This cheesy, delicious Hamburger Potato Casserole recipe is an easy and yummy weeknight family dinner. And you can make the entire dish in advance and simply reheat for an even easier time-saving dinner!
Warm, cozy, ooey gooey, cheesy and delicious! This cheesy, delicious Hamburger Potato Casserole recipe is so easy for busy weeknights. And it’s a hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy. Ground beef and onion are cooked and then added to a casserole dish with diced potatoes.
Then an easy-to-make sauce is added on top and mixed into the beef and potatoes with shredded cheese. You get all of the yummy flavors of Hamburger with cheese and fries in this delicious casserole! When it comes to comfort food, this cheesy potatoes and ground beef casserole is a keeper.
This Hamburger Potato Casserole is so Easy!
Potatoes are Nourishing
Potatoes sometimes get a bad rap. Some people may associate potatoes with french fries. Yes, a potato that is deep fried in oil is generally not good for you.
After completing my studies at Cornell for a Certification in Nutrition, I really started to look at natural, real foods and what they can provide us. I discovered that the potato can be nourishing and good for you. Especially when compared to other sides, like processed pastas. Potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One russet potato has 168 calories, 5g of protein, 4g of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, and manganese.
Potatoes are so versatile and great for easy dinner recipes. Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole is an all time favorite – it’s like scalloped potatoes on steroids. Honey Garlic Beef and Potato Stew and Mouthwatering Potato and Steak Bites are delicious dinners! And this Chorizo Patatas Bravas Recipe is outrageously yummy!!
How about potato salads? Red Potato Salad with Edamame is a healthy take on a traditional side. Or this Loaded Potato Casserole!
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Equipment Needed for Hamburger Casserole
For the ground beef and the onions, you will need a large skillet/frying pan to sear and cook them before adding to the potatoes. I use my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning.
For the casserole, you need a large casserole dish or baking dish that’s approximately 10×10, 12×12, 10×11 or similar.
That’s it! No fancy air fryer or multi-cooker needed! See FAQS below for cooking in a slow cooker.
Easy Ingredients you have on hand in the pantry, fridge, or freezer
In the fridge or freezer:
- Ground Beef 90% lean – You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Milk – I used 1 %, but any milk is fine.
- Sour Cream – Sour cream is added to the casserole for creaminess. You can substitute plain greek yogurt or a mix of cream cheese and a little milk creamed together for a smooth texture. Some recipes may use canned cream of mushroom soup or other canned soups, but the combination of sour cream and milk brings brightness to this casserole.
- Cheddar Cheese, shredded – Any mix of cheddar, jack, or mozzarella will work in this recipe.
- Salted Butter – Or unsalted will work.
In the Pantry or Counter
- Fresh is best when it comes to garlic. The great thing in this recipe is that you just need to peel it. The food processor does the rest. But you can buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk and freeze it for use when you need it! You can also substitute in dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
- Yellow onion – I used yellow onion, but you can use white onion, red onion, shallots, or even scallions.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – Yukon gold are tender potatoes that hold up well in this casserole. You can use baby gold or baby red potatoes as well. If you use russet potatoes, you will want to peel them before dicing and adding it to the recipe.
- All Purpose Flour – This is the thickener for the sauce. Alternatively, you can mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with cold water, then mix it with the broth, bring to a simmer while stirring, and that will also thicken it.
- Broth – Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth or stock will all work.
- Dried Oregano – You can substitute Italian seasoning.
Optional Fun Toppings
- Fresh Italian Parsley
- Dill pickles, chopped
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Sriracha Sauce
Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps for Hamburger Potato Casserole
This is one of those easy casserole recipes that can be made ahead and then reheated the next day or up to 4 days! Make this on Sunday and then enjoy it on a busy weeknight.
There are a couple steps that you can do a few days ahead. You can dice the onion and store it in the fridge. If you want to make the optional toppings in this recipe (parsley, pickles and Sriracha Mayo) then you can also make those a few days in advance.
Prep the Potatoes
Dice the potatoes. Cut them into ½ inch cubes to cook through evenly in the oven. If using Yukon Gold potatoes, you can leave the skins on, as they are very delicate and and thin. The skin has so many of the nutrients and vitamins! If you use russet potatoes, you will likely want to peel them before dicing them as the skins are tougher.
