Description
A hearty and comforting Ground Beef Hash Brown Casserole featuring browned beef, sautéed vegetables, creamy mushroom sauce, and crispy golden topping. Perfect for a family dinner, this casserole combines savory flavors and a crispy texture with tender hash browns and melted cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Casserole Base
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Topping
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place your empty 9×13-inch baking dish inside to warm up. This helps prevent sticking and achieves a crispy bottom for the casserole.
- Cook Beef and Veggies: In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain excess fat. Return skillet to heat; add diced onion, minced garlic, and green bell pepper. Sauté until vegetables are softened, around 4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat when onions become translucent.
- Prepare Creamy Sauce: In a large bowl, combine the condensed cream of mushroom soup, Greek yogurt, and sour cream. Mix until smooth; Greek yogurt adds tang and stabilizes the sauce to prevent separation during baking.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked beef and vegetable mixture to the creamy sauce. Gently fold in the thawed hash browns and half of the shredded cheddar cheese, being careful not to mash the potatoes to maintain texture.
- Assemble Casserole: Remove the preheated baking dish from the oven and evenly spread the beef and potato mixture inside. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top to create a smooth melted cheese layer.
- Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted unsalted butter and chopped fresh thyme until the panko is evenly coated. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cheese layer.
- Bake and Rest: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the panko topping is golden brown and the sauce bubbles around the edges. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the casserole to set and make serving easier.
Notes
- Warming the baking dish before adding the casserole helps achieve a crispy bottom layer.
- Drain excess fat from the cooked ground beef for less greasy casserole.
- Gentle folding of hash browns helps keep their texture intact.
- Greek yogurt stabilizes the sauce and adds subtle tang without thinning the mixture.
- Resting the casserole after baking helps it set and makes slicing and serving cleaner.
