Description
This Loaded Steak and Potato Bake is a hearty, comforting crockpot meal featuring tender cubed beef steak layered with diced potatoes, crispy bacon bits, and melted cheddar cheese. A creamy garlic sour cream sauce infuses flavor throughout the dish, making it perfect for an easy, satisfying family dinner with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 450 g beef steak, cubed
- 100 g bacon bits
Vegetables
- 800 g potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Dairy
- 200 g cheddar cheese, shredded
- 100 ml sour cream
- 50 ml milk
Oils and Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Begin by heating olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed beef steak and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes, ensuring a nice sear for enhanced flavor.
- Layering in Crockpot: In the crockpot, layer half of the diced potatoes evenly on the bottom. Next, spread half of the browned steak over the potatoes, then sprinkle half of the bacon bits and a layer of shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering with the remaining diced potatoes, browned steak, bacon bits, and shredded cheddar cheese to create a stacked bake.
- Prepare Creamy Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully combined and smooth.
- Pour Sauce Over Layers: Pour the prepared sour cream mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the crockpot, which will infuse the dish with creamy garlic flavor as it cooks.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot with its lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The dish is ready when the potatoes are fork-tender and flavors have melded beautifully.
- Garnish and Serve: Once cooking is complete, uncover the crockpot and sprinkle sliced green onions over the top for a fresh, mild onion flavor and color contrast. Serve the bake warm immediately and enjoy this comforting meal.
Notes
- You can substitute the bacon bits with cooked bacon strips if preferred, adding a crispy texture.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sour cream sauce mixture.
- This recipe can be prepared a day ahead by assembling the ingredients in the crockpot insert, then refrigerating before cooking.
- Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the microwave or oven.
- Use Yukon Gold potatoes for a creamier texture or Russet potatoes for fluffier results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3.5 hours (high)
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: loaded steak bake, crockpot recipes, slow cooker dinner, beef and potato casserole, easy family meal, comfort food, cheesy potato bake, one pot dinner
