If you love cheeseburgers and you love pasta, this recipe is about to change your weeknight dinner game forever.
Cheeseburger Pasta takes everything you crave about a juicy cheeseburger and turns it into a creamy, cheesy one-pot pasta dish. It’s ready in 30 minutes flat.
And the secret? A combo of ketchup and mustard stirred right into the cheese sauce for that unmistakable cheeseburger tang.
Trust me, every single person at the table is going to ask for seconds.
Why You’ll Love This Cheeseburger Pasta
It’s pure comfort food. Seasoned ground beef, tender rigatoni, and a ridiculously creamy cheddar sauce — it hits every comfort food note.
Done in 30 minutes. From stovetop to table in half an hour. That’s faster than ordering takeout.
The whole family will devour it. Kids and adults alike go absolutely wild for this one. It tastes like a cheeseburger in pasta form.
One pot cleanup. Less dishes means more time enjoying dinner and less time scrubbing pans.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what goes into this incredibly simple cheeseburger pasta:
12 oz rigatoni — The ridges hold onto that cheese sauce like a dream. Penne or cavatappi work too.
1 lb ground beef — Use 80/20 for the best flavor. You’ll drain the excess grease.
1 medium onion, diced — Adds sweetness and depth to the meat base.
3 cloves garlic, minced — Because garlic makes everything better.
2 tablespoons tomato paste — Brings richness and a subtle tomato backbone.
1 cup beef broth — Adds savory depth to the sauce.
2 tablespoons ketchup — This is the cheeseburger magic right here.
1 tablespoon yellow mustard — Pairs with the ketchup for that authentic burger tang.
1/2 cup heavy cream — Makes the sauce silky and luxurious.
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese — The star of the show. Sharp cheddar melts beautifully and packs the most flavor.
Fresh parsley, chopped — For a pop of color and freshness on top.
How to Make Cheeseburger Pasta
Cook the pasta. Boil rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles, until fully browned. Drain excess fat.
Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the beef and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
Build the sauce. Pour in the beef broth, ketchup, and mustard. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Make it creamy. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Then add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition is fully melted.
Combine. Toss the cooked rigatoni into the sauce and fold everything together until every tube is coated. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
Serve. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and dig in immediately while it’s hot and melty.
Tips for the Best Cheeseburger Pasta
Don’t skip the ketchup and mustard. I know it sounds unusual, but these two ingredients are what give this pasta its signature cheeseburger flavor. Without them, it’s just regular beef pasta.
Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. Block cheese melts into a much creamier sauce.
Save that pasta water. The starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to the rigatoni and keeps everything silky instead of clumpy.
Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook it one minute less than the package says. It’ll finish cooking when you toss it in the hot sauce.
Easy Variations
Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta: Crumble cooked bacon on top or stir it right into the sauce. Absolutely unreal.
Spicy Cheeseburger Pasta: Add diced pickled jalapeños or a few dashes of hot sauce to the cheese sauce.
Mushroom Swiss Version: Swap the cheddar for Swiss cheese and sauté sliced mushrooms with the onion.
Turkey Swap: Use ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter take. Still tastes incredible.
Add Pickles: Chop up some dill pickles and stir them in at the end. Total cheeseburger vibes.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. The sauce thickens as it cools, which is totally normal.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce back up. Microwave works too — just add a little liquid.
Freezer: This pasta freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
Cheeseburger Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Garnish
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles, until fully browned. Drain excess fat.
- Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the beef broth, ketchup, and mustard. Stir to combine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, then add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition is fully melted and smooth.
- Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve immediately, topped with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This Cheeseburger Pasta is one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in your dinner rotation after just one bite.
It’s fast, it’s cheesy, and it makes everyone at the table ridiculously happy. The ketchup-mustard combo in the sauce is pure genius — it tastes exactly like a cheeseburger, but in the most satisfying pasta form.
Make it tonight. You won’t regret it.
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