One-Pan Cheeseburger Chili Mac (Printable Version)

Hearty skillet meal with beef, cheddar, pickles, and pasta—all in one pan.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes
05 - 1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped

→ Pasta

06 - 8 oz elbow macaroni

→ Dairy

07 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 1/2 cup milk

→ Sauces and Condiments

09 - 1/4 cup ketchup
10 - 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

→ Spices and Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

→ Liquids

17 - 2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth

# Steps:

01 - In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the ground beef. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the cherry tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir well to combine.
04 - Pour in the broth and milk, then add the macaroni. Stir to ensure the pasta is submerged.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and creamy.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes to melt.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra pickles if desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It comes together in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time doing literally anything else.
  • The mustard and pickles give it a bright, slightly tangy punch that balances the rich cheese in a way plain mac and cheese never could.
  • High protein keeps you satisfied for hours, perfect when dinner needs to fuel an actual evening instead of leaving you hungry by 8 PM.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the fat from the beef because too much grease makes the pasta feel slick instead of sauced, a mistake I only needed to make once.
  • Taste the mixture before serving because salt behaves differently depending on your broth choice, and a pinch more at the end can transform it from good to crave-worthy.
03 -
  • Use whole wheat elbow macaroni if you have it, because it adds a subtle nuttiness and stands up better to the liquid without dissolving into mush.
  • Grate your cheddar from a block cheese instead of using pre-shredded if you want the final texture to be completely creamy, though honestly, I use the pre-shredded version most nights and nobody complains.
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