Description
Comfort meets culinary magic in this loaded potato and meatloaf casserole, blending hearty flavors with creamy potato goodness. Crispy edges, melted cheese, and savory meatloaf create a satisfying meal you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
Binding and Moisture Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 375F (190C) to ensure proper cooking temperature.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly combine ground beef with bread crumbs, milk, egg, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings until well-integrated.
- Transfer the meat mixture into a greased baking dish, carefully pressing and spreading to create an uniform base layer.
- Roast the meatloaf in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, confirming complete cooking through.
- While meatloaf bakes, submerge potatoes in boiling water, cooking until fork-tender for approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes completely, then transform into creamy mashed potatoes by blending with milk and butter until silky smooth.
- Fold cheddar cheese, sour cream, crispy bacon bits, sliced green onions, and additional seasonings into the mashed potato mixture.
- Carefully distribute the enriched potato layer atop the cooked meatloaf, creating an even, luxurious covering.
- Return casserole to the oven, baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until the surface turns golden and develops appetizing bubbling edges.
- Allow the casserole to rest briefly before serving, enabling flavors to settle and making portioning easier.
Notes
- Use ground beef with a slightly higher fat content (80/20) to ensure the meatloaf stays juicy and tender during baking.
- Warm milk and butter before mashing helps create ultra-smooth, creamy mashed potatoes without lumps.
- Replace bread crumbs with almond flour and swap potatoes for cauliflower mash to make the dish keto-friendly.
- Assemble the entire casserole in advance and refrigerate, then bake when ready to serve for maximum convenience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 273 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg