Hamburger Hash Brown Casserole
Hash browns and hamburger might be the best combination invented since peanut butter and jelly. Our one-pot-wonder hamburger hash brown casserole contains the most satisfying flavor, and we love the versatility. This meal can be enjoyed any time of day, making the leftovers a lovely bonus.
Onion has never been sexier, and if you want them to really stand out, you can brown the beef by itself first then add the onion after no pink remains. Of course, we love our green onions too, so we made sure to top the finished product with plenty of them before serving—kaaaapow!
Something to keep in mind—enamel pans with non-stick coatings don’t withstand high oven temperatures. It’s imperative to use an ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron. Just watch your mitts when you’re transferring the skillet to and fro, the pan will be HOT!
Hamburger Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups hash browns, frozen
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a large (preferably oven-proof) skillet over medium-high heat then add oil. When the oil is hot, add the hash browns. Cook without stirring for 5–7 minutes until the bottom becomes golden brown and crispy. Once crispy, transfer hash browns to a plate then set aside—don’t worry if they are still underdone on top—they’ll finish cooking in the oven.
- Return skillet to the heat and brown the ground beef with the onions, salt and pepper. When the beef is cooked through and no pink remains, drain grease and return to the heat. Add milk and mushrooms then stir to combine. Scrape up any of the brown bits left on the bottom of the pan and allow the mixture to come to a bubble.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in spices until well combined then remove from heat. Add flour to thicken up the sauce if it's still too runny. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a 2-qt casserole dish. Otherwise, finish assembling the casserole in the skillet.
- Sprinkle 1½ cups of shredded cheese on top of the ground beef mixture, reserving the rest to sprinkle on top. Add hash browns, browned side up, to the top of the casserole then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake 18–20 minutes until piping hot. Remove from oven then allow it to cool 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped green onion.
Notes
When is the butter used? When is the flour used? They are both missing from the instructions however there is reference to oil which is not in the ingredient list. How much soup? It is also missing from the ingredient list.
Kevin I have noticed that some of the recipe ingredients are not complete, such as this one where it says in the instructions CREAM OF MUSHROOM well this is not in the ingredients. May I suggest that the instructions are reviewed to make sure nothing is missing in the ingredients. I wanted to try this but when I found I did not have everything meant going to the store for a missing item therefore, I had to cook something else. Guess I will also have to review ALL before I decide to cook one of these meals. 2 cups of milk to how many cans of cream of mushroom ? 2.