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All of the classic cheeseburger flavor together in pasta form! This easy Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole recipe only needs about 20 minutes to assemble. It’s the perfect comfort food the whole family will adore!
Table of Contents
- What is a Cheeseburger Casserole?
- Ingredients for Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
- How to Make Baked Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
- One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet
- What to Serve with Cheeseburger Casserole
- Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- More Easy Ground Beef Recipes to Enjoy
- Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole Recipe
You can’t beat the ease or crowd-pleasing appeal of a simple ground beef casserole. Add plenty of cheese and some al dente pasta, and this easy cheeseburger casserole will become a regular in your weeknight meal rotation – even on the busiest nights!
What is a Cheeseburger Casserole?
Cheeseburger casserole refers to a variety of baked dishes that include ground beef, cheese, and either biscuits, crescent rolls, potatoes, or pasta. We’re using rotini in this recipe and adding ketchup, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, and onion. It’s just like a burger piled high with all of the toppings—but assembled in an easy, prep-ahead casserole!
This is a classic, comforting pasta dish that’s a family favorite every time I make it! No matter what our busy schedule has in store, we always find time to rally for dinner together. Serving a hearty, delicious meal certainly does help!
Ingredients for Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
You only need about 20 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe. Even better, it’s the perfect meal for a large family! Here’s an overview of the main ingredients for homemade cheeseburger casserole. You can find a full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Rotini Pasta: these little twists hold onto all the saucy goodness in this casserole.
- Ground Beef: use lean ground beef (at least 80/20) for less grease.
- Onion & Garlic: aromatics that flavor the ground beef mixture.
- Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup: the base of the cheeseburger sauce.
- Milk: helps make the casserole extra creamy.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes: I used canned tomatoes for ease, but you could also use fresh diced tomatoes.
- Pickle Relish: what cheeseburger is complete without tangy pickles?
- Ketchup, Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce: the “condiments” in our cheeseburger pasta – tangy, zesty, and flavorful.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar is our go-to, but other kinds of cheese, like American, sharp cheddar, or mozzarella, are great too.
What’s the best pasta for a cheeseburger casserole?
Just about any short pasta will work in this cheesy casserole. If you don’t have rotini, other good options are elbow macaroni, small shells, fusilli pasta, or ditalini pasta. The ideal pasta is small, with little nooks and crannies to hold onto the meaty, cheesy sauce.
How to Make Baked Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
This easy cheeseburger casserole recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight. The creamy, cheesy sauce, tender pasta, and your favorite cheeseburger toppings make this casserole pure comfort food that any cheeseburger lover will devour.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water just until it’s al dente.
- Brown the ground beef, onions, and garlic in a large skillet while the pasta cooks.
- Add the remaining ingredients—cheese soup, milk, tomatoes, relish, condiments, and cheese—and stir in the cooked pasta.
- Transfer the casserole mixture to a prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake the cheeseburger casserole at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Creamy Cheeseburger Casserole Sauce
Instead of a tomato-based sauce, this cheeseburger pasta casserole has a cheese-based sauce, thanks to a can of Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup and milk. If you really love a tomato-based sauce, you can add some tomato sauce or tomato paste to the ingredients, but start small. The tomatoes add plenty of flavor!
Adding Flavor with Extra Seasonings
If you want more flavor, seasonings are the way to go! You should always season with salt and black pepper. Onion powder and garlic powder will enhance the natural onion and garlic flavors already in the meat mixture. While it doesn’t seem like it would fit, Italian seasoning is never wrong – it’s deep, earthy, and savory. If you like a little heat, add paprika, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes, depending on your preferred heat level.
One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet
Want to make this a one-pot meal? All you need is a Dutch oven or large, oven-safe skillet. Instead of boiling the pasta, prepare the meat mixture as directed first. When it comes time to add the pasta, stir the uncooked pasta into the pot, stir, and bake! You may need to add more liquid to ensure the pasta cooks through – add a bit of beef broth, water, or more milk.
Don’t want to turn on the oven? Cover the pot and simmer the cheeseburger pasta on the stovetop until the pasta is cooked through.
What to Serve with Cheeseburger Casserole
Top the casserole with sliced dill pickles, chopped green onion or red onion, or just chopped fresh parsley. The dish goes well with any of the following sides:
- A simple green side salad tossed with Buttermilk Dressing
- Roasted Broccoli
- Southern Slow Cooker Green Beans
- Roasted Asparagus
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Make a Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole by adding six slices of chopped bacon to the skillet with the ground beef. Alternatively, use cooked, chopped bacon to garnish the casserole just before serving.
- Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Don’t have rotini? You can substitute with an equal amount of any similar short pasta.
- Prep Ahead! You can assemble this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, freeze the casserole before baking for up to 3 months.
- Leftover casserole will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze the cooked casserole? Yes! The texture of the pasta may be a bit mushy after thawing, but it will still keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Is Cheeseburger Casserole Keto? No, this dish is not low-carb or Keto-friendly due to the pasta in the recipe. One serving of casserole has about 397 calories and about 26 grams of carbs.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes to Enjoy
Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta (about 5 ounces)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup (10.75 oz) NOT diluted
- ½ cup milk
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) drained
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
- Optional garnish: sliced green onion, chopped or sliced dill pickles, chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, according to package instructions (about 8-10 minutes). Drain.2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
- While the pasta cooks, brown beef, onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in condensed soup, milk, tomatoes, pickle relish, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, 1 cup of cheese, and cooked pasta.1 lb. ground beef, ½ cup chopped onion, 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic, 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup (10.75 oz), ½ cup milk, 1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz), ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
- Garnish with sliced green onions, dill pickle, or fresh herbs, if desired.Optional garnish: sliced green onion, chopped or sliced dill pickles, chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- Make a Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole by adding 6 slices of chopped bacon to the skillet with the ground beef. Alternatively, use cooked, chopped bacon to garnish the casserole just before serving.
- Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Don’t have rotini? You can substitute with an equal amount of any similar short pasta.
- Prep Ahead! You can assemble this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, freeze the casserole before baking for up to 3 months.
- Leftover casserole will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze the cooked casserole? Yes! The texture of the pasta may be a bit mushy after thawing, but it will still keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Is Cheeseburger Casserole Keto? No, this dish is not low-carb or Keto-friendly, thanks to the pasta in the recipe. One serving of the casserole has about 397 calories and about 26 grams of carbs.
It looks really great. I want to do this. Thanks.
Hi Blair,
Cant wait for the 7up pound cake recipe!
Hopefully, next sunday ?
Hey, Judy! The cake recipe won’t be up until next month. Do you want me to email the recipe to you now? Let me know — I’m happy to send it along if you need it sooner! 🙂
Love this recipe but when I made it – I left out the noodles and sadded one 1 cup of Bisquick instead and it came out so good. Oh and I can’t thank you enough for using Healthy Request soup. That is the only kind I can buy because I am so allergic to MSG. Thank you again for shring this recipe.
Sounds delicious, Kathi! Thanks for sharing that variations with us! 🙂
Would you be excited by exchanging links?
I made this dish last night and it was a definite “Hit” !! My hubby & I really enjoyed it and so another one of your recipes is going into my “Keeper” file! Thanks! 🙂
That’s awesome, Tess! I’m so glad that you both enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!