Ground Beef Potato Casserole

Casseroles are a delicious and nostalgic comfort food, however they’re often heavy and made with canned soup. I’m not a big fan of canned soup so I created a no canned soup casserole!

My Southwest casserole recipe uses protein packed ground beef, tender potatoes, a flavorful spice blend, green chiles, green enchilada sauce, and of course cheese! It’s all made in one skillet, but you can transfer it to a casserole dish if you prefer. It’s primarily cooked on the stove and then finished in the oven.

It uses simple budget-friendly ingredients and is perfect for meal prepping! This flavorful casserole rivals my popular ground beef and sweet potato skillet and Mexican chicken and potatoes. I know you and your family will love it!

Ground beef – You’ll want to use lean ground beef so that the casserole isn’t too greasy. I use 93/7 lean. You can also use ground bison as an alternative.

Potatoes – White potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, or red potatoes work best. Russet potatoes will break down too much and be mushy. You want the potatoes tender, but still holding their shape.

Onion and poblano pepper – White or yellow onion can be used. A poblano pepper is a mild chile pepper. Spicier than a bell pepper and much milder than a jalapeno. You can substitute with a bell pepper.

Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder – Flavorful Southwest spices that give the ground beef and potatoes lots of flavor. Be sure to use a chili powder blend, which is mild and not chile powder such as cayenne.

Green chiles and green enchilada sauce – Mild green chiles and mild or medium green enchilada sauce are best for this casserole. Not only do they act as a shortcut for flavorful sauce, but they thicken as they cook so you won’t wind up with a runny casserole.

Cheese – I love using colby jack cheese because melts beautifully. You can also use cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese. Grate the cheese from the block and avoid using pre-shredded cheese. It won’t have that gooey melted consistency and the flavor won’t be as good.

• Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or ground bison.
• Add extra veggies. Frozen corn, zucchini, red bell pepper, for example.
• Instead of green enchilada sauce use red enchilada sauce.
• Save time and use frozen diced potatoes. Add them into the skillet frozen and cook until tender.
• Swap white potatoes with sweet potatoes. You can also make my similar recipe, southwest ground beef and sweet potato skillet.

This easy ground beef casserole is hearty enough to be eaten on it’s own, but if you want a salad or side dish to have with it, I recommend these.

• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa Salad
• Cornbread Muffins
• Black Beans and Rice

Leftover potato casserole with ground beef will keep for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers in the microwave, in a skillet on the stovetop, or in a 350°F oven until warmed through.

This ground beef potato casserole is also freezer-friendly. Allow the casserole to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Can I make ground beef potato casserole ahead of time?

Yes. You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then bake as directed.

Is this ground beef potato casserole spicy?

It’s mildly spicy due to the green chiles and enchilada sauce. To reduce heat, use mild enchilada sauce and and mild green chiles. To make it spicier, add jalapeños or use hot enchilada sauce.

Why are my potatoes burned on the outside and raw inside?

If the potatoes are browning too quickly there are a few reasons this could be happening. If you want to avoid any potential problems I suggest par-cooking the potatoes. Place them in a microwave safe bowl with along with a tablespoon of water. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then microwave another 1-2 minutes. The potatoes should be soft, but not completely cooked. Then follow the recipe as instructed.

• They aren’t cut small enough. I recommend a 1/4 inch dice and no bigger than a 1/2 inch dice.
• The heat on the stove is too high. Turn the heat down to medium once you add the potatoes to the skillet.
• There isn’t enough liquid. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water into the skillet. Potatoes need to have enough liquid in order to cook properly.
• Stir often. The potatoes need to be stirred frequently so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan and cook evenly.

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