This flavorful casserole is made with a ground beef filling and mashed potato topping. It’s an excellent choice for a family meal, and it’s easy to fix and bake. The beef filling is packed with flavor, with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and celery. It’s easy to make in advance, too. You can make it a day ahead of time and bake it the next day. I make the mashed potatoes the day before, and then the next day I warm them up in the microwave, fold in the cheese, and finish the casserole.
The casserole is similar to a cottage pie, but with the addition of mushrooms. Cheese is added to the potatoes, making the dish hearty and satisfying.
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Beef and Potato Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, butter, or bacon drippings, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds 85% ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 6 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups hot seasoned mashed potatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Ingredients
- Oven Prep: Heat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- Cook the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil or drippings in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef, break it up into small pieces, and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Continue cooking and stirring for 4 to 5 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pan, heat the remaining oil or drippings over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, celery, and mushrooms and sauté until the onions are translucent. Stir the flour into the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beef back to the pan and stir to blend.
- Simmer the Filling and Assemble the Casserole: Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add more broth if the mixture is too thick. Taste and add salt, as needed. Turn the ground beef mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Stir the cheese into the hot mashed potatoes and spoon them over the top of the casserole. Spread the potatoes to cover the filling. - Bake: Bake the casserole for 25 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is lightly browned. Broil for a minute or two to brown the topping more.
- Serve: Serve with a garnish of parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Instructions
Cold mashed potatoes? Warm the potatoes in the microwave to soften them enough to spread over the meat filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Bake