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This Baked Potato and Meat Casserole is the perfect combination of comfort and flavor, featuring layers of tender potatoes, juicy minced meat, and a rich creamy spinach and mushroom sauce. It’s a hearty dish that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare. The combination of spices like paprika, chili pepper, and Provencal herbs adds a wonderful depth of flavor, while the creamy sauce, made from butter, cream, and cheese, ties everything together in a deliciously indulgent way.
This recipe is perfect for family dinners, special occasions, or even when you’re looking to impress guests with a meal that’s both filling and packed with flavor. With layers of baked potatoes and meat, topped with a cheesy spinach and mushroom sauce, this casserole is sure to become a favorite in your household.
Full Recipe:
Ingredients:
For the Potato and Meat Layers:
Potatoes – 7-8 medium
Bread – 50 g (soaked in milk)
Milk – 200 ml
Minced meat (beef) – 500 g
Provencal herbs – 1 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Sweet paprika – 1 teaspoon
Egg – 1 large
Chili pepper – to taste
Garlic – 2 cloves (minced)
Fresh dill and parsley – a small bunch (chopped)
For the Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Sauce:
Spinach – 150 g (fresh or frozen)
Butter – 50 g
Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)
Mushrooms – 150 g (sliced)
All-purpose flour – 30 g (about 2 tablespoons)
Cream – 250 ml (heavy or cooking cream)
Hard cheese – 100 g (grated)
Mozzarella cheese – 50 g (grated)
Dried ginger – 1/2 teaspoon
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Prepare the Potatoes:
Start by peeling the potatoes and slicing them into thin rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. Set them aside in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Prepare the Meat Mixture:
Soak the bread in 200 ml of milk until it’s soft and fully absorbed, then squeeze out any excess milk and crumble the soaked bread into a large mixing bowl.
Add the minced meat, Provencal herbs, salt, paprika, egg, minced garlic, chopped dill, and parsley to the bowl.
Mix the meat and seasonings thoroughly until everything is well combined. If you like a bit of heat, add some finely chopped chili pepper to the mix.
Set the meat mixture aside while you prepare the spinach and mushroom sauce.
3. Prepare the Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Sauce:
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and sauté for another 5-7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned and have released their moisture.
Add the spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until wilted. If using frozen spinach, make sure it’s fully thawed and drained before adding it to the pan.
Sprinkle the flour over the spinach and mushroom mixture and stir well to combine. Cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Gradually add the cream to the skillet, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Stir in the grated hard cheese, mozzarella cheese, and dried ginger. Continue to stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.
4. Assemble the Casserole:
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