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Classic potato casserole with minced meat in the oven

Classic potato and ground meat casserole in the oven

Delicious, made from everyday ingredients, perfect for a family dinner! A classic potato casserole with ground meat is a dish nearly everyone has tried at least once. There are countless variations, but the classic version stands out for how simple it is to make and how few ingredients it takes.

Maria

Recipe author

Classic potato casserole with minced meat in the oven

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Potatoes

500

Ground meat

400

Kefir

Milk

Butter

Ground black pepper

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 20 % 6 g

Fats 50 % 15 g

Carbohydrates 30 % 9 g

198 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make a classic potato and ground meat casserole in the oven? Gather all the ingredients. You can use any ground meat for the casserole: pork, beef, chicken, turkey, or a blend. I prefer lean ground beef. Thanks to the kefir, the meat still comes out juicy and tender.
Step 2:

Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into small cubes (so they cook faster), and boil them. How do you boil potatoes? Put the pieces in a pot, cover with cold water, and set over medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes after the water boils, until tender. Add salt near the end of cooking. Test with a knife — it should slide easily into a potato.
Step 3:

Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them into a smooth purée. Bring the milk to a boil.
Step 4:

Pour the hot milk into the mashed potatoes and stir thoroughly. It's best to add the milk a bit at a time rather than all at once, since potato varieties differ — for some this amount of milk will be just right, while others may need a little less or more. Next, add the butter to the potatoes and wait for it to melt. Stir everything again. You should end up with soft, smooth mashed potatoes that aren't runny.
Step 5:

Pour the kefir into the ground meat. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly. Use a higher-fat kefir — 2.5% to 3.2%. It's best to avoid fat-free or 1% kefir, which is too thin. Too much moisture can cause the casserole to fall apart instead of slicing into neat portions, and it may also need longer to bake.
Step 6:

In a greased baking dish (no need to grease a silicone one), spread half of the mashed potatoes and smooth them out.
Step 7:

Spread all of the ground meat evenly over the potatoes.
Step 8:

Cover the meat with the remaining mashed potatoes. If you like, you can run a fork over the surface of the casserole to make ridges. Put the casserole in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for 45–50 minutes. If the top starts to brown after 20–25 minutes but the meat isn't cooked through yet, cover the dish with foil.
Step 9:

Let the finished casserole cool slightly, remove it from the dish, and cut into portions. Enjoy!

Keep in mind that every oven is different. Your temperature and cooking time may vary from what's listed here. To get reliably good results with any baked dish, take advantage of the helpful tips in this article!
Root vegetables are best scrubbed with a brush or a stiff sponge under running water.
Any heat-resistant dish works for this recipe. If you use a silicone mold, there's no need to grease it with butter or margarine. But metal, ceramic, or glass dishes are best lightly oiled so the food doesn't stick and burn.