Jimmy Buffett Cheeseburger Pasta Salad

Jimmy Buffett Cheeseburger Pasta Salad is the perfect side for your next summer party. Whole wheat pasta, ground beef, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese and paradise island dressing. It's basically a cheeseburger in a bowl!

Want a super simple, delicious pasta salad that’s great for cookouts, perfect as a main dish, and also amazing as a side? Oh, did I mention it’s also FUN? This Jimmy Buffett Cheeseburger Pasta Salad is it, my friends. It’s basically a cheeseburger, in pasta form. I know that sounds a bit weird, but hear me out.  This pasta salad will surprise you! (Looking for more burger inspired dishes? Check out this healthy recipe for Burgers In A Bowl!)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy. This is a simple pasta salad that comes together FAST and tastes delicious in the summertime.
• Great alternative to an actual burger. Don’t get me wrong - I love a great burger. But sometimes it’s nice to switch things up a bit. If you’re looking for an alternative to burgers on the grill, this cheeseburger pasta salad is the way to go. It has all the great taste of a cheeseburger but is a bit lighter than eating a whole burger, and a nice way to reduce your meat content (if that’s something you’re trying to do).
• FUN! Because I mean, really, is there anything more fun than creating a recipe that’s based off of one of the most fun songs out there? Jimmy Buffett’s “Cheeseburger In Paradise” is a summer classic and I can’t wait to bring this to summer cookouts, backyard barbecues, or even to a Jimmy Buffett tailgate party. 

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

If you know the famous song, you likely know most of what is in this easy ground beef pasta salad. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Have a listen here. The basic lyrics go something like this: 

“I like mine with lettuce and tomato

Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes

Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer

Well, good God almighty which way do I steer

For my….Cheeseburger in paradise”

So, it stands to reason that this Jimmy Buffett Cheeseburger Pasta Salad includes:

• Pasta. You can use whatever type of short pasta you wish. I used a whole wheat fusilli which worked great. I think using whole wheat pasta evokes a bit more of a “bun” taste than a normal refined grain pasta.  
• Ground beef. I used a lean ground beef here - since this is for a pasta, you don’t want a fatty meat that will create a lot of grease. 
• Onions. You’ll sautee a small yellow onion (plus a little garlic) with the ground bef and then use a small bit of red onion to mix in to the pasta salad at the end.
• Cherry tomatoes. Of course. Can’t do a cheeseburger pasta salad with out them! 
• Pickles. Adds a nice zing.
• Shredded lettuce. It feels a little weird to put shredded lettuce in a pasta salad, but this additions really adds a little bit of crunch and helps to emulate the classic cheeseburger.
• Shredded cheddar cheese. This is a “cheeseburger” pasta salad, after all!
• Ketchup and mayo. This paradise dressing will serve as the dressing for the pasta salad.

How To Make Jimmy Buffett Pasta Salad

Ready to see how easy this is? Here’s how you make this easy ground beef pasta salad

1. Start by boiling some pasta. 
2. While the pasta is boiling, sautee a small yellow onion and some garlic in a medium sized pan until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. In the same pan, brown the ground beef. Add the sauteed onion and garlic to the ground beef, cook for a couple minutes more, then remove from heat. 
4. Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain it and add to the ground beef mixture. 
5. Toss the chopped tomatoes, red onion, pickles, shredded lettuce and cheese to the cheeseburger pasta salad.
6. Make the Paradise dressing by combining ketchup, mayo and salt and stirring well. 
7. Toss the pasta salad with the paradise dressing and serve immediately.

Variations And Substitutions

The ingredients for this salad are pretty classic, but here are some ways to mix it up.

• Add some different veggies. Personally, I think mushrooms could be great here.
• Change up the cheese. Try a sharp cheddar or even gouda for a bit of a different taste. Or, make it gourmet by adding blue cheese.
• Try a different sauce. The classic ketchup and mayo combo is great but this homemade big mac sauce would also work!

Tips

1. Serve immediately. Serve this pasta salad immediately. While it still tastes good cold, it’s best served warm. 
2. Make ahead. This pasta salad is easy to make ahead. However, if you’re going to do that, keep the pasta and ground beef mixture separate from the chopped tomatoes, onions, pickles, shredded lettuce, cheese and paradise dressing. When you’re ready to reheat, heat the ground beef and pasta mixture, then toss the cold ingredients and dressing in afterward. If you try to mix everything together, then reheat, the lettuce will become wilted and the cheese will be completely melted. This will make the texture of the pasta salad a bit too soft. 
3. Storing the pasta salad. Jimmy Buffett Pasta Salad is best served immediately, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
4. Reheating. This cheeseburger pasta salad can be reheated in the microwave (on high for 1-2 minutes), or in a 380 degree oven in a shallow baking dish for 10-15 minutes. 
5. Freezing. Freezing this pasta salad is not recommended. Reheating it will make the ingredients (especially the lettuce) to mushy and watery when reheated after being frozen. 

What to serve with Jimmy Buffett Cheeseburger Pasta Salad

This is a great dish to serve at a backyard summer event. It can be served as a main dish, or as a side to other bbq items or salads. Here are a few ideas:

• Roasted potatoes 
• Potato chips
• Chopped zucchini salad
• Fresh fruit
• Kale crunch salad
• Oven baked parmesan carrot and parsnip fries
• Cucumber salad with basil, feta, chickpeas and cranberries
• Easy strawberry spinach salad

If you try this Jimmy Buffett Pasta Salad, let me know what you think in the comments below! And don’t forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!

Recipe