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This comforting, cheesy hamburger and potato casserole is a true one-pot dinner you can throw together in only 15 minutes, and it makes fantastic leftovers. Using convenient storebought frozen potatoes, you’ll want to make this delicious, homemade comfort food a permanent part of your meal plan.
Do you love cozy, cheesy hamburger and potato casseroles? Do you love when dinner prep is only about 15 minutes? And do you LOVE beige food?
Well, friends, I have the dish for you! It’s beige on beige on beige, and it’s freaking delicious.
Reader Review
“My husband and I ate half the pan in one sitting. It is very tasty, scratches the hot dish itch. I used raw potatoes because it was what I had, and chopped them on the large side, so I did end up baking it longer. I also measured the cheese with my heart, which was more than 3 cups, but less than a pound 🙂 this one is going in the recipe book. So easy to put together and definite comfort food.”
Laurel
Because I’m your favorite elder millennial grandma, check out all my other casserole recipes for tasty dinner inspirations.
And just like this cheeseburger and potato casserole, none of my other casserole recipes contain any canned condensed soup. We’re making our quick sauces from scratch!
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do not thaw the frozen potatoes before mixing them into the dish.
- If you can’t find frozen potatoes, go ahead and use 2.5 pounds of fresh potatoes. Peeled or unpeeled – up to you!
- This recipe calls for a recommended amount of cheddar, but we all know that cheese needs to be measured with your heart.
Cheesy Hamburger and Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef {I used 85/15}
- 4 cloves garlic {finely minced}
- 1/2 cup white onion {finely minced}
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp salted butter (for sauce){plus more for the pan}
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk {warmed}
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 32 oz frozen cubed potatoes {do not thaw}
- 3 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Butter a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan/skillet/Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium heat, breaking it apart.1 lb ground beef
- Cook until it is ~75% cooked through, and add the garlic, onion, black pepper, kosher salt, and smoked paprika.4 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup white onion, 3/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Cook until softened, and the ground beef is thoroughly cooked through.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the ground beef and place it in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Drain all but 1 tbsp of grease from the skillet.
- Add the butter to the skillet and melt it over medium-low heat.3 tbsp salted butter
- Sprinkle the flour over the butter, and whisk to form a paste. Cook down for 3 minutes, whisking often.3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Slowly and gradually pour in the warmed milk, whisking constantly to incorporate.2 1/4 cups whole milk
- Stir in the tomato paste.3 tbsp tomato paste
- Increase the temperature to medium and bring the milk mixture to a near boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
- In the large mixing bowl, combine the frozen potatoes, ground beef, 2 cups of cheddar (reserving 1 cup for later), and the milk mixture, and stir gently until combined.32 oz frozen cubed potatoes, 3 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded
- Add the potato mixture to the buttered baking dish.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake covered at 350˚F for 45 minutes. Pro tip: spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray to prevent any potatoes from sticking to it.
- Uncover and gently stir the mixture. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Top with reserved cheddar and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melty.
Notes
- If using fresh potatoes, you’ll need ~2.5 lbs, which is ~5 medium potatoes
- If using lean ground beef, you likely won’t have enough grease to use in step 7. In that case, use 1 tbsp of olive oil or add an additional tbsp of butter in step 8
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My husband and I ate half the pan in one sitting. It is very tasty, scratches the hot dish itch. I used raw potatoes because it was what I had, and chopped them on the large side, so I did end up baking it longer. I also measured the cheese with my heart, which was more than 3 cups, but less than a pound 🙂 this one is going in the recipe book. So easy to put together and definite comfort food.
Laurel, I love hearing this!! Glad it was such a hit for you both, and WELL DONE on the cheese measuring!
Also, “Hot Dish Itch” would be a top tier ska band name. 🙂