Skillet Cheeseburger Pasta is a one-pan wonder your family will love. It comes together in under a half hour and is loaded with flavor and protein. It’s your favorite cheeseburger macaroni from scratch!
You guys, this Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni is something special. It’s easy, cheesy, creamy, hearty, fast, and just about anything else you want in a one-dish meal. Hurry and pin, print, save, or whatever else you need to do to keep this one in your list of go-to weeknight meals!
I really want to say this is a kid friendly dinner because it should be for most kids. However, my oldest was not impressed with the tomatoes, so it sort of ruined it for him. He did manage to pick out almost every single teeny bit of red stuff and enjoyed the rest, but if you have a tomato hater in your house, you might want to leave them out. The rest of us who know tomatoes are delicious really enjoyed it!
This easy cheeseburger pasta is like boxed Hamburger Helper but waaaaay better. The ingredient list might look a tad long, but it’s mostly spice cabinet and pantry staples that you probably have already. I promise this homemade version is worth the few extra ingredients you need versus the boxed stuff.
You can’t beat a dinner that’s ready in about 30 minutes and only uses one pot! We served this up with sugar snap peas and orange slices. What would you serve on the side? This recipe makes a lot of food, and it’s perfect leftover for lunches. Let me know if it’s a hit with your family too!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 16 ounces ground turkey or beef
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 14 ounces petite diced tomatoes drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni
- 4 ounces cream cheese cut into 1" cubes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for sprinkling on top if desired
Ingredients
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- Heat a deep 12" skillet or a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray, and add ground meat, onion, garlic powder, salt, black pepper to taste, and oregano. Saute, crumbling meat as it cooks, until onions are tender and meat is cooked through. Drain and return to pan. (You may not need to drain if using very lean meat.)
- Pour in chicken broth, water, tomatoes, and pasta. Bring to a boil, and cook as long as recommended on pasta package. Stir occasionally to make sure noodles cook evenly.
- When pasta is done and most of liquid is absorbed, turn heat to medium. Stir in cream cheese and cheddar cheese until melted and creamy sauce has formed. Allow to stand for a few minutes to allow sauce to thicken up a bit before serving. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over individual servings if desired.
Want more family-friendly skillet pasta recipes? Try these!
Italian Sausage Pasta Skillet Recipe
I just have to comment (and I’ve never commented in a recipe blog before!) that this is Delicious!!! I googled hamburger mac and cheese as that’s what I had on hand for dinner at 5:59pm and it had to be fast as I wasn’t feeling like working very hard ;) This one popped up and I thought, Well, other than the tomatoes I’ve got everything here, looks easy, fast, and maybe it’ll be good too?? I subbed a can of green beans figuring how bad can it be and chose beef stock and Wow! less than 30 min and just… Read more »
This was a great recipe. Even my 2 year old ate it and enjoyed it. Thank you for the great idea. I also used ground oregano instead of the dried oregano. It was full of great flavor.
Two-year-olds are the toughest critics, so I’m happy to hear that it was a hit even with your youngest diner :) Thank you, Julia!
Good recipe when you are in need of comfort food but short on time.
I used cream cheese with onions and chives and added a bit more cheese at the end to melt on top with some green onions. I served it with chopped salad and brussel sprouts.
It’s been so hot recently in San Francisco and I was burnt out on grilling so this was a welcome break.
Yes, I’m not loving the hot weather in SF right now! I think the fog is coming back at least for a few days, which is fine with me. Thanks so much for your nice comment. I’m happy to hear that you liked the recipe! Take care, Stephanie :)
Ok, so sometimes I “forget” I have to make dinner. (Really I think I just repress it way deep down where the thoughts of laundry live). Anyway, a bit before the hubby gets home I realize I haven’t given a single thought to what this dinner endeavor might involve. I immediately hop on the website to see what wonderful creations I can make with what I have on hand. And viloa! Cheeseburger Macaroni appears! (I’m pretty sure the clouds parted and there were harps). Nice! And as a bonus it requires one pot. Whoohoo! This appeals immensely to my inherent… Read more »
I love this comment so much, Wendy. You are hilarious, and it sounds like we are cut from the same cloth with all this talk of laziness and exhaustion. I do think about what to make for dinner all day because it’s my job and because I love to eat, but I’m always trying to look like a rockstar with minimal effort. So glad you found a winner with this one. Hope to hear from you again soon!
The husband said, very surprised, “This actually looks good!” Yes, he is still alive though he will be sleeping on the couch tonight. Anyway, thumbs all around! I love meals I already have the ingredients for in my house. And tasty too!
Funny, Wendy! I hope you continue to impress your husband with your cooking :) Glad to hear it was a hit!
We REALLY liked this! I may have even liked my plate a little!I did add a bit of red pepper flakes, but that was the ONLY change I made! Thanks for a great go to one pot dinner!
Ha! Plate licking is about the best compliment you can give! :) Red pepper flakes are always welcome. Thanks so much, Angie!
I made this for dinner tonight, and even my picky toddler ate some. That is a real feat around here. My one year-old ate twice as much as his older sister! My husband gave this his approval and is glad that we are going to add this to our list of recipes. Thanks!
I’m so glad you guys liked it, Elena! My kids eating “some” is my idea of success too. If your kids were eating seconds, then that is a major success. Thanks for taking the time to come back to let me know :)
I love this kind of weeknight dish that covers protein, carbs, and veggies all in one. My kids gobbled this one up so it’s now on my list of go-to weeknight dinners. Since I’m always looking to up our veggie consumption, I added diced zucchini when sautéing the onion/meat, and fresh parsley toward the end. The second time I made it, I wanted to test how it froze, so did everything up through adding tomatoes and broth, froze this “base” then added pasta and cheeses once thawed. Perfect!
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m glad you like it because this is my favorite kind of dinner too. Adding extra vegetables is a great idea, and I love your tips about how to make it a freezer meal. Hope you are having a nice weekend!