Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet

Craving a cheeseburger but want an easy weeknight dinner? This Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet delivers all the flavors of your favorite burger—juicy beef, crispy bacon, tender pasta, and melted cheese in one simple, family-friendly meal. Skip the drive-thru and enjoy this quick cheeseburger pasta skillet at home, ready in just 30 minutes.

Looking for more easy beef recipes? Check out my Italian Beef Sandwich, Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, Vegetable Beef Soup, or Chili Mac.

Why We Love This Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

• Burger flavors, no grill required. Enjoy the taste of a classic cheeseburger without the hassle of forming patties.
• Minimal cleanup. Just one pot for pasta and one skillet for the sauce.
• Customizable. Add your favorite burger toppings and condiments to make it your own.
• Perfect for meal prep. This ground beef pasta skillet reheats beautifully for easy lunches or dinners.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Penne pasta (save some pasta water)
• Lean ground beef
• Garlic salt
• Bacon strips, diced
• Tomato paste
• Pasta water or beef broth
• BBQ sauce
• Ground mustard
• Onion powder
• Worcestershire sauce
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Ketchup, yellow mustard, and pickle relish for serving

How to Make a Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet

This cheeseburger pasta skillet comes together quickly:

• Cook pasta until al dente; drain, saving a cup of pasta water.
• Brown beef in a skillet, leaving about a tablespoon of fat for flavor.
• Add pasta, bacon, tomato paste, pasta water (or broth), BBQ sauce, mustard, onion powder, and Worcestershire. Heat through.
• Remove from heat, top with cheddar, and cover until melted.
• Serve with ketchup, mustard, and relish for that classic cheeseburger taste.

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

How to Store

This bacon cheeseburger pasta keeps well:
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Cetcu’s Tips

• Short pasta shapes like penne or elbow macaroni work best.
• Leave some fat from the cooked beef in the pan for extra flavor.
• Scrape up browned bits from the skillet—they add depth to the sauce.

Variations & Additions

• Onion: Add diced yellow onion while browning beef or use onion powder.Sauce: Substitute tomato sauce for tomato paste; reduce pasta water by half.
• Condiments: Try hot sauce, garlic aioli, queso, beer cheese, or avocado cream.
• Spice: Add black pepper, crushed red pepper, or cayenne for heat.
• Relish: Use dill or bread-and-butter relish.
• Broth: Chicken broth works if you don’t have beef broth.
• Bacon: Swap turkey bacon if preferred.
• Meat: Try ground turkey, chicken, or pork for variety.

Kitchen Notes

• Add a splash of water or sauce when reheating to keep it moist.
• For microwave reheating, spread pasta in a ring for even heating.
• Pre-cooked bacon saves time, or cook fresh before adding.
• Pair this one-pan cheeseburger pasta with a green salad, or roasted broccoli for a full meal.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Recipe

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

A cheesy, bacon-filled pasta skillet that brings all the flavors of a cheeseburger to the table in just 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta (save 1 cup pasta water)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 6 bacon strips, diced * see notes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 cup pasta water (or beef broth)
• ⅓ cup BBQ sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Ketchup, yellow mustard and pickle relish for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to directions on the package.
2. While pasta cooks, in a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat and drain (I like to save a tablespoon of the meat juice in the pan for flavor). 
3. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the beef.  Stir in cooked diced bacon, tomato paste, pasta water (or broth), BBQ sauce, ground mustard, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat until heated through.
4. Move the pan off the heat and sprinkle cheese over the burger mixture and cover (with a lid or foil). Let rest for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
5. Serve hot with ketchup, yellow mustard and pickle relish on the side for topping (if desired).
6. Enjoy!

Notes

Any pasta shape works; penne or macaroni are favorites.

If using fattier beef, drain most grease but leave a little for flavor.

Tomato paste can be swapped with one 16-ounce can tomato sauce + ½ cup pasta water.

Condiments replicate the cheeseburger flavor—don’t skip!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 514
Total Fat: 27g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 116mg
Sodium: 858mg
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 38g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

This Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet is quick, comforting, and loaded with flavor. Perfect for weeknight family dinners, it’s cheesy, meaty, and always a hit at the table.