Cheeseburger Pasta | Slimming Friendly
With your favourite pasta shapes, colourful and crunchy veggies, lean minced beef, cheddar cheese, and the punchy flavours of paprika, ketchup, and mustard, this cheeseburger pasta recipe is a quick and easy dinner that’s certain to quickly become a firm family favourite!
It’s a fun spin on the classic all-American burger, but it ditches the bun to bring a new twist to your midweek meals, and with just 483 calories per serving, it’s perfect if you’re following a slimming plan or you just like to keep things a little lighter.
Ingredients List
You’ll find the full ingredients list with quantities at the bottom of this post in the printable recipe card.
Here though, I want to take a minute to explain some of the various ingredients that you’ll need, including some potential substitutes in case you don’t fancy a trip to the shops but want to create this recipe at home tonight.
Minced Beef: To keep the calorie count lower, I like to use lean minced beef with 5% fat. You can find this in all major supermarkets.
Pasta Shapes: Fusilli, penne, and rigatoni all work well for cheeseburger pasta, though you can use any variety that you already have in your cupboard. Try spaghetti or linguine for a fun twist.
Tomato Ketchup & Mustard: These are essential for creating those classic cheeseburger flavours! Choose an American mustard variety, as it tends to be much milder than its French and English counterparts so it won’t overpower the dish.
Cheddar Cheese: Red Leicester would be a fine substitute. If you want to get a little experimental, mozzarella or even a crumbly blue cheese could work well. If you have classic American style cheese slices, you could shred these up and use them too!
Veggies: Onion, garlic, and tomatoes are used to bring flavour and texture. You could also add chopped gherkins just before serving, or stir through some crunchy iceberg lettuce.
Paprika: A little paprika bring a touch of smoky sweetness to the base of this pasta dish. If you don’t have any, or you just don’t like it, you could use chipotle or chilli powder instead.
Step-By-Step Guide To Making Cheeseburger Pasta
Fry the Onion & Garlic: Heat a heavy based pan over a medium to high heat, spritz with low calorie cooking spray, and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onion is starting to brown.
Cook the Pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions, before draining and setting aside.
Fry the Mince: Add the mince to the pan with the onion and garlic, and fry until browned.
Add Tomatoes, Paprika, Ketchup, & Mustard: Gently simmer away for around 5 minutes. Be sure to check the seasoning, and add salt and pepper if needed.
Add Pasta & Cheese: Stir through until everything is melty and delicious. Reserve a little of the cheese for sprinkling over!
Serve: Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and the spring onions, and tuck in!
How To Serve This Cheeseburger Pasta
With carbs, protein, and veggies, this meal is a balanced dish in its own right, so you don’t really need to add any extra side dishes.
If you like, you could serve alongside a green salad for extra nutrition and goodness.
I love to serve cheeseburger pasta for dinner and then keep some leftovers to reheat for lunch the next day!
Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe!
Ingredients
- 500 grams minced beef 5% fat or less
- 300 grams dried pasta shapes of your choice
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 120 grams cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp American-style mustard
- Spring onion chopped, to serve
- Low calorie cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat a heavy based pan over a medium to high heat, and spritz with low calorie cooking spray. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and stir fry until the onion is starting to slightly brown.
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Add the minced beef to the pan and continue to fry until it's cooked through.
- Add the tomatoes, paprika, tomato ketchup, and mustard to the pan, and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Check for seasoning, and add a little salt and pepper if desired.
- Add the pasta and cheese to the pan (reserving a little cheese to spinkle over at the end), and stir until everything is piping hot and the cheese has melted.
- Serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese and spring onion. Enjoy!
Nutrition
