Description
A delicious comfort-food casserole that combines juicy seasoned ground beef, creamy cheesy sauce, crispy French fries, and classic cheeseburger toppings. It’s an easy family dinner that’s hearty, cheesy, and incredibly satisfying!
Ingredients
- 500 g ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 360 ml milk
- 120 g cream cheese, softened
- 150 g shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 700 g frozen French fries
- 100 g shredded cheddar cheese
- 60 g sliced or shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp chopped green onions, optional
- Pickles, diced tomatoes, or lettuce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a 23 × 33 cm baking dish.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking the beef apart as it cooks.
- Drain excess grease if necessary. Add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the beef mixture to the baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
- Reduce the heat and stir in cream cheese and cheddar until melted and smooth. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the beef mixture. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining cheddar.
- Arrange the frozen French fries evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, or until the fries are golden and crispy and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
- For extra-crispy fries, increase the oven temperature to 220°C for the final 5 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Top with chopped green onions and serve with pickles, ketchup, mustard, or diced tomatoes.
Notes
- For the crispiest French fries, don’t thaw them before adding them to the casserole, and arrange them in a single layer rather than piling them up.
- Optional toppings include crispy bacon, pickled jalapeños, caramelized onions, diced pickles, burger sauce, extra cheddar, and crispy fried onions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40–45 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg