Description

Easy slow cooker recipe with ground beef, bell peppers, hash brown potatoes, and cheddar cheese in a creamy, family-friendly casserole.

Ingredients

For the Casserole Base:

14 oz (½ bag) O’Brien hash brown potatoes (with or without onions & peppers)
1 lb ground beef
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Seasonings:

1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Creamy Components:

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

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Instructions

Prep the Hash Browns

Dump those frozen hash browns on your counter while you get other stuff ready. Don’t need them completely thawed, just not rock-hard.

Brown the Beef and Vegetables

Brown that ground beef in your skillet with the peppers and onions. Medium heat, break it up good, cook until beef isn’t pink and onions look see-through. Drain the grease – nobody wants greasy casserole.

Season the Mixture

Mix in Worcestershire, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Let it smell good for a minute.

Combine Base Ingredients

Dump beef mixture into your crockpot. Add half the cheese (1 cup), mushroom soup, milk, and sour cream. Stir it all up.

Add the Potatoes

Add those slightly thawed potatoes and mix everything together. Make sure potatoes get coated with the sauce.

Cook the Casserole

Cover and cook LOW for 2½ hours or HIGH for 1½ hours. Potatoes should be tender when you poke them with a fork.

Stir Halfway Through

Halfway through, stir everything. Set a timer because I always forget.

Add Final Cheese Layer

When time’s up, sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover again, cook 30 more minutes until cheese melts.

Garnish and Serve

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top if you’re feeling fancy.

Notes

Brown that beef properly – don’t rush it or you’ll have gray, sad meat

Drain grease completely – use paper towels if you have to

Cheese timing matters – half during cooking, half at the end for that melted top

Don’t cook longer than needed once potatoes are tender or they get mushy

If it looks dry, add more milk

If it’s watery, leave lid off last 20 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American