This Slow Cooker Steak and Cheddar Potato Casserole leans hard into simple ingredients and big flavor. Cubes of beef—usually stew meat, sirloin, or chuck—are layered over sliced or diced potatoes in the crock, then everything gets bathed in a mixture of condensed soup or seasoned broth, garlic, and basic spices. As it cooks low and slow, the potatoes soak up the beefy juices, the steak breaks down into fork‑tender bites, and the sauce thickens into something rich and comforting. Just before serving, a generous amount of shredded cheddar gets sprinkled over the top and left to melt into a gooey, golden blanket.
Equipment
- 5–7 quart slow cooker
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cheese grater (if shredding cheese from a block)
Ingredients
- 1½–2 pounds beef stew meat or sirloin/chuck steak, cut into bite‑size cubes
- 4 cups russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½‑inch dice or ¼‑inch slices
- 1 medium onion, diced (optional but recommended)
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup (or cream of beef for a twist)
- 1 cup beef broth (low sodium if possible)
- ½ teaspoon–1 teaspoon salt (to taste; go lighter if broth/soup is salty)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika (optional, for color and warmth)
- ½–1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional but great for depth)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)
Preparing the Steak and Potatoes
The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, but a few minutes of thoughtful prep help everything cook evenly and turn out flavorful. Start by prepping the potatoes. Russets or Yukon Golds both work well here: russets break down a touch more, giving you a softer, almost mashed‑edges texture, while Yukon Golds hold their shape a little better and bring a naturally buttery flavor.
Peel the potatoes if you like a smoother casserole, then cut them into even pieces—either ½‑inch cubes or about ¼‑inch thick slices. The important thing is keeping them roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
Next, prep the steak. You can use pre‑cut beef stew meat, sirloin, or chuck roast trimmed and cubed yourself; whatever you choose, aim for pieces about 1 inch or slightly smaller so they become tender through the center in the same window that the potatoes turn soft.
If there are large, hard pieces of fat or silver skin, trim those away so you’re left mostly with meat that will break down nicely. Pat the steak pieces dry with a paper towel and season them lightly with a little salt and pepper; this “pre‑seasoning” gives you flavorful bites all the way through instead of relying entirely on the sauce.
Before layering everything in the crock, dice the onion and mince the garlic if you’re using fresh. Some versions simply toss raw onion and garlic straight into the slow cooker with great results, relying on the long cook time to mellow them out.
If you prefer a sweeter, more caramelized flavor, you can briefly sauté the onion in a bit of oil in a skillet until softened and just starting to turn golden around the edges, then add the garlic for the last 30 seconds before transferring them both to the slow cooker. This extra step is optional, but it can deepen the overall flavor of the final dish.
Mixing the Sauce
The sauce in this casserole is what turns simple steak and potatoes into something lush and comforting. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup and beef broth, whisking until they’re smooth and fully blended.
If you’re using Worcestershire sauce, add it now along with the salt, black pepper, garlic (or garlic powder if you opted for that), and paprika. This mixture should be pourable but still thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; the canned soup provides body, while the broth thins it just enough so it can seep down between the layers of meat and potatoes.
Taste a tiny bit of the sauce (keeping in mind that it’s not fully cooked yet) to get a sense of the salt level. Because both canned soup and broth can be on the salty side, it’s safer to start with the lower amount of salt and adjust with a sprinkle over the finished dish if needed.
The Worcestershire adds umami and tang, the garlic brings warmth, and the paprika gives a hint of smokiness and color that will make the finished casserole look as good as it tastes.
At this stage, you can also whisk in a small handful of shredded cheddar (about ½ cup) if you want the interior sauce to be slightly cheesy as well as the top. Some slow cooker casseroles mix part of the cheese into the sauce so it melts in and thickens things even more, then save the rest for sprinkling on at the end.
Layering Everything in the Slow Cooker
With the potatoes, steak, aromatics, and sauce ready, it’s time to build the casserole in the crock. Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick spray or a thin coating of butter; this helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup much easier later.
Spread the prepared potatoes evenly over the bottom, creating a solid, even layer. This base keeps the steak off direct contact with the crock’s hottest surface and lets the potatoes simmer in the flavorful juices that will develop as everything cooks.
Scatter the diced onion evenly over the potatoes if you didn’t sauté it first, then arrange the steak cubes in a fairly even layer over the top. Try not to pile the meat too high in one spot; a fairly even distribution ensures that all the pieces get surrounded by sauce and cook at the same pace.
