Hobo Casserole is a homemade one-pan meal made with simple, affordable ingredients. Who doesn't love ground beef paired with layers of potatoes and cheese? So hearty and satisfying.
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This hobo casserole recipe is a huge hit with our family. The kids love it! We serve it as an easy regular weeknight meal and love the delicious leftovers the next day, too.
If you love easy casserole recipes, next you'll want to try this hearty Breakfast Casserole with Hashbrowns, creamy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole, and this kid-friendly Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple and Filling: This is the kind of recipe that doesn't need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied for hours.
- Crowd Favorite: This hamburger potato bake is an easy way to feed a large group and it's a fan favorite with kids and adults alike!
- Easy to Customize: You can switch up the protein, cheese, and add-ins to this recipe for hobo casserole to make it your own.
Ingredients
- Frozen Diced Hash Browns: We used diced hash browns for this hobo dinner casserole. You could also use shredded. Both kinds of hash browns can be found in the frozen potato section at the grocery store. Let them thaw for about 30 minutes before using to ensure even cooking.
- Ground Beef: We recommend 80/20 ground beef for the best flavor and moisture. Leaner beef will work, it just won't be quite as rich.
- Yellow Onion and Carrot: Fresh veggies bring a little sweetness and texture to the dish. Dice them into small, uniform pieces so they'll cook evenly with the beef.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup and Milk: These two elements create a rich, creamy sauce that holds the casserole together. Use whole milk for the best consistency, or half and half if you want an even creamier version. Cream of chicken or cream of celery soup can also work instead of the mushroom.
- Worcestershire Sauce: It gives a zing of umami flavor. If you're pulling Worcestershire from the pantry, make sure yours hasn't expired as it can lose its punch over time.
- Seasonings: We used black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning for the potato and hamburger casserole.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use freshly shredded sharp or medium cheddar for the best melting. You could also use Gruyere or Colby Jack cheese.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add Diced Green Chilies: Want a zesty, flavorful, slightly spicy kick? Put some diced green chilies into the casserole to kick up the flavor a notch.
- For a Lighter Version: Use ground turkey or ground chicken, a low-fat creamy soup, and half the amount of cheese.
- Add Extra Veggies: Add diced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, corn, peas, or carrots into the casserole for more nutrition, color, and crunch.
How to Make Hobo Casserole
Hamburger potato casserole only takes 15 minutes to prepare before throwing it in the oven. Before getting started, preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Pull the hashbrowns out of the freezer to let them thaw.
- Step 1: Brown the Meat. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet until it's browned. If there's excess grease, drain it off.
- Step 2: Add the Onion and Carrots. Keep cooking everything on the stove until the veggies are soft, around 5-7 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the Sauce Ingredients. Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Mix until well combined and then remove it from the heat.
- Step 4: Assemble. Layer half of the potatoes into your prepared baking dish. Scoop the hamburger and sauce mixture over the potatoes and top it with half of the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with cheese on the top.
- Step 5: Cover and Bake. Cover the top of the casserole with aluminum foil and bake it for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes until it's browned a bit on the top and bubbly throughout.
Hint: Freeze Individual Portions
Freeze smaller portions for individual meals that you can heat up quickly. Just pop one in the microwave and leftovers for lunch are ready in minutes!
Expert Tips
- Make An Extra and Freeze It: This casserole makes great leftovers. You can make an extra as a freezer meal. Assemble the casserole, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil (unbaked) and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve it, thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake as directed, adding an extra 10-15 minutes to the cooking time as needed.
- When Using Fresh Potatoes: If you're shredding fresh potatoes, Yukon Golds or Russet potatoes both work well.
- To Save Time: Use pre-chopped onions and garlic from the jar if you need to cut down on prep time.
- Make Even Layers: Assemble the casserole with even layers of ground beef, potatoes, and cheese.
Storage Directions
- Storing and Reheating: This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat portions in the microwave for 30-second increments or in the oven at 300°F for about 20 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole but wait to bake it. Cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it in the fridge for 24 hours. When you're ready to serve, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Then bake as directed, adding an extra 5-10 minutes to ensure it's cooked all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
This casserole is hearty and satisfying on its own but you can also serve it with a variety of side dishes. We love making it for a family Sunday dinner or neighborhood potluck.
- Kick up the heat and serve it with hot sauce or diced jalapenos, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, and a sprinkle of diced scallions on top. Ketchup goes well on this one too!
- Balance the richness of the cheesy ground beef casserole with more veggies. Serve it with cucumber and tomato salad, roasted potatoes with carrots, roasted broccoli, or green beans.
- Serve potato and beef casserole with potatoes with garlic knots, homemade dinner rolls, or sheet pan breadsticks that can be used to soak up the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
It's likely coming from the beef or potatoes. Make sure to drain the beef well after browning to remove any excess grease. Be sure to thaw out the potatoes and pat them dry with a paper towel before layering them. You could also bake the casserole uncovered for the last 10-15 minutes to let any excess moisture evaporate.
Yes, both potato options would be tasty. Mashed potatoes would create a dish that's more like shepherd's pie with a creamy, smooth texture. Tater tots would create a crispier top layer and they might need an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time to get crispy enough.
You'll know it's done when it's bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is golden brown.
Yes, you can cook the beef on the stove first and then layer the ingredients in the Crock Pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
More Delicious Casserole Recipes
These casseroles are made to feed the whole family and leave everyone feeling satisfied.
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Hobo Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces Frozen diced hash browns
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onions diced
- 2 medium carrots sliced into ¼" thick pieces
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Pull hashbrowns out of the freezer to let them thaw.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until brown and no pink remains.
- Add onion and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes or until soft.
- Add cream of mushroom soup, milk, Worchestershire sauce, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Mix until well combined and remove from heat.
- Layer half of the potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Scoop half the hamburger sauce over the potatoes and top with half the cheese. Repeat layers ending with the cheese on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Then, remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
Notes
- Let the hash browns thaw and pat them dry with paper towels before assembling, to prevent moisture and give the perfect texture to the casserole.
- Drain the beef so it's not overly greasy.
- Make the layers even so that the casserole cooks through consistently.
- Keep the casserole covered for most of the baking time. This will keep it from drying out.
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
Ryan Allen
If you are looking for a tasty weeknight dinner this is it. It has so much flavor and is so hearty.