So last Tuesday, Emily came home from soccer practice absolutely starving (as usual), and I realized I had exactly 15 minutes before she'd start raiding the pantry for snacks that would completely ruin her appetite. That's when I threw together this Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole in record time, set it on high, and went back to answering work emails. Four hours later? The kitchen smelled AMAZING, and we had the creamiest, most comforting dinner ready to go.
This crock pot potato hamburger casserole has honestly saved me on more busy weeknights than I can count. It's one of those recipes where you just layer everything in the slow cooker, walk away, and come back to a complete meal that actually tastes like you spent way more effort on it than you did.
The best part? You probably have all the ingredients sitting in your fridge and pantry right now. No special grocery run required! And if you're looking for another hands-off dinner idea, check out my slow cooker creamy chicken and dumplings – it's just as easy and gets devoured every single time.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
- Ingredients For The Best Hamburger Potato Casserole Crock Pot Recipe
- How To Make Slow Cooker Ground Beef Potato Casserole
- How To Store And Reheat Hamburger Potato Casserole
- Tips And Variations For Crock Pot Potato Hamburger Casserole
- Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On This Easy Crockpot Casserole With Ground Beef
- Crock Pot Potato Hamburger Casserole
Why You'll Love This Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
- Super budget-friendly – Ground beef, potatoes, and pantry staples make this incredibly affordable
- Practically cooks itself – Just 15 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does all the work
- Feeds a crowd – Makes 8-10 generous servings (perfect for families or meal prep!)
- Crazy comforting – Creamy, cheesy, hearty layers that hit the spot every time
- Kid-approved – Even picky eaters clean their plates with this one
- Flexible timing – Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours, whatever works for your schedule
Ingredients For The Best Hamburger Potato Casserole Crock Pot Recipe
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (you can use 1 pound if you want more potatoes than meat)
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup (low or no sodium works great)
- 1 cup beef broth (again, low sodium if you're watching salt intake)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 ½ cups thinly sliced russet potatoes (about 1.5 pounds, sliced ⅛-1/4" thick)
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Quick note on the cream of mushroom soup – I know, I know, some people see "mushroom" and panic. But honestly? You can't taste the mushrooms AT ALL in this recipe. Emily has very strong opinions about mushrooms (she won't even look at them), and she has no clue they're in here. The soup just creates this amazing creamy sauce that brings everything together.
How To Make Slow Cooker Ground Beef Potato Casserole
Prep The Ground Beef
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the 2 pounds of ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Season with a little salt and pepper while it cooks.
- Brown the beef completely, breaking it into small crumbles as you go – this usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
- Drain off any excess grease (I just tilt the pan and spoon it out) and set the beef aside.
Make The Creamy Sauce
- Grab a medium bowl and add your 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup beef broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and another pinch of salt and pepper if you want.
- Whisk everything together until it's nice and smooth. Set this aside – you'll be using it soon!
Layer The Casserole
- Spray the inside of your 5-6 quart crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Don't skip this step! It makes cleanup SO much easier later.
- Start with half of your sliced potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot. Try to spread them out in an even layer.
- Add half of the browned ground beef on top of the potatoes.
- Pour half of your soup mixture over the beef layer.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Now repeat the whole process one more time – potatoes, beef, soup, and finish with the remaining cheese on top.
Cook The Casserole
- Put the lid on your crockpot and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. You'll know it's done when the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Test the potatoes by inserting a fork into the center of the casserole. If it slides in easily, you're good to go!
- Once it's finished cooking, take the lid off and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. This lets the sauce thicken up a bit and makes serving way easier.
I learned the hard way that skipping that resting time means you end up with a soupy mess on your plate instead of nice, defined layers. Not cute!
How To Store And Reheat Hamburger Potato Casserole
Storing leftovers: Let the casserole cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. It'll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. I actually think it tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to hang out together!
Reheating: For individual portions, just microwave for 2-3 minutes until heated through. If you're reheating the whole thing, cover it with foil and pop it in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes.