If you sautéed the onion and garlic in a skillet, you can spoon that mixture over the steak now, spreading it around.
Once the potatoes and steak are in place, pour the soup and broth mixture evenly over everything. Use the back of a spoon to nudge the meat and potatoes here and there so the sauce can work its way down and around all the pieces.
You don’t need to stir aggressively—just make sure you don’t have any big dry pockets that never see the sauce. At this point, most versions do not add the cheese yet; cheese that cooks for hours can separate or turn grainy, so it’s typically reserved for the last part of the cook.
If you want to borrow a trick from cheesesteak‑style slow cooker casseroles, you can sprinkle a light layer of cheddar in the middle: add half the potatoes, half the meat, some sauce, a handful of cheese, then repeat with the remaining ingredients and sauce, saving most of the cheese for the top at the end.
This creates melty pockets of cheddar throughout the casserole, not just on the surface.
Slow Cooking and Finishing with Cheddar
Once everything is layered, place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, depending on your schedule.
Low and slow tends to give the most tender steak and nicely cooked potatoes without any risk of scorching. Resist the urge to lift the lid frequently; every time you do, a significant amount of heat and steam escapes, which can extend the cooking time.
After about 5–6 hours on low (or 2½–3 hours on high), start checking the doneness. The potatoes should be fork‑tender all the way through, and the steak should shred or cut easily with minimal resistance.
If either still feels firm, cover and continue cooking, checking again in 30‑minute increments. Slow cookers can vary quite a bit in how hot they run, so going by texture rather than a strict clock always gives better results.
When the potatoes are soft and the steak is tender, it’s time for the cheddar finish. Sprinkle the remaining shredded sharp cheddar evenly over the top of the casserole, covering as much of the surface as possible. Replace the lid and let the casserole cook for another 15–30 minutes on low.
During this time, the cheese will melt completely and form a gooey, cheesy layer that blankets the beef and potatoes. If your slow cooker has a “keep warm” setting, you can switch to that once the cheese is melted and leave it there until you’re ready to serve.
Just before serving, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or chives over the top for a bit of color and brightness. This little touch helps break up the monotony of all the beige and gold tones and adds a gentle fresh note that complements the richness.
Serving Suggestions
Slow Cooker Steak and Cheddar Potato Casserole is incredibly hearty on its own, so it doesn’t need much alongside it to feel like a complete meal.
A simple green vegetable is often all you need to balance the richness. Steamed or roasted green beans, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts make great partners, as do a crisp side salad with a tangy vinaigrette to cut through the creamy sauce.
If you’re feeding big appetites or stretching the meal further, warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are perfect for swiping through any cheesy sauce left at the bottom of the bowl.
This casserole also works well on a buffet or potluck table: you can set the slow cooker to “keep warm” and let people scoop their own portions over the course of an evening. The steak and potatoes hold their heat well, and the cheese stays nicely melty without needing constant attention.
For a steakhouse‑style twist, you can top individual servings with a small dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of extra cheddar and chives. Serving it in shallow bowls instead of plates helps contain all the cheesy goodness and makes it feel even more like a cozy, one‑bowl meal.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
There are lots of small tweaks you can make to this casserole without losing its comforting core. If you want a more pronounced onion flavor, you can add a packet of dry onion soup mix along with or instead of some of the seasoning; several slow cooker steak‑and‑potato recipes use this shortcut for a big flavor boost.
For even more vegetables, you can stir in a handful of green beans, sliced carrots, or even drained canned green beans during the last hour of cooking so they soften without falling apart.
To lean into a cheesesteak vibe, you can add sliced bell peppers and extra onion when you layer the steak and potatoes, then use provolone or a cheddar‑provolone blend in place of some of the cheddar. A teaspoon of steak seasoning or a bit of additional Worcestershire in the sauce will push it even further in that direction.
For storage, leftovers keep well and actually taste even more “married” the next day. Allow the casserole to cool, then transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for 3–4 days.
Reheat gently in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven until hot. If the sauce seems to have thickened a lot in the fridge, a small splash of beef broth or milk stirred in before reheating can help bring back some creaminess.
This casserole can also be frozen in portions; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat until steaming hot. The potatoes may soften a bit more after freezing, but the flavors remain deeply comforting, and the steak and cheddar combination still delivers that satisfying, stick‑to‑your‑ribs dinner you had in mind.
