Cheeseburger Pasta Salad with Meat

Instead of hitting the drivethru when fast food cravings hit, throw together this Cheeseburger Pasta Salad!

This is the best recipe I’ve tried for making a pasta salad with meat thanks to hearty beef, crunchy lettuce, and a creamy dressing. It can be served as a main course or taken along as a crowd pleasing side dish for any event!

Why this is the best pasta salad with meat

• Easy to make: You can get this pasta salad with meat tossed together in the same time it would take you to go to the drive thru and come back!
• Serve hot or cold: This pasta salad is delicious at any temperature which makes it perfect for potlucks!
• Better for you: Making your own fast food inspired pasta salad allows you to control the ingredients and leads to a healthier result. You can make healthy swaps like using Greek yogurt instead of mayo and a protein rich pasta, whole wheat pasta, or swapping the noodles for lettuce and making a salad instead. You can lighten up this recipe more by using ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
• Flavors you know: Believe me when I say this pasta salad really does taste exactly like an actual burger loaded with your favorite burger toppings!

This pasta salad has saved my sanity so many times now. We’re all human, and we all get those fast food cravings from time to time!

Instead of overspending (or overeating) this pasta salad with meat is the perfect way to beat those cravings right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

It’s got ground beef, pickles, lettuce, and a tangy dressing that rivals even the best burger sauce (it’s basically a Big Mac Sauce copycat). Not sold yet? What if I told you it’s ready in just 20 minutes? This is absolutely a must-try, especially for fans of pasta salad and classic cheeseburger flavors!

And if you’re looking for more lighter options for burgers, try my Air Fryer Turkey Burgers or a platter of these Beyond Meat Burgers with Wild Mushrooms.

Cheeseburger pasta salad ingredients

Fusili Bucati Corti Pasta: Any bite-sized pasta works fine, but I’ve found that this tightly coiled shape is one of the best for pasta salads! It’s so fun and it holds the dressing so well.

Ground Beef: I used 85% lean ground beef (I like Pineland Farms brand). It’s the perfect balance of fat (for flavor) and lean.

Seasonings: This pasta salad with meat is loaded up with red pepper flakes for heat, salt and black pepper, turmeric and garlic powder for additional savory flavor.

Shredded Cheese: I prefer a nice sharp shredded cheddar cheese, but feel free to substitute it with a different variety or a blend of your favorites. Gouda would also be great!

Veggies: Refreshing and crisp lettuce pairs with cherry tomatoes, red onions, and pickles for all the flavors you know and love from a classic burger.

Mayo: Acts as a creamy base for the dressing.

French Dressing: This is an easy way to add lots of flavor to your dressing without having to add many ingredients.

Sweet Pickle Relish: This is my secret ingredient in the dressing that makes it so irresistible!

*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.

How to make pasta salad

1. Cook Pasta: Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta (save about 1/4 of the pasta water) and transfer to a baking sheet and toss with a couple tablespoons of olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Make Burger Sauce Dressing: In a mixing bowl, combine the mayo, French dressing, pasta water, relish, sugar, garlic powder, and turmeric. Add more pasta water if needed for a thinner consistency.
3. Brown Ground Beef: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat, then add the ground beef. Cook until it’s no longer pink, then mix in salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Finally, mix in the cheese until the cheese melts and remove from heat.
4. Combine Ingredients: Once the ground beef mixture has come down to about room temperature, combine the cooked pasta, cooked beef, and burger dressing in a large bowl.
5. Add Veggies: Add the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and diced pickles. Stir until well combined, then serve and enjoy it!

My best pasta salad tips

• Use fresh ingredients: This is sort of a no-brainer, but for veggies and herbs it’s best to use the freshest ingredients you can find for best flavor!
• Serve at room temperature: While it can be served hot or cold, I like to serve this closer to room temperature or on the warmer side to let the flavors develop.
• Salt your water: Adding salt to your pasta water gives it a better texture, infuses the pasta with more flavor, and overall makes it better.
• Save more pasta water than needed: Save a little bit more of the cooking water than the recipe calls for, just in case you want your dressing on the thinner side.
• Use regular water: If you drain the pasta before saving a portion of the water (because let’s be honest, we’ve all done it) you can use regular water.

What are the five mistakes to avoid in pasta salad?

1. Don’t overcook the pasta: This will cause it to be mushy or fall apart. Aim for al dente!
2. Don’t make it too far ahead of time: Another top reason a pasta salad can get mushy is if it sits for too long before serving.
3. Don’t wait too long to dress the pasta: Dressing the pasta salad while everything is still a little bit warm is a great way to develop the flavors properly and get everything infused with the dressing.
4. Use a good pasta shape: Something bite sized is typically a better bet than long noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine.
5. Add the ingredients in the proper order: Start with the pasta and meat, then add the veggies afterwards. This will ensure you get everything mixed together well without the veggies falling apart or getting mushy.

How to store and make ahead

You can easily make this pasta salad 1-2 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Wait to mix the lettuce and tomatoes until just before serving so they don’t get wilted or make the salad too liquidy.

Don’t get me wrong – leftovers are great and will be good for 3-4 days when stored properly but if you’re wanting to make this ahead of time to serve to guests, it’s best not to make it more than a day in advance!

I also recommend saving some of the dressing and tossing it in just before serving. The noodles will absorb some as they sit, and waiting to add the rest of it makes it so there’s enough dressing to go around for the rest of the ingredients!

Recipe variations

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Salad – Add some chopped bacon or store bought bacon bits to make this pasta salad with meat into a bacon cheeseburger salad.

Ranch Pasta Salad – Instead of the French dressing, use ranch dressing for the burger sauce to make this pasta salad a little different. I haven’t tried this yet but I think adding ranch seasoning to the beef after cooking could be good!

Greek Pasta Salad – No meat needed for this one! Toss the pasta with tomatoes and red onions, just like this cheeseburger pasta salad, but instead of lettuce add cucumbers, bell peppers, and olives. You can also add some feta cheese and a simple dressing, whether it’s just plain olive oil and lemon juice or a vinaigrette for salad.

Caprese Pasta Salad – This is a great option for a version of this salad that still has tomatoes and perfectly cooked pasta. Leave out the prosciutto for a vegetarian option!

Should I rinse pasta for salad?

I recommend NOT rinsing your pasta and instead just draining it and tossing it in olive oil. Let it sit in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool. If you rinse the noodles you wash away all of the starches that allow the dressing to stick.

I learned this trick from a private chef and it makes this recipe even easier because you don’t have to worry about rinsing the pasta (especially if you want to serve it warm).

Why is my pasta salad not creamy?

You may have added a bit too much of the pasta water to the dressing if you find that it’s not creamy enough

Start with just a splash and add it a little bit at a time until you have a thick and creamy consistency. You can also leave out the pasta water if you like a really thick dressing.

What to serve with pasta salad

If you’re serving this cheeseburger pasta salad as a main course, it goes great with Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Air Fryer Parmesan Potatoes, or Garlic Parmesan Fries, just like you might eat with a classic burger!

If it’s a side dish, I like to pair it with something elegant and summery like Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp or Chimichurri Steak. And if you need an easy dessert to serve with it I love this Air Fryer S’mores Dip and this Air Fryer Cookie Skillet!

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