If you are looking for the ultimate comforting, hands-off dinner that the whole family will love, this Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Hash Brown Casserole is a total game-changer. It combines all the savory, classic flavors of a loaded cheddar cheeseburger with the rich, velvety texture of a cheesy potato casserole.
By letting everything slow-cook together inside a Crock-Pot, the diced southern-style potatoes completely drink up the savory meat juices and creamy condensed soup base, creating a deeply satisfying, rich one-pot meal that requires minimal effort and absolute minimal cleanup!
Prep time, Cook time, & Servings
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours (on Low) or 2 hours (on High)
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Servings: 6-8 hearty servings
Ingredients
The Savory Cheeseburger Base:
- Ground Beef: 1.5 lbs Great Value All Natural Ground Chuck (or lean ground beef)
- Yellow Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
- Garlic: 1 tbsp Mt. Olive Minced Garlic (about 3 cloves, minced)
- Worcestershire Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste
The Potatoes & Creamy Binder:
- Hash Browns: 1 bag (32 oz) Great Value Southern Style Hash Browns (frozen diced potato cubes)
- Green Bell Pepper: 1 medium, finely diced
- Red Bell Pepper: 1 medium, finely diced
- Sour Cream: 3/4 cup Great Value Sour Cream
- Cream of Chicken Soup: 1 can (10.5 oz) Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup
- Cheddar Cheese: 2 cups, shredded (divided for internal mixing and top melting)
- Green Onions: 1/4 cup, sliced (for the final fresh garnish)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Brown the Beef Mixture
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chuck and finely chopped yellow onion. Cook until the meat is completely browned and crumbled (about 6-8 minutes), then drain away any excess grease.
- Stir in the minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 more minute until fragrant, then remove from heat.
2. Layer and Load the Slow Cooker
- Grease the bottom and sides of your 6-quart slow cooker liner with non-stick cooking spray to prevent the potatoes from sticking.
- Add the frozen diced southern-style hash brown potatoes, your seasoned cooked ground beef mixture, and the finely diced green and red bell peppers directly into the pot.
3. Add the Creamy Fillings
- Add the sour cream, the whole can of condensed cream of chicken soup, and 1.5 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese directly over the potato and meat base.
- Fold and Mix: Using a heavy spoon, gently fold and stir all the ingredients together inside the slow cooker until the potatoes and meat are uniformly coated in the rich, velvety cream base. Smooth out the top layer evenly.
4. Slow Cook to Creamy Perfection
- Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours (or on HIGH for 2 hours) until the diced potatoes are completely soft, moist, and tender.
5. Melt the Final Cheese Crown
- Open the lid during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly across the top surface of the casserole.
- Cover and finish cooking for 15 minutes until the cheese crown is completely melted, gooey, and bubbling around the edges.
6. Garnish and Dig In
- Remove the lid and let the heavy steam clear for 2 minutes.
- Scatter the fresh sliced green onions uniformly across the melted cheese.
- Scoop a generous, heavy serving into rustic grey textured bowls and serve hot!
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Choose the Right Hash Browns: Make sure to grab the “Southern Style” frozen hash browns, which are small diced potato cubes. Avoid shredded hash browns for this specific recipe, as they can break down too much over a long slow-cook time and turn mushy.
- Thoroughly Drain the Meat: Ground chuck adds incredible rich flavor, but it releases a good amount of fat. Make sure to drain the browned beef completely before tossing it into the slow cooker to keep your potato casserole from turning greasy.
- Shred from a Block: For the absolute best cheese strings and melty pools, buy a block of sharp cheddar and shred it by hand. Pre-packaged shredded cheeses are coated in anti-caking cornstarch that alters the texture of the creamy sauce.