Dolly Parton's 5-Ingredient Casserole Is 5 Layers of Comfort Food Classics

I grew up in the Midwest, so you know I’ve eaten my fair share of casseroles. My mom’s favorite was a ground beef dish layered with unidentifiable vegetables and a tomato-cream sauce paired with macaroni. It wasn’t anything special to look at, but it tasted delicious. The same goes for Dolly Parton’s five-ingredient, five-layer casserole I came upon. It may not win any beauty contests, but it’s simple and tasty, especially with a few easy modifications.

What Is Dolly Parton’s 5-Ingredient Casserole?

It’s as basic as it sounds and begins with a layer of sliced russet potatoes—because if you know Dolly, you know she loves potatoes—followed by a layer of cooked ground beef, and a layer each of sliced onions, diced tomatoes, and green bell peppers. The casserole gets covered in foil before going into a 350-degree F oven for two hours. Yes, two hours. It’s all part of the master plan.

The Best, Most Uncomplicated, Fuss-Free Recipe

This may not be the dish you serve for company, but it is the dish you’ll feed your family on repeat. Mostly because it accomplishes the one thing many dishes try to do but don’t succeed at doing: it supplies the trifecta—protein, carbs, and vegetables. There’s no need to scramble for a side dish or whip up a batch of roasted vegetables, it’s all in there.

Not only that but with the modifications below, it’s also a delicious meal, one that will leave everyone asking for a second helping.

How to Make Dolly Parton's Casserole Your Own

If you’ve searched the internet for Dolly Parton's comfort food dish, you’ll have already seen the comments about its lack of flavor. I agree that if you don’t properly season each layer, you’re going to end up with a pretty boring dish since the ingredients on their own are all pretty simple.

Beyond seasoning with salt and pepper, I think it’s wise to make a few adjustments. Here they are:

• Tip 1: Add spices. I like to add 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to the ground beef right after browning. This adds more flavor and also some heat, which is always appreciated in my house.
• Tip 2: Add some butter. Butter and potatoes are the perfect pairing. When adding the layer of sliced russets to the baking pan, also add 1 tablespoon of diced butter into the mix. You can thank me later.
• Tip 3: Crisp up the meat and start the onions. Instead of constantly stirring to cook and crumble the meat, leave it alone, a few minutes at a time, stirring only occasionally to achieve crispy edges. This adds texture and boosts that beefy flavor. Add the onions to the skillet right after removing the browned meat. Cook and stir them around the skillet to soften them and release the delicious fond (the yummy brown bits stuck to the pan) to develop the flavor of the dish even more.
• Tip 4: Bring your favorite flavors. I already suggested the garlic powder and crushed red pepper, but feel free to add your favorites to the dish. One other swap I like to make is using fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of plain. I also like to finish the dish with pepperoncini and some of the tangy liquid from the jar for a bit more heat and a kick of acid.

Dolly Parton’s 5-Ingredient, 5-Layer Casserole

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef (85 or 90%)
• 3 large russet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 sweet onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 can diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
• 2 medium green bell peppers, diced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• optional additions: 1 tablespoon diced butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, pepperoncini

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a 9x13-inch baking or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in garlic powder and crushed red pepper, if using.
3. Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with sliced potatoes and season well with salt and pepper (and add butter, if using). Top with the cooked ground beef then sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper, then the diced tomatoes and the bell peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours.