Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole has all the flavors of a classic bacon cheeseburger packed into a creamy, cheesy, hearty baked pasta casserole!
A COMFORT FOOD CASSEROLE
Comfort food alert with this easy Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole recipe! It takes everything you love about a juicy bacon cheeseburger: savory beef, smoky bacon, melty cheddar cheese, and that tangy hint of ketchup and mustard, and turns it into a creamy, baked pasta dish that’s a total family favorite in our house. It may sound like it wouldn’t work but I promise that it does! Perfect for busy weeknights or potluck gatherings!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
This Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole is best served hot, while the cheese is still melted.
I find when using elbow pasta, it can get a little over cooked in the oven. I highly recommend draining it and rinsing under cool water a minute or two before al dente. It’s smaller so it may over cook easily. This may not be the same for larger pasta like penne.
You can use any of your favorite bacon burger toppings. I think diced pickles would be nice, maybe add some lettuce, or garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
So, you can do as you like and whatever is easiest for you. That’s my rule with cooking! 🙂 I think cooking the bacon fresh gives you the best texture and flavor. You could use microwaveable bacon or the precooked bacon pieces, but I think this will overall be much better with fresh cooked bacon.
Cooking bacon in the oven is usually the easiest option with less mess. To cook bacon in the oven, start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer. Do not overlap. The slices can be close but not touching too much.
Bake for 15–22 minutes, depending on thickness and desired crispiness. If using thick cut bacon as I suggested, you’ll need 18-22 minutes, regular cut will need about 15 minutes. Check often near the end to avoid burning. Bacon goes from perfectly crispy to too dark quickly. Remove from oven and transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain excess grease.
You sure could. I have a recipe for Crock Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni that is very similar to this one so I would go check that one out to see how it is done.
Yes! You can assemble the entire casserole a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to eat, bake as directed (add 5–10 extra minutes if baking straight from the fridge).
While this can totally be a standalone meal all by itself, it does go well with your favorite sides. I like serving a big salad with it and a few slices of crusty bread. You could also serve with some steamable vegetables. The kind you pop in the microwave and steam that way works nicely.
Sure! If you don’t need as many servings, you can easily cut this in half. Or, make the full recipe, enjoy half now and freeze the rest for later.
The casserole reheats well and is great for meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or back in the oven until warmed through. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an appropriate freezer safe container.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- elbow pasta– always measure out your pasta before you cook it. You can use any type of pasta that you would like, shells, rotini or penne are good alternatives.
- thick cut bacon – You can use turkey bacon instead of pork based.
- ground beef – if desired, ground chicken or ground turkey can be used.
- yellow onion
- garlic – generally I prefer freshly minced garlic but the jarred stuff works fine here.
- ketchup and mustard – you don’t technically have to add these if you’re unsure but it really does add a little background flavor.
- smoked paprika – if you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika.
- flour
- beef broth– if you can, I suggest using a low sodium beef broth. Since there’s salt from other ingredients, I prefer low sodium options when I can. You can always add additional salt if you feel it needs it.
- whole milk
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese– if you want to change things up, you can do a blend of cheese to get a different flavor, like Pepper Jack for a little extra heat or Gruyere.
HOW TO MAKE BACON CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by spraying well with cooking spray. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta right before al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside. While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow each side to get crispy. Place on a paper towel lined plate and remove any extra fat. When the bacon cools down, chop it into small pieces. Drain the skillet of any bacon grease. Using the same skillet, over medium heat, add the ground beef and chopped onions. Allow the beef to brown and then break it up into small pieces.
Add the garlic, ketchup, mustard, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and stir together well. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir until it has fully mixed into the beef, no flour color should remain. Slowly pour in the beef broth and milk, stirring constantly. Allow the mixture to simmer for 3-4 minutes, it will begin to thicken.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until it is fully melted. Add in the pasta and gently stir until it is fully coated in the sauce. Stir in half of the bacon pieces. Pour the pasta and beef into the baking dish.
Top with the remaining cheese and bacon pieces. Place in the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.
Allow the casserole to rest for about 5 minutes and then add the chopped tomatoes and green onions on top. Serve and enjoy.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow pasta (½ a 16 ounce box, measured before cooking)
- 8 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (can use regular)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided use)
- ¼ cup diced tomato
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by spraying well with cooking spray.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 ounces elbow pasta right before al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, cook 8 slices thick cut bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow each side to get crispy. Place on a paper towel lined plate. When the bacon cools down, chop it into small pieces. Drain the skillet of any bacon grease (see my notes below about storing the grease.)
- Using the same skillet, over medium heat, add 1 pound ground beef and 1 cup diced yellow onion. Cook and crumble the ground beef until done and no longer pink.
- Add 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 Tablespoons ketchup, 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir together well. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons flour over the mixture and stir until it has fully mixed into the beef, no flour color should remain.
- Slowly pour in 1 cup beef broth and 1 cup whole milk, stirring constantly. Allow the mixture to simmer for 3-4 minutes, it will begin to thicken.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until it is fully melted. Add in the cooked elbow pasta and gently stir until it is fully coated in the sauce. Stir in half of the cooked bacon pieces.
- Pour the pasta and beef into the baking dish. Top with the remaining one cup shredded cheddar cheese and remaining cooked bacon pieces. Place in the oven, uncovered, and cook for about 18-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.
- Allow the casserole to rest for about 5 minutes and then top with1/4 cup diced tomato and 1/4 cup chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- Save your bacon grease for cooking other things. Put it into a heat save lidded container. Strain any bits out of it. I store mine in the refrigerator to keep it from going rancid too quickly. You can also keep a little bit of the bacon grease in the skillet if you are cooking with lean ground beef. it will infuse it with flavor!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I made this yesterday for dinner and it was so good! The bacon really adds to it and it’s a nice variety for something different 🙂 I also added a chopped jalepeno to give it some kick and it was excellent. Thank you for another great recipe!
I have the pickiest of picky kids and they LOVED this meal. I had to use onion powder instead of onions but it was delicious. This will definitely go in to our dinner rotation!
Can this be made in a slow cooker and if so how, Thank You Josh
Hey Josh! I answer that above in the Frequently Asked Question section 🙂
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