Tailgating Casserole–a bacon cheeseburger and dill pickle pasta dish that will wow all your friends and family. It tastes so good while watching football.

Tailgating Casserole
It’s that time of year! It’s one of my favorite times…college football has started! I do love college football, the hint of fall in the air and good food to go along with the festivities. If you’re looking to bring a one pot dish that serves a crowd to your tailgate or football watching party try making this delicious dill pickle bacon cheeseburger pasta dish. It is the bomb. Greg gave it 5 out of 5 stars. It is easy to double and stays good on the keep warm setting for a couple of hours.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean ground beef–ground turkey
- Onion–yellow or white
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Yellow mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Ketchup
- Beef broth–or water and Better than Bouillon Beef Base
- Dill pickle juice
- Mini penne pasta–or regular penne
- Diced tomatoes–I like the petite diced tomatoes
- Cream cheese
- Colby jack cheese–or cheddar
- Dill pickles
- Bacon crumbles–or you can fry up bacon and crumble
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the ground beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown the beef for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Turn off Instant Pot.

Pour in the broth and pickle juice and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.

Sprinkle in the penne pasta evenly.

Dump the tomatoes and cream cheese on top. Don’t stir.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting.

Stir in the cheese, pickles and bacon.

Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Tips
- Serve alongside baked beans, coleslaw, corn on the cob, green salad or sliced fruit.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- This recipe can easily be halved. Halve all ingredients and keep the cooking time the same. Likewise, this recipe can easily be doubled. Double all the ingredients and keep the cooking time the same.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with dill pickles are dill pickle pasta salad or what’s the dill soup.

More Tailgating Ideas…
Instant Pot Boston Baked Beans
Navy beans with molasses and salt pork pressure cooked in a fraction of the time it would take to cook in the oven.
Cowboy Caviar
Cowboy Caviar is a fresh and colorful dip that is perfect to serve at any party. Everyone will be asking you for the recipe! This version uses ingredients you can get any time of the year.
Grandpa Jim’s Potatoes
Instant Pot or Crockpot potatoes with ranch, cheese and bacon. A delicious and easy side dish!
Instant Pot Sober Potato Salad
Old fashioned, classic potato salad like Grandma used to make! It’s made easier with the help of your Instant Pot.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Tailgating Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A bacon cheeseburger and dill pickle pasta dish that will wow all your friends and family. It tastes so good while watching football.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 8 ounces mini penne pasta
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
- 1/2 cup bacon crumbles
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the ground beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown the beef for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Pour in the broth and pickle juice and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Sprinkle in the penne pasta evenly. Dump the tomatoes and cream cheese on top. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting.
- Stir in the cheese, pickles and bacon.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
My husband and 17 year old son LOVED this recipe. Just make it two weeks ago and they want it again.
★★★★★
That’s a good sign!
Hi, saying for everyone asking for a slow cooker version. Its simple, cook the ground beef on the stove or in the pot if you have a ninja foodi. Put all the ingredients together just like she does and slow cook on high or low. I would do high if your home to make sure the noodles don’t over cook and low probably 4hrs. Just try it ladies.
Thanks Shannon!
I too would love to see alot of these recipes for a slow cooker or stovetop option instead of just instant pot
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
Believe it or not, I actually have a question about Karen’s Instant Pot recipe! Karen, I’ve been reading and Pinning a lot of your recent recipes that include cream cheese as an ingredient. I’m curious to know what cream cheese adds to recipes? Is it a thickener, sweetener? Thank you so very much for replying and for posting your delicious recipes.
A delicious creaminess plus flavor and richness
Joining the chorus,could you please offer a slow cooker version? It sounds really good
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
this sounds delicious could you please send me this recipe converted to a slow cooker version thanks
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
I would love to make this delicious looking casserole could you please send a recipe for the conversion to Slow Cooker for the recipes listed?
You always have wonderful recipes. I’m a true fan🥘🍲
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
I would love to make this delicious looking casserole could you please send a recipe for the conversion to Slow Cooker for the recipes listed?
You always have wonderful recipes. I’m a true fan🥘🍲
this sounds delicious could you please send me this recipe converted to a slow cooker version thanks
me too. Slow cooker or stovetop?
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
I would also like to know if this recipe can be converted to stove top or slow cooker!
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
I’d also like to know if this could be converted to a stove top or Crock-Pot recipe, and how?
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!
could this recipe be converted to a slow cooker?
Hi! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker and am unsure how the noodles would turn out. However Shannon offers her idea on how to convert it in the comments if you’d like to try that! Good luck!