Cheeseburger Pasta – Nicky’s Kitchen Sanctuary

This cheeseburger pasta combines juicy minced beef (ground beef) with pasta shells in a creamy, cheesy, slightly tangy sauce. I love to finish it off with chopped gherkins for a proper cheeseburger feel!
Seriously comforting bowl food at its best!

A tall, overhead shot of cheeseburger pasta in a black dish with a silver handle. The pasta is topped with sliced jalapeños. In the top right corner of the dish, you can slightly see a wooden spoon sticking out of the dish at an angle. In the top right corner of the image, you can see three slices of bread stacked into a pile on top of a white napkin with small blue stripes. In the bottom right of the image, you can see a navy blue napkin tucked underneath the main dish. This is all set in a light blue/grey background.

This meal is one that I’ve recently added to my regular list of weeknight dinners. It’s very quick and simple to make but also combines all the flavours of a cheeseburger into a pasta dish. It’s really unique and completely mouthwatering.

That creamy, cheesy, meaty sauce topped with fresh, crunchy, tangy pickles and a little spicy hit of green chilli will leave you craving this dish for weeks!

📋 Ingredients

Pasta Bows (Farfalle) – You can use your favourite pasta shape for this recipe, just cook as per the packet instructions.

Minced Beef – Use lean meat with about 5-10% fat, because the fat content of the dish is increased a far bit once we add the cream and cheese. You can use higher fat mince, but it will be a little oilier.

Italian Herb Mix – This is a ready-made mixture, usually consisting of oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley. If you can’t get hold of it, then a mixture of oregano and thyme works well as a replacement.

Garlic Powder – You can substitute this for garlic salt, just leave out the rest of the salt in the dish.

📺 Watch how to make it

***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***

Start by cooking the pasta as per the packet instructions.
Whilst the pasta is cooking, fry the onion for a few minutes until softened. Then add in the mince and seasoning and fry until browned. Break up any large chunks of minced beef with the spatula.
Stir in the seasonings, then add in the stock and simmer.
Once the pasta is ready, add it to the pan along with the cream, cheese and chopped gherkins. Give it all a good stir and heat until the cheese is melted.
If you want to make a thinner sauce, add a few splashes of pasta water until you reach your desired thickness.
Add your desired toppings and it’s ready to serve!

A tall, overhead shot of cheeseburger pasta in a black pan with a silver handle. The pan is set in the image so you can only see half of the pan. The pasta is topped with jalapeno slices, and on the right side of the dish, there is a wooden spoon sticking out of the food. In the bottom right corner of the image, you can see two slices of bread stacked on top of each other. This is all set on a light blue/grey background.

Pro Tip

Add an extra layer of cheese at the end and cook for a further minute, with the lid on, to create a gooey, cheesy layer on top that is just heavenly!

The pickle adds a little extra tang. I like to stir some chopped pickles into the pasta, then sprinkle more on top (along with a finely sliced green chilli) when serving for a refreshing crunch!

A tall shot of cheeseburger pasta. The pasta is in a black pan with a silver handle. The pasta is topped with jalapeno slices. Coming from the right-hand side of the image, there is a wooden spoon being held above the dish, scooping some of the pasta out of the dish. In the bottom left corner of the image, you can slightly see a navy blue napkin tucked under the main dish. In the left corner of the background, you can slightly see a couple of slices of bread stacked on top of each other. This is set on a blue background.

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🍽️ What to serve it with

This is the perfect fill-your-soul dinner!

A tall, closeup shot of cheeseburger pasta in a white bowl. The pasta in the bowl is topped with sliced jalapenos, and there are two slices of bread in the bowl, also a silver fork stuck out of the dish. In the top right corner of the background, there are a few more slices of bread on top of a white napkin with blue stripes. This is all set on a light blue background.

🍲 More fantastic pasta dishes

Can I make this ahead?

Pasta dishes like these are usually best served straight away. However, if you have leftovers, you can cool, cover and refrigerate them right away. It should keep well in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheat in a pan, on the hob, over a medium heat, stirring often. You’ll probably need to add a few splashes of water or stock to loosen up the sauce. Make sure it’s piping hot throughout before serving.

Note: As the dish cools, the pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so the pasta will be a little softer upon reheating.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, you can. The same rules apply as above. Cook, quickly cool, cover and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as per the instructions above.

How to scale up and down this recipe:

This recipe can be doubled up for a crowd or halved for two people, sticking to the same ingredient ratios.

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Extra Cheesy topping (optional):

Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water, as per the pack instructions (usually 10-12 minutes), then drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water.

300 g (10½oz) pasta bows (Farfalle)
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.

1 tbsp oil, 1 onion
Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the minced beef, salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often and breaking up any chunks as you go, until the beef is browned.

500 g (1lb 2oz) minced (ground) beef, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
Add the Italina herb mix, paprika, garlic powder, tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together and cook for a further minute.

1 tsp Italian herb mix, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder/granules, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Add the stock, stir together and bring to a gently boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

360 ml (1½ cups) beef stock
By now the pasta should be ready. Add the pasta to the pan with the minced beef. Add the cream, chopped gherkins and cheese and stir together, heating through until the cheese has melted.

120 ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream, 3 tbsp finely chopped pickled gherkins, 100 g (1 packed cup) mixed grated (shredded) cheese
If you want the pasta to be more sauce, add in splashes of the reserved pasta water until it’s to your liking.
If you want a cheesy topping, add more grated cheese on top, place a lid (or some foil) on the pan and cook for a further minute until the cheese melts. (See Notes)

100 g (1 packed cup) mixed grated (shredded) cheese
Remove the lid, and top with extra chopped gherkins, and slices of green chilli, then serve.

1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled gherkins

Tip: If you want to crisp up the cheese, place the pan under the grill (broiler) for 4-5 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Make sure your pan is suitable for using under the grill.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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