This Hamburger Potato Casserole is so easy to make with 10 ingredients and is everything you love about the classic sandwich. The savory beef, melty cheese, and comforting flavors are baked into one easy casserole. It's a hearty weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
This recipe was born out of real-life family cooking. I needed a dinner that would feed my family well, reheat beautifully, and somehow taste even better as leftovers the next day. That's how Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole came to life with 10 simple ingredients, big flavor, and zero complaints at the dinner table (it's become one of my daughter's favorite meals).
With just 30 minutes, you can have the bake assembled and ready to put into the oven. It's also a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes if you have them from the night before! Top with your favorite burger toppings, it has all the comforting flavors of a cheeseburger in each bite. Another fun twist to try is my Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole.I know it'll be a hit too.
Why you'll love this Recipe
- Easy weeknight dinner - This hamburger casserole with potatoes comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients.
- Family Favorite - All the classic cheeseburger flavors in one casserole dish.
- Make-ahead friendly - Prep this casserole in advance and bake when ready.
- Comfort food classic - Cheesy, hearty, and satisfying.
If you love comforting casseroles, you may also enjoy our Chicken Casserole, Easy Crock Pot Lasagna, or Chicken Wing Casserole.
Ingredients
- Large Potatoes: The base of the hamburger potato casserole.
- Ground Beef: Rich protein that's key to this delicious recipe.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a punch of garlicky flavor.
- Onion Powder: Gives a hint of sweet onion flavor.
- Paprika: Adds brightness and warmth.
- Avocado Oil (or oil of choice): Cooking oil for the beef.
- Onion: A vegetable aromatic that infuses every bite.
- Red Bell Pepper: Gives nice crunch and veggie sweetness.
- Garlic Cloves (minced): We love adding fresh garlic to anything cheeseburger.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Responsible for the creaminess of the casserole.
- Cheddar Cheese: Grate it fresh, a key staple in any burger-inspired recipe.
Tim's Tip: Pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch, but freshly grated cheese melts better and gives this cheeseburger casserole that irresistible, gooey finish.
Equipment and Supplies
- Glass baking dish - Where all the cheeseburger casserole magic happens
- Sharp Knife - For fast chopping
- Cheese Grater - Because freshly grated cheese makes everything better.
- Skillet - The starting point for all those delicious cheeseburger flavors.
How to make Hamburger potato casserole
- Bake 3 large potatoes at 400℉. Should take about 1 hour 15 minutes (may vary). Set them aside to cool. Then turn the oven down to 350℉.
- Cook 1 lb of ground beef, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Once cooked, drain the grease and set aside.
- Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince garlic.
- Heat the pan with oil and sauté the onion and pepper. After 5 minutes, add in minced garlic. Cook until all vegetables are tender.
- In a mixing bowl, mix ground meat, cream of mushroom soup, and cooked vegetables.
- Cut potatoes into round slices. Lay them on the bottom of a 9 x 9 pan or 9 x 12 baking dish.
- Layer 1 cup of cheese on top of potatoes. Then, add the meat mixture and spread it evenly. Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese and bake at 350℉ for 35-40 minutes.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Slice the potatoes into the same size. You want them to be of even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Drain the beef of any excess grease before layering the ingredients. This is super important, so the hamburger potato bake isn't too greasy.
- Add your favorite burger toppings. We love to set up a toppings bar when we serve this to our family. Ketchup, mustard, pickles, onion, tomato, and shredded iceberg are some of our favorites.
- Allow the cheeseburger casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This helps the filling to set, making it easy to slice and serve.
What to serve with Cheeseburger Casserole
This recipe pairs well with:
- A crisp green salad with fresh Buttermilk Ranch.
- Roasted Fresh Vegetables
- Garlic bread or dinner rolls
Variations
- Low-Carb Cheeseburger Casserole - Swap the potatoes for cauliflower or zucchini for a lighter option.
- Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole - Add crispy bacon bits to the beef mixture for a smoky twist on classic cheeseburger casserole.
- Kid-Friendly Cheeseburger Casserole - Skip strong seasonings and keep flavors simple; this cheeseburger casserole is a hit with picky eaters.
- Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole - Put the potatoes on top with this tater tot casserole version.
- Swap the potatoes for noodles. Cheeseburger noodle casserole is also a winner in our house. Boil any short noodles until al dente, then drain, and stir them into the beef mixture rather than the potatoes.
Storage
Store leftover cheeseburger casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
This recipe also freezes well, and that makes it perfect for meal prep. Wrap the casserole dish in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat.
faqs
You can add any of your favorite burger toppings. We love shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, chopped onion, sour cream, ketchup, or mustard.
It's known to be from the US and came about in the 1960s when home cooks made a cheeseburger into an easier baked dish.
Yes, the recipe is commonly found made both ways, so up to you! We make it with sliced potatoes in our version.
Video of Recipe
Recipe
Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 9 Baking Dish
- Mixing Bowl
- Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3 Large Potatoes
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 10.5 Oz Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 3 Cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoon Paprika
- 3 teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Onion
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon Avocado Oil or oil of choice
Instructions
- Bake 3 large potatoes at 400℉ then let them cool - cooking time will vary but, generally speaking it will take about 1 hour and 10-15 minutes.
- Cook 1 lb of ground beef, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Once cooked, drain grease and set aside.
- Dice onion and bell pepper. Heat pan with oil and sauté. After 5 minutes, add in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Cook until all vegetables are tender.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together ground meat, one can of cream of mushroom soup, and your cooked vegetables.
- Preheat oven to 350℉ once potatoes are cooked.
- Cut potatoes into round slices. Lay them on bottom on a 9 x 9 baking dish.
- Layer 1 cup of cheese on top of potatoes. Then, add the meat mixture and spread out so it's even in the pan.
- Then, top with 2 cups of cheese.
- Bake at 350℉ for 35-40 minutes.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Erin C says
We made this for our family and we've also made it for meal trains! It feeds a lot and everyone always likes it!
CookitwithTim says
Thanks Erin! Glad you loved it and that it was helpful for those families!
Michelle Hutchens says
looks delicious
CookitwithTim says
Thanks Michelle!