French fry casserole is loaded with savory ground beef bathed in an irresistibly cheesy, creamy sauce and crowned with a tantalizing topping of crispy fries. There’s a reason this cheeseburger-inspired number ranks among our favorite casserole recipes. It helps that it’s easy to make, thanks to shortcut ingredients like condensed cheddar soup and frozen fries. In fact, it requires only four ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time to put together a quick and easy dinner. Plus, this french fry casserole can be a blank canvas onto which you can add any toppings you like, to mimic your favorite restaurant burger.
French Fry Casserole Ingredients
- Ground beef: Browned ground beef is the base for this french fry casserole. We prefer to use 90% lean in this recipe because the other ingredients are all so rich that choosing a leaner option at the butcher counter helps prevent the finished casserole from feeling oily.
- Golden mushroom soup: Though you may be more familiar with cream of mushroom soup, condensed golden mushroom soup is a little less milky. The base includes beef stock and tomato puree, so the soup has a golden hue. Used undiluted, it’s a hardworking ingredient that adds both creaminess and savory flavor to the sauce for this casserole.
- Cheddar cheese soup: The cheesy flavor of a second condensed soup gives this french fry casserole the flavor profile of a cheeseburger. This soup goes into the recipe undiluted as well.
- Crinkle-cut french fries: Frozen fries go crispy and golden on top of this cheesy casserole. Crinkle-cut fries look nice, but you can substitute Tater Tots or any other frozen fried potato product instead, if that’s what you have on hand. Seasoned curly fries would be epic.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the browned beef and soups
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook and crumble the beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink, then drain it. Stir in the two soups, then pour the combination into a greased 13×9-inch baking dish.
Step 2: Assemble the casserole and bake
Arrange the french fries on top of the beef mixture. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the fries are golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes.
French Fry Casserole Variations
- Add some vegetables: Add chopped onion, sweet red pepper or green pepper to the skillet while you cook the ground beef. Or stir in frozen peas, corn or green beans to the cooked beef and soup mixture before adding it to the baking dish.
- Make it with cheese: If you like cheesy recipes, sprinkle shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack over the beef mixture in the casserole dish before adding the layer of french fries, or sprinkle the fries themselves with cheese.
- Try burger toppings: Shredded lettuce, pickle chips, chopped cooked bacon, diced tomato, pickled banana peppers or anything else you like on top of a burger is fair game as a topping for french fry casserole. Add fresh toppings like these after it has baked and cooled slightly to enjoy a pleasant temperature contrast of hot casserole and cool toppings.
- Sauce it up: Add a swizzle of ranch dressing, ketchup, fry sauce, mustard, mayo, barbecue sauce or any other drizzle you like on a burger.
How to Store French Fry Casserole
To store any leftover tater tot casserole, let it cool completely, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat it in a small casserole dish in the oven or air fryer until the beef is heated through and the fries are crispy. You could also reheat the casserole in the microwave, but the fries won’t be crispy.
Can you freeze french fry casserole?
Yes, you can freeze this french fry casserole, either before baking it or after. To freeze it before baking, place the filled casserole dish on a level surface in the freezer, and freeze it until it’s completely solid before wrapping and labeling it. Bake it from frozen at 350°, covered with foil, for 35 minutes, or until the beef mixture is hot. Uncover it and bake for a few more minutes, until the fries are crispy.
To freeze it after baking, wait until it’s completely cooled, then wrap it and freeze it. Alternatively, pack individual servings in microwave-safe containers and microwave them to reheat them as needed. You can freeze leftover french fry casserole for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat it in a small casserole dish in the oven or air fryer until the beef is heated through and the fries are crispy.
French Fry Casserole Tips
What can you serve with french fry casserole?
Balance out the richness of this tasty casserole by serving it with a simple platter of raw vegetables such as carrot, cucumber, radishes and celery sticks. Insanely easy casserole recipes like this one also go beautifully with easy side salads. One way or another, be sure to have a few pickles on hand to add as a topping or to eat alongside the casserole.
Can you make vegetarian french fry casserole?
You can absolutely use a plant-based ground meat alternative in place of the ground beef in this french fries casserole recipe.
