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Loaded baked potato casserole with ground beef, crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions served in a bowl.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole with Ground Beef

This loaded baked potato casserole with ground beef is a hearty, cheesy comfort food recipe made with creamy potatoes, seasoned ground beef, ranch seasoning, bacon, sour cream, shredded cheese, and green onions. Make it in the Instant Pot or bake it in the oven for an easy family dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 pounds potatoes diced (skin left on)
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • chives or green onions chopped
  • 1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled

Method
 

Instant Pot Instructions
  1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned and fully cooked. Break the beef apart as it cooks, then drain any excess grease and set aside.
  2. Scrub and chop the potatoes into evenly sized pieces.
  3. Add the potatoes, hot water, salt, pepper, and butter to the Instant Pot.
  4. Secure the lid and make sure the sealing valve is set to the sealing position. Cook on High Pressure for 7 minutes.
  5. Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then carefully perform a quick release of any remaining pressure.
  6. Mash the potatoes directly in the Instant Pot using a potato masher.
  7. Make your sauce! In a bowl mix together, milk, sour cream, ranch seasoning, cheese, and chives.
  8. Gently stir the sauce mix and cooked ground beef into the potato mixture.
  9. Top with cooked, crumbled bacon and the remaining green onions or chives before serving. Enjoy!
Oven-Baked Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  2. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned and fully cooked. Break the beef apart as it cooks, then drain any excess grease and set aside.
  3. Scrub and chop the potatoes into evenly sized pieces and place them in a large pot of salted water.
  4. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well.
  5. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher.
  6. Stir in the butter, milk, sour cream, ranch seasoning mix, shredded cheese, and half of the chopped green onions until creamy and well combined.
  7. Gently stir the cooked ground beef into the potato mixture.
  8. Transfer the potato and ground beef mixture to a greased casserole dish and spread it evenly.
  9. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted.
  10. Top with cooked, crumbled bacon and the remaining green onions or chives before serving.

Notes

For the Instant Pot method, the potatoes cook for 7 minutes at high pressure followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. The ground beef is cooked separately before being stirred into the creamy potato mixture. For the oven method, the potatoes are boiled until tender, combined with the cooked ground beef and remaining ingredients, and baked at 350°F until hot and the cheese is melted.