By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
About this recipe
Creamy, cheesy, and packed with bold burger flavor, this baked cheeseburger mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Get the full recipe now.
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I was looking for a new idea for a mac and cheese recipe. I had been loving cheeseburgers lately, and I thought why not put the goodness of a juicy burger into a mac and cheese? And here you go, it turned out absolutely amazing! This is the ultimate homemade hamburger recipe!
I didn’t start eating cheeseburgers until a few years ago because of cultural reasons. Same with mac and cheese actually. I’ve only ever had the Kraft KD once ever! It was okay, I guess, but I wasn’t a big fan. My first cheeseburger ever was from McDonald’s. That was also all right, but ever since then I’ve loved making my own cheeseburgers! If you want to see how I make my classic cheeseburger, then be sure to check out my Classic American Cheeseburger recipe! Now, I do have to admit I’ve never actually tried a Hamburger Helper, however, it does look good! I figured I should just try to make it myself and avoid the boxed stuff!
In this cheeseburger mac casserole recipe, I’m really letting the meat and tomato sauce shine here. I pair it with some amazing cheddar cheese chunks that get so molten and creamy in the oven.
If you’re looking for a cheeseburger in a pasta, then this recipe is definitely for you! I’d say this mighty combination is comfort food at its best!
What’s also great about this recipe is that the clean-up is next to none! If you want to dirty less dishes, you could bake your mac and cheese in the same skillet you used on the stove, provided it’s oven-safe. Because I love the personal-sized casseroles, however, I chose to do that extra step. If you’re making this for a large crowd, you could also use a large casserole dish. Either way, I barely had any clean-up and dinner was ready in no time!
I also recommend you watch the recipe video! The video will show you exactly how to cook the sauce and how to assemble your casserole! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already! I also recommend that you hit the bell icon, you’ll be notified every time the corresponding video goes live with the written blog post! I love filming the recipes since I find watching the demonstration is a nice complement to the written recipe and you’re set up for success! Let’s get cooking!
You won’t need much to make this baked hamburger helper from scratch! Remember, the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD for all ingredient quantities and step by step instructions. You can save the recipe for later, and it’s so easy to scale the ingredient quantities based on how many casseroles you’re making! You can make a single portion if you have a personal-sized casserole, or double or even quadruple the recipe and add to a large casserole if you’re serving for a crowd!
Here’s what you’ll need:
If you don’t have Habanero Tabasco sauce, don’t worry! Any hot sauce will work, but I initially made this recipe using the Habanero Tabasco and love the combination! You’ll see in the pictures below I actually am using a Cajun hot sauce.
However, I strongly recommend the Worcestershire sauce. I use this to make my classic beef patty in my cheeseburger recipe and it makes a world of a difference. The flavor of the ground beef, combined with the rich tomato sauce and the cheddar cheese totally complete this dish. So go get some if you don’t have it already, trust me!
Then, add your pasta to the water and cook until al dente.
2. Heat a pan on medium heat and drizzle some olive oil. Once hot, add onions.
Cook for 3-4 minutes or until they become translucent. Then add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef and mix well. Break down any lumps and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
4. Add passata and mix well for 5-6 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick and the oil releases from the sides of the pan.
5. Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce (or any hot sauce).
Cook for 2-3 minutes, then transfer the macaroni into the pan and mix well.
6. Transfer the pasta to a personal-sized casserole, or a large casserole, depending on the amount of pasta you’re making.
Fill the casseroles halfway. Add a few pieces of cheddar cheese, gently pressing them into the pasta. Layer with more pasta, and top the casseroles with a few more pieces of cheddar cheese.
7. Add your casserole to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on how gooey you want your cheese. I prefer to bake more toward 12 minutes, because the meat sauce will form a nice crust while still having gooey cheese.
Serve hot and enjoy a cheeseburger in pasta!
Exactly — it's a from-scratch, baked version. Ground beef simmered in a tomato (passata) sauce gets tossed with macaroni, topped with cheddar, and baked until bubbly. All the comfort of the boxed stuff, none of the powder.
It's the classic burger combo: browned ground beef in a tomatoey passata sauce, a couple of drops each of Worcestershire and Tabasco for that savory tang, and melted cheddar on top. Together they read as cheeseburger in pasta form.
Sure — the recipe uses about 6 ounces of ground beef, but ground turkey or chicken work too if you'd like it lighter. Just brown it well and season so it stays flavorful.
Bake at 400°F for about 8 to 12 minutes — just long enough for the cheddar on top to melt and turn bubbly and golden over the saucy macaroni.
If you liked this recipe please let me know in the comments. Tag your post on social media using #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Creamy, cheesy, and packed with bold burger flavor, this baked cheeseburger mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Get the full recipe now.
Oven-baked
Rate this recipe ✦
5 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
50 min
Total
2
servings
easy
Level
Tap any quantity to scale
Preheat oven to 400 F and boil water in a large pot for the pasta. Once boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) and boil water in a large pot for the pasta. Once boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente.
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Add ground beef and mix well, breaking down any lumps. Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.
Add ground beef and mix well, breaking down any lumps. Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.
Add passata, mix well and cook 5-6 minutes or until sauce becomes thick and starts to release oil.
Add passata, mix well and cook 5-6 minutes or until sauce becomes thick and starts to release oil.
Add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Mix well and cook 2-3 minutes. Add in the macaroni and mix well.
Add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Mix well and cook 2-3 minutes. Add in the macaroni and mix well.
Transfer pasta into personal sized casseroles and top with cheddar cheese. Press them into the pasta.
Transfer pasta into personal sized casseroles and top with cheddar cheese. Press them into the pasta.
Transfer to oven and bake 8-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and pasta is well baked. Serve hot and enjoy!:)
Transfer to oven and bake 8-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and pasta is well baked. Serve hot and enjoy!:)
952
Calories
43g
Protein
104g
Carbs
42g
Fat
9g
Fiber
17g
Sugar
1596mg
Sodium
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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
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