Freezing: This casserole freezes really well! Cool it completely, portion it into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Tips And Variations For Crock Pot Potato Hamburger Casserole
Slice those potatoes thin! This is probably the most important tip I can give you. If your potato slices are too thick, they won't cook all the way through in the time it takes for everything else to be done. I use a mandoline slicer to get them super even (and save myself like 10 minutes of knife work).
Watch the salt. I mentioned this in the recipe, but it's worth repeating – between the soup, broth, and cheese, this dish can get salty FAST. Start with low-sodium versions of the soup and broth, then taste and adjust at the end. You can always add more salt, but you definitely can't take it out!
Try different cheeses. Sharp cheddar is my go-to, but I've also made this with a Mexican cheese blend (so good!), pepper jack for a little kick, or even mozzarella when that's what I had on hand.
Add some veggies. Want to sneak in more nutrition? Try layering in some thinly sliced onions, frozen corn, or even some chopped bell peppers. Emily doesn't notice the onions at all when they're mixed in with everything else.
Swap the soup. If you really can't do cream of mushroom, use cream of chicken or cream of celery instead. The texture stays the same, just with a slightly different taste.
Make it ahead. Layer everything in the crockpot insert the night before, cover it, and stick it in the fridge. In the morning, just pop the insert into the crockpot base and turn it on. You'll need to add about 30 minutes to the cooking time since you're starting cold.
Can I tell you about the time I tried to use pre-shredded cheese from a bag for this? It was fine, but it didn't melt quite as smoothly as when I shred it myself. The pre-shredded stuff has that anti-caking coating on it. Is it worth the extra effort to shred your own? Depends on how much time you have, honestly!
Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
Yes! Layer all ingredients in the slow cooker insert, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 30 minutes to cooking time if starting cold.
Yes, cool completely and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven at 350°F.
Use cream of chicken, cream of celery, or make a homemade white sauce with butter, flour, and milk. Flavor will vary slightly with each option.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or entire dish in a 350°F oven.
Recipes You May Like
Looking for more easy dinner ideas that basically cook themselves? You're going to want these in your rotation:
- Ground Beef Casserole Recipe – Another hearty, crowd-pleasing casserole that comes together in minutes
- Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese – Because sometimes you just need that classic comfort food fix
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo – Creamy, dreamy, and just as hands-off as this recipe
Final Thoughts On This Easy Crockpot Casserole With Ground Beef
This slow cooker ground beef potato casserole is one of those recipes I come back to again and again, especially during busy weeks when I barely have time to think about dinner, let alone cook it. The combination of tender potatoes, seasoned ground beef, and that creamy, cheesy sauce just hits different on a cold evening.
What I really appreciate about this recipe is how forgiving it is. Forgot to slice the potatoes thin enough? Cook it a bit longer. Only have one pound of beef instead of two? Still works! Out of cheddar and using whatever cheese is in your fridge? Go for it. It's the kind of recipe that adapts to whatever you've got going on.
Give this hamburger potato casserole crock pot recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! I'd love to hear if your family devours it as fast as mine does. And seriously, don't forget to save this to Pinterest so you can find it again when you need an easy dinner idea that won't let you down.
Crock Pot Potato Hamburger Casserole
Equipment
- 5-6 quart crockpot
- large heavy-bottomed skillet
- Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef can use one pound
- 2 10.5 ounce cans cream of mushroom soup can use low or no sodium
- 1 cup beef broth can use low or no sodium
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ½ cups thinly sliced russet potatoes about 1.5 pounds, sliced approximately ⅛-1/4 inch thick
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, brown and crumble 2 pounds lean ground beef and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drain excess grease and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup beef broth, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and a pinch of salt and pepper (if desired.) Whisk to combine well. Set aside.
- Spray the inside of a 5-6 quart crockpot with non-stick spray.
- Add half of the sliced potatoes in a layer on the bottom of the crockpot.
- Then add half of the browned beef.
- Next add half of the soup mixture and then half of the shredded cheese.
- Repeat this process and end with the remaining shredded cheese on top.
- Cover with the lid. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or until the potatoes are tender. You can test this by inserting a fork.
- When finished cooking, allow it to sit and cool briefly (uncovered) before serving. Serve with your favorite veggies or salad.
