This cheeseburger macaroni combines all the classic flavors of cheeseburgers with onions, garlic, and pasta in a creamy cheddar sauce. This one-pot recipe is ideal for busy families and weeknights.
Skip the box stuff and make this delicious homemade cheeseburger macaroni with wholesome ingredients. I love to serve it with a simple garden salad or arugula salad. It is also delicious with baguettes with soft butter or angel biscuits.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground beef: Use ground beef with a little fat in it for the best flavor.
- Spicy brown mustard: You can substitute stone-ground or regular mustard for a milder flavor.
- Milk: Whole milk is best for the creamiest finish, but 2% will work in a pinch.
- Beef broth: Low-sodium is best.
- Cheddar: Sharp or extra sharp cheddar adds the most flavor, but any cheddar will work, including white cheddar.
How To Make Cheeseburger Macaroni
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Brown the ground beef. About halfway through the browning process, add the onions. Reduce the heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for about a minute.
- Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown mustard, milk, and beef broth. Then, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the elbow macaroni and make sure it is submerged in the liquid. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese in several increments.
Preparation Tips
- You can use any medium pasta, but of course, then it would not be cheeseburger macaroni.
- Keep the macaroni submerged as much as possible. If needed, add small amounts of milk and beef broth.
- Remove from the heat before stirring in the cheese in several increments.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad: cucumber tomato salad, Olive Garden salad, and Christmas salad
- Soup: vegetable soup, French onion soup, and mushroom soup
- Bread or rolls: sweet potato cornbread and cheddar jalapeno beer bread
Cheeseburger Macaroni
This cheeseburger macaroni combines all the classic flavors of cheeseburgers with onions, garlic, and pasta in a luscious creamy cheddar sauce.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 586kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ medium yellow onion. finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1½-2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef over medium heat in a large pot. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion. Cook until the beef is brown and the onion is soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown mustard, milk, and beef broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the elbow macaroni and make sure it is submerged in the liquid. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese in a couple of increments. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or thyme.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 527mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 576IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 399mg | Iron: 2mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Barbie
Yummy, this cheeseburger macaroni reminds me of something my mom used to make for me as a kid. I definitely need to try this on my own, it’s been way too many years!
joy
this is delicious. i absolutely loved making this for my family. thank you so much for such an easy to follow recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Joy!
May
It’s the kind of pasta that my meat-loving boys will absolutely devour. I’ve not tried this before, I’m surprised that mustard can go with pasta.
Beth Pierce
It is delicious! I hope you and the boys enjoy it.
Ben
Ka-boom! This stuff is amazing. I really leaned into the heat and added some diced jalapenos. It was fantastic.
Beth Pierce
That sounds absolutely delicious! I bet pickled jalapenos would be yummy, too!
Claudia
Holy cow. This is everything Hamburger Helper WISHES it could be. This was so good!
Stacie k
You literally had me at cheeseburger. Lol! Can’t wait to make this.
Amy
This is like the grown-up version of my favorite childhood dinner! So hearty and comforting, and way better than anything boxed.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Amy! I am so glad that you enjoyed it.
Catherine
I made this for dinner and it was such a hit. Cheesy, hearty, and so easy to make!
Kristin
I made this last night, and we loved it. I added some diced bell peppers for a little more flavor and some veggie goodness. YUM!
Maria
This is so good! I’ll never make anything like this from the box again.