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Some nights call for easy comfort food, and this Ground Beef and Potato Casserole delivers! It comes together in one single dish and tastes absolutely delicious.
What’s to love
- Just a few simple ingredients. You only need a handful of staples to pull this recipe together – great for busy days!
- Make it from scratch, or make it even easier. It doesn’t take a lot of extra time or effort to make this recipe from scratch, but if you need extra-easy – you can use two cans of soup in place of the flour and broth/cream.
- Budget-Friendly: The main ingredients are economical staples, making this an affordable dinner that’s comforting without breaking the bank.
This casserole recipe creates a cozy blend of savory seasoned beef, tender potatoes, and gooey melted cheese – a meal everyone enjoys!
Printable recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped (about 1 cup))
- 8 oz mushrooms (chopped)
- 1-½ pounds ground beef
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons garlic herb or all-purpose seasoning (more or less to taste)
- ⅔ cup flour
- 2-½ cups chicken broth
- 2 pounds potatoes (peeled and diced into no larger than 0.3-inch cubes (about 4 cups))
- ½ cup heavy cream (OR half-and-half)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more to taste)
Tips
- Potato size: Make sure to cut the potatoes into 0.25-0.3 inch cubes, not larger. If you cut them too big, they may not cook in time.
- Watch the heat: While simmering the potatoes on the stove, keep the heat at the lowest simmer and stir frequently to keep it from burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Resting time: Don’t skip the resting time at the end, it helps the gravy to thicken and the casserole to settle.
Instructions
- Prep:Heat the oven to 350F. This recipe works best in a 3.5 – 4 quart oven-safe skillet. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the mixture to a ~4 quart casserole dish for baking instead.Get your ingredients ready.
- Cook vegetables:Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in your oven-safe skillet or braiser. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until starting to soften – about 5 minutes.2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 medium onion, 8 oz mushrooms
- Brown beef:Add the ground beef and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Stir in the tomato paste and seasoning.1-½ pounds ground beef, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoons garlic herb or all-purpose seasoning
- Make gravy:Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and vegetables, stirring until no more dry spots are visible. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring until smooth.⅔ cup flour, 2-½ cups chicken broth
- Simmer potatoes:Stir the potatoes into the ground beef mixture. Bring to a simmer once, then reduce the heat to a low simmer – medium-low to low. Cover with a lid and simmer until the potatoes are halfway tender, about 10 minutes.Stir from time to time to keep the dish from scorching on the bottom, and keep the heat at a low simmer!2 pounds potatoes
- Finish:Whisk the half-and-half with the cornstarch, then stir into the skillet. Stir in ½ cup shredded cheddar, and top the casserole with the remaining cheese (or however much cheese you like.)½ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake:Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are bubbly, the top is golden and the potatoes are tender. If the top is browning too fast, cover loosely with foil.Once done, let the casserole sit on the counter for 10 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken, then serve (the longer the casserole sits, the thicker it gets – if you like a really thick/chunky casserole, plan for 20 minutes of resting.)
Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
make your kitchen smell like home?Ground Beef and Potato Casserole FAQs
Yes! Skip the butter, the flour, the broth and the cream/cornstarch. Instead, stir 2 cans of condensed soup into the skillet (cream of chicken, cream of mushrooms or cheddar soup are all great choices).
If you’re using canned soup, there is less liquid in the recipe – it’s a good idea to microwave the potatoes for 3-4 minutes before adding them to the skillet, else they may stay too firm.
Yes, absolutely! You only need to simmer them for 5 minutes on the stove before continuing with the recipe.
The most common culprit is cutting the potatoes too large. Make sure to dice them into pieces no larger than 0.25-0.3 inches, in which case they should absolutely be tender after simmering for 10 minutes, and baking for 25-30 minutes.
If you want your casserole to be done faster, microwave the potatoes for 2-3 minutes before adding them to the recipe.
Yes, you can! In which case it’s more like beef and potatoes in gravy, instead of an old-fashioned creamy casserole. But it’s also very delicious, and a little lighter!
You may need to add ¼ cup extra broth to make sure the potatoes have enough liquid to get tender.
Perfect to serve with
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