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Loaded Mashed Potato and Meatball Casserole

Meatball potato casserole with a cheesy, bacon-loaded mashed potato base and baked-in meatballs. Golden and bubbly cheddar melts over tender meatballs for a hearty mashed potato meatball bake.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 645
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
  • 2.5 lb Yukon gold potatoes boiled and mashed
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup warm milk
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese shredded, divided
  • 6 bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Method
 

Bake the meatballs
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, then roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  3. Arrange the meatballs on a sheet pan and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, until browned (visual cue: surface is browned).
Make the loaded mashed potatoes
  1. Mash the boiled Yukon gold potatoes with butter, sour cream, warm milk, half the cheddar, half the bacon, half the green onions, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  2. Spread the mashed potatoes in a greased 9x13 baking dish into an even layer.
  3. Press the baked meatballs into the mashed potatoes evenly so they sit throughout the layer.
Bake and garnish
  1. Top with the remaining cheddar and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden (visual cue: bubbly golden top).
  2. Garnish with the remaining bacon and green onions before serving (visual cue: bacon crumbles and green onion slices on top).

Notes

For the smoothest mash, heat the milk and stir until no lumps remain before spreading into the baking dish. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot). For a lighter option, swap half the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt to keep the tang while reducing richness.