Cheeseburger Casserole: 14 Cozy One-Pan Dinners That Taste Like a Burger Without the Grill

A cheeseburger casserole gives you everything you love about a drive-in burger, without standing over a grill in the cold. Ground beef, melted cheddar, pickles, mustard and ketchup all move into one dish, one pot or one skillet, and dinner feeds the whole family. Cheeseburger soup is sitting near the top of Taste of Home’s most popular list right now, and searches for cheeseburger casserole with tater tots and crescent rolls are climbing fast this fall. Below you will find soups, bakes, skillets and handheld twists, each with a short ingredient list and easy steps. Most use one pound of ground beef and things you already have in the pantry. Kids ask for these again and again, so make a note of your favorite..

Cheeseburger Casserole: The Classic That Started It All

This is the one most families make first. Pasta, browned beef and cheddar bake together with a quick sauce of ketchup, mustard and a little Worcestershire, then get topped with diced pickles, lettuce and tomato like a real burger. A sprinkle of sesame seeds on top makes it look like the bun. It feeds six for the price of a fast food run. A few tips: brown the beef hard for flavor, and add the pickles at the end so they stay crisp. Would your kids eat this every week?..

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion diced, 8 oz elbow macaroni, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups shredded cheddar, diced pickles, shredded lettuce, tomato, sesame seeds.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package says. 2. Brown the beef and onion and drain. 3. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire. 4. Mix with the pasta and 1 cup cheese in a 9×13 dish. 5. Top with the rest of the cheese and bake 20 minutes. 6. Add pickles, lettuce, tomato and sesame seeds and serve.

Cheeseburger Soup With Potatoes and Cheddar

On a cold night, this soup is the burger you eat with a spoon. Diced potatoes, carrots and celery simmer with browned beef, then the pot turns creamy with milk and plenty of sharp cheddar. Allrecipes’ cheeseburger soup has more than 1,600 ratings, so this is a crowd pleaser. Top bowls with diced pickles and a drizzle of mustard for the full burger taste.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks diced, 4 cups diced potatoes, 3 cups chicken broth, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef and drain. 2. Cook onion, carrots and celery in 1 tablespoon butter. 3. Add potatoes, broth and beef and simmer 15 minutes. 4. In a small pan, melt the rest of the butter, whisk in flour, then milk. 5. Stir it into the soup until thick. 6. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese a handful at a time.

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Put it in the slow cooker before work and come home to dinner. Bacon adds a smoky flavor that makes this version taste like a diner bacon cheeseburger. Searches for crock pot cheeseburger soup with bacon are climbing this fall. Stir the cheese in at the very end so it melts smooth instead of grainy.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef browned, 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, 1 bag (20 oz) refrigerated diced potatoes, 1 onion diced, 3 cups beef broth, 1 cup milk, 8 oz cream cheese cubed, 2 cups shredded cheddar.

How to make it: 1. Add beef, potatoes, onion and broth to the slow cooker. 2. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours. 3. Stir in the cream cheese and milk. 4. Cover 15 minutes until melted. 5. Stir in the cheddar. 6. Top bowls with bacon.

Cheeseburger Casserole With Crescent Rolls

Searches for cheeseburger casserole with crescent rolls have jumped this month, and it is easy to see why. A cheesy beef filling bakes under a golden, flaky crescent dough lid. It looks impressive and takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time. Brush the top with butter and sprinkle sesame seeds so it looks like a burger bun.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1/2 cup diced pickles, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 can (8 oz) crescent dough, 1 tablespoon melted butter, sesame seeds.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Brown the beef and onion and drain. 3. Stir in ketchup, mustard and pickles. 4. Spread in an 8×8 dish and top with cheese. 5. Lay the crescent dough over the top and brush with butter. 6. Sprinkle sesame seeds and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden.

Special Sauce Cheeseburger Casserole

This one tastes like the famous fast food double with the special sauce, all in one pan. The secret is the sauce: mayonnaise, sweet relish, mustard and a little vinegar. Spread it over a beef and cheese layer, then pile on shredded lettuce and onions after baking. Which part of a burger matters most to you: A: the sauce, B: the cheese or C: the pickles?

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion diced, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 4 slices American cheese, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sweet relish, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon vinegar, shredded lettuce, sesame seeds.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Brown the beef and half the onion and drain. 3. Spread in an 8×8 dish and top with both cheeses. 4. Bake 15 minutes until melted. 5. Mix mayo, relish, mustard and vinegar for the sauce. 6. Drizzle over and top with lettuce, the rest of the onion and sesame seeds.

One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta, Better Than the Box

Remember the boxed beef pasta dinners from childhood? This homemade version cooks in one pot in about 25 minutes, and the pasta cooks right in the sauce, so there is no colander to wash. Plenty of cheddar makes it creamy. Stir in a spoon of mustard at the end, a small trick that makes it taste much more like a cheeseburger casserole than a plain pasta.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup milk, 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce, 8 oz elbow pasta, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 tablespoon mustard.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef and onion in a large pot and drain. 2. Add broth, milk, tomato sauce and paprika. 3. Bring to a boil and stir in the pasta. 4. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then. 5. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. 6. Stir in the mustard and serve.

