This Slow Cooker Crockpot Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe is so easy to make and so filling! The perfect comfort food with hamburger, cheese, and pasta combined together!
Crockpot Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
Woohoo! Another Monday Slow Cooker recipe! I am trying to share a new crockpot recipe at least once a week until the end of the year!
Please don't mind the onslaught of Crock Pot recipes. There is just something magical about setting up dinner in the morning and coming back to it ready to go for dinner. However, since I work from home, I do end up smelling it cooking all day long, which may lead to more snacking on my part. LOL!
This Slow Cooker Crock Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe is sooooooo good! It is the perfect combination of hamburger and cheesy goodness. Plus, throw in the pasta, and what more could you ask for?
I wondered if I should call this a cheeseburger pasta bake or a cheeseburger pasta casserole, so I went with slow cooker CrockPot cheeseburger pasta.
How do you differentiate between a bake and a casserole? Does it depend on the recipe, part of the country, or flipping a coin? I have never figured it out.
If you enjoy making recipes with hamburger meat, check out this Crock Pot Tater Tot Casserole Recipe! It is one of our most popular recipes on the blog.
You might also like this meat lover's Crock Pot queso recipe! It is full of meaty goodness.
For a different type of beef recipe in the crockpot, check out this Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli recipe, which is great for family dinner.
This alternative to hamburger helper is the perfect easy recipe for dinner.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic CrockPot Cheeseburger Casserole! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Oil
- Hamburger/ground beef
- Onions
- Garlic
- Dry Mustard
- Salt
- Pepper
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Dried Oregano
- Fresh Basil
- Beef Broth
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Shell Pasta noodles
Optional seasoning - onion powder, garlic powder, paprika
Equipment Needed
- CrockPot: We suggest using a 6-quart crockpot with a digital timer that automatically switches the slow cooker to warm after a set time to ensure your dinner cooks perfectly without stressing about cooking time.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Kitchen Spoon/Stirring Utensil
How to Make CrockPot Cheeseburger Casserole
I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.
- Brown hamburger and add in onions and garlic. Transfer to Crock Pot.
- Add mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, oregano, basil, beef broth, and cheese.
- Cook on low
- Cook pasta according to the package directions and stir it into the beef mixture.
Preparation and Storage
Make-Ahead: This CrockPot Cheeseburger Casserole is make-ahead-friendly! It takes eight hours to cook in your slow cooker, giving you ample time to relax or work on other menu items. You can also cook the pasta and refrigerate it while the casserole mixture cooks so that the pasta is ready to go.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy them within three days.
Freezing/How to Freeze: Transfer your Cheeseburger Casserole leftovers to an airtight, freezer-safe container and enjoy them within three months.
How to Reheat: You can reheat leftover portions using your microwave or oven, depending on how many servings you need to prepare.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions:
Any bite-sized pasta, such as ditalini, penne, or elbow macaroni, works in this recipe. Macaroni works to make a great cheeseburger macaroni in the slow cooker.
We use shredded cheddar cheese, but any shredded cheese you enjoy works just as well! Tex-Mex blend, Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar cheese, or mozzarella would be yummy.
The ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or a veggie meat crumble.
Fresh or frozen chopped onion and minced garlic work great! We spend a few times a month prepping veggies we often use and freezing them for later use to ensure we always have them ready when we want to cook with them.
Add in any of your favorite burger toppings to customize this Cheeseburger mac recipe.
Vegetarian Option: Replace the hamburger meat with your go-to ground meat substitute and the beef broth with vegetable broth to make this casserole vegetarian.
Vegan Option: In addition to the guidance for vegetarians, vegans should replace the shredded cheddar cheese with a plant-based alternative.
Gluten-Free: Gluten-free eaters should use gluten-free pasta, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth to make this recipe safe for a gluten-free diet. Worcestershire sauce sometimes contains barley malt vinegar, which is unsafe for a gluten-free diet, and beef broth may contain additives unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.
Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe makes eight servings. Scale it up or down to your desired yield, working in batches as needed if you scale up.
Make It Spicy: Add a few dashes of chili powder or your favorite hot sauce to spice up this slow cooker Cheeseburger Casserole!
Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 10 grams of sugar per serving. Use sugar-free and no-sugar-added ingredients where possible to lower the sugar content.
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
- Drain the excess grease from the browned beef before adding it to the slow cooker bowl so the casserole doesn’t become greasy.
- We find that a 29-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes adds enough tomato flavor. However, if you’re craving more, add some tomato paste or ketchup to the casserole mixture before setting the timer.
- We have yet to try it for this recipe, but we have seen others add chopped dill pickles if you enjoy your cheeseburgers with pickles and want to recreate that flavor in this casserole.
- Nutrition information, including calories, protein, calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin c, potassium, cholesterol, sodium, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and more, will vary depending on the products used.
What to Serve with Crock Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
This comfort food casserole has all the goodness of a cheeseburger and macaroni and cheese, all wrapped into one satisfying dish! Here are some pairing suggestions to inspire your menu planning.
Sides: Broccoli Casserole, Apple Stuffing, Funeral Potatoes, BLT Pasta Salad, Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Air Fryer Baked Potato, Jiffy Cornbread with Sour Cream, Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Yams, Southern Style Green Beans, CrockPot Bourbon Baked Beans, Cracker Barrel Carrots
Main Dishes: Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken, Stovetop Meatloaf, Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers, CrockPot Rosemary Pork, Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings, CrockPot Macaroni & Cheese with Ham, CrockPot Salisbury Steak, CrockPot Ham & Cheese Grits
Desserts: Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake, Lemon Bars, Lemon Icebox Pie, Best Rice Krispie Treats, Bisquick Blueberry Cobbler, Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding, Bisquick Apple Cobbler, Bisquick Peach Cobbler, Molasses Cookies, Banana Bread, Classic Chocolate Brownies
Drinks: Coke Slushie, Red Robin Freckled Lemonade, CopyCat McDonald's Sweet Tea
When to Serve
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Potlucks
- Cookouts
- Family and Friend Gatherings
Great CrockPot Recipes
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Slow Cooker Crock Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
- 1 ½ lbs hamburger browned
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 29 oz Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 cup fresh basil chopped
- ½ cup Beef Broth
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 12 oz shell pasta uncooked
Instructions
- Brown hamburger, add in onions and garlic. Transfer to crock pot
- Add in mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, oregano, basil, beef broth and cheese
- Cook on low for 8 hours
- Cook pasta according to the directions and stir into beef mixture
Kitchen Tools
- Slow cooker
Nutrition
Recipe originally shared on June 28, 2018. Updated January 2021
Elicia P
Thank you. This may have to be dinner tomorrow night. My mouth is salivating.
Terry
I use my crock pot year round because it is so easy and convenient. I love having my dinner ready for me at super time. This looks really delicious.
Holly Wass
Easy and yummy, thank you for the great recipe