First, slice the potato into ½ inch thick slices. Then lay the slices flat side down and slice again into ½ inch sticks.
Then turn the slices and cut into diced ½ cubes.
Dice all of the potatoes and place them in the casserole dish. NOTE: if you’re doing this step more than a few minutes before cooking, then cover the potatoes with cold water and store in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Drain the potatoes before moving on to the next step.
Cook the Ground Beef
To a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat, add the lean ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Cook on high heat for 3 minutes until it starts to brown.
Then over medium heat, add the diced onions and stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Transfer the beef and the onions to the casserole dish with the potatoes.
Finish the Casserole and Bake
Prep the sauce
This is a super easy sauce to make, so no soup mix or canned mushroom soup here. To the same pan used for the beef, turn the heat to Medium-LOW.
Add the butter and stir to melt. Add Flour and whisk to combine with the butter.
Cook stirring constantly for about 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the broth.
Mix in the milk. Turn the heat to Medium and to stir and cook until it comes to a light simmer and thickens. Turn off the heat.
Whisk in the sour cream, oregano, salt, and pepper to the thickened sauce.
Pour the sauce over the potatoes and beef. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and then mix to combine everything together.
Bake in the oven center rack for 40 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. LET REST for 10 minutes.
To serve, scoop on plates and then top with a dollop of the Sriracha Mayo and diced pickles (if desired)!
Time Saving Tips
Use Yukon Gold potatoes vs. russet to save lots of time, as you do not need to peel the skins! The skins are so thin and delicate that you do not even need to peel them, which is a huge time saver!
If you want to dice all of the potatoes the day before, then cover the potatoes with cold water and store in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Drain the potatoes before moving on to the next step.
You can also brown the ground beef 1-2 days before making the casserole
Hamburger Potato Casserole FAQs
Can I use ground chicken or turkey in this Hamburger Casserole?
Yes, you can use any ground protein that you prefer in this easy recipe. Just be sure to add enough oil to the pan for chicken and turkey so that it doesn’t stick, as it has less fat than beef. You will also want to taste for seasoning. Since beef tends to have more natural flavor, you may want a touch more salt, oregano, or pepper. Otherwise, the cooking steps will be the same.
What kind of potatoes should I use in Hamburger Potato Casserole?
As mentioned above, Yukon Gold are my preferred potato for this recipe. The skins are so thin and delicate that you do not even need to peel them, which is a huge time saver! These are a more waxy potato than the russet potato, which are what you would see used for baked potatoes. They cook up very tender, but because of their waxy texture, they hold shape without turning to mush.
You can use really any potato in this recipe, just be sure to cut it down to a similar size. Russet, or Baking Potatoes, have the thicker, tougher skin. Many people find it a turn off to eat the skin even though it does have so many great vitamins and nutrients. If you use russet potatoes, you may want to peel them before dicing and adding it to the recipe. Also, the russet tends to be a bit mushy when cooked for long periods of time. Therefore, if you mix the casserole after it is baked, don’t be surprised if the russet potatoes start to break apart.
Can this Hamburger Casserole be cooked in a Slow cooker or Crockpot?
Yep! Simply follow the instructions as is, up until Cooking step #5. In Cooking Step 5, instead of putting everything in a casserole dish, add to the slow cooker insert. Mix and then set cooking to 6-8 hours, depending on your schedule.
Can this casserole be frozen?
This Hamburger Potato casserole can be frozen after baking. Cool it first in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer and it will last for 3-4 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator 24 hours in advance of cooking. Then place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes minutes covered then 10 minutes uncovered.
What side dish goes with this Hamburger Potato Casserole?
A colorful veggie would be perfect to complete this delicious meal. Since it’s such a warm and heart dish, a cool and fresh side salad is a nice compliment. A simple tomato and cucumber salad with either a Basil Chive Yogurt Dressing or a Honey Mustard Dressing would be perfect! You could quickly saute or roast your favorite vegetables, such as fresh green beans or carrots or broccoli.
What are some other ground beef recipes like this?
