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Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole

Cheesy hamburger potato casserole is a golden, crispy-topped baked comfort food casserole with thinly sliced potatoes layered over seasoned ground beef and creamy soups. You’ll get a tender potato bake with a deeply golden cheddar cheese crust in about 1 hour.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheesy hamburger potato casserole
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 5 russet potatoes
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cheddar cheese soup
  • 0.5 cup milk
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste
  • 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 0.25 fresh chives for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and bake setup
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish, so the casserole starts baking hot. Make sure the dish is evenly coated for easy serving.
Brown the beef
  1. Brown ground beef with diced onion over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat, then add minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, stirring to coat evenly. Cook 1 minute more so the spices bloom.
Make the creamy soup mixture
  1. Whisk together cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese soup, and milk until smooth and fully combined. Stop when no streaks remain for even layering.
Layer the casserole
  1. Layer half the thinly sliced potato in the baking dish in an even base. Arrange so most slices overlap to help them soften.
  2. Top with half the seasoned beef layer, spreading it to cover the potatoes. Keep an even thickness so everything cooks through.
  3. Pour half the soup mixture over the beef until it reaches the edges of the potatoes. This helps form the creamy interior.
  4. Repeat layers with remaining potatoes, remaining beef, then remaining soup mixture. Press lightly so the layers settle without compacting too much.
Bake until tender and golden
  1. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, until potatoes are starting to soften. Visual cue: bubbling around the edges.
  2. Remove foil, sprinkle shredded cheddar evenly over the top, and bake at 375°F for 15 more minutes until potatoes are tender and the cheese is golden. Visual cue: a crispy, browned top surface.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with fresh chives and serve warm. Use a spoon to reveal the layered potato-and-beef interior.

Notes

For the best texture, slice the russet potatoes thinly and evenly so they finish tender at the same time. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in the oven at 325°F until hot and the top is re-crisping. Freezing: yes, freeze baked portions up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar or a lighter cream soup substitute while keeping the layering and baking times the same.