Hobo Casserole is a hearty ground beef and potato bake with a creamy mushroom sauce, melted cheddar and a crunchy layer of French fried onions on top. Make it on a cold weeknight, and it travels well to a potluck.
How to make hobo casserole: Brown the beef with onion, bell pepper and garlic, spread it over two layers of thin potato slices, cover with a soup and sour cream sauce and cheddar, and bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes. Add the fried onions for the last 5 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Pantry ingredients: ground beef, potatoes, a can of cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and cheddar do most of the work.
- Two textures: creamy, tender potato layers underneath and crisp fried onions on top.
- One baking dish: the skillet browns the beef, then everything bakes and goes to the table in a 9×13-inch dish.
- Feeds a crowd: one pan makes 6 generous servings.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: Lean ground beef keeps the sauce from turning greasy. If you use a fattier blend, drain the skillet before you add the vegetables.
Russet potatoes: You need 2 to 3 medium russets, peeled and sliced thin. Russets bake up soft and a little fluffy, which is what you want under a creamy sauce. Keep the slices even so they all finish together.
Onion, green bell pepper and garlic: They cook with the beef, not raw in the dish. I like the bell pepper here because it keeps the filling from tasting flat next to the rich sauce.
Cream of mushroom soup and sour cream: One 10.75-ounce can of condensed soup plus 1 cup of sour cream makes the sauce. Stir them until smooth before seasoning, so you can taste how much salt the soup already brings.
French fried onions: These go on at the very end. If they bake the whole time, they go dark before the potatoes are ready.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- French fried onions, for topping
- Sliced green onions, optional, for garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley, optional, for garnish
How to Make Hobo Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
2. Cook the beef and vegetables. In a large skillet, cook the lean ground beef over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula, for about 7-10 minutes until browned and a food thermometer reads 160°F. Add the diced onion, diced green bell pepper and minced garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
3. Mix the sauce. In a bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and sour cream until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Layer the casserole. Peel and thinly slice the Russet potatoes. Arrange the slices in two layers in the greased dish, seasoning each layer lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the beef and vegetable mixture over the potatoes, then pour the cream sauce over the top and spread it evenly.
5. Add the cheese and bake. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.
6. Add the onions and finish. Sprinkle the French fried onions over the top and return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes more, until the onions are crisp and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Let the casserole cool for a few minutes, then garnish with green onions or parsley if you like.
How to Keep the Potatoes Tender
The potatoes go into the dish raw, so they cook only in the oven. That is why the slices need to be thin: thick slices can still be firm when the cheddar on top is already golden.
Before you add the fried onions, push a fork straight down into the center of the dish. It should slide through both potato layers with no resistance. If it meets a firm slice, give the casserole a few more minutes and test again.
My habit is to test the middle, never the edges, because the edges cook first. When the potatoes are right, a scoop comes out in soft layers that hold their shape, with the creamy sauce running between them.
Tips for Success
Why is my hobo casserole greasy?
You will see an orange sheen pooling around the edges. The fat came from the beef. Drain the skillet after browning, especially with a fattier blend, before the vegetables go in.
Why are the fried onions burnt?
They went on too early. They only need the last 5 minutes to crisp, so add them after the potatoes are tender.
Why is the sauce lumpy?
Condensed soup straight from the can is thick. Stir it with the sour cream in a bowl until completely smooth before you pour it over the beef.
For another ground beef bake, try Hamburger Mushroom Bake, made in a 9×9 dish in 40 minutes.
If you like beef and potatoes together, try Hobo Foil Packets for individual servings with carrots and onion.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, not on the counter. Reheat until a food thermometer reads 165°F; the fried onions soften in storage, so add a fresh handful after reheating if you want the crunch back.
What to Serve With It
Hobo casserole already has meat, potatoes and vegetables, so a simple green salad is all it needs. If you like this one, try the 5-ingredient hamburger potato casserole or the cheesy hamburger potato casserole made without canned soup. For another ground beef bake, there is cowboy casserole or beef Lombardi casserole. If you would rather have meatloaf night, make French onion meatloaf, and for an easy stovetop dinner, ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hobo casserole made of?
Thin-sliced russet potatoes, ground beef cooked with onion, green bell pepper and garlic, and a sauce of cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Cheddar and French fried onions go on top.
Why is it called hobo casserole?
The name comes from hobo dinners, where ground beef, potatoes and onions cook together in one foil packet. This casserole puts the same simple combination in one baking dish.
Can I make hobo casserole ahead?
Cook the beef and vegetables and mix the sauce ahead, and keep them in the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes and assemble just before baking, because cut raw potatoes darken as they sit.
Hobo Casserole at a Glance
Hobo casserole is a cheesy ground beef and potato bake. In this version, browned beef with onion, bell pepper and garlic goes over sliced Russet potatoes in a creamy sauce made from cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Shredded cheddar and French fried onions go on top.
- Main ingredients: ground beef, potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and cheddar.
- Why it is cheesy: a full cup of shredded cheddar melts into the top layer, so every scoop has cheese.
- Why people love it: it is one pan, uses pantry staples and feeds a hungry family.
Final Notes
Slice the potatoes thin and the rest of this recipe takes care of itself. If you have a question or make it for dinner, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Hobo Casserole Rustic Ground Beef and Potato Bake
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Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 medium-sized Russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.75 oz
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- French fried onions for topping
- sliced green onions optional, for garnish
- chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large skillet, cook the lean ground beef over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks, for about 7-10 minutes until browned and a food thermometer reads 160°F. Add the diced onion, diced green bell pepper and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- In a bowl, combine the condensed cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Mix until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Peel and thinly slice the Russet potatoes. Arrange the slices in two layers in the bottom of the greased baking dish, seasoning each layer lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture evenly over the potato layers. Pour the cream sauce over the beef and veggies, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle French fried onions over the top. Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes until the onions are crispy and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
