This cheesy bacon carrot and potato casserole is sure to be a crow pleaser. Flavorful, and with a melted cheese topping, make for everyday meals and special occasions. Just perfection!
Why we ❤️ it
A great advantage of this dish is that you can leave it half prepared in a baking dish, and just broil right before serving to melt the cheese to bubbly, golden perfection. The veggies keep very well for a couple of hours, and even overnight if covered with aluminum foil and refrigerated.
Other versions
This is a very flexible and versatile dish. These are other versions I've tried, so you have other options to try: You can substitute potatoes for arracacha (cepa de apio, celeriac), or use batata for an amazing sweet potato casserole.
If you want stronger flavors, you can add a few whole garlic cloves along with the onion. The garlic cloves will turn a milder flavor, and pass it on to the other ingredients. For a milder garlic flavor add instead half a tablespoon of garlic powder with the salt.
Add some parmesan cheese along with the cheddar and mozzarella mix for a crispier crust with a stronger flavor.
You can add some more vegetables if you so wish, green beans, cauliflower (chopped florets) and broccoli (chopped florets) go great with it.
Serving suggestions
Tender but firm vegetables, strong flavors, and loads of melted cheese... no fuss. I make this dish as a standalone meal (with some leafy salad), or as a side dish for bigger meals. Who can resist that?
About this recipe
Casseroles (pastelones) are a popular choice for Dominican festive meals. This dish is somewhere between a casserole and baked potatoes. It's juicy, cheesy, crispy, all in one. And it can also be made with some time in advance and finished sometime before serving.
This dish serves 4 portions, of about 4 cups of vegetables each. Double the ingredients to serve larger or more servings.
Recipe
[Recipe + Video] Cheese, Carrot, Bacon and Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- ¼ pound bacon, minced, about ½ cup
- 4 pork sausage, or turkey sausage, diced
- 2 large carrot, diced (about 3 cups)
- 1 pound potato, [0.68 kg] Yukon gold, diced (about 3 cups)
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1½ cup grated Cheddar and Mozzarella Mix
- ¼ cup chives, sliced
Instructions
Browning: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook stirring until the edges of the bacon have browned, and it has released some of its fat.Add the sausage and cook stirring until it has lightly browned.
Sautéeing vegetables: Stir in the carrot and potato and cook stirring until they have heated through. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir and cook covered for another 5 minutes.Add onion and pepper to the potato and carrot mixture, and cook stirring until they have heated through. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.Season with salt to taste and remove the pan from the heat
Baking: Layer the mixture on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer with cheese.Broil until the cheese had melted and is bubbly with some golden brown spots. Remove from the oven.
Serving: Sprinkle with the chives and serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
