Easy Ground Beef Bake Recipe
A cozy one dish ground beef bake with East African spice and cheesy comfort, easy enough for busy weeknights. Ready in about 40 minutes with simple pantry ingredients, and flexible enough to swap in rice, potatoes or veggies to match whatever you have on hand.
Ingredients
Ingredients for beef filling
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 lbs (700 g) lean ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small ginger minced
- 1 cup peas and carrots (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 large tomatoes ripe
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp beef broth powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients for Creamy Mashed Potato Topping
- 2½ lbs russet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions for beef filling
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet.
- Add the onion, broth powder, garlic and ginger and cook until softened.
- Add the paprika.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the fresh tomatoes and continue cooking for another minute.
- Add ketchup followed by 1/2 tsp thyme.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and continue stir.
- Add water. I used the liquid from the boiled potatoes.
- Simmer for 8–10 minutes until thick.
- Stir and remove from the heat.
Instructions for Creamy Mashed Potato Topping
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender.
- Melt butter and then add milk in a pot. Bring to a boil. Set aside.
- Drain well and let them sit for 2 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Mash with the butter and milk mix until smooth.
Assemble
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread the beef filling evenly in a baking dish.
- Add mashed potatoes on the filling and smooth the top.
- You can make 2 layers of each but one is fine
- Use a fork to create ridges on the surface for a beautiful golden finish.
- Sprinkle with a little cheddar and mozzarella cheese if desired.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden.
- Broil for 2–3 minutes for extra color, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Please note that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based in the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 458kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 25gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 313mgPotassium: 1363mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3899IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 4mg
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