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potato meatball casserole served on a small vintage plate with a silver fork on it.
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5 from 1 vote

Potato Meatball Casserole

Make a cozy potato meatball casserole with spinach. It's a complete meal with the main dish, potatoes, and veggies all in one pot!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German
Servings: 4 -6 serving
Calories: 495kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs potatoes 650 g
  • 1 lb ground beef 500 g, Note 1
  • 3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • a few grating of nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 lbs fresh spinach 900, or about 400 g/ 14 oz, frozen and thawed
  • 6 garlic cloves separated
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth 200 ml
  • 2 heaped tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
  • fine sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 ½ cup grated cheese 150 g, Note 2

Instructions

Potatoes:

  • Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water until fork-tender. Drain them and let them cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
    1.5 lbs potatoes/ 650 g
  • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Butter a casserole dish. Prepare the meatballs.

Meatballs:

  • Meatball mixture: Combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, mustard, and sweet paprika in a bowl. Add 2 grated garlic cloves, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix.
    1 lb ground beef/ 500 g + 3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs + 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard + 1 egg + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 2 tablespoons chopped parsley + a few grating of nutmeg + 2 garlic cloves
  • Form 20-25 meatballs, place them on the prepared baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes.

Spinach:

  • Cook spinach: Remove the stalks of the spinach and chop it very roughly. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the spinach, and let it wilt shortly. Add the vegetable broth and the remaining 4 cloves of finely sliced garlic and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, or until the spinach is cooked and most of the liquid has cooked down.
    2 lbs fresh spinach / 900 g + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil + 4 garlic cloves + ¾ cup vegetable broth/ 200 ml
  • Stir in the crème fraiche or sour cream. Adjust the taste generously with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
    2 heaped tablespoons crème fraiche + fine sea salt and black pepper
  • If using frozen spinach, it should be thawed and squeezed slightly to remove the excess water. Place in the pan together with the broth and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the spinach is cooked and most of the liquid has cooked down. Add the dairy and spices as instructed above.

Assemble casserole dish:

  • Layer ingredients: Peel and thickly slice the potatoes. Place them in the prepared casserole dish, add the spinach on top, arrange the meatballs over the spinach, and sprinkle everything with the freshly grated cheese.
    1 ½ cup grated cheese/ 150 g
  • Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

  1. Ground meat: You can use a mixture of beef and pork or ground turkey instead.
  2. Cheese: You can choose any good-melting cheese you like - the kind you typically use for casseroles. I often use Gouda or Cheddar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the casserole | Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 710mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g