This Hobo Casserole Recipe is an easy and delicious one-pan meal that everyone in your family can enjoy! With layers of tender beef, potatoes, creamy filling, and cheesy goodness, it's the perfect weeknight meal!
Next time try the Cowboy Cornbread Casserole!
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What makes this recipe irresistible
What makes this recipe irresistible? Where do I start? It's the cheesy, rich deliciousness! Add to that you only need simple ingredients to make it. And the oven does most of the work. Does it get any better than that?
We LOVE this recipe!!
Ingredients you’ll need
Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- lean ground beef - you could even use lean ground beef patties or ground chicken or turkey.
- yellow potatoes
- Colby Jack cheese
- cream of celery and chicken soup - you can swap either for cream of mushroom soup to avoid a trip to the grocery store.
- milk or evaporated milk
- All-purpose seasoning or Montreal steak seasoning.
- Worcestershire sauce
- French’s fried onions
- salt and black pepper to taste
Variations for the Hobo Casserole
- Add a small onion. Slice onion thinly and add a layer of onion top of the ground beef.
- If you love garlic, mince some garlic cloves and add a couple to your ground beef mixture.
- Add a touch of heat by adding a dash of chili powder, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper when you mix the soup and other sauce ingredients together.
- Swap out the French Fried Onions for crushed potato chips for a salty crunchy on top of the casserole.
- Make individual hobo packets using aluminum foil. These are fun to make on the grill when you're camping. The kids will love having their own serving!
Step-by-step instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions, scroll down to the bottom.
- Preheat the oven.
- Add the meat to the skillet. Break up and pat ground beef so it's evenly layered and season.
- Layer the sliced potatoes over the ground beef.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Add the cream soup, milk, seasoning, and Worcestershire Sauce to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Spoon over the top of the cheese layer, smooth out evenly.
- Cover with aluminum foil tightly, then place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, and top with fried onions.
- Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
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Equipment
- cast iron skillet
- aluminum foil
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FAQ's
No, there's no need to brown the ground beef.
The beef cooks with the casserole. You don't pre-cook it. If you don't use lean ground beef, the fat will be absorbed into the potatoes and it will be much heavier. Or greasy - no thanks!
Using aluminum foil on top of your casserole helps to trap moisture so that the casserole doesn't dry out while baking. It also helps to keep the heat and steam inside which will help your food cook more evenly.
Deb’s tips for the perfect dish
My top tip is to cover the dish while baking. Use heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you don't have heavy-duty, use two layers.
- My favorite garnishes are fresh parsley or green onions for a pop of color, but you could also top this easy meal with a dollop of sour cream.
- Keep the French-fried onions off the casserole until the last minute so that they don't become soggy.
- I've found that the best way to get a great cheese melt is by shredding your own cheese instead of picking up the pre-shredded stuff at the store. Just look at that cheesy stretch on top of the blog post!
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze - You can also freeze this casserole. Let it cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap or foil and placing it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat - Heat covered with aluminum foil in a 350°F oven until warmed through. You can also reheat single servings in the microwave until warm all the way through.
More recipes you’ll love
- Turn this into a slow cooker recipe when you try the Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole!
- This Creamy Beef Noodle Casserole is a delicious casserole that can be made ahead so that it's ready to bake when you get home on busy weeknights.
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe is a hearty meal that will feed the whole family, and it saves you so much time in the kitchen compared to the traditional version.
- If you love the combination, try the Hamburger Potato Casserole next!
- Doritos Casserole is a great way to switch up your regular meal rotation and still make something that picky eaters will enjoy.
Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- I love to serve something fresh and green like these 3 Ingredient Steamed Green Beans with this hobo hubby casserole.
- Looking for a simple and quick side dish that pairs well with this casserole? Check out this Steamed Brussels Sprouts recipe. It comes together in just minutes and tastes great!
- This Outback Wedge Salad is another one of my favorite recipes to serve with this hobo casserole recipe. It's easy to personalize and it's a healthy side that your whole family will enjoy.
- Turn this into a full and yummy meal when you pair it with a crusty bread side dish like this Air Fryer Garlic Bread. Plus, you don't have to worry about oven space since the air fryer does the work.
Isn't this cheesy and delicious? I hope you really enjoy the recipe. It's a favorite for sure! Leave a comment or any questions you have about the recipe!
Hobo Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 4 medium yellow potatoes
- 8 oz Colby Jack cheese freshly grated
- 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 10 ounce can cream of celery soup
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon all purpose seasoning
- ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup French’s fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add the ground beef to a lightly greased cast iron skillet (10”). Break up and move around to be evenly layered.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Peel and slice potatoes and layer on top of the ground beef.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the potatoes.
- Add cans of soup, milk, all-purpose seasoning, and Worcestershire Sauce to a large mixing bowl. Mix well with a whisk.
- Spoon over the top of the cheese layer, then smooth out evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Cover with aluminum foil tightly, then place in the oven (with a baking sheet on the rack directly under it to catch any overspill while cooking).
- Bake for 90 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and sprinkle the fried onions evenly over the top.
- Place under a hot broiler for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Garnish with green onions or parsley.
Michelle Bogart says
Another fantastic casserole. I used canned diced potatoes and since you cook it so long, they were tender but not mush. 9 x 13 pan in the oven and had no problems. I did use evaporated milk since I had some in the fridge I am trying to use up. With the loose layers I really expected it to be harder to scoop up, but it actually stayed together quite nicely after I let it sit about 15 minutes. Leftovers for tonight and we have agreed this is a keeper and will be repeated.
Debra Clark says
Evaporated milk is such a great substitute! It makes everything even more delicious and creamy. Thanks for sharing. Glad the recipe is a keeper!! Yum, YUM!!!
Margie Colby says
Can you assemble this in a casserole pan with pre-browned ground beef? Sounds yummy!
Debra Clark says
I haven't made it that way. Using the precooked ground beef would change the cooking time and the potatoes wouldn't be done. However, having said that, if you precooked the potatoes (either boil whole or bake) and then sliced them, that would totally work! Enjoy the casserole Margie, it's excellent!
Michelle Bogart says
I did! We had it just last night. Cooked ground beef and onions. Added some minced garlic while it was frying. Drained the hamburger then I mixed the onion soup mix with it, just to make it easier. 9 X 13 pan, didn't have to use heavy foil and will definitely make it again.
Debra Clark says
Thanks for sharing Michelle - I appreciate all that great information!!
Anne says
surprisingly good
Charlene Moffitt says
Can you cook this and freeze it for a dinner later ?
Debra Clark says
Absolutely, assemble and cook the casserole, then allow to cool and freeze. Enjoy Charlene!
Susan says
I made this for the first time today and the flavors were on point. However, I don't have a skillet, so I used a round glass casserole dish that wasn't shallow enough which I think makes a difference in how everything cooks together. I also had to use a different cheese that didn't melt very well, and I didn't know what kind of all-purpose seasoning to use, so I just used a packet of onion soup mix and skipped the Worcestershire sauce. The flavors were amazing, but I found that there was just too much soup, and the onion soup mix made it a little too salty for my taste. But definitely will try to make it again and will follow the recipe exactly next time.
Debra Clark says
Thanks for sharing Susan, I'm glad you made it work for you. There are several all-purpose seasonings at the grocery store, however most of the time I use this recipe on everything. https://bowl-me-over.com/chicken-seasoning-blend/ (Even though it says chicken) It's so flavorful and is the perfect blend of spices. I make a double-batch and just keep it in a jar with a screwtop lid. Enjoy the hobo casserole next time too, thanks for sharing. It's such a yummy recipe! 😋