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    The BEST Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe Made In Under 20 Minutes

    by Joe Duff 19 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This cheeseburger casserole recipe is so, so tasty. It combines seasoned ground beef and melty cheddar cheese, with macaroni noodles and a delicious creamy savory sauce. Honestly, this casserole is better than the best cheeseburger you've ever had, and it's so easy to make too. In fact, all you need to cook this cheeseburger casserole is one skillet and 20 minutes. So, not only is making it a breeze but clean-up is too.

    A white bowl filled with cheeseburger casserole that is garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is on a white plate with a fork and parsley leaves on the plate as well. In the background there is a second bowl of cheeseburger casserole and raw ingredients for the casserole.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best Cheeseburger Casserole
      • Ingredients
        • Ingredient Substitutions & Suggestions
      • How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole
        • Step 1: Cook The Beef
        • Step 2: Cook The Pasta
        • Step 3: Build The Creamy Sauce
        • Step 4: Serve The Casserole
      • How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole In The Oven
      • How To Store Cheeseburger Casserole
        • How To Reheat Cheeseburger Casserole
      • Wrapping It Up
    • More Recipes
    • The BEST Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe Made In Under 20 Minutes
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best Cheeseburger Casserole

    This may go without saying, but if you love cheeseburgers, then you're going to love this cheeseburger casserole. 

    I mean, it has the two best parts about a cheeseburger - the meat and the cheese - and it has a lot of it!

    And what's even better about eating this casserole - instead of eating a cheeseburger - is that all of those meaty cheesy flavors get absorbed into the elbow macaroni noodles that it's made with. That means every bite of this stuff is just flavor on top of flavor. 

    Also, for what it's worth, this cheeseburger casserole kind of reminds me of the Hamburger Helper my mom used to make me when I was a kid, but this stuff is ten times better!

    And, I'm not going to lie, Cheeseburger Helper was my jam growing up, so if I'm saying that then you know this ground beef casserole recipe has got to be good!

    Oh, and as I mentioned earlier, the best part about this recipe is that you can cook everything in just one skillet and in just a few simple steps. That means if you make this easy cheeseburger casserole recipe you can have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes!

    And, I don't know about you, but I think that makes this dinner recipe the perfect one to make on busy weeknights. It's honestly just as quick and easy as making this broccoli rice casserole and Philly cheesesteak casserole. So, if you're looking for some other casserole recipes to fill out your dinner menu this week, you'll want to give those a try next.

    A white bowl filled with cheeseburger casserole that is garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is on a white plate with a fork and parsley leaves on the plate as well. In the background there is a second bowl of cheeseburger casserole and raw ingredients for the casserole.

    Ingredients

    Now, to make this cheeseburger casserole recipe even better, it's made with all really common ingredients. Honestly, you probably have most - if not all - of them in your pantry or kitchen already!

    Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this cheeseburger casserole:

    • 0.75 lb. ground beef
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • ¼ cup onion, diced
    • 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste (or diced tomatoes)
    • 1 tsp garlic paste
    • 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 14oz. elbow macaroni
    • 3 ¼ cup beef stock
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
    • ¼ cup milk
    • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

    See, not too bad, right?

    Oh, and if you like casseroles with ground beef, you have to give this pizza casserole and hamburger potato casserole a try next!

    An assortment of ingredients for cheeseburger casserole including bowls of shredded cheese, uncooked elbow macaroni, raw ground beef, beef broth, sour cream, seasonings, diced onion, and tomato paste.

    Ingredient Substitutions & Suggestions

    When it comes to modifying this recipe, you can switch it up just like you would if you were building the perfect cheeseburger.

    For example, I like cooking my ground beef with onions because I usually add onions to my burger, but if this isn't your thing, just cook the beef alone. 

    As for the cheese, cheddar is always my go-to, but you can really use anything like pepper jack cheese, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, or even Colby jack cheese.

    Also, if you want to make this a bacon cheeseburger casserole, just add some cooked bacon to the ground beef mixture, and "you're off to the races"! 

    As far as the noodles go, I think elbow macaroni works best, but any smaller noodles like shells will work just as well. Honestly, my 2-year-old prefers it with shells when I make it. So, you might want to consult the kids on what noodles you use for this casserole before you make it.

    Lastly, to finish off the casserole when it comes out of the oven, you can add things like shredded lettuce on top, some hot sauce, or drizzle it with something savory like this McDonald's breakfast sauce. My wife likes to add spicy relish to her portions - I know, weird right?

    A skillet with raw ground beef and raw onion. There is a dish towel draped around the handle of the skillet.

    How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole

    As I mentioned above, this is a one pan recipe that doesn't take much time to make.

    You basically just add everything to the pan - at different times of course - and let everything cook. How easy does that sound?

    With that said though, you will have to stir everything from time to time. So, just make sure you're around the kitchen when everything is cooking.

    Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get into how to make this cheeseburger casserole recipe!

