Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Salad

If you love the classic flavors of a bacon cheeseburger, this Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Salad is about to become your new favorite dish. Packed with tender pasta, crispy bacon, savory ground beef, cheddar cheese, and a creamy, tangy dressing, this hearty salad combines everything you love about a juicy cheeseburger in one easy-to-make recipe. Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, family dinners, or meal prep, it's a crowd-pleasing side dish that's satisfying enough to serve as a meal on its own.

Ingredients:

1 pound orecchiette pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
Pinch red pepper flakes (OPTIONAL)
Salt and pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
15 ounce can sweet corn, drained
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups dill pickles, chopped
2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
1 red onion diced.

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until done and drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with your favorite oil to prevent sticking.
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes. Dab with a paper towels to absorb the grease.
3. In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Make sure to break it into large chunks, and cook until no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes if wanted. Drain off fat. Set the meat aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, add mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until combined and smooth.
5. Next, add in the cooked, drained pasta, bacon, beef, corn, tomatoes, cheese, dill pickles, and red onion. Gently toss ingredients together to coat with dressing.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve chilled.