Cheesy Ground Beef & Garlic Potato Casserole with Golden Melted Cheese

Potatoes

• 2 lb (900 g) baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved, or quartered if larger than 2 inches (5 cm)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the cooking water

Garlicky seasoned beef

• 1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80% to 85% lean
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Creamy cheese sauce

• 3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (113 g) shredded sharp cheddar, from a block
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Golden cheese topping

• 1 cup (113 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, from a block
• 1 cup (113 g) shredded sharp cheddar, from a block

To finish

• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Parboil the potatoesHeat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm) and add the salt. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, until a knife slides in with slight resistance. Drain well and let them steam dry for 2 minutes.The potatoes are nearly tender and hold their shape, with dry surfaces.⏱ 10 min timer, boil
2. Brown the seasoned beefHeat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and break it into small crumbles. Cook 6 to 7 minutes until deeply browned with no pink. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds and spoon off all but 1 tbsp of fat.Small, deeply browned crumbles with no pink and a garlicky smell.⏱ 7 min timer, brown beef
3. Whisk the creamy cheese sauceMelt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream and cook 3 to 4 minutes, whisking, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in the 1 cup cheddar and the salt until smooth.A smooth, pale gold sauce that coats a spoon, with no flour lumps or grainy cheese.
4. Assemble the casseroleSpread the potatoes in the baking dish in one layer, cut sides up where possible. Scatter the beef over and between the potatoes. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over everything, then top with the mozzarella and the remaining 1 cup cheddar.Potato domes and beef crumbles peeking through the sauce, covered in a blanket of shredded cheese.
5. Bake until bubblingBake uncovered on the middle rack 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese has melted.Bubbling edges and fully melted cheese, with a few spots of gold.⏱ 20 min timer, bake
6. Broil, rest and garnishSwitch to the broiler on high and broil 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is blistered with deep golden-orange spots. Let it rest 10 minutes so the sauce sets, then sprinkle with the parsley.Glossy, golden-orange blistered cheese, with potatoes and beef showing through, and parsley scattered on top.⏱ 10 min timer, rest

• Parboil, don’t fully cook. The potatoes finish in the oven. If they are soft before baking, they fall apart under the sauce.
• Let the potatoes steam dry for a couple of minutes after draining. Wet potatoes thin out the cheese sauce.
• Keep the beef crumbles small and brown them well. They look like the dark flecks scattered through the dish and add deep savory flavor.
• Drain the fat. Leave about 1 tbsp so the casserole isn’t greasy.
• Take the sauce off the heat before the cheddar goes in, then stir until it melts. Boiling it makes the cheese grainy.
• Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch and melts less smoothly and browns less evenly.
• Where the golden-orange spots come from: the broiler. Two to three minutes blisters the cheese, but it can burn in seconds, so stay by the oven.
• Rest 10 minutes before serving, so the sauce sets and the portions hold together.
• Dish: a glass 9×13-inch (3-quart) dish works best. A metal pan bakes faster, so check at 15 minutes.
• Scaling: The servings buttons change the ingredient list. Step text keeps the original 6-serving amounts. For 12 servings, use two 9×13-inch dishes and bake both together.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving. Contains dairy and wheat.

Easy swaps

Ground turkey or sausage: use 1½ lb (680 g) ground turkey with an extra 1 tbsp oil, or bulk Italian sausage with the salt cut in half.

Potatoes: use 2 lb (900 g) of small red potatoes, halved. Larger Yukon Golds can be cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks, but the look will differ from the photo.

Extra cheesy: use a Colby Jack and mozzarella blend for the topping.

Add onion: cook ½ cup (80 g) of diced onion with the beef. It is not visible in the photo.

Lighter: use all milk in place of the cream and reduced-fat cheeses.

Spicy: add ¼ tsp cayenne to the beef or use pepper jack on top.

Gluten-free: replace the flour with 2 tbsp cornstarch whisked into the cold milk.

Make ahead: assemble the casserole up to a day ahead, cover and chill, then bake 10 to 15 minutes longer. Add the broil step at the end.

Storage and reheating

Fridge: cool within 2 hours, then cover and store for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat: cover with foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave single servings, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).

Freezer: freeze baked portions up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The potatoes can soften slightly.