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!
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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
I followed the recipe to a T but it was still soupy instead of a casserole consistency. Should I cut vack on the 4 cups of broth or cook longer? What have I done wrong? It had great flavor though, I am just struggling with technical issues.
Hi Kelly! Did you find that the sauce continued to thicken as time went on? That’s what I typically find. If your macaroni was cooked the way that you like it, then I would suggest you use slightly less broth next time to lessen the amount of liquid 🙂
Yumm, though, I had to add a twist! I added bacon! Delish! And made 1/2 the recipe… though another minute may be better for the pasta, “al dente” /chewy! Yes, I like tender though… and making more for coworkers tomorrow!
Nom, nom!
I love your ‘twist’! Bacon is never a bad idea!😋 I hope you and your coworkers enjoy, thanks so much for sharing!
This was amazing and my son LOVED it!! I have been wanting to find a way to make my son’s favorite hamburger helper without buying the box and this was spot on and so simple! So much better knowing exactly what my family is eating,and it’s so customizable!!
Hi Britt! I’m so glad your son loved it!😀 I totally agree, when there’s a simple option to make something homemade it’s definitely worth it! Such better flavor and you don’t have to worry about all the preservatives!
Yummy. Add about 1/2 chopped dill pickles and mix it in when done even if you don’t like dill pickles (which I am not crazy about) and it will taste just like a cheeseburger!
Hi Colleen! What a cool idea, I’m definitely trying that next time! YUM!! (Thank you so much for the review too!!) -Stephanie
Why is it in the video you use flour on the cheese yet the flour is no where in ingredients or directions?
You can definitely sprinkle it over the cheese but it’s not necessary! 🙌🏻
This was SO jam-packed with flavour! Sour cream was ingenius, and beef broth and worstershire really bumped it up. I also added crispy double-smoked bacon and swapped the tomato paste for original Rotel. I covered it in breadcrumbs before broiling. Hubby couldn’t stop eating it.
That’s so great to hear Roni! What a great idea the double smoked bacon is, yummmm!!!😋 Glad it got the hubby approval!😅
I made this for lunch for my daycare children. They loved it . We will definitely have it again.
Thanks Lori, that’s great to hear the kids loved it!
Overall, this is a great recipe; easy and delicious. However, I think it would taste better if the noodles were cooked separate from the rest of the recipe. There is just an overall chewy, gooey consistency that I am not crazy about.
I have only cooked it according to the original recipe. So, maybe choosing the “make ahead” version would work better for me.
Fair enough Julie! 🙌🏻
I’ve never made hamburger helper from scratch before, and since the recipe didn’t really specify what type of cheese to use, I just used what I had on hand; sharp cheddar. The end result, extremely bitter hamburger helper. Would’ve tasted much better if I used mild cheese instead.
Hey Shantel! I actually always use sharp cheddar cheese for this and it comes out great- this is the exact cheese that I use and I’ll add that detail to the post. Did you use extra sharp or seriously sharp, or aged sharp? Either way, I’ll mention this in the recipe.
Hi Stephanie I did not make this yet but it sounds delicious I would like to cook the noodles on the side, and then mix them in so I would use less liquid do you know how much I would size it down?
Hi Sheri! Gosh that’s hard to say as I would really need to test it in order to be sure, but perhaps you could try using 2 cups of beef broth instead of 4?