There’s nothing quite as comforting as a warm, bubbly casserole coming out of the oven, and this hamburger and potato casserole is the ultimate cozy meal! If you’re looking for a simple, hearty, one-pan dinner that the whole family will love, you’ve found it.
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This recipe uses basic pantry ingredients—ground beef, sliced potatoes, and creamy mushroom soup—but what makes it special is the kick of Southwest Chipotle seasoning. This main dish is a satisfying and budget friendly meal take on a similar casserole often called “Cowboy Casserole.” However, this version uses classic sliced potatoes instead of tater tots, making it a pure, nostalgic treat!
It’s easy to assemble, perfect for prepping ahead, and guaranteed to become a new favorite on your weeknight rotation. Ready to get cooking?
Cheesy Hamburger and Potato Casserole with Southwest Chipotle
Layers of ground beef, sliced potatoes, creamy mushroom soup, and Cheddar cheese—the ultimate one-pan meal.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef (grass-fed recommended)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Southwest chipotle seasoning (or red pepper flakes/black pepper)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
5 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (like for au gratin)
1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350-degrees.
- Brown the Meat: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Brown the beef, breaking it up as you go, until it’s no longer pink and the onions are golden brown. (Note: If you are using regular hamburger, be sure to drain off any excess grease before the next step).
- Make the Soup Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, Southwest chipotle seasoning (or pepper), and garlic powder until well combined.
- Layer the Casserole: Begin layering the casserole directly in your skillet (if it’s oven-safe) or transfer the meat mixture to a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
- First, place a small amount of the ground beef-onion mixture on the bottom. Next, layer on some of the sliced potatoes.
- Then, pour a portion of the soup mixture over the potatoes.
- Sprinkle with a bit of the grated cheese.
- Continue layering in this order until all ingredients are used, making sure to end with a layer of the soup mixture on top.
- Finish and Bake: Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Then cover with a lid or foil.
- Bake for about one hour and 15 minutes or until the potatoes are completely tender and the casserole is bubbly around the edges.
- Serve: Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
- ENJOY!
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
This hamburger and potato casserole is already a crowd-pleaser, but a few simple tweaks can change the flavor profile completely!
Mary’s Expert Tips
Draining the Beef: I prefer to use grass-fed ground beef because it doesn’t need to be drained. If you’re using regular ground beef, be sure to drain the excess grease after browning it with the onions. This keeps the casserole from getting oily.
Layering is Key: Don’t just dump all the ingredients in! Alternating thin layers of meat, potatoes, soup, and cheese ensures that every single bite is perfectly seasoned and cheesy.
Save Money and Stretch the Meal
This is an incredibly economical dish and a fantastic way to stretch your food dollars!
Boost Volume with Veggies: Because the recipe is so flexible, it’s easy to bulk it up cheaply. Toss in extra budget-friendly vegetables like frozen peas, corn, or carrots to add volume and nutrition without buying more meat.
Maximize the Beef: Using grass-fed ground beef (as I do) helps, since it doesn’t shrink as much as regular hamburger, giving you more meat per pound!
Add Creaminess and Bulk: Stir in a spoonful of sour cream to the soup mixture for extra richness, and toss in an extra potato or two to ensure you have leftovers!
Easy Ways to Change It Up
Make it Spicy: For a real kick, stir in some sliced jalapeño peppers with the ground beef mixture. You can also swap the Southwest seasoning for a bit of chili powder or extra red pepper flakes.
Boost the Flavor: Try adding some fried fresh mushrooms (sliced) into the meat mixture for an earthy depth. A pinch of smoked paprika or thyme works wonderfully to change the overall profile.
Swap the Soup: If you don’t have cream of mushroom soup on hand, then no problem. You can easily substitute it with cream of chicken or cream of celery soup for a different creamy flavor.
Change the Cheese: Try a spicy Monterey Jack or a nutty Gouda instead of Cheddar. You could also sprinkle Parmesan on top during the last 15 minutes of baking for a crisp, salty crust.
I hope this cheesy hamburger and potato casserole with Southwest chipotle becomes a new staple in your weeknight rotation! It’s the ultimate comfort food—simple to make, easy on the budget, and packed with layers of mouth-watering flavor.
Whether you follow the recipe exactly or try one of the fun variations, I promise your family will ask for this one again and again.
Do try this easy recipe and please if you do, share it with your family and friends. Let me know in the comments below how it turned out! I’d especially love to hear if you added any extra vegetables or swapped out the cheese. Happy cooking!
More Delicious Ground Beef Recipes You’ll Love
Below is just a sampling of the many delicious other ground beef recipes that I make and my family loves. More are available if you use my search box.
Hearty Spanish Rice Casserole
Ground Beef Cornbread Casserole
Barbecued Meatballs
Layers of ground beef, sliced potatoes, creamy mushroom soup, and Cheddar cheese—the ultimate one-pan meal best describe this hamburger and potato casserole.
Course:
Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
cheddar cheese, cheesy ground beef casserole, cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, hamburger and potato casserole, one dish meal
Servings: 6
:
-
1
lb.
ground beef
grass-fed recommended -
3
tablespoons
olive oil -
1
medium onion
finely chopped -
1
can
10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup -
3/4
cup
milk -
½
teaspoons
salt -
1
teaspoon
Southwest chipotle seasoning
or red pepper flakes/black pepper -
1
teaspoon
garlic powder
not garlic salt -
5
medium potatoes
thinly sliced (like for au gratin) -
1/2
lb.
Cheddar cheese
grated -
2
tablespoons
butter
Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350-degrees.
Brown the Meat: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Brown the beef, breaking it up as you go, until it’s no longer pink and the onions are golden brown. (Note: If you are using regular hamburger, be sure to drain off any excess grease before the next step).
Make the Soup Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, Southwest chipotle seasoning (or pepper), and garlic powder until well combined.
Layer the Casserole: Begin layering the casserole directly in your skillet (if it’s oven-safe) or transfer the meat mixture to a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
First, place a small amount of the ground beef-onion mixture on the bottom. Next, layer on some of the sliced potatoes.
Then, pour a portion of the soup mixture over the potatoes.
Sprinkle with a bit of the grated cheese.
Continue layering in this order until all ingredients are used, making sure to end with a layer of the soup mixture on top.
Finish and Bake: Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Then cover with a lid or foil.
Bake for about one hour and 15 minutes or until the potatoes are completely tender and the casserole is bubbly around the edges.
Serve: Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
ENJOY!
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