Hamburger Potato Casserole With Cheddar Cheese

Warm, cozy, ooey gooey, cheesy and delicious! This cheesy, delicious Hamburger Potato Casserole recipe is an easy and yummy weeknight family dinner. 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 and ground beef casseroles, this hamburger casserole is a keeper.

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!!

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.
• 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 – 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 – Vegetable, chicken, or beef 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 entire casserole can be made ahead and then reheated later! 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 slices. 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

In preheated large frying pan or skillet, 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 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.

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. 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. 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.