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This ground beef and potato casserole is easy, downhome comfort food! The cozy one-dish meal is full of meat, shredded hash brown potatoes, diced pimentos, green onions, and Pepper Jack cheese in a creamy sauce, and then finished off with a layer of melted cheddar.
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Can we have some beef and potatoes for dinner?
You can’t beat the convenience of this easy ground beef and potato casserole with cream of mushroom soup! It’s a simple and hearty meal that the whole family will love, complete with the meat, potatoes, and veggies in one pan. Plus, frozen hash browns keep prep time to a minimum — no peeling, chopping, or grating necessary!
The Key Ingredients in a Casserole
In general, a “casserole” is any food that is cooked and served in the same dish. Casseroles typically include three main components:
- A base that provides the main flavor and texture of the dish (in this case, the ground beef);
- An extender that helps thicken the dish (here it’s the potatoes);
- And a binder or liquid that holds it all together (such as the cream of mushroom soup).
We’ve checked all of the boxes with this easy ground beef casserole recipe, and we’ve upped the ante with plenty of gooey, melty cheese!
Ingredients for a Hamburger Potato Casserole
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this ground beef and potato casserole. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Lean ground beef: or substitute with ground sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- Vegetable oil: to fry the potatoes in a skillet.
- Frozen shredded hash brown potatoes: these are such a great shortcut, since you can skip the step of peeling and shredding the potatoes. Substitute with diced hash brown potatoes if you prefer that texture, or shred your own russet potatoes.
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup: the creamy binder that brings all of the casserole ingredients together.
- Milk: to thin the creamy sauce.
- Dijon mustard: for a little bit of zesty kick.
- Diced pimentos: a jar of drained diced pimentos adds color and flavor to the casserole, without the need for sauteing veggies in a skillet.
- Pepper Jack cheese and cheddar cheese: we love the melty texture and zesty kick of the Pepper Jack paired with the flavor of classic sharp cheddar on top.
- Green onion and garlic powder: for savory flavor.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
How to Make a Potato and Ground Beef Casserole
This dish is very similar to a tater tot casserole, but instead of topping the dish with tater tots, we’re adding hash brown potatoes right into the filling. The full instructions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the quick version:
- Brown the ground beef.
- Brown the hash brown potatoes.
- Combine all of the ingredients except the cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
- Pour the ground beef mixture into a casserole dish.
- Sprinkle cheddar over top.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese melts.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this ground beef casserole with any of these easy sides:
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, a simple Green Salad, or Caesar Salad
- Sauteed Spinach or Creamed Spinach
- Sauteed Zucchini or Roasted Yellow Squash
- Southern-Style Green Beans or Roasted Green Beans
- Dutch Oven Bread, French Baguette, Garlic Bread, Breadsticks, or Soft Dinner Rolls
- Southern Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread, Blueberry Corn Muffins, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Honey Cornbread or Bakery-Style Corn Muffins
- Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon, Drop Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Sour Cream Muffins, or Cheese Biscuits
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Beer Bread or Cheddar Chive Beer Bread
- Roasted Broccoli or Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
- Sauteed Asparagus or Roasted Asparagus
- Creamed Peas
- Roasted Cabbage
- Fried Corn
Storage
- This is a great make-ahead dinner. You can assemble the entire casserole up to 24 hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Before baking, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes.
- You can freeze the casserole before baking. Wrapped tightly, the assembled casserole will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat a baked casserole, warm it in a 350°F oven (uncovered) until heated through. Cover with foil if it starts to get too dark on top. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on high power.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the ground beef and use ground pork sausage, Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken instead.
- Use frozen diced hash brown potatoes instead of the shredded potatoes.
- For a mild alternative to the Pepper Jack, try Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, or additional cheddar cheese.
- Instead of cream of mushroom soup, try cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, or another flavor of your choice.
- Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce would add a nice umami component to the dish.
- Bulk up the casserole with additional veggies, such as sliced fresh mushrooms. You’ll just need to saute the mushrooms before adding them to the dish. Frozen, thawed corn or green beans would also be great.
Tips for the Best Ground Beef and Potato Casserole Recipe
- Brown the hash browns in a skillet before adding them to the casserole. This helps remove excess liquid so that the dish isn’t soggy or watered-down, and the browned potatoes have better flavor and texture. It’s best to do this in batches so that the potatoes can brown rather than just steam.
- If you like a crunchy topping on your casserole, try adding buttered breadcrumbs, crushed Corn Flakes cereal, crushed Ritz crackers, or canned French-fried onions.
- Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil, or oregano) for a bright, fresh touch. Additional sliced green onions are also great!
More Ground Beef Casserole Recipes to Try
Or check out this post for a convenient collection of The 20 Best Ground Beef Casserole Recipes!
Cheesy Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour
This cheesy ground beef and potato casserole is easy, downhome comfort food!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- vegetable oil, for frying the potatoes
- 1 (30 ounce) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, not thawed
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 (7 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained
- 1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Optional garnish: additional chopped green onions or chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish; set aside.
- In a large (12-14 inch) skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Transfer the beef to a large bowl; drain excess grease from the skillet.
- In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the frozen potatoes in an even layer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned. Season with a little bit of salt, to taste, turn the potatoes, and cook for 3-4 more minutes, until lightly browned on the other side. Spoon into the bowl with the beef.
- Repeat the procedure with 2 more tablespoons of oil and remaining potatoes. Transfer to the bowl.
- Stir the condensed soup, milk, mustard, pimentos, Pepper Jack cheese, green onions, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper into the bowl with the beef and potatoes. Mix gently until well combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Spoon the beef and potato mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.
- Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional chopped green onions or fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Swap out the ground beef and use ground pork sausage, Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken instead.
- Use frozen diced hash brown potatoes instead of the shredded potatoes.
- For a mild alternative to the Pepper Jack, try Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, or additional cheddar cheese.
- Instead of cream of mushroom soup, try cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, or another flavor of your choice.
- Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce would add a nice umami component to the dish.
- Bulk up the casserole with additional veggies, such as sliced fresh mushrooms. You’ll just need to saute the mushrooms before adding them to the dish. Frozen, thawed corn or green beans would also be great.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 478kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 30gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 905mgPotassium: 817mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1234IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 329mgIron: 4mg
