Say goodbye to Hamburger Helper and hello to a delicious, healthier option! Try this Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta, ready in just 5 minutes, for a quick and satisfying meal that’s less processed and packed with flavor.
Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Recipe
Our easy Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta recipe is a one-skillet sensation that redefines classic comfort food. It puts a healthier spin on the popular packaged box of macaroni and powdered seasoning, like a homemade hamburger helper, but made without added preservatives or ingredients you can’t pronounce!
This bacon cheeseburger skillet recipe is ingenious when you crave a bunless burger and a plate of cheesy pasta. It’s a delicious mash-up of crispy bacon, savory beef, and melted cheese mingling with tender pasta in a thick, mouthwatering sauce.
Why dirty multiple pots when you can merge all your favorite burger flavors with tender noodles in one pan? This beef pasta dish is the ultimate weeknight hero, delivering the same hand-held comforts without heating up a grill!
Cooking for a crowd? Bulk this beef bacon dish with veggies and bake a bacon cheeseburger casserole instead. Like it creamier? My homemade hamburger helper cheeseburger macaroni recipe skips the soup and is made with a creamy tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and heavy whipping cream mixture.
Ingredients Notes
- Elbow pasta: I like to use elbow macaroni for this recipe because it absorbs the tomato sauce well. However, other small noodles, like shells and penne, will also work.
- Center-cut smoked bacon: Use classic-cut bacon in this hamburger pasta recipe. Using thick-cut bacon will leave you with a chewy texture instead of the crispy bacon texture.
- Lean ground beef: You can substitute lean ground beef for other meat, like ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Condensed tomato soup: For this recipe, be sure to use a good-quality brand of condensed tomato soup, as you are getting most of the flavor from the soup. You can taste the mixture before adding the shredded cheese to the skillet and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- Shredded cheddar-jack cheese blend: Cheddar jack cheese is a wonderful cheese for its melting quality and the flavor it adds to a recipe. A great alternative would be Colby cheese or mild cheddar cheese.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
- Prepare The Pasta: Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook The Bacon: Cook the bacon pieces over medium heat until crispy and the fat has rendered. Place the cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Discard the excess rendered fat, but do not clean the skillet.
- Brown The Beef: Cook the ground beef on medium-high until no longer pink.
- Combine The Components: Stir the tomato soup, fully cooked bacon, and pasta into the skillet with the beef.
- Melt The Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the meat and pasta mixture (do not stir) and cover the skillet with a lid. Allow the mixture to heat through and melt the cheese.
- Stir And Serve: Stir the melted cheese into the mixture and remove from the heat. Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This hearty bacon cheeseburger skillet pasta dish is a complete meal in and of itself, but it would go great with a simple salad or veggie on the side. Try serving it with my Olive Garden Salad, Tomato Cucumber Salad, Garlic Green Beans, or Whole Roasted Cauliflower Head.
This bacon cheeseburger pasta is best served freshly made. As the pasta cools and sits in the sauce, it will continue to absorb the sauce and thicken. My low-carb cauliflower breadsticks or Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread are great for soaking up any extra sauce.
Tips & Variations
- Best Beef Is Lean Beef: Be sure to use very lean ground beef or a ground sirloin to avoid excess fat in the skillet when cooked. If you choose a higher-fat blend of beef and there is a substantial amount of rendered fat remaining in the skillet when cooked, make sure to drain off most of the excess fat before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Add Some Spice: To spice up your meal, feel free to add garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Bake Without Beef: For other bacon and noodle recipes that do not call for beef, check out my creamy bacon pasta, bacon mac and cheese, and chicken bacon ranch pasta for inspiration.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the cooked and cooled pasta in an airtight container for up to two months.
- To Reheat: Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a large skillet on medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to the skillet to loosen the sauce.
Other Easy Pasta Recipes
- Tuna Pasta
- Honeycomb Pasta Cake
- Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole
- Chicken and Broccoli Penne Alfredo
- Philly Cheesesteak Tortellini
If you tried this Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ pound elbow pasta cooked and drained according to package directions
- ½ pound (approximately 6-7 slices) center cut smoked bacon, cut into ½ inch diced pieces
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93%-7% fat
- 21.5 ounces (2 cans) condensed tomato soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese blend Sargento brand
Instructions
- Cook the elbow pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.½ pound elbow pasta
- To a large skillet (10-12 inches) over medium heat, add the diced bacon pieces and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Stir often to ensure the bacon does not burn.½ pound (approximately 6-7 slices) center cut smoked bacon, cut into ½ inch diced pieces
- Using a large slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon from the skillet and place it onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess fat. Discard the excess rendered fat from the skillet, but do not clean it.
- Increase the heat to the skillet to medium-high. Add the lean ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink.1 pound lean ground beef
- Add the condensed tomato soup, cooked bacon pieces, and drained elbow pasta to the skillet with the ground beef. Stir to combine.21.5 ounces (2 cans) condensed tomato soup
- Top the bacon cheeseburger pasta mixture with the shredded cheddar-jack cheese (do not stir the cheese into the mixture yet) and cover the skillet with a lid. Allow the mixture to heat through, and melt the shredded cheese, for 2-3 minutes.2 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese blend
- Remove the lid to the skillet, stir the melted cheese into the rest of the mixture and remove from the heat.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the cooked, and cooled bacon cheeseburger pasta in an airtight container for up to two months.
- To Reheat: Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a large skillet on medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to the skillet to loosen the sauce.
- Be sure to use a very lean ground beef or a ground sirloin to avoid excess fat in the skillet when cooked. If you choose a higher fat blend of beef and there is a substantial amount of rendered fat remaining in the skillet when cooked, make sure to drain off most of the excess fat before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Feel free to add garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes to spice up your meal.
- If you need other bacon and noodle recipes that do not call for beef, check out my creamy bacon pasta, bacon mac and cheese, and chicken bacon ranch pasta for inspiration.
