Potato Goulash with Ground Beef – Recipe Using Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef
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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.
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. Mom’s 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, 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
Ground Beef, seasoned with salt and pepper
Water
How to Make Betty Crocker Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Empty potato slices into 2 quart baking dish. Save the seasoning packet for later.
- Brown ground beef; drain excess grease if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour stewed tomatoes into ground beef, and break up the tomatoes into smaller pieces. A meat chopper works great for this.
- Add chopped celery, water and seasoning packet.
- 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.
- Bake covered for 55 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
For the full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for potato goulash with ground beef, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes About Goulash with Potatoes
- 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.
- Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite kitchen items.
Easy Ground Beef Dinners
Hamburger Vegetable Soup with V8 Juice
Potato Goulash with Ground Beef - Recipe Using Boxed Scalloped Potatoes and Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 5 ounce box scalloped potatoes (regular or cheesy)
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 14.5 ounces stewed tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 cup celery, small dice
- 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pour potato pouch (save seasoning packet) into 2 quart baking dish.
- Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain excess grease if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add undrained stewed tomatoes to the ground beef. Break the tomatoes up to smaller pieces. Try using a meat chopper to do this.
- Add celery, seasoning packet from scalloped potato box, and water. Stir. Bring to a simmer.
- Pour heated mixture over potatoes in the baking dish. Stir. If it seems really thick, add a little bit more water so that all the potatoes are covered barely with water.
- Cover with foil and bake for 55 minutes.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use either cheesy scalloped potatoes or regular, either one works.
- The original recipe uses a Betty Crocker boxed scalloped 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.
- Love goulash? Try this Mexican Version.
