What Can I Make with Ground Beef and Mashed Potatoes? 15 Delicious Recipe Ideas

Ground beef and mashed potatoes are pantry staples for many home cooks. They’re affordable, readily available, and combine to make comforting, filling meals. But it’s easy to get stuck in a rut making the same old ground beef and potatoes dishes. If you have ground beef and potatoes on hand but are bored with your regular recipes, read on for 15 delicious ways to put them to use!

Classic Ground Beef and Mashed Potatoes Dishes

Let’s start with some classic ground beef and mashed potatoes pairings that never go out of style:

1. Beef Stroganoff

This Russian-inspired dish combines ground beef with a creamy mushroom gravy served over buttery egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Sauté onions and mushrooms, add ground beef and seasonings, then stir in broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Hearty, satisfying comfort food!

2. Shepherd’s Pie

Also sometimes called cottage pie, this hot dish tops mashed potatoes with ground beef simmered with veggies like peas, carrots, corn, and onions. You can make it ahead and bake just before serving for maximum convenience.

3. Beef and Potatoes Casserole

In a baking dish, layer ground beef, potatoes, cheese, and vegetables like green beans or broccoli. Top with crispy fried onions or cheese and bake until hot and bubbly for a crowd-pleasing one-dish meal.

4. Hamburger Steak with Onion Gravy

Form ground beef into patties and pan fry just like regular hamburgers. Make an onion gravy to spoon over the top along with sides of mashed potatoes and steamed veggies for an easy dinner.

5. American Chop Suey

This family favorite sautés ground beef with onions, peppers, and elbow macaroni in a tomato sauce. Serve it over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food.

Creative Ways to Use Ground Beef and Mashed Potatoes

Ready to think outside the box? Here are more unique recipes to try with ground beef and mashed spuds:

6. Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes

Mix cooked ground beef, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives into mashed potatoes. Form into patties, coat with breadcrumbs, and pan fry for crispy loaded potato cakes.

7. Hamburger Potato Soup

Simmer ground beef and vegetables like carrots, celery, and onion in broth. Mash some of the potatoes and add to the pot for a thick, hearty soup topped with cheese and bacon.

8. Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Add shredded cheese and sautéed onions into your typical meatloaf mix. Top with ketchup and more cheese before baking and serve with creamy mashed potatoes for a fun twist.

9. Ground Beef and Potato Tacos

Brown ground beef with taco seasoning and spoon into warmed corn or flour tortillas along with mashed potatoes. Top with shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream for tasty tacos.

10. Potstickers with Beef and Potato Filling

Make an Asian-inspired filling with ground beef, mashed potatoes, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions. Stuff into dumpling wrappers and pan fry for a fusion finger food.

11. Potato Crusted Beef Pie

Line a pie dish with mashed potatoes and fill with browned ground beef, gravy, peas, and carrots. Top with more potatoes and bake until the crust is crispy for a hearty pie.

12. Beef and Potato Breakfast Hash

Cook potatoes and ground beef together with peppers and seasonings. Top with a fried egg for a protein-packed breakfast hash to fuel your day.

13. Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Potatoes

Cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out some of the flesh. Mix with cooked ground beef, peppers, onions, and cheese before stuffing back into the potato skins for handheld sandwiches.

14. Ground Beef Potato Pancakes

Grate raw potatoes and mix with cooked ground beef, egg, flour, and spices to make savory potato pancake patties. Pan fry until golden brown and top with sour cream.

15. Beef and Potato Stir Fry

Throw leftover mashed potatoes in the skillet with ground beef, broccoli, carrots, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Quick and easy but packed with flavor.

Tips for Cooking with Ground Beef and Potatoes

Cooking with ground beef and potatoes is pretty straightforward, but here are some tips:

• Lean ground beef tends to cook faster and be a bit drier. Add broth or sauce to keep it moist.

• Let cooked potatoes cool slightly before mixing into ground beef. They hold together better.

• Potato starch helps bind ingredients. Leave potatoes a little lumpy instead of mashing smooth.

• Undercook potatoes slightly if they’ll be baked further to avoid overdone mushiness.

• Season ground beef well and sauté onions, garlic, etc. to boost flavor.

• A potato masher makes quick work of roughly mashing potatoes by hand.

So with just ground beef and potatoes in your kitchen, you can easily whip up hearty casseroles, savory pies, satisfying soups, or fusion-flavored dishes. Ditch the boring old recipes and try these creative new ways to combine two humble pantry staples into meals your family will request again and again.