Hobo Meatball Casserole - Mighty Mrs | Super Easy Recipes (2024)

This wholesome, oven-baked meal is delicious and easy to make. A hearty dinner that combines a medley of flavors from homemade meatballs, tender potatoes, earthy mushrooms, fresh cabbage, onions and sweet carrots.

This hobo meatball dinner casserole gets its name because it combine a medley of flavors and ingredients producing a hearty meal with plenty to feed a family or friends.

Homemade meatballs are baked with potatoes, onions, carrots and cabbage in a creamy sauce seasoned with a blend of herbs.

The casserole has a ton of flavor, is veggie-packed and has plenty of protein as well. If you have a group to feed with an hearty appetite, this is the meal to serve!

★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★

This hobo meatball casserole is easy to prepare. It can be made ahead and baked when ready.

This meal is freezer friendly too so you can prepare it ahead of time, freeze it and bake when you need a big hearty meal!

This dish can be made with ground beef, ground turkey or a blend of both. You can use fresh, frozen or canned vegetables. Canned potatoes work as well and actually save bake time.

★ Ingredients You'll Need ★

Here's everything you'll need to gather to make this delicious casserole:

• Potatoes. Small yellow or red potatoes work well. You can use larger russet potatoes, just use 2 instead of 4 if they are very big.
• Carrots. Thinly sliced fresh carrots work best but you can use frozen diced carrots or crinkle cut carrots to save time.
• Onion. A large yellow or white onion works well.
• Cabbage. You can use a fresh-chopped cabbage or save time and grab a coleslaw mix that includes mostly cabbage.
• Olive oil. This adds nice flavor but you can use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or grape seed oil instead if that's what you have on hand.
• Condensed mushroom soup. You can use cream of celery if you want to avoid mushrooms however the mushrooms really enhance the flavor of the meatballs.
• Salt and pepper to taste. You can add this on after baking or offer this at the table for dinner guests to customize their own plates.

Meatballs:

• Ground beef. Be sure to choose a lean ground beef to avoid your casserole becoming to grease.
• Onion. You can use fresh grated or dried onion powder or minced onions.
• Bread crumbs. Unseasoned works best since we will add seasoning. Panko crumbs or regular breadcrumbs both work well.
• Egg. This acts as a binder for the meatballs so they hold together.
• Garlic. Paste or powder, your choice.
• Worcestershire sauce. This enhances the beefy flavor. You don't need much.
• Salt and pepper season the meatballs.

★ How to Make this Recipe ★

This casserole comes together by layering ingredients in a pan and baking.

Here's a quick look at the steps, full recipe is further down.

• Combine meatball ingredients and form into balls.
• Combine sliced vegetables and layer in a pan.
• Top veggies with meatballs.
• Top meatballs with cream of mushroom soup.
• Cover with foil and bake.

That's it. Easy!

★ Tips & FAQs ★

Choose a lean ground beef.

Higher fat content ground beef will make the casserole greasy. A 93%/7% blend is best.

You can also try using ground turkey which is naturally more lean. I like a 50/50 blend of ground beef to turkey.

How you slice matters!

Slice the veggies — carrots, onions, and potatoes — about ¼ inch thick for even cooking.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

You will need some seasoning to bring out the flavor of the veggies and meat. If you aren't sure how much to add, try starting with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add more as needed.

Making Ahead

This casserole can be prepared ahead of time and then baked. Simply assemble, then cover with foil and refrigerate. Then baked before serving.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 7 days. Reheat using to microwave.

This casserole can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

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