Description
Hearty midwestern comfort shines through this meat & potato casserole, delivering classic flavors that warm hearts. Simple ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a satisfying meal you’ll crave during chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 0.5 lbs bacon, chopped
Potatoes:
- 4 large potatoes, sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.25 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- In a large skillet, crisp the chopped bacon over medium heat until golden and slightly crunchy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
- Using the same skillet with bacon drippings, brown the ground beef with minced garlic, breaking it into small crumbles and cooking until no pink remains.
- Layer the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating an even, slightly overlapping base.
- Sprinkle diced onions evenly over the potato layer, then distribute the browned ground beef on top.
- Drizzle olive oil across the meat layer and season with salt and black pepper for enhanced flavor.
- Scatter the crispy bacon pieces uniformly over the seasoned meat layer.
- Whisk heavy cream and sour cream together, then pour the creamy mixture evenly across the casserole.
- Generously cover the entire surface with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with fresh chopped parsley.
- Slice and serve hot, enjoying the rich layers of comfort food.
Notes
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner, healthier version that still delivers incredible flavor.
- Slice potatoes ultra-thin using a mandoline for consistent, quick-cooking layers that ensure perfect texture throughout the casserole.
- Experiment with cheese varieties like Gruyère or smoked Gouda to add depth and unique flavor profiles to the classic comfort dish.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by ensuring all ingredients are certified gluten-free and checking bacon and cheese labels carefully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg