French fry casserole is a four-ingredient ground beef bake: browned lean beef stirred into golden mushroom soup and cheddar cheese soup, spread in a 13×9 dish, covered with frozen crinkle-cut fries and baked uncovered until the fries turn golden. Add any toppings you would put on a burger, and it feeds 8.
How to make french fry casserole: brown and drain 2 pounds of lean ground beef, stir in a can each of golden mushroom soup and cheddar cheese soup, spread it in a greased 13×9 dish, arrange a 20-ounce bag of frozen crinkle-cut fries on top, and bake uncovered at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, until the fries are golden.
Why You’ll Love It
- Four ingredients: beef, two cans of soup and a bag of frozen fries.
- 10 minutes of prep, then the oven does the rest.
- Feeds 8 from one 13×9 dish.
- Burger-style toppings work on top, just like on a burger.
How to Get Golden Fries on Top
The beef base is creamy, and the fries need to come out golden, not pale. Here’s what to do:
- Use the fries frozen. Don’t thaw them; arrange them on the beef straight from the bag.
- Keep them in one layer. Spread the fries across the top in a single layer.
- Bake uncovered. Leave the dish uncovered for the whole 50 to 55 minutes.
- Go by color, then temperature. The fries should be golden brown, and the center of the casserole should read 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Let it stand. Give it 5 minutes out of the oven before serving.
If you prefer to start it covered, cover the dish with foil for 30 minutes, then bakes it 20 to 25 minutes uncovered until the fries are golden.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not draining the beef. Drain it after browning, before the soups go in.
- Diluting the soups. Both cans go in undiluted, straight from the can.
- Going by the timer alone. Cook the beef to 160°F first, and bake until the center reaches 165°F.
- Covering the fries the whole time. Bake uncovered, or uncover for at least the last 20 to 25 minutes.
How to Tell When It’s Done
Two checks, in this order. First, look at the fries: they should be golden brown across the whole top, which takes 50 to 55 minutes at 350°F. Second, push a food thermometer into the middle of the dish, through the fries and into the beef layer. USDA FSIS says casseroles are done at 165°F. If the fries are golden but the center is still short of 165°F, give it a few more minutes and check again. Then let it stand 5 minutes before you cut into it.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef. Two pounds of lean ground beef, 90% lean.
Soups. One 10 3/4-ounce can each of condensed golden mushroom soup and condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted.
Fries. One 20-ounce bag of frozen crinkle-cut french fries.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
- 1 package (20 ounces) frozen crinkle-cut french fries
How to Make French Fry Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the beef. In a large skillet, cook and crumble the beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink and reaches 160°F, then drain it.
3. Add the soups. Stir the golden mushroom soup and the cheddar cheese soup into the beef, then pour the mixture into the dish.
4. Top with fries. Arrange the frozen french fries on top of the beef mixture.
5. Bake uncovered. Bake uncovered for 50 to 55 minutes, until the fries are golden brown and the center reaches 165°F.
6. Rest and serve. Let the casserole stand 5 minutes before serving.
Variations
- More cheese: 2 cups of Colby jack under the fries, 1 cup of shredded cheese on top, or shredded cheddar sprinkled on right after baking.
- Vegetables: stir 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables into the beef.
- Seasoning: season the beef with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Creamy base: use cream of mushroom soup with beef broth and sour cream, or cream of mushroom with a cheese soup.
- Toppings: scallions, jalapeños, fried onions or parsley after baking, or any burger toppings you like.
- Sloppy joe style: a different take uses bacon, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes, ketchup, ground mustard and pickle juice, baked at 400°F and then 450°F.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Frozen leftovers keep 3 to 4 months; thaw them in the refrigerator, or reheat from frozen, which takes about one and a half times as long. USDA FSIS notes that cream sauces don’t freeze well, so the sauce can change after freezing. Reheat covered until it reaches 165°F, in the oven or microwave, not in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Top it like a burger with scallions, jalapeños or fried onions. For more ground beef bakes, try Big Mac casserole, cheeseburger pie or stuffed pepper casserole. For more beef and potato casseroles, there’s 5-ingredient hamburger potato casserole, hobo casserole and chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are common mistakes when making french fry casserole?
Thawing the fries, covering the dish for the whole bake, skipping the drain on the beef, and going by the timer instead of checking for golden fries and a 165°F center.
Do you thaw the fries first?
No. Arrange them on top straight from the freezer.
Should I cover french fry casserole when baking?
This recipe bakes it uncovered for 50 to 55 minutes. If you do cover it, take the foil off for the last 20 to 25 minutes so the fries turn golden.
Can I add cheese?
Yes. Layer Colby jack under the fries, or sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top right after baking.
How long does it take?
About 65 minutes in all: 10 minutes to brown the beef and assemble, 50 to 55 minutes in the oven, and 5 minutes to rest.
Can I add vegetables?
Yes. Stir 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables into the beef before it goes in the dish.
Final Notes
Frozen fries, one layer, no foil, and a thermometer in the center. Tell me in the comments which toppings you added.
French Fry Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef 90% lean
- 1 can condensed golden mushroom soup 10-3/4 ounces, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup 10-3/4 ounces, undiluted
- 1 package frozen crinkle-cut french fries 20 ounces
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F and grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet, cook and crumble the beef over medium heat until it's no longer pink and reaches 160F, then drain it.
- Stir the golden mushroom soup and the cheddar cheese soup into the beef, then pour the mixture into the dish.
- Arrange the frozen french fries on top of the beef mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 50 to 55 minutes, until the fries are golden brown and the center reaches 165F.
- Let the casserole stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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