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Cheeseburger Pasta
with lettuce, tomato and onion salad

Active: 45 Total: 45

We had a lot of fun creating this deconstructed cheeseburger, right down to the classic cheeseburger toppings that we transformed into a side salad. Pickle relish might sound like a strange thing to add to the pasta, but it adds a sweet-tart flavor that is delicious (feel free to skip it if you don’t have pickle relish). This meal was first featured in 2022.
Smarts #1: We preferred this pasta to be lighter on the meat, but if you have a pound of beef (for 4 servings), you can add it all together for a more meat-heavy dish.
Smarts #2: This is a one pan pasta dish where the pasta cooks right inside the sauce. Cooking times may vary, so just keep an eye on your pasta and check it frequently. 

Tags
Proteins
Cuisines

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Cheeseburger Pasta:
  • Shallots - 2 cloves , diced
  • Garlic - 2 cloves , diced
  • Cheese, cheddar - 4 oz , shredded (for best results, do not buy pre-shredded)
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
  • Beef, ground and lean - 8 oz
  • Paprika - 1 tsp
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
  • Stock, beef - 3 cups (sub any type stock)
  • Tomato puree or sauce (8 oz / 227 g) - 1 can
  • Pasta, gluten-free medium shells - 8 oz (sub any gluten-free pasta shape)
  • Pickle relish (opt) - 1 Tbsp
Lettuce, Tomato, and Onion Salad:
  • Onions, medium and red - 1/4 , very thinly sliced
  • Vinegar, white wine - 1 Tbsp
  • Lemon juice - 2 tsp
  • Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
  • Honey - 1/2 tsp
  • Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
  • Lettuce, romaine - 1 heart , torn or chopped
  • Tomatoes, medium - 1 , halved and sliced

Prep

  1. Shallots / Garlic / Onions - Prep as directed. Combine shallots and garlic. Store onions separately. (Note: The onions will be served raw in the salad. If you’d like to take a little of the bite out of them you can soak them in cool water in the fridge until ready to use.) (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Make vinaigrette - Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and honey. Add olive oil while whisking. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Cheese - Shred cheese. (Can be done up to 2 days ahead)

  4. Lettuce / Tomatoes - Prep as directed.

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Make

  1. Heat a large saute pan (use one with a lid) with cooking oil over medium heat. Add beef, shallots, and garlic and saute, breaking the beef apart until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat, if needed.

  2. Stir paprika, salt, and black pepper into beef until no dry spots remain.

  3. Pour stock and tomato sauce into the pan. Bring to a simmer. When liquids begin to simmer, stir in pasta, scraping up anything that is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cover pan with a lid and let the pasta cook until tender. Give the pasta a stir every couple of minutes, especially towards the end of cooking when more of the liquids have cooked off, replacing the lid each time. (Note: Check the package directions on the pasta for recommended cooking time, though the pasta may need a couple of extra minutes since it is not submerged in water.)

  4. When the pasta is tender, remove the pan from heat and add the shredded cheese in several additions, stirring well each time. Stir in relish.

  5. Toss lettuce, tomatoes, and onions in vinaigrette until dressed to your liking.

  6. Serve pasta with salad on the side. Enjoy!


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