Potato and Beef Bake
The usual problem with a potato bake is water: the potato releases it, the mince releases it, and neat layers turn to mush. Two habits fix that — fry the mince until it is properly dry, and boil the potatoes only until just tender. Then the bake holds together and a spatula lifts a clean square.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 480 kcal
Ingredients
Potato
Mince and topping
Makes: a 22 × 30 cm dish, 6 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
Oven
190 °C · top and bottom heat, no fan
With a fan: 170 °C
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Step 1: Boil the potatoes
Peel the potatoes, cut them into large chunks and boil in salted water for 15 minutes — almost tender, not falling apart.
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Step 2: Mash
Drain, add the butter and hot milk and mash to a firm purée. It must not be loose, or the layers will slide.
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Step 3: Fry the mince
Fry the onions in the oil for 5 minutes, add the mince and cook over high heat for 10 minutes, breaking up lumps, until all the liquid has gone.
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Step 4: Season
Stir in the tomato paste, salt and pepper, give it 2 more minutes and take it off the heat.
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Step 5: Layer it up
Spread half the potato in a greased dish, then the mince, then the rest of the potato. Rough the surface up with a fork.
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Step 6: Bake
190°C for 35 minutes. Scatter the cheese on 10 minutes before the end so it browns without drying out.
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Step 7: Let it settle
Take the dish out and leave it alone for 10 minutes: piping hot bake cuts badly, warm bake holds its shape.
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Step 8: Serve
Scatter with dill and cut into squares straight in the dish.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Those fork marks on top are not decoration — the ridges are what crisp up and brown.
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Variation
A layer of fried mushrooms or sautéed carrot between potato and mince makes it juicier.
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Swap
Chicken mince gives a lighter bake, but add a spoon of sour cream — it is drier.
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Storage
Keeps 3 days; reheat slices in the oven, as a microwave softens the crust.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 6 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 480 kcal | 2,880 kcal |
| Protein | 26 g | 156 g |
| Fat | 26 g | 156 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g | 216 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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