If you like this recipe, then you will also love my super easy 30-Minute Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls (Bulgogi!) or if you want another beef casserole option, this White Lasagna Recipe with Zucchini and Ground Beef. This Incredible Ground Beef Taco Quinoa Bowl is another great ground beef recipe.
ENJOY! 😍 Carrie
Have you tried this recipe? If so, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe below! I love to hear your feedback and your rating helps others to find this recipe. Thanks so much!
Hamburger Potato Casserole with Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
Ground Beef – Click Here for Shoppable Link
- 1 pound Ground Beef 90% lean
- ½ cup Diced onion
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
Casserole – Click Here for Shoppable Link
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 6 potatoes)
- 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Butter, salted
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 cup Beef Broth (or vegetable or chicken broth or stock)
- 8 oz Sour Cream
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar (or any mix of cheddar, jack, mozzarella)
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
Toppings (Optional – Not included in Nutrition Facts) – Click Here for Shoppable Link
- ¼ cup Fresh Italian Parsley
- ½ cup dill pickles, chopped
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
Instructions
Prep-Ahead Steps
- Finely dice 1 small onion to get ½ cup.
- Clean the skins of the potatoes and then dice the potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Add the diced potato to a 9×13 or similar size casserole dish.
Prep-Ahead Steps for Optional Toppings
- Make the Sriracha Mayo by mixing together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and Sriracha sauce.
- Chop the parsley. Dice the pickles.
Cooking Steps
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- In preheated large frying pan or skillet, add the ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Cook on high heat for 3 minutes until it starts to brown. Then add the diced onions, garlic, salt, pepper and stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer the beef and the onions to the casserole dish with the potatoes.
- To the same pan used for the beef, turn the heat to Medium-LOW. Add the butter and stir to melt. Add Flour and whisk to combine with the butter. Cook stirring constantly for about 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the broth and then milk until the roux is completely and smoothly mixed into the liquids. Turn the heat to Medium and continue to stir and cook until it comes to a light simmer and thickens. Turn off the heat.
- Whisk in the sour cream, oregano, salt, and pepper to the thickened sauce and then pour the sauce over the potatoes and beef. Add the shredded cheese and then mix to combine everything together.
- Bake in the oven center rack for 40 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. LET REST for 10 minutes.
- To serve, scoop on plates. OPTIONAL: Top with a dollop of the Sriracha Mayo and diced pickles. ENJOY!
Video
Notes
- For the ingredients, Click Here for Shoppable Link.
- Can I use ground chicken or turkey in this Hamburger Casserole? Yes, you can use any ground protein that you prefer. Just be sure to add enough oil to the pan for chicken and turkey so that it doesn’t stick, as it has less fat than beef. You will also want to taste for seasoning. Since beef tends to have more natural flavor, you may want a touch more salt, oregano, or pepper. Otherwise, the cooking steps will be the same.
- What kind of potatoes should I use in Hamburger Potato Casserole? Yukon Gold are my preferred potato for this recipe. The skins are so thin and delicate that you do not even need to peel them, which is a huge time saver! They also hold shape without turning to mush. You can use russet potatoes, but the skin is tough, so you may want to peel it before dicing and adding it to the recipe.
- Can this Hamburger Casserole be cooked in a Slow cooker or Crockpot? Yes, simply follow the instructions as is, up until Cooking step #5. In Cooking Step 5, instead of putting everything in a casserole dish, add to the slow cooker insert. Mix and then set cooking to 6-8 hours, depending on your schedule.
kathy says
This is such an easy and comforting dinner! Thanks, my family loved it
Theresa says
What’s up with steps 2 and 3?
Carrie Tyler says
Haha, thanks for the question Theresa! Those are the prep steps for the Optional Toppings. I’m glad you asked because I just updated the recipe to indicate those are ‘optional topping’ steps.
Thanks!
Carrie
Theresa says
Thanks so much. After studying the recipe, I finally figured it out. Looks like perfect comfort food!
Barbara Lundy says
Can this dish be frozen?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Barbara, Thank you for the question! I have updated the FAQs to include this. YES! This casserole can be frozen after baking. Cool it first in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer and it will last for 3-4 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator 24 hours in advance of cooking. Then place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes minutes covered then 10 minutes uncovered.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
thanks!
