Family Ground Beef & Potato Casserole

Finding a satisfying weeknight dinner that doesn’t break the bank or take hours in the kitchen can feel impossible sometimes. Between juggling work schedules, family activities, and just general life chaos, the last thing you want is a complicated recipe with a mile-long ingredient list.

That’s where this ground beef and potato casserole comes in handy: it’s budget-friendly, uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and comes together in one dish with minimal cleanup required.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this casserole, I recommend using 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef, which gives you enough fat for flavor without leaving your dish swimming in grease. If you only have 80/20 ground beef on hand, that’ll work too – just be sure to drain off any excess fat after browning it. Leaner ground beef like 93/7 will also do the job, though your casserole might be slightly less rich. Whatever you choose, make sure to break up the meat into small crumbles as it cooks so it distributes evenly throughout the dish.

Options for Substitutions

This casserole is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Russet potatoes: Yukon gold or red potatoes work great here too. Just keep them diced small so they cook through evenly. If you’re really in a pinch, frozen diced potatoes can work – just thaw and pat them dry first.
• Ground beef: Ground turkey or ground chicken are solid substitutes if you want something leaner. You might want to add an extra teaspoon of oil since they’re not as fatty as beef.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend all melt nicely. Use whatever you have in your fridge.
• Tomato sauce: Crushed tomatoes or even pasta sauce work in a pinch. If using pasta sauce, you might want to cut back on the other seasonings since it’s already flavored.
• Chili powder: Not a fan of spice? Leave it out completely or swap it for paprika for a milder flavor. If you like heat, feel free to use medium or hot chili powder instead.
• Yellow mustard: Dijon mustard works just as well and adds a slightly different tang to the dish.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this casserole is not cooking the potatoes long enough before assembling, which leaves you with crunchy, undercooked pieces in the final dish – make sure they’re fork-tender and lightly browned before moving on.

Draining excess fat from the ground beef is another step you don’t want to skip, as too much grease will make your casserole oily and prevent the flavors from coming together properly.

To avoid a dry casserole, don’t overbake it once you’ve added the cheese on top – as soon as the cheese is melted and bubbly (usually 5-7 minutes), it’s ready to come out of the oven.

For extra flavor, try seasoning your potatoes with a pinch of salt while they’re cooking, and let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving so everything sets up nicely and doesn’t fall apart when you scoop it out.

What to Serve With Ground Beef & Potato Casserole?

This hearty casserole is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with a simple side salad to balance out the richness. A basic iceberg or romaine lettuce salad with ranch dressing and some cherry tomatoes works perfectly and adds a nice crunch. You could also go with some steamed green beans or roasted broccoli on the side if you want to sneak in more veggies. For an extra touch, try serving some warm dinner rolls or cornbread alongside – they’re great for soaking up any extra sauce from the casserole.

Storage Instructions

Store: This casserole is great for leftovers throughout the week. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, and it actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together.

Freeze: You can freeze this casserole either before or after baking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and it’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing unbaked, add about 15 extra minutes to the baking time when cooking from frozen.

Reheat: Warm up individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or reheat the whole casserole covered with foil in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes until heated through. You might want to add a sprinkle of fresh cheese on top before reheating to freshen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 155-170 g
• Fat: 120-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 185-200 g

Ingredients

For the casserole base:

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I use Hunt’s)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 lb russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 tsp mild chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (freshly ground preferred)

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Step 1: Brown the Beef

• 2 tsp olive oil (1 tsp used here)
• 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp used here)

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, the ground beef, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Break apart the meat with a spoon and cook for 5-8 minutes until deeply browned and cooked through.

Step 2: Cook the Potatoes

• 2 tsp olive oil (1 tsp used here)
• 2 lb russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp used here)

Remove the cooked beef from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot (no need to wash), add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, the peeled and diced russet potatoes, and another 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender but not falling apart.

Add a splash of water if the potatoes stick.

Step 3: Combine Meat and Seasonings

• cooked ground beef from Step 1
• cooked potatoes from Step 2
• 1 tsp garlic powder (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 tsp mild chili powder

Return the browned beef from Step 1 to the pot with the cooked potatoes.

Sprinkle over the garlic powder and chili powder, then cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.

I find that blooming the spices this way really deepens the flavor.

Step 4: Add Sauces and Cheese

• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I use Hunt’s)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Turn off the heat.

Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese until it’s all well combined and the cheese has started to melt.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake

• mixture from Step 4
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Lightly grease a 9×16 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.

Carefully transfer the meat and potato mixture from Step 4 into the dish, spreading it into an even layer.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese evenly over the top.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

For an extra cheesy crust, I sometimes switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes.

Family Ground Beef & Potato Casserole

Delicious Family Ground Beef & Potato Casserole recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the casserole base:

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I use Hunt's)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 lb russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 tsp mild chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (freshly ground preferred)

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, the ground beef, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Break apart the meat with a spoon and cook for 5-8 minutes until deeply browned and cooked through.
• Remove the cooked beef from the pot and set aside. In the same pot (no need to wash), add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, the peeled and diced russet potatoes, and another 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender but not falling apart. Add a splash of water if the potatoes stick.
• Return the browned beef from Step 1 to the pot with the cooked potatoes. Sprinkle over the garlic powder and chili powder, then cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant. I find that blooming the spices this way really deepens the flavor.
• Turn off the heat. Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese until it's all well combined and the cheese has started to melt.
• Lightly grease a 9x16 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Carefully transfer the meat and potato mixture from Step 4 into the dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling. For an extra cheesy crust, I sometimes switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes.