Brown the Beef: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and break it up with a wooden spoon. Let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until the underside is deeply browned and you can hear a good sizzle. Then, stir and continue cooking until all the meat is browned and no pink remains, about 5-6 minutes total. You should smell a rich, toasty meat aroma.

Sweat the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the pan with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and softens. The raw, sharp smell of the onion will mellow into a sweet, savoury fragrance. Add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant.

Toast the Tomato Paste and Spices: Push the beef and onions to one side of the pan. Add the tomato paste to the empty space and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. It will darken from bright red to a deep, rusty brick colour and smell intensely sweet and savoury. Stir in the smoked paprika, mustard powder, and onion powder, and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and Combine: Pour in the beef stock, using your spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan—this is pure flavour. Add the milk and stir everything together until the tomato paste is fully dissolved into the liquid. The colour should be a uniform, pale tan.

Cook the Pasta: Stir in the dried macaroni. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. The pasta is ready when it is tender but still has a slight bite (al dente) and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

Cheese and Finish: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the grated cheddar and mozzarella in handfuls, stirring vigorously after each addition until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy. The colour will shift to a warm, golden orange. Taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Let it sit for 2 minutes off the heat to allow the sauce to thicken further to a luscious, spoonable consistency.

Serve: Ladle the cheeseburger macaroni into bowls and scatter over the optional diced pickles for that classic cheeseburger tang. Serve immediately.