Hamburger Potato Casserole

Hamburger Potato Casserole is a hearty, budget-friendly dinner that combines thinly sliced potatoes with seasoned ground beef and a creamy sauce. Everything bakes together into layers of comfort that taste like home with every bite. It’s a family-friendly recipe that comes together with simple pantry staples, making it perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.

Love More Dinner Ideas? Try My Crockpot Cheesesteak Potato Casserole or this One Pan Cheesy Meat and Potato Skillet next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There’s something comforting about a dish that feels fancy but doesn’t take hours in the kitchen. This one nails that balance. The sauce is silky, the flavors are rich without being overwhelming, and it all comes together in one pan. It’s the kind of recipe that makes a weeknight feel special, yet it’s easy enough to keep on repeat.

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Ingredient List

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or whatever’s on sale)
• ½ cup chopped onion (yellow or white, doesn’t matter)
• 3 cups peeled, thinly sliced potatoes (russets work best)
• 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• ¾ cup milk (whatever kind you have)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (pre-shredded saves time)

Use what you have. Cream of celery works instead of mushroom. Any cheese that melts is fine – Colby, Monterey Jack, even the mixed bag of cheese scraps from the fridge. Sometimes I add frozen vegetables if I remember. Corn and green beans work good.

The key is having enough potatoes to make it filling and enough cheese to make it taste good. Everything else can be swapped around.

Why These Ingredients Work

Beef and potatoes are filling. The soup makes it saucy so it’s not dry. Cheese on top because cheese makes everything better.

Ground beef is cheaper than steaks or roasts but still has protein. Kids don’t complain about it like they do with chicken. Potatoes soak up the flavors and make it a complete meal. The soup acts like gravy but easier. Milk thins it out so it’s not too thick. Salt and pepper because food needs seasoning.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Large skillet for the beef, knife for slicing potatoes, cutting board, mixing bowl for the soup, 2-quart baking dish, aluminum foil. That’s it.

I use my old 9×13 Pyrex dish most of the time. Works fine and easy to clean. A mandoline slicer helps with the potatoes if you have one, but a knife works too. Just takes longer.

How To Make This Hamburger Potato Casserole

Preheat Oven

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease your baking dish while it’s heating up.

Brown the Beef

Brown the beef and onion in a big skillet. Break up the meat as it cooks. Takes about 6-8 minutes. Drain the fat off or your casserole will be greasy. I pour it into an old can and throw it away.

Mix the Sauce

Mix the soup and milk in a bowl. Add some salt and pepper. Whisk it so there’s no lumps.

Layer Everything

Start layering in your greased dish. Half the potatoes first, then half the beef, then half the soup mixture. Do it again – rest of potatoes, rest of beef, rest of soup. Press it down a little so everything fits.

Bake Covered

Cover tight with foil. Bake 1 to 1½ hours. Check it with a fork – potatoes should be soft all the way through. If they’re still hard, keep going.

Add Cheese and Finish

Take off the foil, sprinkle cheese on top. Bake another 5 minutes until it melts. Let it sit a few minutes before you cut into it.

Expert Tips

Slice potatoes thin or they won’t cook all the way through. About the thickness of a quarter works. Thicker and the middle stays hard. Thinner and they turn to mush.

Let it sit at least 10 minutes after baking before you try to serve it. Hot casserole falls apart when you cut it. Learned that the hard way when I tried to serve it right out of the oven to company once. Made a mess.

Always drain the beef fat. Nobody wants greasy food swimming in grease.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Sometimes I add sour cream to the soup mixture. Makes it richer. Drain the beef really well or the whole thing gets greasy and gross. Pat the sliced potatoes dry with paper towels before layering them. Wet potatoes make the casserole watery.

If you want the cheese extra golden, stick it under the broiler for the last minute or two. But watch it close – it goes from golden to burnt fast.

Don’t use ground beef that’s too lean or it’ll be dry. 80/20 or 85/15 works best. The fat adds flavor.

Flavor Variations

Add a packet of taco seasoning to the beef and use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar. Top with sliced jalapeños if you like heat.

Throw in some cooked bacon pieces with the beef. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top after it bakes.

Layer in some sliced mushrooms or bell peppers between the potato layers. Adds vegetables without the kids noticing much.

Use Italian seasoning in the beef and top with mozzarella instead of cheddar. Tastes like lasagna but easier.

Make-Ahead Options

You can put this together the night before and stick it in the fridge. Just add 15-20 minutes to the baking time since it’s starting cold. Cover it tight so it doesn’t dry out.

Freezes okay too. Use a disposable aluminum pan if you’re planning to freeze it. Wrap it good with foil and freezer paper. Keeps for a couple months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking.

Good for taking to potlucks or when someone’s sick. Transport it covered and reheat at their place.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Don’t rush it. Potatoes need time to get soft all the way through. If they’re still hard after an hour, keep going. Every oven’s different. Mine runs hot so it’s usually done in an hour, but my sister’s takes longer.

Test with a fork in the middle where it’s thickest. If the fork goes through easy, it’s done. If there’s resistance, give it more time.

The smell changes when it’s ready. Goes from raw oniony to rich and savory. You’ll know.

Serving Suggestions

Goes with salad or vegetables. Bread if you’re really hungry. Works for regular dinners or when people come over.

How to Store Your Hamburger Potato Casserole

Fridge: 4 days covered

Freezer: Few months if wrapped well

Reheating: Microwave works fine, or back in the oven with foil

Allergy Information

Has dairy. Check soup labels for gluten if that matters to you.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Different potatoes? Sure. Yukon work fine too.

It’s watery? Drain the beef better. Dry the potatoes first.

No soup? Make white sauce with butter, flour, and milk.

How do I know it’s done? Fork goes through potatoes easily.

Can I double it? Yeah. Bigger dish, more time.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how it turned out and any creative variations you tried.