This cheeseburger macaroni is an easy one-skillet dinner made with ground sirloin, macaroni, and lots of cheese. It's a homemade hamburger helper recipe that's budget-friendly, filling, and great for busy nights.
Ingredients
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- Oil - Olive oil works well, or use your favorite oil. You just need a little to help brown the ground beef.
- Ground Beef - We use ground sirloin because it is flavorful and has a lower fat content, but any lean ground beef will work.
- Spices - Dried oregano, salt, and black pepper keep the seasoning simple.
- Condiments - Tomato paste, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce add rich flavor to the meat sauce.
- Produce - Onion and garlic add even more flavor to the dish. Use a yellow or white onion.
- Pantry - Elbow macaroni and beef broth keep this dinner easy and hearty. If you don't have macaroni, use another similar short pasta.
- Dairy - Cheddar cheese makes the sauce cheesy and creamy, while half-and-half or whole milk adds richness. We use medium cheddar and shred it by hand.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make cheeseburger macaroni
- Heat the oil in a large pot, or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well to combine then arrange it in a single layer.
- Cook the beef for 3 minutes without disturbing. Then, stir the meat while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula for 2-3 minutes or until browned and most of the liquid rendered has cooked out.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the macaroni and beef broth to the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Stir often, focusing on the bottom of the pot to keep the pasta from sticking. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook for 13-15 minutes until the macaroni is tender, stir occasionally.
- Take the pot off the heat and add in the half and half and the shredded cheese. Stir until combined and the cheese is melted.
Place the pot over low heat, cover and cook for a few minutes to heat through. Stir occasionally and do not let it come to a simmer or boil.
Taste, and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it cools and the dish will thicken. If it looks too soupy, give it a few minutes uncovered. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe tips and notes
- Stir often after adding the uncooked pasta so it does not sink to the bottom and stick.
- Use lean ground beef if possible. We used ground sirloin and did not need to drain any oil.
- If there is too much oil in the pot, take it off the heat and move the browned meat to one side. Tilt the pot so the oil pools on the other side, then use a large spoon or ladle to scoop it out before returning the pot to the heat.
- For the smoothest sauce, shred the cheese by hand. Pre-shredded cheese does not melt as well.
- Once the half and half and cheese are added, keep the heat low and do not overheat the dish or the sauce can break and turn grainy.
If you liked this recipe, try our baked spaghetti for another easy family dinner, or ravioli bake when you want something extra cheesy and comforting. Our baked ziti with sausage is also a great option when you need a hearty pasta recipe that can feed a crowd.
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📖 Recipe
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef we use ground sirloin
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ketchup
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 small Onion diced (use yellow or white onion)
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1½ cup Elbow Macaroni
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese we used a medium cheddar
- ½ cup Half and Half
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot, or a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking add the ground beef, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and arrange it in a single layer.
- Cook the beef for 3 minutes without disturbing.
- Stir the meat while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Most of the liquid rendered should have cooked out, but if it did not cook an additional 1-2 minutes while stirring until it does.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the macaroni and beef broth to the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a simmer (it will take about 2-3 minutes to simmer). Stir often, focusing on the bottom of the pot to keep the pasta from sticking.
- Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and cook for 13-15 minutes until the macaroni is tender. Stir occasionally to make sure the macaroni does not sink to the bottom and start sticking.
- Take the pot off the heat, add in the half and half and the shredded cheese and stir until combined and the cheese is melted.
- Place the pot over low heat, cover and cook for a few minutes to heat through. Stir occasionally and do not let it come to a simmer or boil.
- Taste the cheeseburger macaroni and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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