Hamburger pasta is the perfect combination of lean ground beef, macaroni, and a unique smoky, cheesy tomato sauce that’s going to have you digging in for seconds. This recipe requires minimal prep time and simple pantry staple ingredients that come together in just over 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uniquely smoky and cheesy red sauce that adds variety to your weeknight dinners.
- Quick and easy to make, taking just over 30 minutes to bring to the table with minimal prep time and simple pantry staple ingredients.
- Lighter alternative to other hamburger pasta recipes (no heavy cream, lean ground beef, and just a touch of cheese).
- Makes a family-sized portion perfect for sharing or a week’s worth of meal prep.
- Freezer friendly sauce makes this a good make-ahead recipe.
Ingredients
- Pasta – elbow or bowties are our faves, but any small pasta works.
- Ground beef – we opt for 90% lean ground beef to keep this dish wholesome and high protein, but lower in fat.
- Beef broth – use low sodium or no salt added varieties so that you can control the saltiness of the dish.
- Cheddar cheese – it sounds odd to add cheddar cheese to red sauce, but it works in this unique dish. Omit or add individually to bowls if you have reservations about committing to the cheddar completely!
- Fire roasted tomatoes – for more smoky depth.
- Tomato sauce and paste – simple base for the pasta sauce.
- Milk – adds more creaminess to the sauce without the need for heavy cream. You can also make this recipe without milk by subbing in another 1 cup of beef broth.
- Garlic and onion – for crisp crunch and a touch of sharpness.
- Olive oil – for sauteing onions and garlic.
- Seasonings – garlic powder, parsley, smoked paprika, salt and pepper are simple seasonings that compliment the ground beef and smoky red sauce.
- Flour – thickening agent.
Tips for Making Hamburger Pasta
- Shred the cheese prior to mixing it in for the best melty results.
- Opt for freshly shredded cheese from a block, rather than pre-shredded cheese, for the smoothest, creamiest results. Pre-shredded varieties have preservatives that prevent clumping, making it harder to melt and giving dishes a slightly chalky flavor.
- For freezing, freeze the sauce only (not the pasta), as freezing the saucy noodles will result in bloated, soggy pasta once it’s thawed and warmed. Instead, when you want to make this dish, thaw the sauce and combine with freshly cooked noodles.
- For the one-pot pasta option make sure to keep the pasta simmering the entire time that you’re cooking the pasta for even cooking and perfectly tender, but not soggy over-cooked or crunchy under-cooked pasta. And stir continuously to prevent burning.
How to Make Hamburger Pasta
Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
While the water boils, heat the oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until onions become translucent.
Add the ground beef to the pot and break apart with a wooden spoon. Season with garlic powder, dried parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Drain any rendered grease from the pan. Return the pot to the burner and reduce the heat to medium heat.
Mix in the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Whisk the flour into the beef broth and add the broth mixture and milk/broth to the pot with the hamburger. Stir to combine.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and is slightly reduced.
Remove from heat. Fold in the cheese (if including) and warm until the cheese is melted. Add the pasta and stir well to thoroughly coat the noodles. You can also keep the noodles and sauce separate to keep the pasta more tender and to prevent soggy noodles when stored (up to you!). Serve and enjoy.
One-pot recipe: Omit step 1. Starting at step 5: add the uncooked pasta and 1 cup of water or broth to the sauce. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the pasta covered for roughly 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir the pasta regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat. Fold in the cheese (if including). Serve and enjoy!
How to Store
Store leftover hamburger pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, add leftover pasta to a medium sauce pot with a splash of broth or water to loosen up the sauce. Warm covered on medium-low heat until the pasta is bubbling and warm throughout. Stir regularly to prevent burning.
We do not recommend freezing this dish once the sauce and pasta are combined. Rather, we recommend freezing the hamburger sauce in a freezer-safe container (like a freezer Ziploc bag). When you want to make this dish, thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator or warm the frozen sauce in a large pot. Make the pasta fresh and combine it with the sauce, as you would do normally. You can either make the pasta separately (which we recommend) or you can make it a one-pot recipe by following those instructions in the recipe card.
What to Pair with Hamburger Pasta
- Bread – homemade breadsticks, dinner rolls, white bread, or garlic bread are perfect for dunking into the sauce.
- Veggie – broccoli, green beans, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, or broccolini prepared your favorite way, like grilled, sauted, air fried, or oven roasted, are great compliments to this dish.
- Salad – start with your favorite side salad, like a classic Caesar salad or garden salad.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, draining the rendered fat from ground beef prevents greasy, heavy sauce.
Yes, browning the beef in a little oil adds a ton of rich, meaty flavor and color, resulting in a sauce with delicious depth.
To make this recipe lactose free, replace the 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of beef broth and omit the cheddar cheese or substitute with vegan cheese.
Check out these other yummy pasta dishes
- Creamy avocado pasta
- Healthier Swedish turkey meatballs
- Roasted red pepper and sausage skillet
- Sundried tomato pasta
- Creamy Cajun pasta
- Stovetop white cheddar mac and cheese
Let us know what you think about our recipe for hamburger pasta by dropping a comment, star rating, and/or sharing on Pinterest/social media! We really appreciate your help in sharing and rating our recipes, as it allows us to continue to bring delicious and healthy recipes to our community!
Hamburger Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 oz macaroni or bow tie pasta (or other small pasta)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt, more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper, more to taste
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 c low sodium beef broth
- 1 c 2% milk or low-sodium beef broth
- 1⅓ c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
- While the water boils, heat the oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until onions become translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the pot and break apart with a wooden spoon. Season with garlic powder, dried parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Drain any rendered grease from the pan. Return the pot to the burner and reduce the heat to medium heat.
- Mix in the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Whisk the flour into the beef broth and add the broth mixture and milk/broth to the pot with the hamburger. Stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and is slightly reduced.
- Remove from heat. Fold in the cheese (if including) and warm until the cheese is melted. Add the pasta and stir well to thoroughly coat the noodles. You can also keep the noodles and sauce separate to keep the pasta more tender and to prevent soggy noodles when stored (up to you!). Serve and enjoy.
- One-pot recipe: Omit step 1. Starting at step 5: add the uncooked pasta and 1 cup of water or broth to the sauce. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the pasta covered for roughly 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir the pasta regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat. Fold in the cheese (if including). Serve and enjoy!
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