Indulge in a delightful, creamy Crockpot Hamburger Casserole that combines the comforting flavors of cheeseburger macaroni noodles, diced potatoes, and onions. This delicious and hearty main course dinner is perfect for those seeking an easy meal with minimal prep. Savor the wonderful blend of textures in this satisfying dish that will have you eating on a dime. Made using simple ingredients, this delectable comfort food is even tastier the following day!
Slow Cooker Hamburger Casserole
This slow cooker hamburger casserole is guaranteed to be a hit with your family! Not only is it a delicious comfort food, but it’s also budget-friendly and perfect for serving a group of hungry people.
To make it a balanced meal, consider pairing this casserole with a fresh side salad. You can easily customize this recipe according to your preferences. For instance, swap out the ground beef for leftover taco meat or spicy ground sausage – it’s totally up to you! Another fun idea is to use small shell pasta instead of macaroni.
If you’re a fan of slow cooking, you know how convenient and versatile it is. A great choice for a slow cooker would be a 6-quart programmable one with a locking lid, which is perfect for bringing your delicious creations to potlucks. When it comes to serving appetizers, a side-by-side slow cooker would be the best choice. For easy clean-up, simply spray the inside of your pot with olive oil before adding the ingredients.
Now, let’s dive into this slow cooker hamburger casserole recipe. This dish was born from the necessity of using up a pound of ground beef and a few potatoes. Turns out, these simple ingredients – along with a few others found in your pantry – pair wonderfully together, creating a mouthwatering cheeseburger casserole.
The potatoes not only help make the dish more filling, but they also add textural variety, especially when the skins are left on. So, the next time you’re looking for a hearty and satisfying meal that’s easy on your wallet and loved by kids and adults alike, give this slow cooker hamburger casserole a try.
Crockpot Hamburger Casserole Recipe
Is it okay to use uncooked ground beef in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can put raw ground beef in a slow cooker! However, if you prefer, you can pre-cook it using techniques such as air frying. This applies to other meats like chicken or stew meat as well. The choice is yours!
What if I don’t brown the meat before slow cooking?
While you can technically cook meat in a crockpot without browning it first, the texture might be a bit odd. It’s worth taking the extra 5 minutes to cook or brown it beforehand for the best results.
Should the meat be submerged in a slow cooker?
Ideally, submerging the meat in a slow cooker helps to enhance its flavor and tenderness. It’s mainly about personal preference, but fully immersing the meat in your crockpot can lead to better tasting and more tender results.
Also, make sure the noodles are submerged in the liquid to ensure they are properly cooked, but add them later, during step 3. This prevents them from becoming mushy.
For this recipe, you’ll need:
Ground beef (half a roll of spicy sausage and 1/2 pound of hamburger is a great combination)
Onion
Potatoes, sliced and diced small
Cream of mushroom soup (avoid low-fat versions)
Cheese (sharp shredded cheese, Mexican blend, or a dairy-free option)
Sour cream
Elbow macaroni noodles
Garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Beef broth
For best results, add creamy ingredients like cheese, milk, and sour cream towards the end of the cooking process. Doing so helps maintain their flavor and avoids curdling issues.
Crockpot Ground Beef Casserole
Begin by spraying non-stick spray inside your crockpot, or using a liner if you prefer. Brown the ground beef on the stove. Dice potatoes into small pieces for tenderness—you can leave the skins on, remove them partially or completely peel them. Combine the beef, potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, onion, and seasonings in the crockpot, stirring together.
Cook the mixture on high for 3 hours. If you need to cook on low, 5-6 hours should work. Once it’s cooked, add broth and stir, then pour in noodles, gently submerging them. Wait 30 minutes for the noodles to become tender.
Afterward, add cheese and sour cream, stir, and cook for an additional 20 minutes to melt everything together. Serve and enjoy your delicious crockpot ground beef casserole!
Remember, there are 3 cooking phases: the initial 3 hours, 30 minutes for the noodles, and 20 minutes for melting cheese. In total, it takes about 4 hours on high.
To add variety, you can try these modifications:
Replace ground beef with ground turkey or chicken
Use pepper jack or other types of cheese
Add vegetables like green beans, carrots, peas, and peppers
Experiment with other types of soup
This friendly recipe offers flexibility to make it your own, without compromising on taste or convenience.
