Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole (And Then Some)

This is a really easy recipe I made up a couple of years ago. When making it the last time so that I could share pictures with readers I realized with just a few modifications it could be made Keto, or it could be made into sandwiches – like Sloppy Joes.

I’ll start with the recipe as is, because it is dang delicious, then share my thoughts on the alterations that could be made.

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

Ingredients-
2 lb ground beef
1 pkg bacon (I personally prefer Wright’s brand bacon)
1 jar queso (I think the On the Border brand is seasoned perfectly)
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 pkg pasta – rotini or penne (my favorite pasta brand is Dreamfields)

Directions-

Preheat your oven to 300ᵒ.
Start by cooking your bacon. You can either cook it in a pan, air fryer, or oven.
(If you go the oven route put foil on your pan before you put the bacon on it in a single layer (the foil make clean up easier). Cook the bacon on 300ᵒ for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and) Set aside to cool.
Brown your ground beef, breaking the pieces up into bite sized pieces as you cook it.
At the same time, get the pot of water on the stove for your pasta to cook.
If your cheese is in block form, go ahead and grate it.
Once the water pot is boiling, add your pasta and cook as directed on the box (usually around 7 minute).
Once the ground beef is browned (strain it if there is excess grease) dump it into a big mixing bowl. Chop up the bacon and add it to the beef, and add the jar of queso. Go ahead and mix the contents of the bowl.
After you have drained your pasta, add it to the big mixing bowl, and fold it all together so that everything is well mixed.
Pour the mixture into a 9 X 13 pan. Smooth it out evenly, then top it with the cup of cheddar.
Place it in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is nicely melted.
Remove it from the oven and serve.

If you love your burger all the way, make sure to prepare a side salad to accompany this casserole so that you get your lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mushrooms, etc.