Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole Recipe

Savory Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole Recipe for Cozy Nights

Craving a hearty meal that blends cheesy hamburger potato casserole with comfort food magic?

My kitchen always lights up when this dish comes together.

Comfort sometimes means combining simple ingredients in delightful ways.

Layers of golden potatoes, seasoned ground beef, and melted cheese create a meal that hugs you from the inside.

Weeknight dinners can feel magical with such an easy-to-prepare recipe.

Home cooks know the power of one-dish wonders that satisfy everyone around the table.

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole Warms Every Table

  • Quick Comfort Meal: Transform simple ingredients into a hearty, filling dinner that satisfies everyone's hunger in one easy dish.
  • Family-Friendly Favorite: Kids and adults love this cheesy, savory casserole with familiar ingredients that blend perfectly together without complicated techniques.
  • Budget-Conscious Cooking: Uses affordable pantry staples like ground beef, potatoes, and cheese to create a delicious meal without breaking the bank.
  • Minimal Prep Delight: Requires basic chopping and layering skills, making it an ideal recipe for beginner cooks or busy weeknight dinners with minimal kitchen cleanup.

Hamburger Potato Casserole Elements

Main Protein:
  • Ground Beef: Hearty and flavorful base of the casserole, provides rich meaty taste and protein.
Starchy Base:
  • Potatoes, Sliced: Substantial vegetable that creates a comforting and filling layer, acts as a core ingredient for the casserole.
Dairy and Cheese:
  • Cheddar Cheese, Shredded: Adds creamy, sharp flavor and melts beautifully to create a golden, gooey topping.
Creamy Sauce Components:
  • Cream of Mushroom Soup, Cream of Cheddar Soup: Provides smooth, rich base that binds ingredients and adds depth of flavor.
Flavor Enhancers:
  • Onion, Diced: Adds sweet and savory undertone with aromatic quality.
  • Garlic Powder: Provides warm, subtle garlic essence without raw garlic texture.
Seasoning:
  • Salt and Pepper: Essential seasonings that balance and enhance overall taste of the casserole.

Hamburger Potato Casserole With Cheese How-To

Step 1: Fire Up The Oven

Set your oven to a cozy 350°F, getting ready to create a delicious meal that’ll warm everyone’s heart.

Step 2: Sizzle The Beef And Aromatics

Grab a skillet and cook ground beef with diced onions until they turn a rich, golden brown.

Sprinkle in:
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Stir and let the flavors dance together.

Step 3: Create The First Potato Foundation

Take a casserole dish and grease it lightly.

Spread a beautiful layer of sliced potatoes across the bottom, creating a delicious base for your meal.

Step 4: Layer The Savory Beef

Gently spread the cooked beef mixture over the potato layer, ensuring an even distribution of meaty goodness.

Step 5: Add The Creamy Liquid Layer

Pour cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups over the beef, creating a luscious, rich landscape.

Step 6: Top With Remaining Potatoes

Cover the soupy layer with the rest of your sliced potatoes, creating a beautiful potato crown.

Step 7: Initial Baking Session

Cover the dish with foil and slide into the preheated oven.

Bake for one full hour, letting all the flavors meld together.

Step 8: Cheese Finale

Remove the foil and sprinkle a generous layer of shredded cheese on top.

Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese becomes gloriously melted and bubbly.

Step 9: Rest And Serve

Allow the casserole to cool slightly, then slice and serve this comforting masterpiece to eager diners.

Tips To Nail The Texture In Hamburger Potato Casserole

  • Easily substitute ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based meat alternatives for a lighter or vegetarian version of the casserole.
  • Slice potatoes uniformly and thinly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
  • Use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-packaged for better melting and richer flavor that coats the casserole perfectly.
  • Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate, then bake when ready to serve for convenient meal planning.
  • Experiment with additional herbs like thyme, rosemary, or paprika to enhance the overall flavor profile of the casserole.

Save Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole Easily

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking, keeping them fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
  • Transfer cooled casserole to freezer-safe containers, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months to enjoy later.
  • Warm refrigerated portions at 350°F, covered with foil, for 20-25 minutes until heated through, maintaining moisture and flavor.
  • Heat individual servings on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring midway to ensure even temperature distribution and prevent cold spots.

Hamburger Potato Casserole Matchups

  • Pair Hearty Red Wine: Robust cabernet sauvignon or merlot complement the rich, meaty casserole with its bold flavor profile and smooth tannins.
  • Serve Fresh Green Salad: Crisp mixed greens with tangy vinaigrette provide a light, refreshing contrast to the heavy, cheesy potato dish, balancing the meal's richness.
  • Enhance with Pickled Vegetables: Zesty dill pickles or pickled onions cut through the casserole's creamy texture, adding a bright, acidic punch that awakens the palate.
  • Recommend Craft Beer Pairing: Amber ale or brown ale with malty undertones perfectly match the hearty beef and potato casserole, creating a satisfying comfort food experience.

