Hamburger Potato Casserole with Corn and Cheddar

Hamburger Potato Casserole

Fresh potato slices bake in layers with browned ground beef, corn, and a creamy milk-and-broth sauce. A generous cheddar topping melts over the finished casserole, which serves as a rustic scoop with the potato slices, beef, and yellow corn still visible.

Fresh potatoes need a long covered bake. Check a slice at the center before adding the cheese: a melted topping cannot tell you whether the potatoes underneath are tender.

Ingredients for Hamburger Potato Casserole

• 2 pounds yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 900g), peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick
• 1 pound ground beef (about 450g)
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150g), diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup corn kernels (about 165g), thawed if frozen and well drained
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (about 45g), plus a little for greasing the dish if desired
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (about 25g)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (about 8 ounces or 225g)
• About 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided and adjusted to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

Keep the potato slices thin and even so they cook at the same rate. A sharp knife works, or use a mandoline with a hand guard.

How to Make Hamburger Potato Casserole

1. Prepare the dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Peel the potatoes and cut them into even, approximately 1/8-inch slices.
2. Brown the beef: Cook the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the beef, until it is browned and the onion has softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Drain excess fat, season with some of the salt and pepper, and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
3. Make the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the skillet, whisk in the flour, and cook briefly until no dry flour remains. Gradually whisk in the milk and broth. Simmer, whisking, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon but still pours easily. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, tasting before adding all the salt.
4. Layer the casserole: Arrange half the potato slices in overlapping layers in the dish. Add half the beef, half the drained corn, and half the sauce. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, beef, corn, and sauce. Spread the sauce across the top potatoes so they are moistened. If it has become too thick to flow between the layers, whisk in a small splash of milk. Reserve all the cheddar.
5. Bake covered: Cover the dish securely with foil and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Start checking at 60 minutes: a small knife should slip through potato slices near the center with little resistance, and the sauce should bubble at the edges. If the potatoes are still firm, replace the foil and bake in roughly 10-minute increments, checking again each time.
6. Add the cheese: Remove the foil and scatter the cheddar over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 8 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and glossy, not darkly browned. Rest for 10 minutes before scooping. The creamy layers will hold together loosely rather than cut into firm squares.

Why the Covered Bake Matters

Foil holds in moisture while the fresh potatoes cook. The center takes longest, so test a potato slice there rather than judging by the bubbling edges. Thicker slices, a deeper dish, or a casserole assembled cold may need more covered baking time. Adding the cheddar only after the potatoes are tender keeps it melted and glossy instead of overbrowned.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Serve with a green salad or steamed green beans. Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cover individual portions and microwave until hot throughout, or cover a larger portion and warm it in a 350°F oven until hot.

If assembling the casserole ahead and refrigerating it, allow additional covered baking time and check the center potatoes before adding cheese. Cooked, cooled portions can be frozen airtight for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating; the potatoes may be softer afterward.

Potato Questions

Can I use frozen hash browns instead?

Not with this method or timing. Hash browns need a different casserole mixture and bake schedule, and they will not produce the visible sliced-potato layers.

Do I have to peel the potatoes?

Peeled potatoes give the layers described here. Thin-skinned Yukon Golds can be left unpeeled if preferred; keep the slices about 1/8 inch thick.

For a different beef-and-potato format, try cheesy hamburger potato casserole with potato crust.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6 servings: 530 calories, 30g protein, 31g fat, and 41g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of cooked casserole: 140 calories, 8g protein, 8g fat, and 11g carbohydrates. Values will vary with the beef fat drained away, the milk used, and the casserole’s finished weight.