    A skillet with cooked ground beef, diced onion, and tomato pasta and garlic paste directly in the center of the skillet. There is a dish towel wrapped around the handle of the skillet.

    Step 1: Cook The Beef

    First things first, take out a large skillet, put it on the stovetop, and set it over medium-high heat.

    Then, once the pan is hot, you can add the ground beef and onions to it. Just make sure to break up the ground beef as it cooks.

    Now, once you've got that looking good, you can let the ground beef and onions cook for a few minutes until the beef has browned on all sides.

    As soon as the beef is fully cooked, add the tomato paste and garlic paste to the skillet and give it a stir. Then, you can let everything cook together for about a minute or two.

    A skillet with broth and uncooked elbow macaroni freshly added to the skillet. There is a dish towel wrapped around the handle of the skillet.

    Step 2: Cook The Pasta

    Now that the browned ground beef portion of the cheeseburger is good to go, you can move on to the noodles.

    To cook the noodles, first add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth to the skillet, followed by the elbow macaroni. Then, give everything in the skillet a good stir so it can combine. Finally, cover it with a lid, and cook the pasta for about 5 minutes. 

    A skillet with cooked elbow macaroni and ground beef mixed together. There is a dish towel wrapped around the handle of the skillet.

    Step 3: Build The Creamy Sauce

    Once the 5 minutes is up, remove the lid and give everything a stir. Then, add the sour cream, milk, and cheese to the skillet with the hamburger meat.

    Now, let everything cook for 3 minutes, gently stirring to combine the ingredients every minute or so. 

    A skillet with elbow macaroni mixed in with ground beef. There is sour cream and shredded cheese topped directly in the center of the skillet and not yet mixed in. There is a dish towel wrapped around the handle of the skillet.

    Step 4: Serve The Casserole

    So, by now, your casserole should be fully cooked with a slightly thickened sauce.

    To finish it off, serve the cheeseburger casserole in four bowls and top it with fresh parsley or anything you want - like any remaining cheese, shredded lettuce, or a sauce of your choice.

    For what it's worth, I like topping my casserole with this Big Mac sauce.

    Finally, dig in and enjoy! 

    A skillet with elbow macaroni and ground beef mixed together. The beef and noodles are in a creamy sauce and a dish towel is wrapped around the handle of the skillet.

    How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole In The Oven

    So, this casserole recipe, similar to Hamburger Helper, is prepared on the stovetop. That being said, if you prefer the more traditional oven-baked casserole, then you can totally bake this casserole!

    To do that, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

    Then, while the oven preheats, you can cook your pasta according to the package instructions and the ground beef in one large skillet.

    Then when it comes time to add the pasta, you can just combine all of the ingredients together in the casserole dish - instead of in the skillet - and top it with the shredded cheese. Finally, to finish up the casserole, you can bake it for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

    Two white bowls filled with cheeseburger casserole and garnished with fresh parsley. Each bowl is on a white plate and has a fork on the plate. One of the plates has fresh parsley on it.

    How To Store Cheeseburger Casserole

    This recipe cheeseburger casserole makes 4 large servings, so it'll be great for a family dinner. With that said, it couldn't be any easier to make a double batch of this recipe if you think you'll need more, or want to have leftovers!

    Speaking of leftovers, to store your leftover cheeseburger casserole, just transfer everything to an airtight container, and you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

    Alternatively, if you want to keep your leftovers for even longer, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

    A white bowl filled with cheeseburger casserole that is garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is on a white plate with a fork and parsley leaves on the plate as well. In the background there is a second bowl of cheeseburger casserole and raw ingredients for the casserole.

    How To Reheat Cheeseburger Casserole

    To reheat your leftover cheeseburger casserole, I recommend using the oven or stovetop.

    If you want to use the oven, put the leftovers in a baking dish and warm at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature.

    Alternatively, you can reheat your leftovers on the stovetop. I like reheating it this way because it gives the noodles a slightly crisp texture, similar to this fried spaghetti. Anyway, to reheat it on the stove, first, put a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add the casserole to it along with a little broth, and warm the casserole for a few minutes, stirring it occasionally to reheat it evenly.

    A white bowl filled with cheeseburger casserole that is garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is on a white plate with a fork and parsley leaves on the plate as well. In the background there is a second bowl of cheeseburger casserole and raw ingredients for the casserole.

    Wrapping It Up

    Well, that's how to make cheeseburger casserole!

    As far as casserole recipes go, it honestly doesn't get better than this whenever you're craving cheeseburgers and pasta all at the same time. It truly is an elevated version of Cheeseburger Helper, and if you love that stuff - which who doesn't - then you'll love this homemade version of it.

    As always, if you give this easy casserole recipe a try, leave a comment below and let me know how it went.

    A white bowl filled with cheeseburger casserole that is garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is on a white plate with a fork and parsley leaves on the plate as well. In the background there is a second bowl of cheeseburger casserole and raw ingredients for the casserole.

