Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe | Merry with Children

I am ALWAYS looking for new family friendly recipes. Between Evan, Will and Nicole there are always “picky eater” discussions going on at our table. One of my favorite blogs to read for family friendly recipes is Sweetnicks. She posted this recipe last week & I knew we had to try it. I totally forgot to take a picture but you can mosey over to her blog to check out the great picture she took of it (and look around at the tons of other recipes she has there too!).

Family-Friendly Cheeseburger Pasta
from Sweetnicks (originally from Taste of Home’s Healthy Cooking Magazine)

Note - The version at Sweetnicks feeds 4. It seemed to small for our family of 4 1/2 so I doubled it. The amounts below are “doubled” b/c that’s how I made it.

3 cups uncooked whole wheat penne pasta (I used Catelli Smart instead of whole wheat)
1 – 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
4 Tbsp dill pickle relish
4 Tbsp prepared mustard (I used dijon)
4 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp steak seasoning
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (orig recipe calls for reduced fat but I didn’t have it)

Cook pasta according to the package direction. While it’s cooking, brown ground beef and onions in a large skillet until the meat is no longer pink. Drain well. Drain pasta & add it to the meat mixture.

Add the tomatoes, relish, mustard, ketchup, steak seasoning and seasoning salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat, cover and let stand until cheese melts. Serve.

Recipe Notes: This REALLY tastes like a cheeseburger. The mustard and the pickle relish are KEY to this taste so don’t leave them out. Everyone gave it two thumbs up except Evan. He changed his mind, though, because he ate two helpings of leftovers tonight. Go figure!

Don’t forget to head over to Shan’s to see what else is cooking this Wednesday! Make sure to check it out this week b/c it’s her Christmas Cookie Roundup post. Yum!