Rich and flavorful, this comforting casserole is an easy family dinner that everyone will love. Ground beef and fresh veggies are layered on top of sliced potatoes, smothered in a creamy marinara sauce and topped with parmesan and mozzarella. Perfect cosy food for those chilly nights!
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The warm evenings of summer are starting to become a distant memory, as it starts to get cooler, our family menu turns from salads and sandwiches to soups and hearty casseroles.
This cheesy beef and vegetable potato bake is our current favorite. Rich, hearty and filling, it can be served just as it is, or, with a simple vegetable side dish. It's simple to prep and the leftovers are super delicious. It's a great dish to cook once and enjoy over a couple of days.
For more comforting family dinners, sure to try my Ground Beef and Potato Casserole and Sausage and Bean Casserole too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Family friendly: If you are looking for a dinner that the whole family will eat and enjoy, then this is it! Our 14 month old loves this as much as Mom and Dad!
- Well balanced: This recipe has a great mix of carbs, veggies, fats and protein to keep hungry bellies feeling full and satisfied.
- Easy: Super simple to prep with everyday ingredients.
- Make ahead: Make this ahead of time and enjoy those leftovers another night! Freezer friendly too!
- Dietary info: This beef and vegetable potato bake is gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: For extra flavor, I like to use a medium ground beef, but you can use lean if you prefer.
- Vegetables: Onion, bell pepper and celery.
- Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are best to use for this recipe.
- Marinara Sauce: You can use your favorite jarred marinara sauce for this recipe.
- Cream: The addition of 35% cream makes a richer dish, and helps balance out the acidity of the tomato sauce.
- Cheese: Parmesan and mozzerella.
- Seasonings: Oregano, salt and black pepper
How to make this beef potato bake recipe
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Brown the ground beef (photo 1).
- Cook the vegetables til soft (photo 2).
- Mix together the cream and marinara sauce (photo 3).
- Layer sliced potatoes in a casserole dish (photo 4).
- Spread over the ground beef (photo 5).
- Top with the cooked vegetables (photo 6).
- Pour over the cream marinara sauce, sprinkle over the parmesan and bake (photo 7).
- Top with sliced mozzarella, bake until melted and browned (photo 8).
Recipe Variations
This ground beef potato bake is delicious as it is, but you can easily make it your own!
- Use a different ground protein: Chicken, turkey or pork all work well, or make it meat free by using a plant based alternative.
- Use other veggies: If you've got some fresh vegetables that you need to use up, you can easily add them into this casserole. Carrots, mushrooms and spinach all make excellent additions.
- Use a different sauce: Try using a different pasta sauce like primavera, rosee or vodka.
Frequently Asked Questions
Starchy potatoes are best to use for this recipe, Russet and Yukon Gold are my favorites to use. Avoid waxy potatoes like reds and fingerlings as they will stay pretty firm once cooked.
I prefer to peel the potatoes for this recipe. You can keep the skin on if you like, but be sure to wash and scrub them well before slicing them.
The potatoes should be cut as thin as you can so that they cook well and become soft. I use a large chef's knife, but a mandoline would be perfect (and quick!) for this job.
Serving Suggestions
This potato bake has it all, so you can easily serve it up by itself for a well balanced dinner. It's great served up with some frozen veggies, or, try it with one of these favorites:
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make up the whole casserole (other than the mozzarella topping), then keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days until you are ready to bake it.
Once made, the ground beef potato bake will keep well, covered in the fridge, for up to 4 days, and reheated at 350F / 180c for 20 minutes to warm through and serve.
Once cooked, the potato bake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Fully thaw before reheating.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Slice the potatoes and thinly as you can. A mandoline is a great tool for this.
- The vegetables should be softened when you cook them in the skillet, but you don't need to color them as they will cook in the casserole.
- Cook the beef potato bake covered with foil. This will help to keep liquid in the casserole dish so that the potatoes cook. Uncover for the last part of cooking to brown the top and melt the mozzarella.
- The leftovers are delicious! Make it once and enjoy it twice for an easy weeknight dinner.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Ground Beef and Tomato Soup
- Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Ground Beef and Tomato Pasta Bake
- Roasted Ground Beef Chili
Cheesy Ground Beef and Vegetable Potato Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 tablespoon oil any high heat oil like canola, avocado or sunflower.
- 1 pound ground beef (medium or lean) (450g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the vegetables
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 4 ribs celery diced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
For the potato bake
- 1 jar marinara sauce (23 ounces / 650g)
- 1 cup cream (35%) (230ml)
- 1.5 pounds potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold) (700g / about 4 medium sized potatoes)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan (4 tablespoons)
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella (drained and sliced)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350f / 180c.
- Put the oil in a skillet and place on a medium high heat on the stovetop. Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef.
- Break up the beef with a spatula, add the salt and pepper, and cook til browned.
- Remove the beef from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil and fat in, and place to one side.
- Put the skillet back on the heat and add in the chopped vegetables, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally til softened. Take off of the heat and set to one side.
- In a jug, stir the cream into the marinara sauce. Set to one side.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them as finely as you can.
- Layer the potato slices evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish. spread the cooked ground beef on top, then the cooked vegetables. Pour over the creamy marinara sauce and sprinkle over the parmesan.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour
- After 1 hour of cooking, carefully remove the casserole from the oven and remove the foil.
- Place the sliced mozzarella on top and return to the oven for around 10 minutes til the cheese has melted and browned.
- Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Slice the potatoes and thinly as you can. A mandoline is a great tool for this.
- The vegetables should be softened when you cook them in the skillet, but you don't need to color them as they will cook in the casserole.
- Cook the beef potato bake covered with foil. This will help to keep liquid in the casserole dish so that the potatoes cook. Uncover for the last part of cooking to brown the top and melt the mozzarella.
- The leftovers are delicious! Make it once and enjoy it twice for an easy weeknight dinner.
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