    More Recipes

    If you're looking for more busy weeknight recipes that the whole family will love, we have a bunch of easy casseroles you can make next!  

    Here are some of our most popular ones:

    • Million dollar chicken casserole
    • Cheddars broccoli cheese casserole
    • Chicken divan
    • Pineapple casserole
    • Ground turkey casserole
    • Carrot casserole

    Oh, and for more deliciousness, don't forget to follow us along on Tiktok, Youtube, and Instagram. We post new tasty recipes daily on them. 

    Print

    The BEST Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe Made In Under 20 Minutes

    A white bowl filled with cheeseburger casserole that is garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is on a white plate with a fork and parsley leaves on the plate as well. In the background there is a second bowl of cheeseburger casserole and raw ingredients for the casserole.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 16 reviews

    This cheeseburger casserole recipe is so, so tasty. It combines seasoned ground beef and melty cheddar cheese, with macaroni noodles and a delicious creamy savory sauce. Honestly, this casserole is better than the best cheeseburger you've ever had, and it's so easy to make too. In fact, all you need to cook this cheeseburger casserole is one skillet and 20 minutes. So, not only is making it a breeze but clean-up is too.

    • Author: Joe Duff
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 8 minutes
    • Total Time: 18 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Casserole

    Ingredients

    Scale

    ¾ lb. ground beef

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    ¼ cup onion, diced

    1 ½ tbsp tomato paste

    1 tsp garlic paste

    1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

    14 oz. elbow macaroni

    3 ¼ cup beef stock

    ½ cup sour cream

    1 ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

    ¼ cup milk

    Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

    Instructions

    1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    2. Add the ground beef and onions to it. Cook the beef until browned on all sides, breaking lumps with a wooden spoon.
    3. Add the tomato paste and garlic paste to the skillet. Stir everything and cook for 1 minute.
    4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, elbow macaroni, and beef stock to the skillet. Give it a good stir. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. 
    5. Remove the lid and add in the sour cream, milk, and cheddar cheese. 
    6. Cook, gently stirring, for 3 minutes.
    7. Serve warm, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 722
    • Fat: 29
    • Carbohydrates: 76
    • Protein: 40

    Keywords: cheeseburger casserole, cheeseburger casserole recipe, how to make cheeseburger casserole, cheeseburger casserole recipe easy, hamburger helper copycat cheeseburger macaroni, hamburger helper copycat recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katie Woll

      November 16, 2022 at 8:01 pm

      I used to love hamburger helper and this definitely reminded me of it but it was sooo much better then I remember!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Lori

        November 21, 2022 at 12:24 am

        Hi do I have to boil the pasta?

        Reply
        • Brendan Cunningham

          November 21, 2022 at 9:05 am

          Hi Lori! You don't have to, the pasta will cook in the skillet!

          Reply
    2. Kris

      November 19, 2022 at 9:47 pm

      My family loved loved loved this casserole!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Nicole

      November 23, 2022 at 4:25 pm

      My family and I loved this easy delicious recipe. Thank you for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Amanda Sila

      December 10, 2022 at 4:22 pm

      This totally reminded me of a hamburger casserole that my grandma would make. So nostalgic and I loved every bite!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Patricia

        December 12, 2022 at 6:25 pm

        My 3 teenage sons inhaled this. I need to make a bigger portion next time!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Brendan Cunningham

          December 12, 2022 at 8:15 pm

          We're so glad they liked it!!

          Reply
    5. Sandra McNeely

      February 18, 2023 at 10:39 pm

      It truly reminded me of hamburger helper and my kids absolutely loved it!! I will be making this very often. Thanks for the great recipe!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Samantha

      February 22, 2023 at 6:51 pm

      I only had mozzarella cheese so I had to use that. The casserole was excellent!! I am going to try it with cheddar next time.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Bailey

      February 22, 2023 at 11:54 pm

      So good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Abigail Thomas

      February 23, 2023 at 4:42 pm

      I didn't have noodles but had white rice so used that instead. It was terrific and I can't wait to make it with the noodles next time!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Amy Brill

      February 24, 2023 at 5:15 pm

      I think I Iiked this better than any cheeseburger I've ever had!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Patty Kramer

      February 25, 2023 at 2:09 pm

      Excellent meal. My son loved it and he is picky as can be!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Olivia

      February 27, 2023 at 6:11 pm

      Cheesy and delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Riley Maher

      February 28, 2023 at 8:33 pm

      Made this on Monday and have had it all week. It is fantastic!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Gary

      March 02, 2023 at 4:53 pm

      Cheeseburgers are my favorite but this was even better than all of the cheeseburgers I have had!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Amber Zucker

      March 04, 2023 at 7:37 pm

      Everything about this was perfect.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Brian

      March 05, 2023 at 3:35 pm

      I love cheeseburgers and I love this.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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