The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
This Cheeseburger Casserole takes just 30 minutes to make in a single skillet! Your family will love this homemade hamburger helper!
Be sure to try my Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole next!
I think my family has been eating this cheesy, beefy macaroni at least every two weeks ever since I started making Instant Pot Hamburger Helper. But now that I can make this Cheeseburger Casserole in just one pot, I’m even more hooked.
PLUS, this is a perfect freezer meal. Read on for everything you need to know about this fabulous recipe.
⭐Do not miss my first PRO tip in this post, it will make you a better cook for life! ⭐
How to Make it
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook and crumble the ground beef and the onions. Add the minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste and stir until combined. Add the beef broth and uncooked macaroni. Stir to combine.
Cover and heat for 5 minutes. Uncover, stir, then cover again and cook for 5 more minutes, until just al dente.
Stir in the sour cream and half of the milk. Only add the remaining milk if desired it for consistency purposes. Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle on 2 + 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Let the cheese melt and the sauce become creamy. Top with remaining cheese and parsley. Serve!
Pro Tips
- Refrain from adding cold ingredients into warm pasta when you prepare it. This includes the cheese, sour cream, and milk. (Otherwise, ingredients can separate, milk can curdle, and the consistency may become grainy.)
- Shred the cheese yourself. Buy your cheese in blocks whenever possible and shred it at home. It will melt and taste much better. I use Heluva Good! Sharp Cheddar. It melts perfectly.
Make Ahead Method
- If you prefer to to the prep work for this casserole ahead of time, prepare the recipe as-instructed but cook the pasta covered for 7 minutes instead of 8.
- Stop at step #10, right before you top the casserole with additional cheese.
- Let the casserole cool down, then top it with cheese.
- Refrigerate for up to two days, then bake it in a 350 degree oven, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Top with parsley and serve!
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerator
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Try These Next!
-
- Mushroom Chicken
-
- Chicken Spaghetti
-
- Crock Pot Roast
-
- Baked Spaghetti
-
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
-
- Broccoli Pasta
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One Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, at room temp. Separated.
- 1 lb. Ground Beef, 85% lean
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 (16 oz.) box elbow macaroni, *uncooked*
- ¾ cup sour cream, at room temp
- ½ cup whole milk, at room temp
- Chopped Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Shred the cheese and set it aside. It should be at room temperature when added to the pasta later.
- Season the ground beef with desired amount of salt and pepper.
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the onions. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and the tomato paste and stir until well-combined.
- Add the beef broth and the uncooked macaroni, stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium or medium/low.
- Cover the pot and heat for 5 minutes. Uncover, stir briefly, replace the cover, and heat for 5 more minutes, or until just al dente.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the room temperature sour cream and half of the milk. Only add the other half if desired.
- Gradually sprinkle in 2 ½ cups of the shredded cheddar, stirring as you do so.
- Once the cheese is melted and you have a uniform consistency, top with the remaining cheese.
- Replace the lid and heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Top with parsley and serve!
Notes
- Whole milk is recommended for a creamier consistency, but a lower fat milk may also be used.
- A teaspoon of ketchup and yellow mustard can be added when the pasta is cooking to round out the cheeseburger flavors! A touch of dill pickle relish can also be added at the end.
Make-Ahead Method
- If you prefer to to the prep work for this casserole ahead of time, prepare the recipe as-instructed but cook the pasta covered for 7 minutes instead of 8.
- Stop at step #10, right before you top the casserole with additional cheese.
- Let the casserole cool down, then top it with cheese.
- Refrigerate for up to two days, then bake it in a 350 degree oven, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Top with parsley and serve!
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 5 servings in this recipe.
Nutrition
Easy, economical and delish! Kids devoured it!!thank you!
Hi Anna! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review too, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Video shows flour being added to the shredded cheese but it is not listed in the recipe. How.much or donypu not need it?
Hi Brooks! That’s an optional step where you can toss the cheese with a little flour and it can help it melt better but I’ve found it to be less necessary these days and leave that step out. 😁
This is very tasty……I didn’t have sour cream so I used cream cheese instead and it was very cheesy and creamy that way. Will be making this again everyone loved it.
Hi Karla! That’s so great to hear, and thank you for sharing that tip, it will help others out! You’re the best! 🙌🏻 -Stephanie
I have a box of mac & cheese.. could I use those noodles instead of just macaroni noodles from the noodle section? I think the regular mac and cheese noodles are smaller than the ones in the pictures above..
Hi Anesha, I think that should work! You might need to let it simmer a little longer for the sauce to thicken up if the noodles are smaller but it shouldn’t be an issue! 🙂
Yay ! I’ll try it tonight ! Thank you so much for the reply! I find lots of recipes online and ask questions.. lots of times I never get replies or it takes days to weeks! You’re on it ! Thanks so much!
Ahhhhh, thank you so much, I TRY!! haha!!! 🙂 Thanks for appreciating it!
I used to love Hamburger Helper, specially the cheesy ones. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is easy and extremly delicious. 🙂
Hey Inma! I’m so happy that you enjoy this recipe! It’s a huge hit with my family too, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment/review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Pretty good – family liked it. I liked it WAY better than HH, but it is a bit heavy – good comfort dish. I think it will be better the next day, when the sauce is not so thin. Nice choice – will make again.
So glad that you enjoyed it Sue!
We love this recipe!!
Hey Michelle! That’s so great to hear! THANK YOU for your support and taking the time to come back and leave your feedback, it’s so appreciated! -Stephanie
Very yummy! My 3 year old loves this recipe and he can definitely be picky!! Very easy and my favorite part is that you only need one pot to make everything!! Loved it! Thank you!! Will be making this in the future!!
Hey Kristen!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe, and even happier that your 3 year old did! That is a HUGE win, my 3 year old is insanely picky too, but she will also eat this meal! 🙂 Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
This recipe is dynamite. We make it at least every other week! Plenty of leftovers as well which saves us time & money (We don’t have children yet; we have at least 6 servings left over). Very easy recipe to follow…and fun! I love the one-pot concept (I actually went out and bought a cast iron casserole pan specifically for this recipe, and it is the first I’ve owned. I use this pan for several of Stephanie’s other one-pot pasta recipes she provides on this site). I believe a general rule of thumb for casseroles is they taste even MORE flavorful the following day, and the Cheeseburger Casserole is no exception. For those new to cooking, this website is a lifesaver in the kitchen. Ingredients are easy to find, if not already in your household, and it’s nice to see and control what goes into my meals. I also appreciate the substitutions Stephanie provides if not wanting to make an ingredient or sauce from scratch. It is especially helpful during the current pandemic to have delicious recipes within reach due the increased amount of time we spend at Home. Thank you again for all that you do, and keep up the delightful work! You deserve every five-star rating!
Hey Ems!! WOW, this was such a beautiful compliment and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write this, really- it means more to me than you know. Every word meant so much to me. I really think about the recipes I’m making during the creation phase because I want them to turn out well for people and this just made me feel so good. Thank you one million times over. Stay safe, happy, and keep that positivity going, you are the best!! -Stephanie ❤️
If you don’t have whole milk can you use heavy cream?
Hi Renee! That should work okay, if it’s too thick add a tad more beef broth, (or chicken broth!)