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Love Cheeseburgers? Make this Cheeseburger Pasta recipe and enjoy your favorite comfort food in a pasta dish instead. So easy to make and so delicious. Makes for a perfect weeknight dinner recipe that the whole family will enjoy. Try it!
Pasta meals can be so comforting and hard to resist. It is one of those comfort meals you can make that even your pickiest eater will still eat. This cheeseburger pasta is made with lean ground beef, pasta, marinara sauce, bell pepper, and sweet onions. Then top your serving with as many pickles as you would like to get that cheeseburger flavor in! Easy to make, filling, and so tasty!
Why this healthy pasta recipe works
- Easy to make: Dinner made all in one pot. Takes about 45 minutes to get dinner on the table.
- Delicious: This pasta is bursting with flavor and tastes like cheeseburgers.
- Healthy: Made with lean found beef and healthy ingredients. Make it even healthier by using ground turkey and lentil or chickpea pasta.
Ingredients you will need
- Lean beef or turkey
- Smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Bell peppers
- Sweet onion
- Pasta of choice
- Marinara sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pickled cucumbers
How to make this easy and healthy pasta recipe
- Cook the meat: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink, about 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and season to taste.
- Add the marinara: Stir in the marinara sauce, bell peppers, onions, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot with salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions; once the pasta is al dente, reserve about 3/4 cup of pasta water then drain.
- Combine pasta with meat sauce: While the pot is still on the heat, add the pasta and reserved water over the beef sauce, and stir well to coat.
- Add cheese: Then add mozzarella cheese and let it sit for about 2 minutes until cheese is melted, then
remove from heat. - Serve and enjoy: Serve with pickled cucumbers and Enjoy!
FAQ’s and tips
- Meat: use any meat of choice, lean beef, or ground turkey.
- Pasta: Whole wheat, plain, gluten-free, lentil, or chickpea pasta will work.
- Marinara sauce: use your favorite brand or make your own.
- Serving size is a bit over one cup
- Place leftover cheeseburger pasta in a container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. You can freeze for up to 3 months.
Is pasta healthy
Pasta can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. There are much healthier pasta options available now that are completely healthy and full of protein like lentil or chickpea pasta. They are high in fiber and nutrients and lower in calories. Not a fan of lentil or chickpea? Then look for whole-grain pasta options.
How long to cook pasta
It is best to follow the package directions on the time you need to boil pasta. Most kinds of pasta will need anywhere between 5-15 minutes after you add into boiling water depending on the type of pasta you are using.
Do not overcook pasta because it will just be mushy and not so good. It is best to undercook pasta just a bit, this is called al dente. Remember to remove the pasta from water to stop the cooking process. If you are making pasta salads since with cold water first.
Can you freeze cooked pasta
You can definitely freeze cooked pasta. Frozen food manufacturers do this all the time. If you plan on cooking pasta just so you freeze them to have them handy later, make sure you cook them al dente and don’t overcook it. This will prevent them from becoming mushy once they are reheated.
Other healthy pasta recipes
- Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta
- Easy Chicken Cacciatore
- Vegan Spinach Avocado Pasta Recipe
- Shrimp and Spinach Pasta
- Low carb Turkey Burgers With Zoodles
- Creamy Wild Mushroom Pasta
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Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground lean beef or turkey
- 1 tbsp. Smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 Sweet onion, diced
- 8 oz. Dry pasta of choice, whole wheat, gluten-free, or lentil
- 18 oz. Marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese, Light or fat-free
- 2-3 Pickled cucumbers, sliced to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink, about 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and season to taste.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, bell peppers, onions, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot with salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions; once the pasta is al dente, reserve about 3/4 cup of pasta water then drain.
- While the pot is still on the heat, add the pasta and reserved water over the beef sauce, and stir well to coat.
- Add mozzarella cheese and let it sit for about 2 minutes until cheese is melted, then remove from heat.
- Serve with pickled cucumbers and Enjoy!
Notes
- Meat: use any meat of choice, lean beef, or ground turkey.
- Pasta: Whole wheat, plain, gluten-free, lentil, or chickpea pasta will work.
- Marinara sauce: use your favorite brand or make your own.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe! My 2 and 4 year old couldn’t wait to eat, husband loved it and it was really flavorful. It was even better the next day! It was perfect for our Friday pasta night.
Amazing! so glad your family loved this.