Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
Enjoy all the delicious flavors of a juicy bacon cheeseburger with this bacon cheeseburger pasta that's made with ground beef, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, pasta shells, and tangy sauce. It's perfect for a no-fuss family dinner on busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta shells
- 8 slices bacon chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 can condensed tomato soup 10.5 ounces
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tsp mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dill pickle relish
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the chopped bacon until crispy, and transfer it to paper towels to drain the grease.
- Remove the bacon grease from the pan and then cook the ground beef until brown. Drain any of the excess grease.
- Add the condensed tomato soup, water, ketchup, mustard, and garlic powder to the ground beef skillet. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Combine the pasta shells with the ground beef mixture, and add in the bacon and dill pickle relish. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Then, combine everything until it's evenly coated in the sauce.
- Stir in the cheese until it's melted and creamy.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Variations:
- Switch up the cheese by adding mozzarella or Colby Jack instead, or you can use a combination of different cheeses.
- Add some spice by adding in pepper jack cheese and some spicy mustard.
- Change up the dill pickle relish by adding chopped dill pickles or even chopped sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish instead of the dill.
- Add vegetables like chopped onions, peppers, and diced tomatoes.
- Make it a BBQ bacon cheeseburger pasta by drizzling BBQ sauce over the top.
- Want to make this dish into a quick casserole? Before adding the cheese to the pot, add the pasta and beef mixture to a casserole dish and sprinkle all the cheese over the top. Then, bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Helpful Tips:
- You can make this recipe healthier by using turkey bacon, ground turkey, reduced-fat cheese, and tomato sauce instead of the tomato soup.
- Use a brick of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself instead of the packaged pre-shredded cheese, because it melts better.
- Make sure to drain the beef before adding tomato soup, mustard, and ketchup so it's not too greasy.
Storage and Leftovers:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To reheat, warm in the microwave or on the stove on low heat.