious comfort food. I used vegetarian beef crumbles and accidentally left out the cheese, so I can vouch for the tastiness of a vegan version of this meal. I loved the relish!
Just made this after getting home from work – so easy! And tasty! Adding it to our weekday dinner rotation
This tasted just like my childhood. So comfort-food-y! I was a little dubious about the relish, but it really made the dish. My toddler hated it though, so evidently his childhood is of a different flavor.
My husband and I absolutely loved this! He wants me to start adding it to every two-week meal plan I do but to try different versions of it just like you can put many different “toppings” on a hamburger. I think I’m going to try mushroom & Swiss cheese next time.
Did anyone else have trouble getting their pasta to soften up? This is on the stove right now, and the pasta is still too hard, after more than the allotted time. :(
Mine took a little longer to cook as well. Just let it simmer until the pasta is soft enough.
I made this without the meat as I want to cut down on eating red meat. That said, I did use a beef cube to make the stock. I just mixed it with 1 cup hot water to dissolve the cube. Seeing as I didn’t use meat, I thought to up the taste, I’d use some mixed herbs, a dash of crushed chillies and a few slugs of Worcester sauce. For the cheese, I used 3 different types to make 4oz. Also didn’t have tomato sauce on hand so I subbed it for a can of chopped tomatoes which i blitzed in the food processor.
The pasta dish was so tasty. Husband loved it.
This is soooooo good. It’s also easy and pretty cheap. We leave the cheese on the side, and, on our first time cooking, left the relish on the side as well because we were skeptical. We now mix it in directly because it’s such a tasty addition–I would even go as far as to say it makes the meal (that is coming from someone who is not a relish person). We happily make double the recipe and feast on the leftovers with huge smiles :). Happy eating!
Phenomenal! My daughter and I are vegetarians, so I did substitute veggie broth and I made the hamburger on the side. But yuuuum!
Delicious as always. Thank you Beth! I added about half of a red bell pepper and a zucchini. I also added about a tablespoon of italian herbs blend.
If you want to cut down the meat to only 1/4 lb. would it ruin the rest of the proportions??
It would probably just taste less beefy. :) But it won’t mess up the texture of the sauce or anything.
I’m using this as a starting point, but using more Italian flavors because I have ground Italian sausage I’d like to use up. I’ll pass on the condiments and cheddar, but add some green peppers, mushrooms and more onion with some Parmesan cheese. I also think I’ll use chicken broth.
It went over very well last night. I too was hesitant about putting in the relish, but it added a nice tang I think. I used farfalle and it worked very well. I also used beef bullion (via cubes), as that’s what I had. Perfect. My teenage daughters both scarfed it down. I might try adding diced zucchini or something just to hide a little bit more veggie in it.
This. This was awesome and comforting. I added a diced green bell pepper for the “what to do about adding veggies” dilemma. My 10 -month old son loved this so much he clapped the whole time. I used small shell pasta and they worked just fine.
When I saw this I knew I would be making it soon. I was hesitant about adding the relish so I stirred a small amount into one servingn and found it quite tasty. Every fall I make and can several types of relish so in the future I’ll be trying it with corn relish, dill cucumber relish, beet relish, sauerkraut, etc. I expect all of them to be good and I thank you for giving me a new way to use relish.
Oh man! This looks so good. I know what I’m making tonight :D
This looks so good. I can’t wait to try it. I think I will have to leave out the relish because my husband is way too picky. Actually when I first read the recipe I was really confused. It says “hot dog relish” and stupid me was thinking like a relish made out of hot dogs. I was like that sounds gross. It took me a good minute to figure out what hot dog relish means lol.
I love recipes like this! Plenty of room for substitutions and additional herbs and spices – curry, Mexican, Italian – and it takes no time at all. Thanks.
Mmmmm that’s tomorrow nights quick and easy tea sorted :-) I love your website, it’s my go to for budget friendly quick to make tasty food. EVERY single recipe I’ve tried has turned out perfectly. Rated a 5 because I know it will be good x
Subbed ground turkey (kept the beef broth), and wow, so good! Once again, you nailed it! Any thoughts or experiences on freezing this dish?
I think freezing would work, although sometimes flour thickened sauces and cheese sauces separate after thawing, so I’d have to test it out.
I have a crazy idea for how to veganize this.. will report back if I ever get around to it.
Looks like a great recipe! I miss having hamburger helper with my dad back in the day.
Thanks for sharing.
I would personally love to see more “American” recipes on the blog :)
Beth, I just discovered your website and I am very impressed! Your recipes are interesting, the directions are precise and clear and even your photographs are very vibrant. I am not very good at food photography, I admit.
I was looking for some budget recipes for a friend who is always pinching pennies and usually does not use any recipes.
I am not sure how she comes up with what to eat for herself and her adult son.
I hope she likes the website and I will use it. I will, and now I am going to send the link to my own grown up son who
does cook every day but makes the same things over and over using his own venison, elk and trout!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I sautéed 8oz of chopped mushrooms before adding the beef and onion just to bulk it up and add more texture. The sauce was delicious, will definitely become a regular part of the dinner rotation!
Tasty, easy recipe with ingredients I had at home already. Loved Jana’s suggestion to add mushrooms to include more vegetables.
I wonder if this’ll be good with ground turkey… Guess I’ll give it a shot! :D
Of course, then it will be turkey burger!
This looks great. Like a healthier version of homemade hamburger helper. I like the idea of the addition of mustard because mustard is so good in many dishes, but I’ve never tried the relish in any pasta dish except pasta salad. I will have to give this a try, but with my crowd, I’ll be doubling the recipe.
This looks delish! I’m curious, could you use another broth instead of beef broth? :)
You could, but then it wouldn’t taste as beefy or cheeseburgery. :) Vegetable or chicken would both “work”.
This looks amazing! My only question is what might I be able to substitute in for the relish? Where I live I do not have access to any :-(
If you have any sort of dill or sweet pickles where you are, you can finely dice them and add that (plus maybe a teaspoon mustard). Or, just leave it out and still have a tasty dish. :)
A finely chopped pickle will do
Your recipes are the absolute best. It even made my boyfriend cook great food! Can’t wait to try this. :)
Another idea to add veggies might be to top it with some fresh diced tomato and shredded lettuce. To give it a full “cheeseburger” quality. 😉
this looks so good. I love hamburger helper :)
Sarah
The Midwest Darling
A salad made with lettuce, tomato, sliced onion, and pickles with thousand island would totally bring it to a burger place! Sadly my kiddo has never gotten into the “but its (pizza, burgers, ect) but it’s pasta. But I could just tell him it’s pasta and he can draw the burger conclusion himself :)
oh and I saw a place on foodnetwork that adds iceberg lettuce to their cheeseburger soup… might be interesting (Id add it to the last bowlful and see if it ups the idea of cheeseburger)
This looks delicious! If you want more veggies in this, you could always finely chop mushrooms and either mix them with the meat or use them to replace the meat entirely.
That’s a great idea! I do that when I make sloppy joes. I use part ground beef, part finely diced mushrooms. I’ve also done part meat, part pre-cooked grain (like wheatberries or lentils.)
Looks delish! (First-time commented, longtime reader – love the blog!)
Re: getting some more vegetables into the meal … have you tried shredded zucchini? I do this quite often with sloppy joes. Or shredded carrots.
The other poster’s suggestion of mushrooms is also a good idea.
I’ve done something like this but with ketchup and mustard right in it as well and it was awesome. And yes, kids love it ;)