You’re going to love our popular cheeseburger mac and cheese recipe. Friends and family tasted our skillet cheeseburger macaroni and cheese recipe. They said it’s like a homemade hamburger helper, but better! That’s a huge compliment!

Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese recipe in a cooking pot

Easy Skillet Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese Recipe

Yup, they’re right and it’s all made fresh and not out of a box. The concept of our skillet cheeseburger mac and cheese recipe is totally similar to the boxed cheeseburger helper. But the spices are more fresh and everything just tastes better.

We understand the need for families with kids who love pasta, mac and cheese and cheeseburgers all in one bite. So we have this fantastic and easy mac and cheese recipe. It’s loaded with all the goodness of the cheeseburger, but without the bun and pickles! Parents are raving about how much the kids love this one pot cheeseburger mac and cheese.

Video of our Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese Recipe:

Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese recipe in a cooking pot with spoon

Homemade “Hamburger Helper” Recipe

The best part about our homemade cheeseburger hamburger helper is that you can customize the flavor to your preference. Add more onion powder or garlic powder for a pop of extra flavor. Salt and pepper really bring out the flavor of the pasta and meat together too, so don’t be shy about seasoning this skillet of delicious pasta beauty. Your kids and whole family will love this and you’ll wonder why you don’t make this more often because it’s such a quick and hearty meal! Who does’t love mac and cheese, especially will all the cheeseburger patty in it? Hope you enjoy our cheeseburger macaroni and cheese recipe! We’re sure it will be a family favorite for a long time.

Tips on Making Homemade “Hamburger Helper” Cheese Burger Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

  • You’ve got to season the pasta enough to bring out the flavors! Taste the final dish and if it’s missing something, then it’s most likely some salt, garlic salt or onion salt. It’s a 16oz box of pasta you’re serving so a little salt really doesn’t do much unless it’s seasoned well.
  • Try differenet types of good melting cheese. A nice and flavorful smoked cheddar would be great. Or if you want a little spicy kick to it, add about 1/2 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese to replace the other cheese.
  • Some nice salty parmesan cheese will add great flavor too.
  • Pickles? Someone added a handful of chopped pickles and they loved it. If you love pickles, go for it!
  • Use a BIG skillet or pan. It’s alotta pasta, sauce, meat and cheese. If you want more cheese and meat, then just cook a little less pasta. Rather than cooking the whole 16 oz package, you can just ocok 3/4 of the package.
  • All cheeseburger mac and cheese recipe details are in the recipe box below.
Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese recipe @bestrecipebox

Skillet Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Macaroni cooks the quickest, especially if you're using the small macaroni. If you're using different pasta like rotini or penne, cooking time will be longer. Want more meat and cheese? Then cook a little less pasta. And extra salt and pepper really brings out the flavors!
4.59 from 67 votes

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound (454 g) macaroni
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil (or as needed depending on the fat percentage of your beef)
  • 1 pound (454 g) ground beef
  • 1 medium onion , chopped (or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic , minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 15 ounces (425 g) tomato sauce
  • 1 cup (240 ml) milk
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt , or more to taste
  • fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar
  • 2-3 cups (226-340 g) shredded cheddar cheese , depending on your preferred cheesiness
  • minced parsley for topping , optional

Instructions 

  • Cook macaroni to package instructions, drain, then set aside.
    Boiling pasta
  • Heat large skillet on medium-high heat. Add oil and then add beef. Break up beef and cook until nearly cooked through, about 3 minutes.
    Browning and breaking up ground beef
  • Then add onions and garlic and cook until onions and garlic are softened, about 2 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
    Onions and garlic cooked in beef
  • Add tomato sauce, milk, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir to evenly combine.
    Sauce ingredients added to cooked beef
  • Bring beef and sauce to a low simmer for about 3 minutes for all the flavors to combine. Taste the beef sauce and add any additional seasonings if needed.
    Beef sauce simmering
  • Fold in the pasta and then add the cheese a little at a time until everything combines and cheese melts. Add additional cheese on top if you want and minced parsley. Serve warm.
    Stirring in pasta and cheese

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 448kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 797mg, Potassium: 538mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 340IU, Vitamin C: 5.1mg, Calcium: 186mg, Iron: 2.5mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 448

Can you use Egg Noodles for Homemade Hamburger Helper?

Egg noodles are a great replacement for this cheeseburger mac and cheese recipe.
Essentially it’s just an easy skillet pasta recipe with ground beef and cheese. So thinking of this, you can really use any pasta and egg noodles are another delicious option. The egg noodles are tender and quick to cook, which makes this recipe even more simple. Remember, if you like more meat sauce then just cook less of the egg noodles or macaroni pasta.

Freezing leftover cheeseburger mac and cheese

This is great for freezing and eating later. Just store them in airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Don’t wait too long after that because it can get freezer burn and ruin all the delicious pasta and sauce. We prefer freezing for no longer than 2 months and always try to eat it sooner than later.

You’ll love more of our macaroni recipes and skillet recipes: 

Did you enjoy our cheeseburger mac and cheese recipe? Check out more of our creamy, cheesy and easy pasta recipes. They’re perfect for family weeknight dinners or weekend suppers. Enjoy!

Here’s a healthy broccoli mac and cheese recipe for ya! If you love our recipes, please give us a 5 star review and feedback below in the comments! Thanks so much! 

Skillet Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese RECIPE