Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta is easy to make and always a hit with the family!
Busy days and chilly nights call for hot and hearty main dishes like this deliciously cheesy pasta dish. Simple ingredients like ground beef, pasta, diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, chicken broth and Velveeta cheese make this easy one pot meal a real time saver! Double up on this recipe for tasty leftovers all week, or take it to a party or potluck!
Cheesy Beef Pasta
- Kids absolutely love this recipe! Have the gang over for movie night and serve cheesy beef pasta with some grilled cheese roll-ups for dipping or some fun bacon cream cheese biscuits. Don’t forget the monster magic cookie bars for dessert!
- Prepare on the stovetop or as a casserole in the oven! Either way, this cheesy pasta comes out rich and creamy every time!
- No need to pre-cook the pasta, either. It cooks as it simmers in the tomato cheese sauce.
- Don’t forget to add a crunchy tomato salad along with some of the best cheesy bread ever to round out the meal.
Beef Pasta Ingredients
GROUND BEEF – Ground beef makes this a hearty dish, but a combination of ground beef and pork sausage or turkey adds extra flavor. Sprinkle bacon bits on top as a garnish. Use seasoned ground beef to make this recipe even quicker.
SAUCE – This quick and easy sauce has so many variations. The chicken broth, diced tomatoes and pasta sauce provide enough liquid to cook the pasta, and for a super creamy sauce, stir in some heavy cream. Make it a bit more spicy with a few tablespoons of chili sauce or a couple dashes of Tabasco!
PASTA – This is the fun part! Use any kind of pasta that’s available. Elbow macaroni, shells, penne, even bowtie pasta gives the dish a new look every time.
ADD-INS – Sliced mushrooms, healthy fresh vegetables, sliced black olives, even a bag of frozen mixed veggies, add more flavor and texture to the dish. It’s a great recipe for using up leftovers, too.
How to Make Pasta with Ground Beef
This one pot meal is perfect to make on busy weeknights, and it’s ready in minutes:
- Cook ground beef, drain.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients (as per the recipe below) to a large pot.
- Boil, then simmer until the pasta is al dente. Serve immediately.
As a Casserole
- Cook ground beef, drain.
- Place the beef and remaining ingredients (found in the recipe below) in a casserole dish.
- Bake until the pasta is al dente. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips & Time Savers!
- This dish is great for freezing extra batches! Once it’s cooled, scoop it into gallon-sized or individual-sized zippered bags with the date labeled on the outside for up to 4 weeks. Thaw portions in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop.
- Make this cheesy pasta extra fancy with some additional cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese on top of the finished dish. Place it under the broiler until the cheese is browned and bubbly, and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Other Beef Pasta Recipes
Here are some more time-saving recipes combining pasta and beef!
- American Goulash – fun and easy to prepare.
- Cheesy Taco Pasta – ready in just 30 minutes!
- Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup – delicious lunch or dinner.
- Creamy Beef Mushroom Stroganoff – so creamy!
- Skillet Pasta With Ground Beef – extra cheesy
Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2-3 cups chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces
- 1 ½ cups pasta sauce
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 cups medium pasta shells or rotini
- 4 ounces Velveeta
Instructions
- Brown ground beef until fully cooked. Drain fat.
- Combine all ingredients, except Velveeta, in a 12 inch skillet and bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 14-16 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
- Add Velveeta and stir through until fully melted.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days in covered containers. Or freeze cooled portion in airtight containers or zippered bags for up to 4 weeks.
Nutrition
REPIN this Ground Beef Pasta recipe
Jessica Little says
I’m not showing condensed cheese soup in the ingredients….am I blind? By pasta sauce, do you mean pre-made marinara sauce (like spaghetti sauce)?
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
We have updated the recipe to pasta sauce and Velveeta. But yes, by pasta sauce we use a standard marinara sauce.
R M says
Description and comments talk about condensed cheese soup, but recipe says pasta sauce??
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
We use pasta sauce and Velveeta to make this cheesy ground pasta! Hope that helps!
Dee says
I just made this recipe & I have to say it came out so very good my family enjoyed it they were kind of iffy about the cheese in it but it gave this meal such a great flavor, I would definitely make this again & again & again etc…… great recipe love it, ❤❤♀️♀️Dee
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
That is great, Dee! So happy everyone enjoyed it.
Cathy says
Terrible! I’m a good cook but this was a big fail. Tasted terrible! Added fresh cheddar to fix the taste but husband wouldn’t eat it! I think it was the the canned cheese soup that ruined it!
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
Oh no, I am sorry to hear that Cathy!
Darlene Williams says
I make a version of this with a box of velveeta shells and cheese, and I season the ground beef with taco seasoning. I think the canned cheese soup is just not as good.
Heather Scott says
I won’t make this again. The beef broth watered the cheese soup down so much, I couldn’t taste it at all. Maybe precook the pasta and only use a little bit of broth for flavor? Adding extra cheese on top didn’t really help. Don’t add mixed vegetables like they suggested, it just wasn’t very good.
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
Sorry to hear that, Heather. We didn’t find it watered down the pasta but you could reduce the amount of beef broth to your preference.
Rhonda Grantham says
I was unsure, but this turned out great! I am making this again tonight.
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
So happy to hear that, Rhonda!
Fran says
I had the same problem, Heather. The cheese soup disappeared in that much broth. It was not at all like the picture. I have no idea how they got it to look so cheesy.
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
We recommend starting with the 2 cups of broth and adding more only if necessary. It should help keep it from becoming too liquidy. Hope that helps, Fran!
Linda says
It doesn’t say what size can of rotel or the condensed cheese soup
The Shortcut Kitchen SN says
Hi Linda, they are both approximately 10-ounce cans.
Katie Fuller says
2 2/3 cups of broth? Is that right? Mine looked like soup.
The Shortcut Kitchen EW says
Sorry to hear that Katie, 2 2/3 cups is correct did you also add a cup of water with the condensed soup? That could be why it is thinner.