Back-to-school schedules have a way of turning dinner into a race against homework, practices, and bedtime. Homework Helper Smoked Cheeseburger Mac takes everything good about a bacon cheeseburger and turns it into one big skillet of smoky, cheesy comfort food.
Seasoned ground beef gets combined with tender pasta and a creamy cheddar sauce before the whole skillet goes onto the smoker. A short smoke is all it needs to pick up another layer of flavor without drying out the pasta or making dinner an all-night project.
Bacon, extra cheddar, and chopped pickles bring home the cheeseburger flavor. The pickles may sound unusual in pasta, but their acidity cuts through the rich cheese sauce and makes the finished dish taste much more like an actual loaded burger.
This is also an easy one to customize for the family. Leave the pickles on the side, add jalapeños for heat, mix in leftover smoked brisket, or drizzle a little burger sauce over each bowl before serving.
Cheeseburger Mac
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1.5 lb ground beef
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp BBQ rub or burger seasoning
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Toppings
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 0.25 cup chopped dill pickles
- Crumbled bacon
- Sliced green onions
- Pickled jalapeños, optional
Optional Burger Sauce
- 0.25 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 tsp pickle juice
Prepare the Smoker
- Preheat the smoker to 300°F.
- Use a mild-to-medium wood such as pecan, cherry, oak, or hickory.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the macaroni until just shy of al dente.
- Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Do not overcook it because it will continue cooking on the smoker.
Cook the Beef
- Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and diced onion.
- Season with the BBQ rub or burger seasoning.
- Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is tender.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and yellow mustard.
- Remove the beef mixture from the skillet and set aside.
Make the Cheese Sauce
- Reduce the skillet to medium heat.
- Melt the butter.
- Sprinkle in the flour.
- Whisk constantly for about 1–2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.
- Add the heavy cream.
- Cook until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the cheddar and Monterey Jack a handful at a time.
- Stir until smooth.
- Add the smoked paprika.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Assemble
- Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce.
- Fold in the seasoned ground beef.
- Add most of the crumbled bacon, reserving some for the top.
- Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the skillet or transfer it to a foil pan.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar across the top.
Smoke
- Place the skillet uncovered on the smoker.
- Smoke at 300°F for 25–35 minutes.
- Remove when the cheese is melted, the edges are bubbling, and the pasta is hot throughout.
- Avoid smoking much longer than 40 minutes so the pasta stays creamy.
Finish and Serve
- Remove the skillet from the smoker.
- Rest for 5 minutes.
- Top with chopped dill pickles.
- Add the reserved bacon and sliced green onions.
- Add pickled jalapeños if desired.
- Drizzle with burger sauce or serve it on the side.
- Serve hot.