Cheeseburger Pasta

What if you could have a cheeseburger without, well, the guilt of having a cheeseburger?  How does Cheeseburger Pasta sound?  I don’t know about you, but it sounds right up my alley.  With Cheeseburger Soup as one of my favorite tummy-warming soups, is it any wonder that Cheeseburger Pasta sounds good?

A friend of ours currently has her entire kitchen gutted.  Like no appliances, no counters, no running water.  A renovation is keeping her out of the kitchen for a good three weeks, and although eating dinner out can be fun sometimes, it gets old quickly, so I took the opportunity to invite them over for dinner.  Any excuse to try out a new recipe, right?

When I spied a recipe for Cheeseburger Pasta in a recent issue of Healthy Cooking magazine (from the folks at Taste of Home), I thought it would be perfect for the dinner.  Simple, kid-friendly, relatively healthy and vegetables to boot.  What’s more, it’s a perfect all-in-one, quick meal for a crazy weeknight.  Adding a bowl of fresh fruit alongside it, dinner was done.

I’m a sucker for cheese.  Whether it’s in a recipe or just by itself, it is a definite weakness.  It didn’t help that there was melted Cheddar in this one.  Gooey.  Melted.  Sharp.  Cheddar.

When Nick saw the platter of the pasta on the table, he asked what it was.

“Cheeseburger Pasta.  Doesn’t that sound good?”

He shrugged.  Luckily shrugging aside, he dug in.  Both kids did.

One of the things I like most about this dish is that with the cheese, you expect it to be heavy.  And it’s not.  It’s just right.  Cheese, beef, tomatoes and pasta in every bite.  A dish that’s an all-around-the-table pleaser.  Dig in.

Family-Favorite Cheeseburger Pasta
Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home’s Healthy Cooking magazine

• 1-1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• Chopped green onions, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Drain pasta; add to meat mixture.

Stir in the tomatoes, relish, mustard, ketchup, steak seasoning and seasoned salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions if desired. 

Yield: 4 servings.