Deluxe Instant Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

Imagine your favorite late-night cheeseburger—loaded with all the classic toppings—now reimagined as a hearty pasta made with oversized elbow macaroni. Meet Cheeseburger Deluxe Pasta: rich, cheesy, and surprisingly simple to make at home.

This one-pot recipe delivers all the flavors of a deluxe burger in pasta form. It’s cheesy, comforting, and fast enough for a weeknight. Follow these clear steps to build layers of savory beef, tangy condiments, and melty cheese for a crowd-pleasing meal.

Diced onion — Dice the onion and divide it: reserve about one-quarter for finishing and use three-quarters for cooking.

Adding olive oil to pot — Warm some olive oil in the pot.

Adding onion to the pot — Add the larger portion of diced onion to the oil.

Sautéing onion. — Sauté until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Adding ground meat to pot — Add ground beef to the pot.

Adding garlic to pot. — Stir in garlic for fragrance and depth.

Crumbling and sautéing meat. — Break up the meat and cook until it is crumbled and lightly browned.

Adding Worcestershire sauce — A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds savory umami.

Deglazing pot — Deglaze the pot by scraping up browned bits from the bottom—this builds flavor.

Adding broth to pot — Add beef broth to create the sauce base.

Adding crushed tomatoes to pot — A can of crushed tomatoes brings color and body.

Adding tomato sauce to pot — Tomato sauce adds smoothness—use canned tomato sauce, not pasta sauce.

Adding hot sauce to pot — A small amount of hot sauce enhances flavor without making it spicy.

Adding liquid smoke to pot — Optional liquid smoke gives a subtle smoky note.

Adding seasonings to pot — Season with Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, and black pepper for balance.

Stirring the pot. — Stir to combine all components into an even sauce.

Large macaroni — Use large elbow macaroni for the best texture—these act like giant macaroni pieces.

Adding pasta to the pot — Add the pasta on top of the sauce.

Smoothing out pasta in pot — Do not stir the pasta into the sauce. Smooth it so the noodles are just submerged to avoid clogging or sticking when pressure cooking.

Pasta submerged in sauce. — Cover the pot and cook under pressure according to your appliance instructions until the pasta is tender.

Cooked pasta — When the cooking cycle finishes, you should have perfectly cooked pasta infused with beefy tomato sauce.

Stirring pasta. — Stir the pasta gently to combine the sauce and noodles.

Adding Thousand Island dressing and barbecue sauce to pot — Now turn this into the “deluxe” version: stir in Thousand Island dressing and a touch of barbecue sauce for a familiar burger-sauce flavor.

Adding mustard to pot — A little yellow mustard adds tang without overwhelming the dish.

Adding relish to pot — Sweet relish provides a hint of sweetness that echoes classic burger toppings.

Adding pickles to pot — Fold in diced dill pickles for crunch and acidity.

Adding red onion to pot — Add the reserved finely diced red onion now for a fresh bite.

Looking at food in pot — The result looks and tastes like all your favorite burger toppings—served over pasta.

Adding cheese to pot. — Finish by stirring in a generous amount of shredded cheddar until fully melted and incorporated.

Stirring pot so cheese melts into sauce — Mix until the cheese becomes a creamy coating for the pasta.

Plated pasta in bowl — Spoon into bowls and garnish with extra pickles, red onion, and more shredded cheese if you like.

Man showing pasta — Serve hot and let everyone admire the comfort-food creativity.

Man trying pasta — Taste and enjoy the layered flavors.

Man reacting to pasta — Expect surprised smiles—this twist on a burger is satisfying and familiar.

Man enjoying pasta — Cheeseburger Deluxe Pasta may change how you think about late-night takeout—this is comfort food with a creative flip.

Yield: 6

Instant Pot Cheeseburger Deluxe Pasta

All the familiar tastes of a deluxe cheeseburger—juicy beef, tangy pickles, onions, and a creamy burger-style sauce—combined with large elbow macaroni and melted cheddar. Quick to prepare and perfect for feeding a group.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
6 minutes

Additional Time
10 minutes

Total Time
26 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced and divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (the less lean, the better)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
1/2–1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound large elbow macaroni
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons sweet relish (optional)
1/4–1/2 cup diced dill pickles, plus more for topping (optional)
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (optional)
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
Fried onions, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Set your Instant Pot to Sauté on the high/More setting and heat the olive oil. After about 3 minutes, add three-quarters of the diced onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened.
Add the ground beef and garlic. Break up the meat with a spoon until it begins to crumble and lightly brown, about 3 minutes. It does not need to be fully cooked; the pressure cycle will finish it. Do not drain the juices—they add flavor.
Stir in Worcestershire sauce and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.
Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, hot sauce and liquid smoke if using, plus the Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine into an even sauce.
Place the dry macaroni on top of the sauce but do not stir it in. Smooth the pasta so it is lightly submerged; stirring can increase the chance of clogging when bringing the pot to pressure.
Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook on High for 6 minutes. When the cook time finishes, perform a quick release.
Open the lid and add Thousand Island dressing, barbecue sauce, relish and pickles if using, the reserved diced red onion, mustard if using, and the shredded cheddar. Stir gently until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy. Serve topped with extra pickles, red onion, and fried onions if desired.

Chef’s Notes

If you want a stronger burger-sauce character, increase the Thousand Island up to 1 cup. For milder onion flavor, add the entire onion at the start so it cooks fully. This dish is endlessly adaptable—add sliced jalapeños, olives, or cooked pastrami to match your favorite burger toppings.

For a bubbly, cheesy finish: stir in extra shredded cheese, then use an air fryer lid or broiler for 3–5 minutes until the top is melted and lightly browned.