Description
Hobo Casserole brings hearty comfort straight to your dinner table with a classic ground beef mixture that feels like a warm hug. Packed with simple ingredients and easy preparation, this one-pan wonder delivers satisfying flavor that feeds hungry families without complicated cooking techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
Main Vegetables:
- 4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grab a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Create an initial layer using half of your thinly sliced 4 medium potatoes, spreading them across the entire bottom of the dish.
- Brown 1 pound ground beef with 1 medium chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 7-9 minutes, ensuring meat is completely crumbled and no pink remains.
- Season the beef mixture with 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper while cooking.
- Spread half of your seasoned ground beef mixture evenly over the potato layer.
- Arrange the remaining potato slices on top of the beef layer to create a second complete potato base.
- Layer the remaining seasoned ground beef over the second potato layer.
- Whisk 1 can of cream of mushroom soup with ½ cup milk until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the soup mixture evenly across the entire casserole surface.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese over the top, covering the entire dish.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon melted butter across the cheese layer.
- Dust the top with ½ teaspoon paprika for extra color and mild flavor.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown.
Notes
- Always brown ground beef thoroughly to ensure no pink remains and drain excess fat for a lighter dish.
- Dice vegetables uniformly so they cook evenly and create a consistent texture throughout the casserole.
- Experiment with different cheese varieties like cheddar, mozzarella, or pepper jack to customize the flavor profile.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute cream of mushroom soup with a homemade alternative or use cornstarch as a thickener.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg