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An Old-Fashioned Hamburger Pie That Still Works

This old-fashioned hamburger pie is a cozy, budget-friendly dinner made with ground beef, mashed potatoes, and cheese. It’s simple, filling, and the kind of meal everyone recognizes and actually eats.

I’ve been making this for over fifty years, and it’s still one of those dependable suppers that always gets eaten—no complaints, no leftovers. (But if there are leftovers, they reheat beautifully!)

No fancy steps here—just a hearty, one-pan dinner made with pantry staples. It’s the kind of recipe you can pull together on a busy night and still feel good about putting on the table.

If you like easy, no-fuss dinners, you might also enjoy:

American Goulash - a simple one-pan recipe made with ground beef and pantry staples, and it comes together in about 30 minutes.

Runza Casserole -This is the shortcut recipe I make when I want Runza flavor without messing with yeast dough.

This is a dish I’ve come back to again and again over the years. It’s simple, it stretches a pound of ground beef, and it’s always a hit with anyone who loves a good meat-and-potatoes meal.

Here's How To Make This Old Favorite Hamburger Pie Recipe

How Much Mashed Potatoes Will You Need?

Plan on generous mashed potatoes for this dish—it’s the best part! Most folks will want more than a standard “serving,” especially if you’re feeding hungry teenagers. You can pile them high on this hamburger pie, and no one will complain.

A quick rule of thumb: 1 pound yields roughly 2 cups or 2–3 generous servings. You can pile the mashed potatoes high, and no one will complain.

Start your potatoes before you make the meat mixture so everything finishes at the same time. Cut them into evenly sized chunks so they cook evenly, and cook until fork-tender. I use my cake tester to check them—old habits!t Keep them warm and set them aside to mash while the meat cooks.

If you are in a hurry, you can make instant mashed potatoes like the Idahoan brand or use some of the good refrigerated kinds like the ones made by Bob Evans. But if you have the time, homemade mashed potatoes really do make this dish special—and they cost less, too.

How To Make Hamburger Pie

Put the onion right in the skillet when you brown the ground beef to ensure it is fully cooked. Then season the beef the way your family likes it. I used garlic powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper for our hamburger pie.

When the beef is browned, drained, and seasoned to taste, add one 10.5-ounce can of tomato soup and two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.

Next, drain a 14.5-ounce can of French-cut green beans and spread them over the meat mixture. I prefer French-cut because with French-cut, every bite of hamburger pie gets some green beans!

Consider Baking and Serving This In Cast Iron

You can bake this in any oven-safe dish, but I like using a cast-iron skillet—it goes from stovetop to oven, gives the edges a nice little crust, and it always makes a great, tasty-looking presentation. My mom always told me we "eat with our eyes, too."

No cast iron? Please don't let that stop you! This hamburger pie looks and tastes great in a casserole dish, too!

Now spread the mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle them with shredded cheese. I always recommend shredding cheese from a block because bagged shredded cheese has a coating on it that keeps the shreds from sticking together. That coating also keeps the cheese from melting smoothly.

And, of course, I sprinkled on some parsley for color, as usual, because I think parsley is green magic that makes everything taste better! Isn't that casserole gorgeous? It makes my mouth water as I get ready to make it again for dinner right now!

What to Serve With Hamburger Pie

Hamburger pie is a complete meal in a pan! I served it with a tossed salad and some garlic toast. Fruit would be a wonderful accompaniment!

I love one-pot meals and casseroles because the cleanup is so much quicker and easier. I do not store leftover hamburger pie in my cast-iron skillet, though. I always transfer it to a dish I can put in the oven or the microwave to reheat. At our house, we eat a lot of leftovers, but we call them plan-overs. 😉

Here are a couple more casseroles that are popular at our house. I think your family will like them too!

Reuben Casserole - Here's a recipe for a casserole that tastes exactly like a Reuben sandwich but faster and easier than grilling sandwiches one by one. This would be a great way to use leftover corned beef next week!

Sausage and Potato Casserole - A creamy, comforting casserole filled with hash brown potatoes, sausage, peppers, onions, and celery, topped with a blanket of cheese and buttered cornflake crumbs.

Ham and Noodle Casserole - This recipe makes a wonderful casserole that goes together quickly and reheats beautifully! Use convenient packaged, diced ham, or this is a great way to use leftover ham!

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

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Yield: 6 servings

Hamburger Pie

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Here's a cozy vintage dish: hamburger pie. It uses the most basic ingredients in the kitchen, and everyone loves it. Hamburger pie is a complete meal in a pan! You can make it in a 10" cast iron skillet or bake it in a greased 2-quart casserole dish.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp seasoned salt or more to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper or more to taste
• One 10.5-ounce can condensed tomato soup
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• One 14.5-ounce can of French cut green beans, drained
• 6 - 8 cups of mashed potatoes
• 1 cup or more shredded cheese
• Paprika and parsley for garnish, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brown ground beef, along with the onion. Drain any excess grease.
3. Add tomato soup and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
4. Spread green beans over the meat mixture evenly.
5. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Bake in a hot oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts and browns.

Our youngest granddaughter joined us for lunch one day, so I decided it was time to bring out the hamburger pie recipe again because she loves mashed potatoes.

The truth is, ALL our grandkids (except one) love mashed potatoes and often request them. (She may come around someday!)

A coworker shared her hamburger pie recipe with me about 55 years ago, when I was a young bride. But Judy called it hamburger fluff pie because it is topped with mashed potatoes. Judy met her husband when his truck ran into her car in a blizzard, but that's a story for another day.

If you enjoyed a post, I'd love it if you left a review or comment. It helps my little business reach other cooks just like you! ❤❤

Love, GB (Betty Streff)

Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.

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