Ground Beef and Potato Tomato Casserole
This Ground Beef and Potato Tomato Casserole combines golden skillet potatoes with savory ground beef simmered in a rich tomato sauce, then finishes everything with a light layer of melted mozzarella. It’s a hearty, comforting dinner that’s simple to make and full of flavor.
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 2 lb (900 g) potatoes, cut into medium-thick pieces
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
For the Ground Beef Tomato Mixture
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/3 cup (100 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 green onions chopped
For the Topping
- 3.5 oz (100 g) mozzarella, shredded
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for about 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden around the edges.
- Season the potatoes. Add the paprika, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Toss well to coat, then transfer the potatoes to a baking dish and spread them into an even layer.
- Brown the ground beef. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned.
- Add the onion. Add the chopped onion and 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook with the ground beef until the onion softens.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Make the tomato sauce. Pour in the tomato passata. Add the paprika, black pepper, and oregano, then stir everything together.
- Simmer. Pour in 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of water. Cover the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Finish the beef mixture. Remove the lid and stir in the sugar, salt, and chopped green onions.
- Assemble the casserole. Spoon the tomato ground beef mixture over the potatoes. Spread it evenly over the top and gently press it down.
- Add the mozzarella. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the beef layer.
- Bake. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, until the casserole is hot and the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden.
Notes
- Cut the potatoes into medium-thick pieces rather than very thin slices so they hold their shape after frying and baking.
- Keep the skillet fairly hot while cooking the potatoes so they brown instead of steaming.
- The sugar is added at the end to balance the acidity of the tomato sauce, not to make the sauce sweet.
- Crushed tomatoes can be used instead of passata, but the sauce will have a chunkier texture.
- Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a mozzarella-cheddar blend can be used instead of mozzarella.
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