I suppose it's the American in me that really loves riffing on Cheeseburgers. Cheeseburger Meatballs, Cheeseburger Totdish, and now I bring you: Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta!
It's a bit sacrilegious as far as the Italian in me is concerned. But I just can't help it. Cheeseburgers have a bit of an addictive quality. Add some bacon, and you've really got something!
Ground beef is simmered with tomatoes and onions in a ketchupy, mustardy, cheesy sauce. Tossed with noodles and topped with crunchy dill pickles, and you've got yourself a Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta mash-up!
Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
· 4 slices bacon
· 1 tbsp olive oil, if necessary
· 1lb lean ground beef
· 1 onion, diced
· 15oz petite diced tomatoes and their juices
· 1 tsp salt
· ½ tsp pepper
· 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
· 1 tbsp ketchup
· 1 tbsp yellow mustard
· 1 tbsp relish
· ½ cup beef stock
· 12oz cavatappi or elbow pasta
· 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
· ¼ cup dill pickle slices
· 2 tbsp red onion, diced
In a large skillet, cook the bacon slices over medium low heat until crisp. Remove from the pan. Roughly chop bacon and set aside.
In the same pan you cooked the bacon, add the olive oil if the pan is too dry. Over medium high heat, crumble and brown the beef. Once cooked through, reduce temperature to low and add the onions. Sautee until the onions are translucent.
Add the diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, ketchup, mustard, relish and beef stock. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Cook pasta in an abundance of salted water per package instructions.
Stir 1 cup of the cheddar cheese into the beef mixture until melted. Add the chopped bacon to sauce. Toss the cooked noodles into the sauce. Top with remaining cheese. Cover for a minute or two and allow the cheese to melt.
Garnish with pickle slices and red onion, if desired.
Serves 4
Gluten Free Friendly! Use your favorite gluten-free pasta. For extra protein in this recipe, I used Banza Cavatappi.
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