It’s no secret that I like to experiment with flavor combinations and flavors, but sometimes, I crave straight-up American comfort food, such as cheeseburgers. This week, I decided to cook the cheeseburger-flavored pasta giving me that cheeseburger taste but a much less real hamburger. Since meat is among the most expensive products at the supermarket, you’ll need to stretch it however you can. This one-pot cheeseburger pasta accomplishes precisely that. If you enjoyed Hamburger Helper as a child, as a child, then you’re likely to enjoy this recipe even more!
HOW TO SERVE CHEESEBURGER PASTA
I usually like stuffing your recipes with as many veggies as possible. However, I can’t figure out how to add more vegetables to this dish without infusing less of a hamburger flavor, so I’ll recommend serving the plate with the simple salad for a side. Perhaps some Romaine tomatoes, a little romaine, and a dressing. Make it simple. 🙂 And maybe Homemade Garlic Bread. Since everything tastes better when it’s made when having garlic bread
FREEZE SOME FOR LATER
Saucy pasta dishes like this freezer pretty well, IMHO, so if you’re cooking for yourself, this would make an excellent cook-and-freeze-for-later dish. If you’re sensitive to changes in texture, such as pasta becoming slightly softer, however, you might not enjoy the leftovers.
TIPS FOR COOKING ONE POT PASTA
Cooking pasta in a pot is similar to riding a bicycle. It is essential to be attentive and adapt to the subtleties of the pasta while it boils. Once you master it, it’s easy. Here are a few suggestions:
Use thick, heavy cookware to ensure that the ingredients get evenly heated.
Choose a size burner close to the bottom of the pot to ensure even heating.
A cooked broth does not have to cover the pasta to cook thoroughly, So do not add additional water or broth.
Make sure that the liquid remains simmering throughout the cooking process. If the temperature is not high enough, the pasta will become sticky.
The pot is stirred frequently to avoid sticking, but don’t stir too often. Otherwise, you run the risk of breaking the pasta.
Use your judgment. If your pasta appears like it is about to be cooked, but there isn’t much liquid remaining in the pan, then let it simmer without removing the lid. If the liquid has gone, but the pasta is not cooked through, add a broth or water splash and allow it to continue to cook.
INGREDIENTS
One yellow onion ($0.25)
1 tablespoon olive oil($0.16)
1/2 lb. ground beef ($2.50)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
1 8oz. container tomatoes sauce($0.29)
2 cups of beef broth ($0.26)
1/2 lb. pasta shells, uncooked ($0.50)
Four oz. cheddar cheese, shredded ($0.75)
2 Tbsp hot dog relish ($0.16)
Two green onions, cut (optional) ($0.20)
INSTRUCTIONS
Finely chop the onion into small pieces. The onion and olive oil, and ground beef to a deep skillet. Sauté at medium-low heat until the meat thoroughly cooks and the onion becomes tender and transparent. The fat should be removed as required.
Pour the flour into the skillet, and continue stirring for another minute. The flour will start to cover the surface of the pan. Be cautious that you don’t let the cooking oil burn.
Pour the broth and tomatoes into the skillet. Stir to loosen the flour from the sides of the pan.
Add the pasta not cooked to the skillet, and stir until the pasta is well coated. The sauce in the skillet might not ultimately be able to cover all the pasta. However, that’s fine.
Cover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, then let the liquid rise to a boiling point. Once it has reached a boiling point, please give it a quick stir to remove any pasta stuck within the pan. Replace the lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the pasta to simmer, frequently stirring (constantly changing the top), for approximately 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the sauce thickens. Switch off the heat.
Add the shredded cheddar to the pan and mix until it melts into the base sauce. Mix in the relish for the hot dogs, and garnish with slices of green onions. Serve hot.