Easy Ground Beef Casserole With Potatoes

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Total: 75 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This ground beef and potato casserole may have undergone changes over the years, but it has stayed consistently easy!

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, optional

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, browned

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1 (6- to 8-ounce) can or jar sliced mushrooms, drained

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 medium carrots, shredded or julienned

• 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch or slightly smaller dice. You should have about 5 or 6 cups. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.

   

3. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and set aside.

   

4. Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4). Lightly butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish.

   

5. Place a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the ground beef and chopped onions to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are tender and the beef is no longer pink. Add the mushrooms, if using. Drain off excess fat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

   

6. Transfer the beef and onion mixture to the prepared casserole dish.

   

7. Add the diced potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

   

8. Sprinkle the shredded carrots over the potatoes.

   

9. Combine the soup, sour cream, and milk; stir to blend. Spoon the mixture evenly over the top of the casserole.

   

10. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

    

11. Remove the foil and sprinkle shredded cheese over top of the casserole; bake for about 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.

    

12. Enjoy!

Variations

• You can try partially cooking the potatoes first, to ensure they become tender, and then add some liquid and sour cream to the soup mixture.
• Or, you can use hash brown potatoes instead of fresh potatoes, which provides a different sort of texture. Feel free to experiment!