Okay, friend—so imagine it’s chilly (or honestly, just a regular Tuesday) and your fridge is in that awkward state between grocery runs. That was me last week, staring at a bag of potatoes, a lonely pack of ground beef, and the crockpot that’s basically become my kitchen MVP. Anyway, this Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole Recipe is honestly my solution when I need something cozy but can’t deal with 14 steps. And yes, I’ve pretty much memorized it by now (though, last time, I tried to improvise with sweet potatoes... more on that later).
Why I Keep Coming Back To This
I make this when I’d rather binge a show than stand at the stove, or when my folks are coming over and I want to look like I’ve planned dinner all week (ha—yeah, right). My partner goes full kid-in-a-candy-store for this casserole, possibly because it’s basically meat-and-potatoes happiness, or maybe just because there’s cheese. Either way, it disappears quick. And if you’ve got kids? I swear, even the picky ones like it (unless your toddler is going through a potatoes-are-“yuck” phase, in which case... good luck).
Let’s Round Up the Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (honestly, sometimes I use ground turkey if that’s what’s hanging around. My grandmother always insisted on ground chuck, but regular ground beef works fine)
- 5-6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (Yukon Gold is my favourite for this, but russet’s fine. I once tried with red potatoes—it’s ‘different’ but not in a bad way)
- 1 medium onion, chopped (or just use pre-chopped frozen onion—I won’t tell)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I like the sharp stuff, but mild cheddar's good if you're not feeling too wild)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup (cream of chicken is totally fine if it’s what you have—Campbell’s or store brand, honestly doesn’t matter much)
- ½ cup milk (I’ve cut this with water in a pinch, but it is a little less creamy then)
- Salt and pepper to taste (more is better if you ask me, but not everyone likes my ‘salt like you mean it’ vibe)
- Optional: A handful of frozen peas or corn for some veg action. Or parsley for colour (rarely do I remember, to be fair)
How You Actually Throw This Together
- First, brown your ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off the fat if there’s a lot; sometimes there isn’t much, so I just leave it (shh, don’t tell my doctor). If you’re out of time, you can chuck it in the crockpot raw, but the texture’s funkier.
- Grease your crockpot (I use spray oil unless I can’t find it, then just a bit of butter).
- Layer half the potatoes at the bottom. Yes, it’ll look weird; I always wonder if I sliced them too thick. I never do.
- Sprinkle half the onions and half your browned beef over the potatoes. Toss on a bit of salt and pepper—actually, a little more than you think because potatoes soak it up.
- Add half the cheese. Or more. I’m not the cheese police.
- Repeat those layers: potatoes, onions, beef, cheese. If you forgot the order already, I do too, just smush it all in—it works out.
- In a small bowl (or the can if you’re lazy like me), mix the condensed soup with the milk. Pour it over everything. Give it a little shake or poke with a fork so it sinks in there.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours. Don’t go wandering off for too long; it gets real mushy past the 8 hour mark.
- This is where I sneak a little taste. It always looks way soupy at first, but it thickens up, promise.
Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)
- If your potatoes aren’t sliced super thin, they stay firm. Sometimes I like that—it feels rustic. Other times, not so much.
- Once, I dumped all the cheese on top. It totally sticks to the lid. Layering is just better (especially for those gooey pockets!).
- I always wonder if I should add more veggies, then don’t, then regret it but eat it anyway. Go with your gut.
Ways I’ve Messed With This (and a Fail or Two)
- Sweet potatoes: interesting, but a bit too sweet for my taste—even with pepper
- Ground chicken: tastes lighter, but you need extra seasoning
- Crumbled cooked bacon in a layer: oh boy. That one’s coming back
- I tried diced tomatoes once. Didn’t love it—made it watery and... just odd
If You Don’t Have All the Gear
If you don’t have a slow cooker/crockpot, you can totally layer this up in a casserole dish and bake it at 350F for about an hour and a half. Cover it with foil so it doesn’t dry out. I guess it’s technically not a crockpot casserole at that point, but it works in a pinch. And if you don’t have a sharp knife for slicing, just use a cheese slicer (I discovered this in a rush once—it did the trick, weirdly).
What About Leftovers? (If You Even Have Any)
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge; reheats well the next day, maybe even gets a bit tastier if it has a night to think about itself. Oh, and it’ll survive about 3 days tops, though honestly it never lasts that long in our house. You could probably freeze it, but, in my experience, the potatoes can look a bit sad after thawing. Up to you, really!
How We Eat This
My personal favorite? Big scoops in a bowl, with a little extra cheese sprinkled on top. Sometimes we dunk crusty bread in there, sometimes it’s just a side salad if I’m pretending to be virtuous. My cousin swears by a dollop of sour cream—actually, that’s not bad. Oh, and my partner likes hot sauce on everything, so there’s always that option too.
Things I’ve Learned By Messing Up (Pro Tips!)
- Don’t rush slicing the potatoes—if they’re too thick, you’ll be chewing for days
- I once forgot to spray the crockpot. Should’ve seen the look on my face scraping out that mess. Please spray it
- If you err on the side of too much liquid, it’ll still taste good—but you’ll need a spoon
Questions I’ve Actually Gotten
Can you use pre-shredded cheese?
Totally. That’s what I do when I’m not feeling fancy. The anti-caking stuff in bagged cheese means it melts less smoothly, but I never notice.
Can I make this spicy?
Go for it! Add a pinch of chili flakes or swap in pepper jack cheese. My uncle once chopped up pickled jalapeños and tossed ‘em in—wild but tasty.
Do I have to brown the meat?
You don’t have to, but I’ve done it raw before and, honestly, I find it works better if you brown it first. Texture’s better, less mystery grey.
What if I’m cooking for a crowd?
You can double it (use a bigger slow cooker though). It’s a crowd-pleaser at family get-togethers. Or, see this guide from Southern Living for prepping ahead for a party—I’ve tried some of their tips and they’re legit.
Where can I find the best crockpot tips?
Got a lot of use out of Crock-Pot’s blog—surprisingly handy for troubleshooting stuff!
Well, that’s it, more or less. Hope you like it, and, if you’ve got a better way—honestly, email me, or just shout it at the next potluck. Happy (actually, mostly lazy) cooking!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
-
1In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
-
2Spray the inside of your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot.
-
3Spread half of the cooked beef and onion mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle with half of the cheese, then repeat the layers with remaining potatoes, beef, and cheese.
-
4In a bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over the layers in the crockpot.
-
5Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!