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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Rate this recipe!
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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
marcie says
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 one skillet later had Fantastic homey goodness on our plates! All that was left was to pour a glass of cab because you know, cab goes with beef, cheese, and pasta, and after one bite Knew this one is going in the Keeper File of recipes! Thanks for coming up with a recipe to indulge my inner teen cravings without the guilt of making dinner from a box!!
Julia says
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.
Andi - The Weary Chef says
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!
StepHaniE says
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.
Andi Gleeson says
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 :)
Wendy says
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 laziness (aka “exhaustion) and I set about making my forgotten dinner feast. Not only did I finish in time for my dear, dear husband to arrive but it was ridiculously delicious. I’ve never had my hubby heap so much praise on my dinner skills (his plate had heaps on it too. Several times over thank you very much) so I didn’t dare tell him it was one of the easiest things I’ve made. Ever. So, thank you for making it not only crazy easy but for making me look like a rockstar!
Andi says
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!
Wendy says
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!
Andi says
Funny, Wendy! I hope you continue to impress your husband with your cooking :) Glad to hear it was a hit!
Angie S says
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!
Andi says
Ha! Plate licking is about the best compliment you can give! :) Red pepper flakes are always welcome. Thanks so much, Angie!
Elena says
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!
Andi says
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 :)
Jennifer says
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!
Andi says
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!
Ouida says
I just made this recipe and it is really good! What I really love is that it’s easy and families can make this instead of dreadful boxed skillet meals with powdered cheese.
Andi says
I’m so happy you liked it too, Ouida! Thanks for taking the time to let me know :)
Gloria says
If you don’t add the tomatoes do you need to add anything else for the loss of moisture?
Thanks!
Andi says
Great question, Gloria! You might need to add another 1/4 c. of chicken broth or water, but I would just watch it during cooking to see. As long as their is enough liquid to cook the noodles, then it will be fine without any additional liquid. Good luck!
greg says
It’s delicious.. thanks for sharing!
Andi says
Hi, Greg. Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know you like the recipe! I’m really glad to hear that it was a hit :)
Shari says
We are having this for dinner tonight. I am so excited to try it! I think it will be a big hit! I LOVE how easy it is and how it is stuff I already have on hand. :)
Andi says
I hope you love it, Shari! Let me know, and thanks so much for your comment :)
Kelly says
Love tasty one dish meals like this, it makes meal time so much more easier. My hubby and son would love this creamy and cheesy macaroni, thanks for sharing Andi :)
Andi says
Thank you, Kelly! I ate leftovers of this one for a few days, and I was still sad when it was over. Hope you get a chance to try it!
consuelohoneyandfigs says
Dinners like this one are totally awesome! I wish I could have a big bowl of this right now… and it’s midnight time here haha! Though it looks delicious, yum! xo
Andi says
Thank you so much! This would make a perfect midnight snack ;) Thanks so much for stopping by!