This hamburger potato casserole recipe will satisfy your family’s cravings with creamy homemade sauce and cheddar cheese. It’s easy to make and flavorful, making it a perfect dinner option.
I love to serve this casserole with a simple arugula salad, soft dinner rolls, and lemonade iced tea.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground beef: with a little bit of fat in it. Fat is what gives it flavor.
- Butter: unsalted or salted. You can use hamburger fat in place of some of the butter.
- Milk: preferably whole or 2%
- Potatoes: Russets, Yukon Gold, or red, peeled and thinly sliced
- Cheese: cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack. Or a mixture of cheeses.
How to Make Hamburger Potato Casserole
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and continue cooking until the beef is brown and the onion is soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, stirring and cooking for one minute. Drain any excess grease.
Melt the butter in the skillet with the ground beef and sprinkle the mixture with flour. Slowly stir in the milk and continue cooking until thickened, stirring frequently. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Spoon a couple tablespoons of the creamy beef mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer the dish with 1/3 of the potatoes, hamburger gravy, and cheddar cheese. Repeat two times, ending with a layer of cheddar cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the potatoes are cooked tender.
Preparation Tips
- Peel the potatoes and use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice the potatoes thinly. Slice the potatoes between 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
- Sprinkle the casserole with chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
- To spice it up a bit, add a little Cajun or Creole seasoning.
- To brown the top, turn the broiler on low for the last 1-2 minutes of baking. Broilers can be so unpredictable, especially in older ovens. I always set a 1-2 minute timer to avoid getting distracted.
Change It Up
- Meat: Use ground pork, turkey, chicken, or ham.
- Canned soup: Skip the homemade sauce and use canned cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup.
- Cheese: Try a variety of cheeses, such as Monterey Jack, queso quesadilla, mozzarella, Pepper Jack, or white or sharp cheddar.
- Vegetables: Add a cup of mixed frozen vegetables or fresh sauteed spinach or mushrooms.
- Toppings: Top with sour cream, green onions, or Parmesan cheese.
More Potato Recipes
Hamburger Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ cups whole or 2% milk
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and sliced ⅛-¼ inch thick
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and continue cooking until the beef is brown and the onion is soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, stirring and cooking for one minute. Drain any excess grease.
- Melt the butter in the skillet with the hamburger mixture and sprinkle the mixture with flour. Slowly stir in the milk and continue cooking until thickened, stirring frequently. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Spoon a couple tablespoons of the beef mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer with 1/3 of the potatoes, hamburger gravy, and cheddar cheese. Repeat this process two times, ending with a layer of cheddar cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the potatoes are cooked tender.
Notes
- Peel the potatoes and use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice the potatoes thinly. Slice the potatoes between 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
- Sprinkle the casserole with chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
- To spice it up a bit, add a little Cajun or Creole seasoning.
- To brown the top, turn the broiler on low for the last 1-2 minutes of baking. Broilers can be so unpredictable, especially in older ovens. I always set a 1-2 minute timer to avoid getting distracted.
Karey
Hamburger and potato casserole omg…This combines all the things I love lol…I am doing it as soon as I get the ingredients. Thanks a lot.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Karey! Enjoy!
Celebrate Woman Today
Cold weather food right here. Awesome gravy recipe for this casserole.
Michelle
This hamburger potato casserole is so very delicious! It the perfect comfort food for my family, and I love how easy it is to make.
Jupi
We do hamburgers all the time, but this sounds like a really unique twist! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, enjoy!
Hari
This is a supremely good recipe! Love its overall texture! I will make it again!
Yara
This is such a tasty casserole. I love the flavours and this is such a nice time of year to make a casserole for dinner, really nice with the bread rolls too.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Yara! I am so happy that you like it.
Ella English
This is such a delicious, hearty casserole that was enjoyed by all the family. It is so cheesy and yummy.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Ella!