Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9X13 baking pan with a non stick cooking spray.
Brown the ground beef and drain off any excess grease.
Then in a large mixing bowl, stir together the browned ground beef, hashbrowns, chopped onions, milk, cream of mushroom soup, pepper and half of the cheese (1 cup).
Pour this mixture into the baking pan.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the hash browns are golden brown and tender.
Top the casserole with the remaining cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
Let the casserole rest at room temperature for 5 minutes and then the casserole is ready to serve and enjoy!
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Notes
Variations Ideas
Spicy Variations - Add diced jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, or hot sauce to the casserole mixture and bake.
Breakfast Twist - Add cooked bacon or sausage and serve with eggs.
Add Veggies - Bell peppers, mushrooms, shredded carrots, peas or your favorite vegetable make this casserole heartier.
Change Meats - Try ground turkey, sausage, or a mix of meats. Use what you have.
How to Thaw Frozen Hashbrowns for CasseroleFor this recipe, we recommend thawing out the frozen hashbrowns before mixing with the other ingredients. These steps helps keep the moisture out of the casserole if baked with frozen hashbrowns.
Place frozen hashbrown bag in the fridge and let thaw overnight.
You can also place frozen hashbrowns in a bowl and cover. Let frozen hashbrowns thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Drain in moisture before mixing with other ingredients.