Meat & Potato Casserole
A cozy classic: thin-sliced potatoes, savory beef, and a quick creamy sauce baked with gooey cheese. Easy to assemble, feeds a crowd, and reheats like a dream.
Serve with a crisp salad or steamed green beans for balance.
Ingredients:
5 potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup (120 ml) beef broth
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups (170 g) shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, or blend)
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Preheat: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Brown beef: Cook ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned and onions are soft; drain fat.
Mix sauce: Whisk soup, broth, heavy cream, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt/pepper.
Layer: Add half the potatoes to the dish. Top with one-third of the sauce and half the beef. Repeat with remaining potatoes, another third of sauce, and remaining beef. Finish with remaining sauce and sprinkle cheese over top.
Bake: Cover with foil and bake 1 hour 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender and top is bubbly. Uncover the last 10 minutes for browning. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Variations
Even slices: Use a mandoline for uniformly thin potatoes so everything cooks through at the same time.
Cheese choices: Try a mozzarella–cheddar blend for melt + flavor; add Parmesan for nuttiness.
No cream of mushroom? Substitute cream of chicken or a homemade white sauce (2 Tbsp butter + 2 Tbsp flour + 1 cup milk, seasoned).
Add veg: Layer in thawed peas, corn, or sautéed mushrooms for extra texture.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Assemble ahead: Build the casserole up to 24 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Add 10–15 minutes to bake time if cold.
Leftovers: Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat covered at 325°F (165°C). Freeze tightly wrapped up to 2 months.
Why This Recipe Works
A quick creamy sauce keeps the potatoes moist while they bake, and covering the dish traps steam so the slices become tender without drying out. Finishing uncovered melts and browns the cheese for that classic comfort-food top.
