Potato Goulash with Ground Beef – Recipe Using Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef

Boxed scalloped potatoes paired with ground beef make a delicious, creamy goulash. This potato goulash with ground beef is quick and easy to make, and kids love it.

Potato Goulash with Ground Beef is an easy dinner idea. If you’ve ever wondered what can I add to boxed scalloped potatoes, look no farther. This recipe uses boxed scalloped potatoes and ground beef for a kid-friendly meal.

Potato Goulash with Ground Beef

This Mom scored again. Another easy ground beef dinner. Another meal that my kids gobbled up.

The only thing that bothers me with this meal is that my oldest claimed that this is her favorite goulash yet (and she’s the queen of goulash). Why does this bother me? Because it’s the easiest recipe. Shouldn’t dinners that take more effort be her favorite?

Oh well, I’m over it. Dinner is served.

Recipe Using Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef

The shortcut ingredient is a box of scalloped potatoes. You know what I’m talking about, right?

The inexpensive box Betty Crocker (or Aldi brand) box of scalloped potatoes that has a packet of dried potatoes and a packet of seasonings. Check out our Amazon Store for these and our other favorite ingredients.

Yes, this ground beef boxed scalloped potatoes meal has just a couple additional ingredients, and the result is pretty much a goulash.  A tasty concoction of meaty, saucy potatoes.

Betty Crocker Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef

This recipe is actually a Betty Crocker recipe. I found it in my mint-condition Betty Crocker Recipe Box from the flea market. It’s a treasure trove of recipes including many shortcut recipes like this one.

Even though, this recipe box is probably 30 years old, the recipes are still amazing. Moms like me still need fast recipes that their kids will actually eat.

There’s no shame in a recipe like this. Who cares if you used a box of scalloped potatoes instead of peeling your own potatoes. No one cares.

What Can I Add to Boxed Scalloped Potatoes

Sometimes you really need to think outside the box.

That’s the case for a box of scalloped potatoes that you find at the store. You could very easily follow the directions to make an easy pan of scalloped potatoes, but you could also make a full meal using the same box.

For example, adding a simple meat such as bacon, diced ham, hamburger, smoked sausage or shredded cooked chicken to the recipe on the box will make a very quick dinner. Or what about pepperonis? Check out our Pepperoni Potatoes recipe that also uses scalloped potatoes.

Or, jazz up the scalloped potatoes by adding sour cream, Velveeta, cream cheese or shredded cheese. You could even make it fancy with some dollops of goat cheese.

Diced vegetables are another way to make it a heartier dish. Canned tomatoes, diced carrots, peppers, celery, you name it, and it can probably be added to the box of scalloped potatoes.

Ingredient List for Potato Goulash with Hamburger

• Box of Scalloped Potatoes (Cheesy or Regular)
• Stewed Tomatoes, do not drain
• Celery, small chop
• Lean Ground Beef, seasoned with salt and pepper
• Water

How to Make Betty Crocker Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef

Step By Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven.
2. Empty potato slices into 2 quart baking dish. Save the seasoning packet for later.
3. In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat (optional step: add diced onions); drain excess grease if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour stewed tomatoes into ground beef, and break up the tomatoes into smaller pieces. A meat chopper works great for this.
5. Add chopped celery, water and seasoning packet.
6. Bring to a simmer, and pour over potatoes; stir. If the mixture seems really thick, add a little bit of water so that all the potatoes are covered.
7. Bake covered for 55 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

For the full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for ground beef and potato recipe scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Recipe FAQs

• Use either cheesy scalloped potatoes or regular, either one works.
• The original recipe uses a Betty Crocker potatoes, but I’ve used Aldi brand too.
• Do not drain the stewed tomatoes. Diced tomatoes could be substituted for stewed.
• Season the hamburger to taste with salt and pepper.
• Once you pour the hamburger scalloped potato mixture into the baking dish, you might need to add a bit more water if the potatoes aren’t covered.
• Cover before baking.
• Let the dish sit for 10 minutes before serving to set up.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Use a different protein such as ground turkey or chicken.
• Add more flavor by seasoning hamburger with garlic powder, onion powder or Worcestershire sauce.
• Diced onions and bell peppers are a great addition. Sauté with the beef.
• Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar Cheese before serving.
• Top with herbs such as fresh parsley.

Easy Ground Beef Dinners

Hamburger Vegetable Soup with V8 Juice 

Ground Beef Pizza Casserole

Mom’s Hamburger Gravy