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If you’re looking for an easy ground beef and potato casserole, this cheesy, creamy version is pure comfort food. Made with seasoned ground beef, tender potatoes, melty cheese, and a rich creamy sauce, it’s the kind of simple dinner recipe the whole family will ask for again and again.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
- Cooking the Ground Beef
- Substitutions and Variations
- Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Ground Beef and Potato Casserole FAQs
- What to Eat with Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
- More Easy Ground Beef Recipes:
- Watch How to Make Cheesy Beef and Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Beef & Potato Casserole Recipe
We’ve had so many readers make our viral Busy Day Casserole with potatoes instead of rice that I finally had to try it myself. And honestly? This version tastes like the ultimate cozy tinfoil dinner in casserole form.
We’re sharing two ways to make it:
- A quick shortcut version with cream of mushroom soup
- A homemade version with an easy from-scratch cream sauce
Both are hearty, budget-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
- Easy weeknight dinner
- Family-friendly comfort food
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Creamy, cheesy, and extra satisfying
- Great for meal prep and leftovers
- Freezer-friendly
- Includes shortcut and homemade versions
Ingredients You’ll Need
This cheesy hamburger potato casserole uses simple, budget-friendly ingredients you probably already have on hand. The shortcut version keeps dinner extra easy, while the homemade version gives you an ultra creamy sauce made completely from scratch.
Quick Version
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Creates the quick, creamy base for the casserole.
- Russet Potatoes: Add hearty layers and bulk.
- Milk: Thins and smooths the sauce.
- Carrots: Add mild sweetness and texture.
- Ground Beef: Provides savory richness and protein.
- Onion: Adds flavor depth and aroma.
- Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese: Melts into a creamy, cheesy topping.
From Scratch Version
For the Sauce
- Unsalted Butter: Forms the foundation of the homemade sauce.
- Onion: Builds savory flavor.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic depth.
- White Button Mushroom: Creates the signature cream-of-mushroom taste.
- Flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Cream: Makes the sauce rich and silky.
- Chicken Broth: Adds savory flavor and helps achieve the right consistency.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Adds gentle warmth.
- Salt: Enhances overall flavor.
- Milk: Lightens and balances the sauce.
For the Casserole
- Ground Beef: The main protein for the casserole.
- Salt: Seasons the beef and vegetables.
- Garlic Powder: Adds simple savory flavor.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and depth.
- Carrots: Add color, flavor, and texture.
- Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese: Melts into the casserole for creamy richness.
- Russet Potatoes: Form hearty layers throughout the dish.
The measurements of all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. Keep scrolling to see all the details!
What Potato is Best to Use?
Russet potatoes work best in this recipe because their starchy texture soaks up all the creamy sauce and savory ground beef flavor as the casserole bakes.
Yukon Gold potatoes are another great option if you want a slightly creamier texture.
Need an even faster shortcut? Frozen diced hash browns or frozen potatoes O’Brien also work great in this casserole.
How to Make Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
Like I said earlier, you can do whichever version of the recipe you want. Obviously the from scratch version requires more ingredients, but when all is said and done, it probably only adds an extra 10 or 15 minutes to the recipe.
Quick Version
- Preheat the oven and grease a baking dish.
- Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet; drain excess grease.
- Stir together the soup, milk, potatoes, carrots, beef mixture, and part of the cheese.
- Spread into the baking dish and cover with foil.
- Bake until the potatoes are tender, then top with remaining cheese and bake until melted.
From Scratch Version
- Cook the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in butter until softened.
- Stir in flour, then whisk in cream, broth, and milk until thickened.
- Brown the ground beef and onions in a separate skillet.
- Combine the sauce, beef, potatoes, carrots, and cheese in the baking dish.
- Cover and bake until tender, then finish with cheese on top.
Optional: Top with fresh parsley or thyme before serving.
Cooking the Ground Beef
Ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees, which is hard to check with a thermometer once it’s crumbled. Use a meat chopper to break it into evenly sized pieces so it cooks uniformly. Cook until no pink remains; a pound of ground beef typically takes 7–10 minutes on the stovetop.
If the ground beef isn’t fully cooked on the stove, don’t worry. It will finish cooking in the oven as the casserole bakes.
Substitutions and Variations
If you don’t have cream of mushroom soup, you can use cream of chicken, celery, or potato instead.
Cheese can be any kind your family enjoys. Cheddar and Colby Jack are classic, pepper jack adds heat, and Monterey Jack gives a mild Mexican-inspired flavor.
This casserole is very flexible. Swap the carrots for peas, broccoli, green beans, sweet corn, or any other vegetables your family likes, or add extra veggies for more color and flavor.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
You can prep this casserole completely ahead of time and assemble it right before baking.
Peel and dice the potatoes, then keep them in a pot of water to prevent browning. Brown the meat, make the sauce, and store everything separately in the fridge until you’re ready to combine and bake as directed.
Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat easily in the microwave.
This casserole also freezes beautifully. Let it cool fully, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Ground Beef and Potato Casserole FAQs
Nope! The potatoes cook right in the casserole as it bakes. Just make sure they’re diced small and evenly sized so they become tender.
Yes! Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze tightly covered for up to 3 months.
Cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack all work great.
Yes! Frozen diced hash browns make this recipe even faster and easier.