Hamburger Crock Pot Recipes
Choosing the Right Slow Cooker for You
When picking the best slow cooker, it depends on your family size and budget. A 6-quart slow cooker works well for families of five, like the Pioneer Woman model with its pretty design and lockable lid. Although pressure cookers have a slow cooker function, sticking to a regular crock pot is recommended, as the function tends to not work effectively.
Slow Cooking Safety: Can It Be On All Day?
It’s natural to ask if it’s safe to leave a slow cooker on throughout the day. The answer is yes, as long as the appliance is used correctly. This allows you to enjoy a tasty meal like hamburger casserole in a crock pot, even when you’re out all day. If pressed for time but wanting a similar meal, you can opt for an Instant Pot hamburger casserole with rice instead of noodles.
Additional Crock Pot Hamburger Recipes and Ideas
Hamburger Helper: A simple dish similar to hamburger casserole but without cheese or potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes: A popular slow cooker side dish for holidays
Ground Beef Casseroles: Explore other ground beef recipes, such as Shepherd’s pie
Browse more easy slow cooker recipes for further inspiration
Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
As you prepare this delicious dish, combine diced potatoes with hamburger and hash brown potatoes in a baking dish. Enhance the flavor with sour cream, rice, and a side salad. For a different spin, try using tater tots or sliced potatoes instead of shredded hash browns. Serve it alongside green salad, bread, or biscuits to make it a complete meal. Enjoy this wonderful, warm casserole!
Crockpot Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or ground sausage, cooked and drained
1 onion, diced
2 cups potatoes, diced with skin on
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
10.5 oz can cream of mushroom
2 cups beef or chicken broth
1.5 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked
2.5 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
Cook the ground beef on the stovetop until fully cooked. Drain the fat and transfer it to the slow cooker along with the diced onion, condensed soup, salts, and diced potatoes. Mix well.
Set your crockpot to high and cook for 3 hours. Afterward, add the broth and stir.
Now, add the uncooked macaroni noodles, making sure they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the crockpot and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high.
Lift the lid and stir in 2 cups of cheese and the sour cream. Mix well, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Cover and cook for a final 20 minutes.
Once done, lift the lid and enjoy your delicious Crockpot Hamburger Casserole!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are simple 3-ingredient slow cooker burger meals?
Meatball Subs: Ground beef, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
BBQ Beef Sliders: Ground beef, barbecue sauce, and cheddar cheese.
Sloppy Joes: Ground beef, ketchup, and onions.
How can I create a burger and potato casserole in the slow cooker?
Layer sliced potatoes at the bottom of the slow cooker.
Brown ground beef, season it, and place it on top of the potatoes.
Make a sauce with cream of mushroom soup and cheese, pour it over the other layers.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.
Are there any noodle-based slow cooker recipes with ground beef?
Slow Cooker Lasagna: Layer noodles, ground beef, marinara sauce, and cheese in your crockpot.
Cheesy Beef and Noodle Casserole: Mix ground beef, egg noodles, and cheese in the slow cooker.
Crockpot Beef Stroganoff: Combine ground beef, noodles, mushrooms, and cream of mushroom soup in your slow cooker.
How do I cook Amish Shipwreck Casserole in a crockpot?
In your crockpot, layer the following: diced potatoes, chopped onions, and ground beef.
Next, arrange layers of sliced carrots, diced celery, and uncooked rice.
Finally, pour tomato sauce over the layers, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 6 hours.
Are there any healthy slow cooker ground beef recipes?
Turkey Substitution: Use ground turkey instead of ground beef.
Vegetable-rich Slow Cooker Chili: Add more vegetables, such as bell peppers and zucchinis.
Low-Fat Cheese Options: Use reduced-fat cheese for casseroles.
Can I add uncooked hamburger directly to the slow cooker?
Yes, you can add raw ground beef directly to the slow cooker. However, it’s recommended to brown the meat first for better flavor and texture.
In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain.
In a separate bowl, mix together cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, milk, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Add cooked ground beef and onion to the mixture and stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a crockpot and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions and drain.
Add cooked macaroni to the crockpot and stir to combine.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
