Print recipe below
Looking for a show-stopping dish that turns simple ingredients into a golden, cheesy masterpiece? This potato meatball casserole recipe layers tender beef meatballs between parboiled potato slices, bakes under a creamy egg custard, and finishes with bubbling mozzarella—pure comfort food elevated for holidays. Paired with a quick mushroom salad, it’s the best meatball potato bake that’ll have guests raving. Dive into the full holiday potato casserole with meatballs below!
Ingredients
For the Potato Meatball Casserole:
- 600 g (1.3 lbs / 21 oz) ground beef
- 2 eggs
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 5 large potatoes (about 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs)
- 1 tbsp (15 g / 0.5 oz) salt (for boiling water)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, coarsely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped (divided)
- 1 tsp Provençal herbs
- 2 tbsp (30 g / 1 oz) ketchup or tomato paste
- 40 g (½ cup / 1.4 oz) breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs
- 70 ml (⅓ cup / 2.4 fl oz) cream
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp paprika
- 200 g (7 oz) mozzarella, coarsely grated
For the Mushroom Salad:
- 150 g (5.3 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- Handful spring onions, chopped
- Butter (for frying)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 g / 1 oz) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp grainy mustard
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 2 eggs, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan. Add chopped onion; fry until golden. Add grated carrot and chopped garlic; fry together. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add to meat mixture.
- Season meat: Stir in half the chopped parsley, Provençal herbs, ketchup or tomato paste, and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly.
- Parboil potatoes: Peel and slice potatoes into 5 mm (¼ inch) rounds. Boil in salted water (1 tbsp salt) for 15-20 minutes until just tender but intact. Drain.
- Form meatballs: Shape meat mixture into small meatballs (about 2-3 cm / 1 inch diameter).
- Assemble casserole: Line a round baking dish (24-26 cm / 9-10 inch) with parchment. Arrange potato slices and meatballs alternately in a circular pattern, standing upright. Repeat layers until dish is full.
- Prepare custard: Whisk 3 eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and paprika. Pour evenly over the arrangement.
- Top with cheese: Mix grated mozzarella with remaining parsley. Sprinkle over the top.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Make salad: Heat butter in a pan; fry chopped mushrooms until golden. Season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix fried mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, spring onions, sour cream or yogurt, mustard, and chopped garlic. Adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Let casserole rest 5 minutes, then slice and serve with mushroom salad.
Time, Servings, and Nutrition
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Nutrition per serving (approx.): 520 calories, 28g fat, 40g carbs, 30g protein, 5g fiber
Why This Potato Meatball Casserole is Good and Healthy
This holiday casserole delivers protein from lean beef and eggs, complex carbs from potatoes, plus vitamins from fresh veggies and herbs. Baked for lower fat than frying, with creamy custard and melted cheese for satisfaction— a balanced, crowd-pleasing meal that’s festive yet wholesome.
Potato Meatball Casserole
A golden, cheesy casserole that layers beef meatballs between tender potato slices, baked under a creamy egg custard and topped with bubbling mozzarella.
For the Potato Meatball Casserole
- 600 g ground beef
- 2 pcs eggs
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 5 large potatoes (about 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs)
- 1 tbsp salt (for boiling water) ((15 g / 0.5 oz))
- 1 pc onion, finely chopped
- 1 pc carrot, coarsely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped (divided)
- 1 tsp Provençal herbs
- 2 tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
- 40 g breadcrumbs ((½ cup / 1.4 oz))
- 3 pcs eggs
- 70 ml cream ((⅓ cup / 2.4 fl oz))
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp paprika
- 200 g mozzarella, coarsely grated ((7 oz))
For the Mushroom Salad
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved ((5.3 oz))
- 1 pc bell pepper, chopped
- 1 handful spring onions, chopped
- Butter (for frying)
- 150 g mushrooms, chopped ((5.3 oz))
- 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt ((30 g / 1 oz))
- 1 tsp grainy mustard
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 2 eggs, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Heat olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan. Add chopped onion; fry until golden. Add grated carrot and chopped garlic; fry together. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add to meat mixture.
- Stir in half the chopped parsley, Provençal herbs, ketchup or tomato paste, and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly.
- Peel and slice potatoes into 5 mm rounds. Boil in salted water (1 tbsp salt) for 15-20 minutes until just tender but intact. Drain.
- Shape meat mixture into small meatballs (about 2-3 cm diameter).
Assembly
- Line a round baking dish with parchment. Arrange potato slices and meatballs alternately in a circular pattern, standing upright. Repeat layers until dish is full.
- Whisk 3 eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and paprika. Pour evenly over the arrangement.
- Mix grated mozzarella with remaining parsley. Sprinkle over the top.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Making the Salad
- Heat butter in a pan; fry chopped mushrooms until golden. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, mix fried mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, spring onions, sour cream or yogurt, mustard, and chopped garlic. Adjust seasoning.
Serving
- Let casserole rest 5 minutes, then slice and serve with mushroom salad.
This holiday casserole delivers protein from lean beef and eggs, complex carbs from potatoes, plus vitamins from fresh veggies and herbs. Baked for lower fat than frying, with creamy custard and melted cheese for satisfaction— a balanced, crowd-pleasing meal that’s festive yet wholesome.
