Loaded Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta You'll Crave Again and Again

Loaded Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta You'll Crave Again and Again

Author: Arwa Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings Category: Pasta Cuisine: American Diet: None

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces short pasta (like penne, rotini, or elbow macaroni)
  • 1 pound ground beef (can substitute with ground turkey or chicken)
  • 6 slices bacon (cooked and crispy)
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain but reserve about a half cup of the pasta water for the sauce later.
  2. While pasta cooks, fry the bacon until crispy then drain and crumble it. Leave a little bacon fat in the pan for flavor.
  3. In the same skillet, brown the ground beef over medium high heat. Break it up into bite sized pieces and cook until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed.
  4. Reduce heat to medium and add cream cheese to the beef, stirring until it melts and coats the meat. Add garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, and stir well.
  5. Toss in the cooked pasta and shredded cheddar, stirring until everything looks melty and delicious. Add reserved pasta water as needed for desired sauce consistency.
  6. Fold in the crumbled bacon, saving some for topping. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
  7. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of cheddar and remaining bacon pieces. Garnish with chopped green onion or pickles if desired.

Notes

  1. Great for leftovers; flavors improve after a night in the fridge. Can easily be scaled up for a crowd.