Name: Hearty Ground Beef and Potato Casserole for Cozy Weeknight Dinners
Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 is perfect—enough fat to keep it juicy, not so much that it’s a grease pool); 1 large onion, diced (or two medium ones if that’s what you’ve got); 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, because garlic makes everything better); 1 bell pepper, diced (any color works, but I love the sweetness of red or yellow); 2 tablespoons tomato paste (the secret weapon for deep flavor); 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz, don’t drain it); 1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth, or even water with a bouillon cube); 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (pronounced “WUSS-ter-shur” no matter what anyone tells you); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika works too, but smoked is magic); Salt and pepper to taste; 1 cup frozen corn (optional, but adds nice sweetness and texture); 1 cup frozen peas (also optional, but hey, vegetables!); 3 lbs russet potatoes (the big baking kind work best here); 1/2 cup butter (don’t even think about using margarine); 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat, we’re not dieting tonight); 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream (whatever’s in your fridge); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; Salt and pepper to taste; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is my favorite, but mild works too); 1 cup shredded mozzarella (for that stretchy, melty goodness); 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (the real stuff, not the sawdust in a green can); 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (adds that perfect crunch); 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)

Description

You know those nights when you walk in the door after a long day and all you want is something warm, filling, and ridiculously comforting? This casserole is basically a hug in a baking dish. I call it my “everything’s gonna be okay” dinner because that’s literally how you feel after eating it. It’s layers of seasoned ground beef, creamy potatoes, melty cheese, and all the good stuff that makes you forget about whatever nonsense happened during your day. Plus, it makes your house smell like pure happiness while it’s baking.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Beef Layer:

2 lbs ground beef (80/20 is perfect—enough fat to keep it juicy, not so much that it’s a grease pool)
1 large onion, diced (or two medium ones if that’s what you’ve got)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, because garlic makes everything better)
1 bell pepper, diced (any color works, but I love the sweetness of red or yellow)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (the secret weapon for deep flavor)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz, don’t drain it)
1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth, or even water with a bouillon cube)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (pronounced “WUSS-ter-shur” no matter what anyone tells you)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika works too, but smoked is magic)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn (optional, but adds nice sweetness and texture)
1 cup frozen peas (also optional, but hey, vegetables!)

For the Potato Layer:

3 lbs russet potatoes (the big baking kind work best here)
1/2 cup butter (don’t even think about using margarine)
1/2 cup sour cream (full fat, we’re not dieting tonight)
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream (whatever’s in your fridge)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Cheese Situation:

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is my favorite, but mild works too)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (for that stretchy, melty goodness)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (the real stuff, not the sawdust in a green can)

For the Topping:

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (adds that perfect crunch)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)