What to Eat with Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
This hearty ground beef casserole recipe can easily stand on its own for dinner, as it already includes protein and vegetables in one dish. If you want to add a little extra, consider serving it with sides like:
- No-Knead Artisan Bread
- Roasted Garlic Vegetables
- Harvest Cobb Salad
- Potato Rolls
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Roasted Veggies
- Spinach Berry Salad
This cheesy ground beef and potato casserole is the kind of dinner that always hits the spot. It’s creamy, hearty, easy to make, and perfect for busy nights when everyone just wants something warm and comforting. Whether you use the shortcut version or make the sauce from scratch, this is one of those family dinners that will win over even your pickiest eaters!
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes:
- Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
- Ground Beef Enchilada Chili
- Taco Pinwheels
- Instant Pot Chili
- Shepherd’s Pie
Watch How to Make Cheesy Beef and Potato Casserole
Cheesy Beef & Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Quick Version
- 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 2 Large Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1 Cup Carrots, sliced
- 1 Pound Ground Beef, cooked
- ½ Onion, minced
- Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese, sliced about 9 pieces
From Scratch Version
For the Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ¼ Cup Onion, minced
- 1 Clove Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup White Button Mushroom, minced
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- ½ Cup Cream
- ½ Cup Chicken Broth
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 Cup Milk
For the Casserole
- 1 Pound Ground Beef, cooked
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Onion, minced
- 1 Cup Carrots, sliced
- Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese, sliced (about 9 slices)
- 2 Large Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced
Instructions
Quick Recipe
- Heat the oven to 350℉ and spray an 8×8" baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Over medium heat, brown the beef and onions until cooked through. Drain the grease.1 Pound Ground Beef, ½ Onion
- Stir together the soup, seasonings, potatoes, milk, carrots, and beef with onions in a 8×8" dish.1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup, 2 Large Russet Potatoes, 1 Cup Milk, 1 Cup Carrots, ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Bake for 60 minutes, remove the foil, add the cheese and bake for a few more minutes or until melted.Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
From Scratch
- In a medium pan over medium heat, add the butter and melt.3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Whisk in the onion, garlic and mushrooms.¼ Cup Onion, 1 Clove Garlic, ½ Cup White Button Mushroom
- Add the flour, whisking continually and cook for 30-60 seconds.3 Tablespoons Flour
- Add the cream and broth and cook until thick.½ Cup Cream, ½ Cup Chicken Broth
- Season and remove from heat.¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, 1-2 teaspoons Salt
- Over medium heat, brown the beef and onions until cooked through. Drain the grease.1 Pound Ground Beef, ½ Onion
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8×8" baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Place the cream mixture, potatoes, milk, beef and onions and carrots into the dish and stir to combine. Cover with foil.1 Cup Milk, 1 Cup Carrots, 2 Large Russet Potatoes
- Bake for 60 minutes, remove the foil, add the cheese and bake for a few more minutes or until melted.Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for dinner tonight. Delicious! Perfect comfort food.
Thank you so much Tricia!
Looks delish! But I can’t seem to print and I paid for subscription
Hello! I’m so sorry for the frustration! There should be a little banner that appears across the top that says “Log in” so you can access that recipe.
Nice receipt I’ll try looks yummy
Thank you Laurette!!
Site is literally unusable due to show many ads it has. Keeps causing the site to crash and won’t keep the recipe even on the screen.
Hi Quin! I’m so sorry for the frustration!
My mom and I loved this. Simple, Real food. I used Cream of celery since mom does not like mushroom soup. Added extra onions and some garlic as well as Herbs De Provence. The potatoes were done aldante’ so I will put it back in the oven tonight for another 30 mins. We will make this again. 🙂
Yay! Love to hear this Susan! Thank you for taking time to leave us a comment!
Hi. I used the quick method. I did it a bit different. I oiled my 8×8″ pan.. I put a layer of potatoes, then carrots, then meat, about 4 times. I cooked it for 1 hour. Then I added 4 ounces of shredded cheese, mixed it in, then 7 more minutes without aluminum. It was totally amazing! We will be eating this dinner for years. Thanks so much! I love your website. I see you!
Yay! Love to hear this Roni!! That sounds amazing!
Made this tonight and it was amazing, such a good comfort food 😋 I used red potatoes because that’s what I had on hand and almond milk and it turned out perfectly! Great and easy recipe!
Yay!! Love to hear this!! Thanks Jessica!!
is there a crockpot version
Hi Jaime! Oh that’s a good question. Honestly, I really think it needs the oven.
Simple meal with few ingredients but I ended up throwing 3/4 of the meal away. I added additional spices and it was missing flavor. 0/10
Thanks for the feedback Sarrah!
I made this tonight and my family loved it! I was trying to use up beef and potatoes I had on hand and this fit the bill. I halved the milk however and didn’t have any carrots 😞 or I would have added them. I used plenty of salt pepper and garlic and it tasted great. This is going into our rotation!
Thank you so much for the feedback Rachel! So glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
First off use very lean beef, recipe did not call for that. Love your site however waaaayyy toooo many ads.
Thanks for the feedback Donna! My ad partner is Raptive, and they care about reader experience and would value hearing from you. Please go here to fill out a quick one-question survey.
My husband seemed to like this casserole but he never complains. I felt it was quite blah. I added more salt and pepper when I served it and still it didn’t have much flavour.
Thanks for the feedback Loree! It is meant to be very kid friendly. You can definitely amp up the flavor with more onions or some garlic, seasonings etc.