Description
Loaded Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta is a creamy, hearty comfort food dish packed with savory ground beef, crispy bacon, melty cheddar, and tender pasta. This easy 30-minute dinner brings classic cheeseburger flavor into one satisfying, family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz elbow macaroni or shell pasta
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Extra shredded cheddar (optional topping)
- Extra crumbled bacon (optional topping)
- Chopped pickles (optional topping)
- Diced tomatoes (optional topping)
- Sliced green onions (optional topping)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat.
- Add diced onion to the skillet and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes to deepen flavor.
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute to form a roux.
- Slowly whisk in warm milk and cook 3–5 minutes until thickened.
- Reduce heat and stir in cheddar and mozzarella until melted and smooth.
- Add sour cream and stir until creamy.
- Combine cooked pasta with beef mixture. Pour cheese sauce over and stir gently until fully coated.
- Fold in most of the crispy bacon, reserving some for topping.
- Sprinkle extra cheese and bacon on top and broil 2–3 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden if desired.
- Serve hot with optional toppings like pickles, tomatoes, or green onions.
Notes
- Use half-and-half instead of milk for extra richness.
- Substitute ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.
- Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg