Cheeseburger Casserole

Cheeseburger Casserole has all the wonderful flavors from cheeseburgers and is super satisfying as it has fries in it. You don’t even miss the bun in this 20 minutes meal that everyone will love. I tell you guys this casserole is a winner: Hearty, filling, satisfying and just wonderful. These are the attributes to describe this epic meal of comfort food.

Here is what is so great about this Cheeseburger Casserole

What you get is a really flexible dish when it comes to the choice of the fries: you can use thick, thin, seasoned fries – just pick your favorite.

Basically you just need a skillet to cook up the cheeseburger filling. The rest is just putting everything together in a casserole dish.

I love that you have all the amazing flavors from cheeseburgers and fries. Some recipes leave out the fries, however I find it is so much more amazing with fries. Anyways I won’t go out to any dinner and miss out on the fries. Fries must be included – it is something that makes everything complete in my gusto.

What you need for this Cheeseburger Casserole recipe

I use mostly pantry staples. This is what makes everything so great and easy to make from scratch:

Vegan ground beef: this a must for cheeseburgers so meaty, hearty and delicious.

Olive oil: This is one of my favorite oils in the entire universe. It adds so much delicious savory flavor. 

Fries: you use any fries that you love and have on hand: fresh, frozen, leftover. Thin, thick, crinkle, seasoned – there are no limitations here, friends.

Onion, garlic powder and paprika: I like to use garlic and onion powder for a great seasoning. Paprika for a little bit more flavor, so good. You can use fresh garlic and onions of course if you like to, but I keep it really simple.

Mayo: mayo on burgers? For me always not only served with fries. I love the creaminess that it adds on a bun so why not also add to a Cheeseburger Casserole? I’m hundred percent on board, totally yes.

Ketchup: this a ingredient that should be included in every burger. Adds so much hearty tomato flavor and a little sprinkle of sweetness.

Mustard is a great condiment and goes really well with mayo and ketchup. You can use any mustard you like, but I stick to the classical yellow mustard.

Vegan cheddar: I find cheddar is seriously one of the most amazing cheeses to serve with burgers. It has just the right amount of flavor. Not too mild, or too hearty just great. I use cheddar in the casserole and on top of that to make everything extra cheesy like the way I like my burgers.

How to make Cheeseburger Casserole

Preheat oven to 410°F and you will need  a 10 inch round casserole dish.

You should have your fries ready and can make them up to 2 days in advance.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. When hot, add vegan ground beef, garlic and onion powder, as well as paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, then mix in the mustard, mayo, ketchup and all of the cheddar except for 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top.

Transfer the fries to the casserole dish and give the beef mixture over it. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, and bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately on plates.

Tips and tricks

In my opinion the Cheeseburger Casserole tastes best fresh, and there will hardly be any leftovers. If there are, you can stick them into the fridge for around 3 days.

In the freezer: It will stay fresh for 3 months, reheat in the oven or microwave. But be warned that you can expect a different texture from the fries.

Other great burger recipes to try:

• Cheeseburger Pasta
• Vegan Lentil Burger
• Hamburger Helper

Try my Cheeseburger Casserole and tag me on Facebook and Instagram.

Enjoy, Florian.