Potato casserole: A budget-friendly delight for family meals
I often face the challenge of feeding my large family a tasty and filling meal without breaking the household budget. That's when the potato casserole comes to the rescue—the true queen of simple, homemade dishes. This dish is so versatile that it always disappears from the plates in the blink of an eye, and, most importantly, preparation doesn't take more than an hour of active work.
When I need a quick and filling dinner for the whole family, I always turn to the tried-and-tested recipe for potato casserole. This dish is not only easy to prepare but also exceptionally economical—perfect for feeding several people without spending a fortune.
Potato casserole – simplicity that always works
Potato casserole with ground meat is a real hit in my kitchen. Soft, creamy potatoes, aromatic tomato sauce with pieces of juicy meat, and melting cheese—the combination always pleases everyone. Moreover, its preparation doesn't require great culinary skills, and I often already have most of the ingredients at home.
Ingredients
- 900 grams of potatoes,
- 600 grams of ground meat (beef-pork),
- 1 large onion,
- 1 stalk of celery,
- 1 large carrot,
- 3 tablespoons of oil,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 4 tablespoons of tomato paste,
- 250 millilitres of tomato purée,
- 140 grams of mozzarella,
- salt, pepper, sweet paprika, oregano (optional),
- Fresh chives or green onions.
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in their skins for about 17–20 minutes. After cooling, slice them.
- Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion, celery, and grated carrot.
- Add the ground meat, spices (salt, pepper, paprika, oregano), and minced garlic. Fry until the meat is browned.
- Add the tomato paste and purée. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.
- Layer the potatoes, meat sauce, and mozzarella in an ovenproof dish. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
- Place the casserole in the oven preheated to 175°C and bake for about 30 minutes.
- After baking, sprinkle with fresh chives or green onions and serve.
Quick dinner for any occasion
The entire dish goes into the oven preheated to 175°C and is baked for about 30 minutes. After taking it out, the potato casserole is ready to be served—creamy, aromatic, and the top is slightly crispy thanks to the cheese. It's one dish that tastes great, freshly baked and reheated the next day.
When I'm stuck for dinner ideas, this potato casserole is always my saviour. It only takes an hour to prepare a delicious, filling meal for the whole family that won't strain the household budget.