Hamburger Potato Casserole Tasty Changes

  • Low-Carb Cauliflower Swap: Replace potatoes with cauliflower florets for a lighter, keto-friendly version that cuts down on carbohydrates while maintaining the rich, cheesy flavor.
  • Vegetarian Bean Bake: Substitute ground beef with black beans or lentils, using vegetable broth instead of beef-based soups to create a hearty plant-based casserole that's packed with protein.
  • Gluten-Free Comfort Dish: Use gluten-free cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups, and ensure all seasonings are certified gluten-free to make this recipe safe for those with gluten sensitivities.
  • Spicy Southwest Remix: Add diced green chiles, jalapeños, and swap cheddar for pepper jack cheese to give the casserole a bold, zesty southwestern kick that'll warm up your taste buds.

FAQs

  • Can I use frozen potatoes instead of fresh?

Yes, thawed and drained frozen hash browns work perfectly as a substitute for fresh sliced potatoes in this casserole.

  • Is this recipe kid-friendly?

Absolutely! Most children love the combination of ground beef, potatoes, and melted cheese, making it a crowd-pleaser for families.

  • Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can prepare the casserole in advance and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add an extra 10-15 minutes to the cooking time if baking directly from the refrigerator.

  • How can I make this recipe healthier?

Use lean ground beef, low-fat cream of mushroom soup, and reduced-fat cheese to create a lighter version of the casserole without compromising flavor.

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Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole Recipe


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4.5 from 38 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Description

Cheesy hamburger potato casserole promises pure comfort with layers of hearty ground beef, creamy potatoes, and melted cheese. Families will savor this classic midwestern dish that brings warmth and satisfaction to dinner tables everywhere.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
  • 56 medium potatoes, sliced
  • 1 12 cups (340 grams) shredded cheddar cheese

Soup and Seasonings:

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can cream of cheddar soup
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Aromatics:

  • 1 medium onion, diced

Instructions

  1. Warm the kitchen oven to a moderate temperature, ensuring an even cooking environment for the hearty casserole.
  2. Sizzle ground beef with finely chopped onions in a skillet, breaking meat into crumbly fragments and infusing with aromatic seasonings until perfectly browned.
  3. Create a foundational layer of thinly sliced potatoes across the bottom of a generously greased baking vessel, ensuring complete surface coverage.
  4. Distribute the savory, seasoned meat mixture evenly across the potato foundation, creating a robust protein layer.
  5. Gently cascade creamy condensed soups over the meat, providing moisture and rich flavor to the developing casserole landscape.
  6. Arrange the remaining potato slices as a delectable crown, completely blanketing the underlying ingredients.
  7. Shield the casserole with aluminum foil, protecting the delicate ingredients during initial baking and promoting even heat distribution.
  8. Transfer to the preheated oven and allow the ingredients to meld and soften for approximately one hour.
  9. Carefully remove the protective foil and generously scatter shredded cheese across the potato surface.
  10. Return to the oven, allowing the cheese to transform into a golden, bubbling crust that signals the casserole’s readiness.
  11. Extract from the oven and permit the dish to rest briefly, allowing flavors to settle and making serving more manageable.

Notes

  • Slice potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the casserole.
  • Drain excess fat from ground beef to prevent the dish from becoming greasy and maintain a cleaner flavor profile.
  • Experiment with different cheese varieties like sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or a blend for enhanced taste complexity.
  • Consider using lean ground beef or turkey for a healthier alternative without compromising the rich, comforting essence of the dish.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner, Lunch
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 480
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 820 mg
  • Fat: 26 g
  • Saturated Fat: 12 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
  • Trans Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 24 g
  • Cholesterol: 75 mg
James Walker

James Walker

Lead Recipe Developer & Culinary Educator

Expertise

Southern Cuisine & Farm-to-Table Cooking, Recipe Development & Testing, Culinary Education & Instruction​

Education

School: Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

Program: Diploma in Culinary Arts and Operations

Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and modern culinary techniques, kitchen operations, and farm-to-table practices. ​


James didn’t learn cooking from a TV show, he learned it from busy kitchens, family gatherings, and long afternoons spent testing recipes the hard way.
After training at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, he brought his love for real, down-to-earth food to every dish he makes.
At Dining At Home, James loves building recipes that feel familiar but still have something special, like adding a twist to a classic or making a slow Sunday dinner feel brand new.
When he’s not in the kitchen, you’ll probably find him swapping garden tips at the farmers’ market or teaching his daughter how to flip pancakes without a mess (almost).

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