Cheeseburgers are delicious in any form, but I’m partial to this creamy pasta dish that seriously tastes just like the real thing. It’s weeknight comfort in a bowl.

  • Total Time

    Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

  • Makes

    8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 1-1/4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 teaspoons ground mustard
  • 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 3 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

    • Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
    • Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook and crumble beef over medium heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon; pour off drippings.
    • In same pan, melt butter over low heat; stir in flour until smooth. Cook and stir until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes (do not burn). Gradually whisk in milk, broth, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 5 minutes.
    • Stir in green onions, pasta and beef; heat through. Stir in half of the cheeses until melted. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; remove from heat. Let stand, covered, until melted.

Test Kitchen tips

  • For fun crunch and color, top with shredded iceberg lettuce just before serving. Feeling adventurous? Try topping with sliced pickles, too!
  • The Parmesan cheese seems a little out of character for a cheeseburger pasta, but, trust us, it adds a perfect punch of salty flavor.

Health Tip: Cut saturated fat by almost half: Use lean ground beef and only 2 cups Jack cheese and make the roux with 2 tablespoons butter and ¼ cup flour. Then, whisk the remaining flour into the broth before adding it to the pan.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 616 calories, 29g fat (17g saturated fat), 98mg cholesterol, 727mg sodium, 56g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 3g fiber), 33g protein.