Carrie
Rlsine says
I’m confused. If you freeze after cooked & cooled. You say to thaw in fridge. Then cook 40 minutes, 30 covered & 10 uncovered. So you’re baking it another time as long as you cooked originally before freezing?
Carrie Tyler says
Thanks so much for asking and apologies for confusing you with the reheat time. There are different factors that can impact the time needed to reheat this. This is very dense casserole and if you place in the fridge for 24 hours, it will mostly thaw out, but it may not entirely. The 30 minutes gives it time to fully heat through. But you are right to question it, as you can start checking it after 15-20 minutes to see if it is warmed through. If not, put it back in for another 5 minutes and check again.
The 10 minutes uncovered is to allow any excess moisture from freezing that is still trapped from being covered to cook off. You may or may not need this. Some people also like to add a fresh layer of shredded cheese on for the final 10 minutes.
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Carrie
Cameron says
As a husband that’s constantly looking for ways to step in and help make meals for the family I appreciate websites like these.
I’m not a cook by any means so I need my hand held when starting new receipt. With that being said, I was a bit confused with the “ingredients” section and the “instructions” section as they don’t match up. For the ground beef instructions it says beef, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper, but in Step 2 of the instructions it only says to add the beef and onions. I assume that adding the garlic, salt, and pepper are an implied task since it’s not annotated in the instructions. I went ahead and did it.
That was the only confusing part.
As an opinion, I wasn’t a fan of the meal, but my family was. I thought it was incredibly salty with the teaspoon of salt in the beef and then a teaspoon of salt in the sauce. IF we were to make this dish again I would use a low sodium cheese and probably one teaspoon of salt.
If you are someone looking to make this dish, watch the salt or consider using a different cheese other than Cheddar. Also, I didn’t necessarily cut 1/2 inch cubes on my potatoes and some of them came out a little on the harder side. Make sure you cut them small enough so they can cook through.
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
This sounds delish! I’m sure you can adapt this to include your favorite ground meat, cheese, etc. But the idea is sound and looking at the photos makes my mouth water, seriously. Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday Link Party.
Carrie Tyler says
Thanks, Angie! Yes, you can use any ground meat that you like and it will be equally delicious 🙂
So happy to have discovered #FiestaFriday !
Taylor says
I made this two nights ago and it was so so good! I did make a few small changes, I added a layer of grated cheese on top the last ten minutes of cooking, added less salt (just trying to eat less salt in my house) added some garlic powder, onion powder and more pepper, basically to my family’s taste. Everyone absolutely loved it! It’s one of those dishes that’s somehow even better the next day reheated, I brought some for lunch at work and it was amazing. This will definitely be a common dinner in my house from now on
Carrie Tyler says
Thank you so much, Taylor!
Love the small updates that you made…I mean, can you ever really have enough cheese on top? lol
Best wishes,
Carrie
Beverly says
I made this tonight and although I normally make a recipe as per the original instructions on the first go, I had to make 2 adjustments for dietary/availability reasons. Firstly, I do not eat beef but do eat deer that we “harvest”. Thus, an abundance of ground deer on hand so I used 2 lbs of it (2 lbs because I read this recipe on another site and the comments recommended doubling the amount). Secondly, I had some fresh mushrooms that needed to be used (maybe a cup once chopped up) so threw them in with the onions, garlic, etc. I had to bake the casserole about 20 minutes longer than stated (probably just my oven!) and as I had only a small amount of grated cheese left in the package I opened for this recipe, put it on top during the 10 minute rest period. I made the sriracha sauce….ohhhhhh, where has this been all my life!? I have had sriracha, kimchi, etc before but this sauce is outstanding. I’m making more of it as soon as the current batch is done – probably tomorrow! My husband LOVED this casserole. He has a hunting cabin and goes there often in the off season just to relax and have “me time” – this is the perfect food for him to take and reheat on the wood stove. Thanks for posting this recipe. One of the best I have found on-line.
Carrie Tyler says
Thank you so much, Beverly! I so appreciate you taking the time to write this. I’m with you on the Sriracha Sauce :)!
Happy Cooking,
Carrie
Lori Weber says
Really good! Only thing I would note is that it took 90 minutes for the potatoes to be soft enough.