Loaded Potato and Meatloaf Casserole is meatloaf and mashed potatoes in one 9×13 dish: a seasoned ground beef layer on the bottom, creamy mashed russets on top, finished with shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon like a loaded baked potato. The meat bakes first, the potatoes go on, and it’s back in the oven until the cheese bubbles and the center reaches 165°F. It serves 8 and takes about an hour.
How to make it: Mix ground beef with onion, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, salt and pepper, press it into a 9×13 dish and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then drain the fat. While it bakes, boil and mash the potatoes with butter and milk. Spread the mash over the meat, top with cheddar and bacon, and bake 15 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Two favorites in one dish: meatloaf and mashed potatoes baked together.
- Loaded toppings: melted cheddar and crispy bacon on the potatoes.
- No loaf to shape: the beef is simply pressed into the pan.
- Easy timing: the potatoes boil while the meat layer bakes.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: 1 1/2 pounds, not too lean. For a meatier casserole, 2 pounds works in the same 9×13 dish.
Meat mix: a quarter of a yellow onion, finely chopped, 2/3 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup whole milk and 1 large egg hold the beef together like a meatloaf.
Potatoes: 2 pounds of russets, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks, mashed with 1/3 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup whole milk.
Salt and pepper: 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper, split between the meat and the potatoes.
Loaded toppings: 1 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon. Sliced chives or parsley on top are a nice finish.
Ingredients
For the meat layer
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
For the potato layer and topping
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
Seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (1/2 teaspoon for the meat, 1 teaspoon for the potatoes)
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, divided (half for each layer)
How to Make Loaded Potato and Meatloaf Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Mix the meat layer. In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup milk, egg, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Press the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
3. Bake the meat layer. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then take the dish out and drain any excess fat.
4. Boil the potatoes. While the meat layer bakes, put the potatoes in a pot with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes.
5. Mash the potatoes. Drain the water. Add 1/2 cup milk, the butter, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and mash until creamy.
6. Top the meat layer. Spread the mashed potatoes over the meat layer and top with the cheddar and bacon.
7. Bake until bubbly. Bake 15 minutes more, until the bacon is sizzling, the cheese is bubbling, the potatoes are slightly crispy and a food thermometer in the center reads 165°F.
8. Cool and serve. Let the casserole cool slightly before serving.
Why the Meat Bakes First
The beef layer goes into the oven on its own for 15 minutes before the potatoes go on. That gives you a chance to pour off the fat it releases, so the potato layer sits on meat, not grease. The potatoes boil on the stove in the meantime, so both layers are ready at about the same time.
When the casserole comes out, look for sizzling bacon, bubbling cheese and potatoes that are a little crispy on top. Then check the center with a food thermometer: ground beef is safe at 160°F, and casseroles at 165°F, so 165°F covers both.
Tips and Shortcuts
- Mix gently. Combine the meat mixture just until it comes together; don’t overmix.
- Use leftover mashed potatoes. About 3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes can replace the fresh ones.
- Or instant. 6 cups of instant mashed potatoes made by the package directions also work.
- One-bake method. Layer everything at once, cover with foil and bake at 400°F, uncovering for the last 10 to 15 minutes, and still check for 165°F in the center.
- Brown the cheese. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely, for browned spots.
Variations
- Sour cream mash: stir about 1/2 cup of sour cream into the potatoes.
- Barbecue meatloaf layer: add Worcestershire sauce, garlic and a little barbecue sauce to the beef.
- Glazed: brush a ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar and Worcestershire glaze over the meat layer before the potatoes go on.
- Ground turkey: use lean ground turkey in place of beef and cook it to 165°F.
- Serve it loaded: add sour cream and sliced chives at the table.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter. You can also reheat it straight from frozen in the oven; it takes about 1 1/2 times as long.
Reheating: Reheat covered until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
A green vegetable balances all that meat and potato. Try smothered green beans or a crisp salad.
For more beef and potato dinners, see hobo casserole, cheesy hamburger potato casserole without soup and ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes. For the classic loaf, make Old fashioned Momma’s Meatloaf, and for more loaded potatoes, try the slow cooker loaded potato bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients for a loaded potato meatloaf casserole?
Ground beef, onion, seasoned breadcrumbs, milk and an egg for the meat layer; russet potatoes mashed with butter and milk; and shredded cheddar and bacon on top.
Can I use leftover or instant mashed potatoes?
Yes. About 3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes or 6 cups of prepared instant potatoes work.
Do I need to drain the fat?
Yes. Drain the excess fat after the meat layer’s first 15 minutes, before the potatoes go on.
Do I cover the casserole?
Not with this method; it bakes uncovered at 375°F. If you layer everything at once and bake at 400°F, cover it with foil first, then uncover for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
How do I know it’s cooked through?
A food thermometer in the center should read 165°F.
Final Notes
Bake the meat, drain it, pile on the mashed potatoes, cheddar and bacon, and dinner is meatloaf and potatoes in every scoop. If you try it with sour cream in the mash, tell me in the comments how you liked it.
Loaded Potato and Meatloaf Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 85/15
- 1/4 yellow onion finely chopped
- 2/3 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup whole milk for the meat mixture
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided: 1/2 teaspoon for the meat, 1 teaspoon for the potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper coarse ground, divided: 1/4 teaspoon for the meat, 1/4 teaspoon for the potatoes
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk for the mashed potatoes
- 1/2 cup bacon cooked and crumbled (bacon bits)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup milk, egg, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Press the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then take the dish out and drain any excess fat.
- While the meat layer bakes, put the potatoes in a pot with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Drain the water. Add 1/2 cup milk, the butter, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and mash until creamy.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the meat layer and top with the cheddar and bacon.
- Bake 15 minutes more, until the bacon is sizzling, the cheese is bubbling, the potatoes are slightly crispy and a food thermometer in the center reads 165°F.
- Let the casserole cool slightly before serving.
