This Easy Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe is made with hamburger and pasta in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce made with tomatoes and pickles for the ultimate fusion of cheeseburger flavor! It all comes together in one pan in only 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy parents looking for easy weeknight meals.
As a wild game chef and recipe developer, I’m always experimenting with new ways to turn everyday ingredients into something fun, fast, and full of flavor. This burger and pasta dish was born out of two key inspirations: summer break and dill pickles.
My wife and daughter are huge fans of pickles. We go through jars like most families go through paper towels.
Now that my 9-year-old is out of school for the summer, I wanted something easy that we could cook together - something she’d genuinely love and that we could whip up without making a mess of the whole kitchen.
This Easy Cheeseburger Pasta is a one pan meal, made in half an hour, with all the craveable flavors of a juicy cheeseburger stirred into a bowl of creamy pasta.
Why We Eat Ground Venison vs. Ground Beef
I used ground venison for this burger and pasta dish, which is my go-to. It’s lean, flavorful, and a great way to use what’s already in the freezer. But if you don’t have any on hand, lean ground beef will work as well.
I'm a hunter and angler, so we get all of our meat from the woods, not the grocery store. Ground venison isn’t just delicious - it’s a powerhouse of nutrition that puts beef to shame! If you’re looking for a lean, high-protein option, venison is the way to go. With 80% less fat than beef and fewer calories than skinless chicken, it’s a game-changer for anyone who wants to eat healthier without sacrificing flavor. A 3.5-ounce serving of cooked venison delivers a whopping 28 grams of protein, beating out chicken’s 25 grams, while only packing 1.8 grams of fat - far lower than beef’s 13.2 grams or chicken’s 5.2 grams. That means you get all the muscle-building benefits of protein without the extra fat weighing you down.
Venison is also naturally rich in iron and essential B vitamins, supporting energy levels and overall wellness. Whether you’re making burgers, or chili, or spaghetti, swapping beef for venison is an easy, flavorful way to fuel your body right.
Why You'll Love This Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
- Done in 30 minutes: Quick enough for a weeknight dinner.
- One pot = less mess: Everything cooks in one pot, even the pasta.
- Big flavor payoff: It tastes like a cheeseburger in pasta form.
- Family favorite: Kids and adults alike will devour it.
- Venison-friendly: Perfect if your freezer is stocked from last fall’s hunt.
Ingredients For This One Pot Meal
The ingredient list is short and sweet. You probably have most of these on hand already.
- Ground venison or beef: Venison gives this dish a rich flavor.
- Onion and olive oil: These build the base for big flavor.
- Garlic powder and smoked paprika: Adds a little depth and smokiness.
- Tomato sauce and pickles: Classic burger flavors become stars of the sauce.
- Pasta shells or macaroni: Small shapes soak up the sauce perfectly.
- Half and half + cheddar: For that creamy, cheesy finish
How to Make This Hamburger and Pasta Recipe
This one pot cheeseburger pasta recipe is as easy as it gets. Just follow these steps and dinner’s ready in no time.
1. Sauté the onion:
Add the olive oil and diced onion to a Dutch oven or enameled cast iron skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes.
2. Brown the meat:
Add the ground venison and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it’s browned and cooked through and the onion is soft - about 5 more minutes.
3. Add flour:
Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in liquids:
Add the broth and tomato sauce. Stir until everything is well combined.
5. Add pasta and butter:
Stir in the uncooked pasta and 2 Tablespoons of butter. It’s okay if the liquid doesn’t fully cover the pasta.
6. Simmer with lid on:
Cover the skillet and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir to loosen any pasta stuck to the bottom, replace the lid, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
7. Finish with cheese and pickles:
Remove from heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, chopped dill pickles, and remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter. Let it cook for 2 more minutes, until everything is melted and warmed through.
8. Serve:
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot and enjoy.
Got Leftovers?
- Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Gently on the stovetop with a few Tablespoons of broth to loosen it up.
Saucy burger and pasta dishes like this one can freeze fairly well, so if you’re cooking for yourself this would make a good cook-and-freeze-for-later recipe. However, if you’re not a fan of the texture change you get with leftover pasta noodles, you may not be a fan.
Try These Other Hamburger and Pasta Recipes
If you are looking for more burger and pasta recipes using some of that ground venison in your freezer, check out these family favorites all tested and approved by my wife and our 9-year-old daughter:
Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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Easy Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound ground venison or beef
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 2 cups venison or beef broth
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 8 ounces pasta shells or elbow macaroni
- 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup chopped dill pickles
- chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and onion to a Dutch oven or Enameled Cast Iron Skillet and sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Add ground venison and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned and cooked through and the onion is soft, about another 5 minutes.
- Add the flour to the skillet and continue to stir and cook for one minute.
- Add the broth and tomato sauce and stir until well combined.
- Add the uncooked pasta and 2 Tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and stir to combine. The liquid in the skillet may not completely cover the pasta, but that is fine.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high until liquid comes to a boil. Stir to loosen any pasta stuck on the bottom of the skillet, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to low. Let the pasta simmer, stirring occasionally (always replacing the lid), for about 7 minutes until pasta is al dente and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
- Stir in shredded cheese, pickles, and remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter, and cook until everything is melted and warmed through, about 2 minutes more.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if so desired before serving.
Kerry Whipp says
Another keeper recipe. Quick and easy, but more importantly it was good. I substituted diced garlic for the onion since I’m the only one in my house that likes onion.
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Kerry. So glad you agree it's quick, easy, and delicious! Glad to see you were able to substitute a little garlic and omit the onion without any problems.
Kerry Whipp says
It’s a keeper.
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Kerry!
Trina says
My husband and kids absolutely loved this recipe! Thanks for giving me something fun to make with all that deer burger we have in the freezer!