Alabama Style Hobo Casserole–a hearty mix of ground beef, potatoes and carrots cooked in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, then folded with a homemade Alabama white BBQ sauce for a creamy, tangy twist on the classic.
Alabama Style Hobo Casserole
Hobo casserole is usually made with ground beef, potatoes and carrots with a cream of mushroom sauce. This time I swapped out the cream of mushroom and made a homemade Alabama white barbecue sauce instead. It was a fun twist! It has a little bit of heat and little bit of tanginess. I used mayo but I think next time I will try it with sour cream. Sour cream and potatoes always pair well together.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean Ground Beef–or ground turkey
- Diced Onion
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
- Beef Broth
- Carrots–or baby carrots
- Russet Potatoes–or red potatoes
- Mayonnaise or Sour Cream–or a combination of the two
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Horseradish
- Lemon Juice
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Spicy Brown Mustard
- White Pepper
- Cayenne
- Brown Sugar
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease drain it off. Add in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Dump in the carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt or cajun seasoning. Don’t stir.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up release pressure by moving valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Make the sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients. Fold the sauce into the Instant Pot.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with green salad and a dinner roll.
- Swap the mayo: Use sour cream or half mayo/half sour cream for a slightly lighter, tangier sauce.
- Try adding in a cup of frozen corn when you add in the carrots.
- Can I make the Alabama sauce ahead of time? Yes! It actually gets better as it sits. Make it up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate.
- This recipe can be gluten free if you use gluten free Worcestershire sauce.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Another recipes you can make with horseradish is Sanpete County Chicken.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Alabama Style Hobo Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
A hearty mix of ground beef, potatoes and carrots cooked in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, then folded with a homemade Alabama white BBQ sauce for a creamy, tangy twist on the classic.
Ingredients
- 16 oz lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 cup beef broth
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 16 oz Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 tsp horseradish
- 3/4 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp spicy brown mustard
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease drain it off. Add in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Dump in the carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt or cajun seasoning. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up release pressure by moving valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Make the sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients. Fold the sauce into the Instant Pot.
- Serve and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease drain it off. Add in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder. Add the mixture to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the broth, carrots and potatoes.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Make the sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients. Fold the sauce into the slow cooker.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More meat and potato dinners…
Tough Guy Casserole
A quick and easy dinner made with fresh red potatoes, ground beef, ranch dressing mix and grated cheese. A simple meat and potatoes meal!
Loaded Potato and Meatloaf Casserole
A hearty layer of meatloaf with creamy mashed potatoes and cheddar on top. Everything you love about a classic meatloaf dinner baked into one easy dish.
Buttery Beef and Potatoes
A hearty Instant Pot (or slow cooker) beef dish with ground beef, potatoes, carrots and garlic flavored with onion soup mix and cooked under pressure in just 3 minutes.
Ranch Beef Pot Roast
With only 6 ingredients and your Instant Pot or slow cooker you can make this tender roast with potatoes, carrots and savory gravy.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
15