Cheeseburger Casserole With Tater Tots

Tater tot cheeseburger casserole is the top rising search for this dish right now. A layer of cheesy beef with pickles goes in the pan, then crispy tots go on top in neat rows. It is the meal teenagers inhale. Bake it until the tots are deep golden, then add the last of the cheese so it melts over the top.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1/3 cup diced pickles, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 bag (28 to 32 oz) frozen tater tots.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Brown the beef and onion and drain. 3. Stir in ketchup, mustard and pickles. 4. Spread in a 9×13 dish and top with 1 cup cheese. 5. Cover with tots and bake 30 to 35 minutes. 6. Add the rest of the cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

Low Carb Cheeseburger Casserole With Cauliflower

Cutting back on carbs? This cheeseburger casserole swaps the pasta for tender roasted cauliflower and adds crispy bacon. Searches for low carb cheeseburger casserole with bacon are rising fast. Eggs and a little cream hold it together so it slices neatly. Serve it with a crisp salad and a few pickle spears.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 head cauliflower cut in small florets, 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 cups shredded cheddar, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Roast or steam the cauliflower until just tender. 3. Brown the beef and drain. 4. Whisk eggs, cream, tomato paste and mustard. 5. Mix everything with half the cheese in a greased 9×13 dish. 6. Top with the rest of the cheese and bacon and bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Cheeseburger Sliders on Sweet Rolls

Game day, movie night or a holiday party: these sliders disappear first. You bake the beef as one flat layer, slice a slab of sweet rolls in half, then layer beef, cheese and pickles and brush the tops with garlic butter. A whole tray is ready in about 30 minutes. How many could you eat: A: two, B: four or C: do not ask?

You will need: 1 package (12 count) sweet dinner rolls, 1 1/2 lb ground beef, 1 small onion grated, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 slices cheddar, dill pickle chips, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, sesame seeds.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Press the beef and onion into a 9×13 pan and bake 20 minutes, then drain. 3. Split the rolls in one slab. 4. Layer the beef, cheese and pickles on the bottom half. 5. Add the top, brush with garlic butter and sprinkle sesame seeds. 6. Bake 10 minutes and cut apart.

Smash Burger Tacos

This viral twist went from social media to dinner tables everywhere. Press a thin layer of ground beef right onto a small flour tortilla and cook it beef side down in a hot skillet. Flip, add cheese, then fold it like a taco with lettuce, pickles and burger sauce. It is crispy, juicy and cooks in minutes.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 8 small flour tortillas, salt and pepper, 8 slices American or cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced pickles, diced onion, 1/4 cup mayonnaise mixed with 2 tablespoons ketchup and 1 teaspoon mustard.

How to make it: 1. Divide the beef into 8 balls. 2. Press each ball thin onto a tortilla and season. 3. Cook beef side down in a hot skillet 2 to 3 minutes. 4. Flip and add cheese. 5. Cook 1 minute more. 6. Fill with lettuce, pickles, onion and sauce and fold.

Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a cheesy beef filling bake under melted cheddar, and they taste like a cheeseburger casserole in neat little bites. They are fun to make with kids, who can help fill the shells. Make a pan ahead, keep it in the fridge and bake it on a busy night.

You will need: 20 jumbo pasta shells, 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 4 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, diced pickles to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and cook the shells until just tender. 2. Brown the beef and onion and drain. 3. Stir in cream cheese, ketchup, mustard and 1 cup cheddar. 4. Spread tomato sauce in a 9×13 dish. 5. Fill the shells and set them in the dish. 6. Top with the rest of the cheese and bake 20 minutes.

Grandma’s Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

This vintage recipe from the 1970s and 80s makes its own crust as it bakes. A simple batter of baking mix, milk and eggs is poured over beef and onions and turns into a tender, golden pie. Many families still make it from a recipe card in Grandma’s handwriting. Did your family ever make an impossible pie?

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion diced, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup all-purpose baking mix, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and grease a 9 inch pie plate. 2. Brown the beef and onion, drain and season. 3. Spread in the pie plate and top with cheese. 4. Whisk baking mix, milk and eggs until smooth. 5. Pour over the beef. 6. Bake 25 minutes, until a knife comes out clean, and rest 5 minutes.

Cheeseburger Rice Skillet

A one-skillet dinner for nights when you have no time and a hungry family. Rice cooks right in the pan with the beef, broth and tomatoes, then gets covered in melted cheddar. Serve it straight from the skillet with pickles and a squeeze of mustard on top. It is cheap, fast and kid approved.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 1 cup long grain white rice, 2 cups beef broth, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef and onion in a large skillet and drain. 2. Stir in rice, broth, tomatoes, ketchup and mustard. 3. Bring to a boil. 4. Cover and simmer on low 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. 5. Top with cheese. 6. Cover 2 minutes to melt and serve.

Cheeseburger Stuffed Peppers

Bell peppers make a colorful, lighter shell for all the cheeseburger flavors. The filling is beef, rice, a little ketchup and mustard and lots of cheddar. They look beautiful on the table and reheat well for lunch the next day. Which color do you pick: A: red, B: yellow or C: green? For another dinner baked all in one dish, see our one-pan Thanksgiving casserole.

You will need: 4 large bell peppers, 1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 1 cup cooked rice, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, diced pickles and tomato to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. 3. Brown the beef and onion and drain. 4. Stir in rice, ketchup, mustard and half the cheese. 5. Fill the peppers and set them in a baking dish. 6. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes, then top with cheese and bake 10 minutes more.