This one pan cheeseburger ranch pasta is a perfect weeknight meal that the entire family will love. I have made this hundreds of times in my own kitchen, and even as a freezer meal in my freezer meal business! The cheesy ground beef mixture seasoned with ranch in spaghetti — the perfect comfort meal.
My children love any spaghetti recipe so when I was inspired by a Cross Diamond Meats Recipe on Instagram– I knew it would be a hit! We have this recipe and million dollar spaghetti at least a couple times a month.
Why you will love this recipe
- One Pan Meal: unless making this as a freezer meal--only one pan is needed. The broth in the recipe cooks the noodles perfectly.
- Kid Friendly: as I mentioned before, what is more kid friendly than spaghetti, cheese and ranch?!
- Freezer Meal: this cheeseburger pasta makes and excellent freezer meal pasta. I have used this exact recipe in my freezer meal business and the community has enjoyed it. I explain how I freeze it, in the recipe card notes.
Ingredients in Cheeseburger Ranch Spaghetti
- Ground Beef: I use our dry aged ground beef in this recipe that is about 85/15
- Spaghetti Noodles: any work, but I really like 3Farm Daughters Spaghetti. With only 2 ingredients, it is gut friendly and directly supports farmers!
- Velveeta Cheese
- Ketchup
- Beef Broth
- Seasonings: Minced Garlic, Onion Powder, Ranch Seasoning
Helpful Tips and Variations
One of the best things about this cheeseburger ranch spaghetti is how flexible it is. you can easily adjust ingredients based on what you have on hand or family preferences.
Sauce:
- Substitute Velveeta with Cheddar Cheese. It will not melt quite as well, but will be tasty nonetheless. I highly recommend shredding the cheddar yourself. It melts much better than pre-shredded. Try pepperjack or colby jack for a twist.
- creaminess: add in a little cream cheese or a dash of heavy cream for next level creamy.
- Ketchup gives the dish a tangy flavor, but tomato sauce is a great swap in equal parts.
Protein:
- ground turkey or chicken for a lean version
- ground sausage add extra flavor for a more savory dish
- ground venison is a great swap for beef
Pasta:
- any long pasta works– linguine, fettuccini or angel hair
- short pasta like cavatappi, penne or shells give it a more casserole-style vibe
- swap for whole wheat or high protein pasta for extra nutrition
Add-ins
- bacon crumbles for a bacon cheeseburger twist
- top with diced pickles or pickle relish for a more cheeseburger flavor
- diced onion for more depth
- mild green chiles or jalepenos if you’re looking for heat!
Helpful Tips:
- use less ranch seasoning first. Both the velveeta and ranch add saltiness, so taste before adding extra.
- Shred your own cheese if using cheddar (this is optional). It melts much smoother.
How to make cheeseburger pasta
How to make one pan cheeseburger pasta
- Brown beef
Brown the ground beef, drain grease and season.
- Simmer Spaghetti
Add the broth to the pot of browned beef and the spaghetti. Add cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes until much of the broth is absorbed and noodles are al dente.
- Sauce
Add the ketchup and cubed velveeta. Combine until cheese is melted and pasta is combined well.
How to freezer prep Cheeseburger Spaghetti
- Follow instructions in recipe card completely. Make sure to cook pasta only to al dente.
- Once pasta is combined and cheese is melted, let it cool. If the sauce seems thick, add 1/4-1/2 cup of broth or milk–it will absorb when baking later.
- Pour into a freezer safe casserole dish or foil pan. Cover well- top with shredded cheese. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Preparation: thaw completely in refrigerator (at least 24 hours). Bake at 350 F covered with foil for 30 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and spaghetti is bubbling.
FAQs
Absolutely. Prepare the dish in advance and store in refrigerator. To reheat- use the microwave OR pour the contents into a casserole dish and bake at 350 F until warmed through.
Yes. How to instructions are in the recipe card.
Absolutely. Whil spaghetti works well, you can substitute rotini, penne, shells, cavatappi or long hair pastas. Short pastas are especially good if planning to turn into a freezer casserole dish.
For sure! If you do not like ranch, just skip it. You will likely need to add 1/2 tsp, more or less. of salt for flavor.
What to pair with Cheeseburger Pasta
- a classic side salad
- garlic toast- homemade or from the freezer section
- roasted veggies like carrots
More Easy Weeknight Meal Ideas
- Creamy Ground Beef and Egg Noodles recipe
- Million Dollar Spaghetti Bake
- One Pot Goulash
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Love this recipe? Comment and rate below- we’d love to hear from you!
If you have questions or comments, mention them in the comments below. Follow ‘Recipes from French Creek’ on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for more recipe inspiration and to show me your meals!
One Pan Cheeseburger Ranch Pasta
Equipment
- one large skillet pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2.5 cups beef broth low sodium
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1-2 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 4 oz Velveeta cheese can use more or less
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese optional for freezer bake–see notes below.
Instructions
- Brown ground beef on medium high heat. Drain excess grease. Season with onion powder and minced garlic and ranch seasoning.1 lb ground beef, 1-2 tbsp ranch seasoning, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp onion powder
- Add 2.5 cups of beef broth to the beef mixture. Add your uncooked spaghetti noodles. Reduce heat and bring to simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until spaghetti is al dente and broth is mostly absorbed.2.5 cups beef broth, 12 oz spaghetti noodles
- Add the ketchup and combine. Then add cubed velveeta. Stir into the mixture and until nice and cheesy. Can add more or less velveeta than what is called for.4 oz Velveeta cheese, 1/3 cup ketchup
- Let cool and enjoy! Sprinkle with red pepper flakes for a little kick if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Delicious, creamy weeknight dinner!