Pioneer Woman Cheeseburger Pie

What in the world is this?

So, you know how sometimes you’re craving a big juicy cheeseburger but also feel kinda lazy? That’s exactly how I ended up creating this Cheeseburger Pie. It’s basically all your favorite burger flavors – seasoned ground beef, melty cheese, those special sauce vibes – but baked into a pie that you can just slice and serve. No grill required, no flipping patties, no buns falling apart. Just pure comfort food that tastes like the best diner burger you’ve ever had, but in convenient pie form. My kids go absolutely nuts for this, and my husband has been known to eat half of it in one sitting (not naming names, but SOMEONE needs to learn about portion control).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Listen, I’m not saying this will change your life, but… it might:

• It’s the ultimate “I don’t feel like cooking but want something homemade” dinner
• Tastes EXACTLY like a really good cheeseburger but somehow better?
• Makes your house smell amazing (way better than actual burger grease)
• Leftovers taste even better the next day (if they last that long)
• Kids absolutely demolish this – even the picky ones
• You can customize it with whatever burger toppings your family loves
• It’s hearty enough to satisfy the hungriest cowboys (or teenage boys)
• Makes you look like a genius in the kitchen while being stupid easy

The Good Stuff You’ll Need

For the Meat Layer:

• 1½ pounds ground beef (I use 80/20 because flavor matters, folks)
• 1 medium onion, diced (yellow or white, doesn’t matter)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or more, I won’t judge)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (the secret weapon)
• 2 tablespoons ketchup (yes, really)
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (the classic burger kind)
• 1 teaspoon salt (kosher is best)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground if you’re fancy)
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (regular works too, but smoked adds that grilled flavor)
• Optional: dash of hot sauce (Frank’s is my go-to)

For the Biscuit Layer:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• ⅔ cup milk
• 1 egg

For the Cheese Layer:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (medium or sharp – pre-shredded is fine, but freshly grated melts better)
• ½ cup diced dill pickles (trust me on this one)
• Optional: ¼ cup crumbled bacon (because WHY NOT)

For the Special Sauce Drizzle:

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• A few dashes of hot sauce

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Let’s Do This

Prep Work (5 minutes):

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Find a 9-inch pie plate and give it a light spray with cooking spray. (No need to get fancy here – this is a cheeseburger, not a soufflé.)
2. Grab a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat. This is gonna get good.

Cook the Meat Mixture (10 minutes):

1. Toss your ground beef and diced onion into that hot skillet. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon like it owes you money. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are getting soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Drain off some of the fat – but not all of it! Leave about a tablespoon for flavor. We’re not making diet food here, people.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until it’s fragrant. (That smell? That’s what heaven smells like.)
4. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and paprika. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes so all those flavors get friendly with each other.
5. Remove from heat and set aside while you work on the biscuit layer.

Make the Biscuit Layer (5 minutes):

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Use your fingers (or a pastry cutter if you’re all proper) to work the cold butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. This is not the time to overthink things – just squish it all together.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. The batter should be thick but pourable – kinda like a thick pancake batter.

Assemble That Bad Boy (5 minutes):

1. Spread the meat mixture evenly in the bottom of your prepared pie plate.
2. Sprinkle the diced pickles over the meat layer. (If you’re thinking “pickles in a pie sounds weird,” just trust the process. It works.)
3. Add about 1½ cups of the shredded cheese on top of the meat and pickles.
4. Pour the biscuit batter over the cheese layer, spreading it to cover most of the pie. Don’t worry if it doesn’t reach all the way to the edges – this is rustic, not restaurant fussy.
5. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top of the biscuit layer. If you’re using bacon, now’s the time to throw that on too.

Bake it Up (25-30 minutes):

1. Pop that beautiful creation into your preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the biscuit layer is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
2. While it’s baking, mix up your special sauce by stirring together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. When the pie comes out of the oven, let it cool for about 5 minutes before slicing. This is the hardest part – the waiting – but it helps the pie set up so it doesn’t fall apart when you cut it.

Serving Time:

1. Slice into wedges (you should get 6-8 pieces depending on how hungry everyone is).
2. Drizzle each slice with some of that special sauce.
3. Prepare for the “OMGs” and recipe requests.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a simple green salad if you’re feeling like you should probably have a vegetable.
• Add some crispy oven fries on the side to go full diner-style.
• Set out extra toppings like sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and additional pickles so people can customize their slices.
• For a brunch version, top each slice with a sunny-side-up egg. Breakfast cheeseburger pie is next-level stuff.
• Cold beer is basically mandatory with this. Or a milkshake if you want to really lean into the burger joint vibes.

Switch It Up

• Bacon Cheeseburger Pie: Mix cooked, crumbled bacon right into the meat mixture and sprinkle more on top.
• Southwest Style: Add a can of drained, diced green chiles to the meat mixture along with some taco seasoning. Top with pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar.
• Mushroom Swiss: Sauté 8 oz of sliced mushrooms with the onions and use Swiss cheese instead of cheddar.
• Pizza Burger: Add pepperoni slices on top and use mozzarella cheese. Serve with marinara for dipping.
• Breakfast Burger Pie: Add breakfast sausage to the beef mixture and top each slice with a fried egg.
• Double Bacon Cheeseburger: Use bacon fat to cook the meat mixture, add bacon bits to the meat AND sprinkle them on top. Go big or go home.
• Low-Carb Version: Skip the biscuit layer entirely and just top with more cheese. It becomes more of a casserole, but still delicious.

Storage & Leftovers

• This pie will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. If it lasts that long, I’ll be shocked.
• To reheat, microwave individual slices for about 30-45 seconds, or warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
• You can freeze the baked pie for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the meat mixture a day ahead and refrigerate it. Just bring it back to room temperature before assembling the pie.
• The BEST leftover hack: Make a grilled cheese with a thin slice of this pie in the middle. I’m not even kidding – it’s life-changing.

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Questions People Actually Ask

Q: Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
A: Absolutely! Turkey has less fat, so add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan when cooking to keep it moist. You might want to bump up the seasonings a bit too.

Q: I don’t have a pie plate. Can I use something else?
A: An 8×8 square baking dish works great! Or even a cast-iron skillet for that extra ranch style vibe.

Q: My family doesn’t like pickles. Can I leave them out?
A: First, I’m sorry about your family’s life choices. But yes, you can absolutely leave out the pickles. Try adding some sautéed bell peppers instead for a different twist.

Q: Can I make my own biscuit mix instead of making it from scratch?
A: Sure thing! Use about 1½ cups of Bisquick or similar biscuit mix, mixed with 1 egg and about ½ cup milk until you get a thick batter.

Q: How do I know when it’s done cooking?
A: The top should be golden brown, the edges bubbly, and if you stick a knife in the center, the biscuit layer should be cooked through (not wet or doughy).

Q: My kids are picky. Will they actually eat this?
A: Unless your kids don’t like cheeseburgers (in which case, are they actually aliens?), they’ll probably devour this. It’s basically a deconstructed Happy Meal in pie form.

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