Cheeseburger Pasta, One-Pot
Blog,Budget Bites,Dinner |
April 18, 2023
5/5 - (1 vote)

$5.03 RECIPE / $1.26 SERVING

You know how much I enjoy experimenting with flavors, however, every now and then I get a need for classic American comfort food like cheeseburgers.

When that need struck this week, I opted to prepare a cheeseburger-flavored spaghetti, which provides all of the cheeseburger flavors without the actual burger.

Because when beef is one of the most expensive grocery store commodities, you have to stretch it in whatever way you can.

That’s exactly what this Cheeseburger Pasta does. If you liked Hamburger Helper as a kid, you’re going to love this homemade version even more!

THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS HOT DOG RELISH

Cheeseburger Pasta
Food: Cheeseburger Pasta
Source: Betty Crocker

Even without the relish, this cheeseburger pasta is delicious, yet adding a couple of spoonfuls of hotdog relish at the end really makes it taste like a hamburger.

What exactly is a hot dog relish? It’s just a dill pickle relish with yellow mustard added to it. If you can’t find hot dog relish in your supermarket, buy normal dill relish and add a dash of yellow mustard (about a teaspoon).

CHEESEBURGER PASTA SERVING GUIDE

I typically try to pack as many vegetables as possible into my recipes, but I couldn’t think of a way to do so without making it less hamburger-like, so I’ll just suggest serving it with a simple side salad.

Maybe just some Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing. Keep things simple. Also, perhaps Homemade Garlic Bread. Because garlic bread makes everything better.

STORE SOME FOR LATER USE

I think saucy pasta meals freeze well, so this would be a wonderful cook-and-store-for-later recipe if you’re cooking for yourself.

However, if you’re particularly sensitive to texture changes, such as pasta becoming slightly softer, you might not enjoy the leftovers.

COOKING GUIDE FOR CHEESEBURGER PASTA

Cooking cheeseburger pasta dishes is similar to riding a bike. You must keep an eye on it as it cooks and adjusts to the variations of the pasta, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a snap. Here are some pointers:

  • To ensure the ingredients heat evenly, use heavy, thick cookware.
  • For uniform heating, use a burner that is near the size of the bottom of your pot.
  • To cook the pasta, the liquid does not need to completely cover it, so resist the impulse to add more water or broth.
  • Ensure that the liquid remains simmering throughout the pasta cooking process. The pasta will become sticky if the heat is turned down too low.
  • Stir the pot occasionally to keep it from sticking, but not too often or the spaghetti will break down.
  • Make an informed decision. If the pasta is almost done but there is still too much liquid in the skillet, remove the lid and allow it to continue simmering. If your pasta is still not soft after the liquid has evaporated, add a dash of water or broth and continue to cook.

ONE-POT CHEESEBURGER PASTA

Cheeseburger Pasta is a quick and easy homemade version of a hamburger helper that cooks in one pot, making cleanup a breeze!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings:  1.5 cups each

INGREDIENTS

  • 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

  1. Dice the onion finely. In a large deep skillet, sauté the onion, olive oil, and ground beef over medium heat until the beef is well browned and the onion is tender and transparent. If necessary, drain any surplus fat.
  2. Continue to mix and cook for another minute after adding the flour to the skillet. The flour will start to coat the skillet’s bottom. Make sure the flour doesn’t burn.
  3. To dissolve the flour from the bottom of the skillet, add the tomato sauce and beef stock to the skillet and stir to combine.
  4. Stir in the uncooked pasta to mix everything in the skillet. It’s fine if the liquid in the skillet doesn’t completely cover the pasta.
  5. Cover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a boil. When it comes to a boil, give it a quick swirl to loosen any spaghetti stuck to the bottom of the skillet, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Allow the paste to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly and replacing the lid, or until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat.
  6. Stir in the shredded cheddar until it has completely melted into the sauce. Stir in the hot dog relish, then garnish with sliced green onions. Serve Cheeseburger Pasta immediately.

NUTRITION

  • Serving: 1 Serving
  • Calories: 555 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 53 g
  • Protein: 27 g
  • Fat: 26 g
  • Sodium: 1045 mg
  • Fiber: 4 g

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING CHEESEBURGER PASTA

One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Food: One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Source: Betty Crocker
  1. Begin by dicing one onion thinly. In a large deep skillet, combine the onion, 1/2 pound lean ground beef, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook until the steak is well browned. After that, the onions are tender and transparent. If necessary, drain any surplus fat (if you’re using 90% lean or higher, there shouldn’t be any).
  2. Continue to mix and cook for one minute after adding 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the skillet. The flour will be used to coat the skillet’s bottom. This is fine; just keep an eye on it and don’t let it burn. The flour will thicken the sauce and allow the cheese to melt into it smoothly.
  3. 2 cups beef broth and an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce Stir to dissolve the flour from the skillet’s bottom.
  4. Stir together 1/2 pound of uncooked pasta shells in a skillet. For the pasta to cook, the liquid in the skillet does not need to completely cover it. The steam from the skillet will aid in the cooking of the pasta above the surface, and the pasta will be tossed to guarantee even cooking.
  5. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cover the skillet. Bring the liquid up to a boil. When it comes to a boil, give it a quick swirl to loosen any spaghetti stuck to the bottom of the skillet, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Allow the skillet to boiling for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly and reinstalling the lid, or until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat.
  6. After that, Stir in 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese until it is melted and smooth.
  7. Finally, whisk in 2 tablespoons of hot dog relish (mustard dill relish) into the sauce. I think the relish is what made it taste like a hamburger, but if you don’t like relish, you can skip this step and still have a deliciously cheesy beef spaghetti.
  8. I had a couple of green onions in the fridge, so I chopped those up and sprinkled them on top. They give the otherwise monochromatic cheeseburger pasta an extra pop of taste and a wonderful visual appeal.

Oh my goodness, that cheesy sauce!