This has quickly become one of my very favorite dinners to make. Juicy seasoned beef, tender potatoes, a creamy béchamel sauce, and melted mozzarella all baked together into the most comforting, aromatic casserole. My kids ask for it constantly, and I honestly don’t mind because it’s so easy to throw together. It disappears off our table in about ten minutes flat every single time.
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon dry adjika seasoning (or a mix of paprika and a pinch of cayenne)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt to taste
- 2 lbs potatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6 oz shredded mozzarella
- a few sprigs fresh parsley
For the béchamel sauce:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- a pinch of nutmeg
- a pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Start with the beef. Add the egg, dry adjika seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Mix everything together really well so the spices are evenly distributed throughout.
Slice the potatoes into thin rounds, pour boiling water over them, and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then pat them dry well with paper towels. Soaking them like this helps the potatoes cook faster and stay tender. After soaking, season the potatoes with salt, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of black pepper. Grease a baking dish with a little butter and layer the potatoes and beef in, alternating back and forth.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet, whisk in the flour, and gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly so no lumps form. Add a pinch of nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Cook the sauce over low heat until it thickens, then take it off the stove. Pour the finished creamy sauce generously all over the layers in the dish.
Put the dish into a preheated 350°F oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Once the potatoes and beef are cooked through, take the dish out, sprinkle the shredded cheese generously over the top, and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes at 400°F, so the cheese melts and turns beautifully golden.
Before serving, scatter a few sprigs of fresh parsley over the top. It comes out incredibly juicy, creamy, and filling, the kind of dinner the whole family digs into happily. This casserole vanishes off our table in about ten minutes. Make it once and I think you’ll want to make it again and again.
