Potato & Beef Casserole
I had four MASSIVE potatoes and didn't know what to do with them. I also had thawed some ground beef. Then I remembered one of my favorite things my mom would make when I was a kid, Potato & Beef Casserole! It's a creamy, cheesy comfort food that is super filling and VERY affordable!
Below is a little list with a quick look at the ingredients you'll be needing for this dinner! Take it with you to inventory your cupboards, fridge and freezer. Lets see what you have before you head to the store. Down a smidge in this post is a substitutions list in case you need some help last minute with ingredients.
This dish is also super fast to throw together. Start the meat, while the meat cooks gather and prep everything else. Peel and slice the potatoes, dice the onion and garlic, add the onion and garlic to the meat, and mix the sauce together. When the meat is done, you can layer everything together and bake! I cook my ground beef on medium heat to help me be most efficient with my time and I am way less likely to over cook it!
This can be cooked in the Crock-Pot too! Layer everything the same and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the potatoes are tender with a tiny bit of firm. **make sure to grease or spray your instant pot well. It will help with the cheese on the edges. **. I also don't recommend a crock-pot liner with this.** It all just comes out better with out the liner. I love liners for things like roasts, or soups. On my upcoming lists, I will be trying out an instant pot version of this dish. I am not sure how it will hold together well, but will definitely update if it works out!
Now, why do I use cream of chicken instead of cream of mushroom? Excellent question! It gives the texture and creaminess with out a strong mushroom flavor. Its a bit more mild and allows other flavors, like garlic, to shine through better. Mushrooms could be a lovely addition to this dish, and if you choose to go that route, use cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken. I have zero doubts about adding mushrooms. I am sure it would be incredible! But if you are wanting to really experience this dish in its original glory, you'll need cream of chicken.
- Ground beef can be replaced with any other ground meat (i.e. turkey, chicken, bison, deer, etc.).
- Green onion can be substituted with any kind of onion. I have used white, yellow, red and green. My favorite is green onions!
- Garlic cloves can be swapped with 2 tsp powdered garlic
- Sour cream can be substituted with Greek yogurt.
- Cream of chicken soup can be swapped with cream of celery or cream of mushroom.
- Any cheese will work just fine for this dish. Top recommendations are Colby jack, Mexican blend, or mild cheddar.
- Milk can be replaced with heavy cream or half and half. Measurements stay the same.
- Potatoes could be replaced with parsnips. You would prepare the parsnips just like you would the potatoes.
- Green beans
- Corn on the cob or off the cob
- Broccoli and Cauliflower steamed
- Oven roasted Asparagus
- Steamed carrots
- Garden salad with bread sticks
- Fruit Salad
- Cornbread
- Sautéed squash and zucchini
- Oven roasted broccoli
