Cheeseburger Pasta
I came up with this one on a night I wanted a cheeseburger but didn't want to deal with buns and toppings for ten portions. Ground beef, cheddar, and a swirl of ketchup and mustard turn a basic pasta bake into something with that same nostalgic flavor.
This one is built to taste like a cheeseburger in pasta form, with ground beef and melted cheddar doing the heavy lifting on flavor. Greek yogurt stands in for some of the cream you'd expect in a dish like this, keeping it rich without being too heavy.
Cheddar re-melts nicely on reheat, so this pasta doesn't turn dry or clumpy the way some cream-based dishes can. It's an easy crowd-pleaser, especially if you're meal prepping for someone who wants something a little more indulgent during the week.
Full ingredient amounts and cook times are on the recipe card, scaled for ten portions. Let the pasta cool before sealing the containers, then refrigerate what you'll eat within four days and freeze the rest. This cheeseburger pasta is a good pick whenever I want something a little more comforting than my usual bowls.
Nutrition note: This is general food information, not individualized medical or nutrition advice.
Cheeseburger Pasta
YIELD
10 portions
ESTIMATED NUTRITION
785 calories • 61g protein • 57g carbs • 33g fat per portion
This is the kind of meal I reach for when I want a comforting, homemade dinner without having to cook from scratch every night.
Ingredients
• 3 3/4 lb lean ground beef
• 30 oz pasta
• 2 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 3/4 cups low-fat cheddar
• 2 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 5/8 cup ketchup
• 2 1/2 tbsp mustard
Directions
1. Cook pasta.
2. Brown beef and onion.
3. Stir in ketchup and mustard.
4. Remove from heat and fold in yogurt and cheese.
5. Combine with pasta.
6. Let the food cool briefly, then divide it evenly among 10 airtight meal-prep containers. Add avocado or other delicate fresh toppings just before eating.
Meal-prep notes: Refrigerate promptly and use refrigerated portions within 3–4 days; freeze any portions you will not eat in that window. Reheat hot meals until steaming and 165°F internally. Nutrition is estimated per portion.
