Description
Hearty cowboy meatloaf and potato casserole brings rustic ranch-style comfort straight to dinner tables. Layers of seasoned ground beef, crispy potatoes, and melted cheese create a satisfying meal that connects families around one delicious skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) lean ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) barbecue sauce (plus more for topping)
- ½ cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups mashed potatoes (prepared ahead or instant)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crispy fried onions (like Frenchs)
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Thoroughly blend ground beef with onion, bread crumbs, barbecue sauce, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl until ingredients are uniformly distributed.
- Initial Baking: Transfer meat mixture into a 9×9-inch baking dish, spreading evenly and coating with an additional layer of barbecue sauce. Roast in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 25 minutes.
- Potato Layer Assembly: Remove meatloaf from oven and carefully spread mashed potatoes across the entire surface, creating a smooth, consistent layer.
- Cheese Topping: Generously sprinkle shredded cheese over the potato layer, ensuring complete coverage.
- Final Baking Stages: Return casserole to oven and bake for 15 minutes until cheese melts completely. Crown with crispy fried onions and bake an additional 5 minutes for enhanced texture and flavor.
- Serving Preparation: Allow casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and facilitating easier portioning.
Notes
- Mix ground beef gently to prevent dense, tough texture; overmixing can make meatloaf hard and compact.
- Use barbecue sauce sparingly to maintain meat’s integrity and prevent soggy consistency; too much sauce can make meatloaf watery.
- Spread mashed potatoes evenly for consistent heat distribution and balanced flavor in each bite.
- Add cheese in the last 15 minutes to ensure perfect golden-brown top without burning or drying out.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg