Description
Hearty hamburger potato casserole brings comfort straight from midwestern kitchens to dinner tables across America. Savory layers of ground beef, creamy potatoes, and melted cheese create a satisfying meal you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
Additional Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Seasonings and Toppings:
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbly pieces until no pink remains, approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Drain excess fat from the beef and mix in diced onions, salt, and black pepper, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent.
- Thinly slice potatoes into uniform rounds, ensuring even cooking and consistent texture throughout the casserole.
- Layer half of the potato slices across the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating a solid foundational base.
- Spread the seasoned ground beef evenly over the potato layer, creating a hearty meat distribution.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together condensed cream of mushroom soup and milk until smooth and well-combined.
- Pour the creamy soup mixture over the beef, ensuring complete coverage and even distribution.
- Add the remaining potato slices on top of the soup layer, creating a complete potato coverage.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese across the entire surface for a rich, melty topping.
- Dust the casserole with breadcrumbs, which will create a crispy, golden-brown crust during baking.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and settle.
Notes
- Potato Slicing Hack: Use a mandoline slicer for consistently thin, uniform potato rounds that cook evenly and create a perfect layered texture.
- Fat Reduction Trick: Choose lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7) to minimize excess grease and create a healthier version of the casserole.
- Dairy-Free Adaptation: Substitute dairy milk with unsweetened almond milk and use dairy-free cheese to make the recipe suitable for lactose-intolerant individuals.
- Vegetarian Transformation: Replace ground beef with plant-based crumbles or finely chopped mushrooms to create a meat-free alternative that maintains the casserole’s hearty essence.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg