Ground Beef Potato Casserole (Cheesy, Easy)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Feb 17, 2025 (last updated Apr 17, 2026) 
This cheesy ground beef potato casserole skips the canned soup and uses tomato sauce instead. Savory beef, tender potatoes, and a melted cheddar make it hearty comfort food that’s budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and easy enough for any night of the week!
5 star review
“The family was quite pleased…… Very hearty and flavourful meal, and easy peazey to prepare.”
– Derek
My Go-To Weeknight Potato Beef Casserole!
For this simple potato and beef casserole, I wanted to create a quick and easy way to use two staple ingredients that are always on hand, budget-friendly, and family-friendly. Enter center stage: ground beef and russet potatoes! Seriously, I love pairing classic ground beef with veggies because it’s a great way to get a wholesome meal on the table.
And on that note, if you want a speedy 30-minute version of this casserole made in 1 pan, try my skillet ground beef & potatoes. In both cases I lightened up this protein-forward beef casserole without using any soup, but rather with just a humble can of tomato sauce. And to maximize those homey, comforting flavors (and to minimize the chopping) I used garlic powder and a tiny kick from mild chili powder.
However, if you love spice, you can certainly swap in spicy chili powder for a little kick. Plus mustard adds the perfect amount of sharpness and tang to balance things out. Finally, for ooey gooey vibes, I love using sharp cheddar to top this freezable casserole, but you could use any grated cheese that you like.
And for another ground beef casserole that comes together with simple ingredients, the ground beef zucchini casserole swaps in zucchini for a lighter take on the same comfort food formula. Yum!
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole
Testing Notes for My Easy Potato Beef Casserole
- Perfectly Chopped: Use a vegetable chopper (if you have one) to get all the potato pieces the same size so they’ll cook evenly. It’s totally doable with a kitchen knife, but the chopper makes quick work of it.
- No-Peel: You don’t have to peel the potatoes – what a time-saver!
- Cooked ’til Perfection: I tested this recipe lots of ways, and getting the potatoes cooked all the way is the key to making this work. So cook them juuuust until tender, but not falling apart.
- Add Water: Add just a splash of water if your potatoes are sticking to the pan as they cook.
- Drain the Fat: If you’re using something other than lean ground beef, you can drain the fat (if you desire).
Ground Beef Potato Casserole (Cheesy, Easy)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds Yukon gold or Russet potatoes, chopped into ¼ inch cubes (no need to peel)
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375F.
- Heat a large heavy-bottom pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven, over medium high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil, beef, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt, breaking the meat apart with a spoon. Cook 5-8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Remove the meat and set aside. To the same pan (no need to wash it first) add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the potatoes, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Turn the heat down to medium, cover, and cook until the potatoes are just tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water if the potatoes start sticking.
- Add the meat back to the pan and sprinkle with the garlic and chili powder. Cook until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Turn off the heat and add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and 1 cup cheese, stirring until well combined.
- Prepare a 9×16 ceramic baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
- Carefully transfer the meat potato mixture to the baking dish, smoothing into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes will cook faster than Russet, so that’s my preference when I want to speed things up a bit.
- Optional Topping: minced fresh parsley, sour cream, pickle slices.
- Perfectly Chopped: This recipe works best if you cut the potatoes small enough. Use a vegetable chopper (if you have one) to get all the potato pieces the same size so they’ll cook evenly. It’s totally doable with a kitchen knife, but the chopper makes quick work of it.
- Cooking the Potatoes: You want the potatoes to be cooked to just tender on the stovetop, as they won’t cook much more once they go in the oven. Be prepared to add a splash or two of water to the pan throughout the process if the potatoes start to stick.
- Gluten-Free: Be sure to use a gf Worcestershire sauce.
Great recipe
So glad you enjoyed this one, Tory, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hi we tried your cheesy potato ground beef n tomato casserole. It was very tasty. I followed your instructions quite well. Added a few xtra chopped onions when frying up the ground beef for some added flavour. The end result: the family was quite pleased…… Very hearty and flavourful meal, and easy peazey to prepare. Thanx! From Ontario, Canada.
Derek, great idea to add some chopped onion into the mix as well. Happy to hear this one was a hit – thanks for sharing your tips and for leaving a review!
Can we use diced frozen potatoes?
Yes, frozen diced potatoes will work well! You’ll need to reduce the cook time of the potatoes since they are already cooked – just warm them through in the step where you cook the potatoes from raw, then follow the recipe as written. If you give it at try let me know how it turns out!