Ground Beef Hash Brown Casserole

Cheesy ground beef hash brown casserole is a great breakfast or brunch dish you can even add leftover ham into after the holidays if you prefer. Use fresh shredded potatoes or frozen hashbrowns to make this quick and enjoy!

Ground Beef and Hash Brown Casserole

First I made this Ground Beef Casserole with Potatoes, that was amazing but it did require a lot more prep since you had to slice instead of just pouring out of a bag. Honestly they are both quite amazing and made a bit different so you should try them both and see which you love more. Just sayin’.

This time I wanted to make the same basic dish but way easier. Using bagged shredded potatoes is the way you can do just that. Slight tweaks is all, same flavors, a bit different texture. You decide for yourself which you prefer. Most of the time it comes down to how much time I have, during the holidays it isn’t much.

Casseroles with Hash Browns and Ground Beef

This go around we are, as you might suspect, use the shredded variety. There are several out there you can buy. Some are diced, others are refrigerated so there is no thawing necessary and then others are in the freezer section. Another variety comes in tots like our Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef, also another winner for dinner.

• Ground beef or spicy ground sausage works great to add some heat
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Some diced frozen vegetables like frozen peas and carrots or green beans work great
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/3 tsp salt and pepper
• Granulated garlic
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 c chicken broth or use 1 can of cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup if you want this creamy
• 1 c hashbrowns thawed from frozen or 2 potatoes peeled and shredded in food processor
• Shredded cheese
• 9×7 casserole dish was used

How do you thaw frozen hash browns for casserole?

You can microwave at 50% power on a plate for 1-2 minutes or leave on the counter for 45 minutes. If you REALLY wanted to call it homemade just peel a few medium size russets and throw into a food processor to shred. Same thing. Either way you “cut it” you’ll want to lay on paper towels to absorb some of that excess moisture first, nobody wants that.

When serving this as a side dish I love a dollop of sour cream and some diced chives on the top of this hamburger hashbrown casserole recipe. You can in fact make this low and slow Cheesy Hashbrowns Crockpot style too. Total comfort food I tell you.

Frozen Hash Brown Casserole

Why you need to defrost beforehand; If you pour them right out of the bag, right out of the freezer they will add liquid into your mixture when they bake. This will cause your casserole to become looser than you’d want. That is why you should defrost AND press gently inside paper towels to dry before adding.

• Preheat the oven to 360 F. Fry the onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Then add chopped garlic and fry for 1 more minute. Add ground beef and fry everything together for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • alternatively you can add all 3 on a sheet pan and cook Ground Beef in Oven.
• Pour in the broth, add salt, pepper and granulated garlic, mix.
• Add frozen vegetables and grated cheese (2/3 cup), stir and wait until the cheese is melted.
  • you could even add sour cream to make it creamy like our Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish.
• Peel the potatoes and rub them on a coarse grater, squeeze out the excess moisture.
  • or use about 1.5-2 cups of thawed bagged hashbrowns
• Lay the potatoes on top of the minced meat to cover it.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Put the remaining cheese on top and bake for another 15 minutes.

Let the casserole cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut into portions and serve. You can sprinkle with fresh herbs. We have done this a number of different ways, even with rice! For that one you can follow our Hamburger and Rice Casserole that is a great main dish as well.

Casserole with Shredded Potatoes

Shredding potatoes is a common technique used in various recipes such as breakfast potatoes, potato pancakes (latkes), and potato fritters. Shredding creates thin strands of this starch that cook quickly and evenly, resulting in a crispy texture on the outside and a soft interior.

How to Shred Potatoes

Choose firm and dry varieties, preferably russet potatoes for shredding. Peel if you prefer, although leaving the skin on can add a nice texture and flavor. Rinse the potatoes to remove any dirt.

What is the best tool for shredding potatoes?

You can just use a box grater, like you would for shredding cheese. Select the side with larger holes (the shredding side). For a faster and more even sizing use a food processor. Attach the shredding disk for best results.

1. How to Grate Potatoes
   • If using a box grater hold the potato in one hand and rub it against the grater’s shredding side, moving in a downward motion. Be cautious of your fingers as you get closer to the end of the potato. Rotate the potato as needed to shred all sides.
   • If using a food processor feed through the feed tube while the food processor is running. Use the pusher to guide the potatoes into the shredding disk.
2. To prevent the shredded potatoes from browning due to oxidation, place them in a large bowl of cold water immediately after shredding. Swirl the potatoes in the water to remove excess starch. This also helps to keep the potatoes crisp.
3. After soaking the potatoes for about 5 minutes, drain them in a colander or sieve. You can also place the shredded potatoes on a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towels. Gently squeeze to remove excess moisture. This step is crucial for achieving crispy results when cooking.
4. Once you’ve shredded and drained the potatoes, you can use them immediately in or on top of your chosen recipe.
   • If you’re not using them right away, you can store them in the refrigerator for a short time. If you plan to store them for a longer period, consider freezing them after draining and drying to prevent them from becoming mushy.

If you’re aiming for an extra crispy texture, you can take an additional step to remove moisture: Place the drained and dried shredded potatoes in a cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Squeeze the bundle of potatoes to remove as much moisture as possible. This step can further enhance the crispiness when cooking.