Beef and Potato Gratin

This beef and potato gratin makes a tasty dinner without being overly complicated. Using mashed potatoes, a ground beef mixture, and cheddar cheese, you can create this filling dish. You'll get a large amount of food from this recipe, which is nice for a family dinner, or great for leftovers otherwise.

Feel free to enjoy this on its own, or pair it with a side like some vegetables or whatever you want. I personally like to have corn on the cob with it, (as seen in the photo above). You can also easily adapt many elements of this recipe to suit your needs/tastes. All suggestions on what parts can be left out or changed are listed in the notes.

What do I need to make beef and potato gratin?

• Potatoes — Large sized, but you can use whatever kind you want. I typically opt for Russet or yellow, as they work well for mashing.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ground beef
• Butter — You can use margarine or oil, if you prefer.
• Milk
• Beef stock
• White wine — This is optional. If you omit it, replace it with more beef stock.
• Worcestershire sauce — I love the flavour this adds to the meat, but if you don't have any on hand it could be left out.
• Salt
• Pepper
• Thyme
• Cheddar Cheese

How to make beef and potato gratin:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks. Then dice the onion and mince the garlic.

3. In a large pot, boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes (until soft and fork tender).

4. Mash the potatoes. Then mix in the milk, salt and pepper (to taste), and thyme.

5. Add the butter to a frying pan over medium heat. Then add the onions and garlic (cook for 2-3 minutes).

6. Add the ground beef and the pepper and cook until browned. Add the wine (if using), beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce.

7. Cook until the liquid has reduced down so that roughly 1/3 of the original amount remains.

8. In a greased dish, add the potatoes and smooth out with a rubber spatula, then add the beef on top, and top with cheese.

9. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown (approximately 15 minutes).

Notes:

• For a richer taste in the potatoes, replace the milk with cream
• The wine can be replaced with beef stock, if desired
• If you don't have Worcestershire sauce, you can just leave it out