Add Preferred SourceI’m not quite old enough to have eaten this dish when it was popular, but this Church Potluck Hot Dish with Chow Mein Noodles is making the rounds again. What’s not to love? There’s potato, ground beef, and plenty of cheese. It heats and transports easily, making it a retro winner!
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I love this dish. It’s so saucy and beefy and cheesy – it’s got all the best parts of a casserole. When I was testing the recipe, I tried it with different kinds of ground meat, different canned soups, and different cheeses. THIS is the winning combination.
It’s also a recipe that’s been around forever. It’s been showing up on church supper tables for decades, and it’s even a favorite for dining at home. It’s an easy dish to make, and to prep ahead of time. If you’re taking it to go, pop it into a casserole carrier and off you go! Don’t be surprised if people ask you for the recipe.
History
Church Potluck Hot Dish made with cream of mushroom soup and crunchy chow mein noodles comes from mid-20th-century American casserole culture, when convenience foods reshaped home cooking and church suppers became the proving ground for recipes that were cheap, filling, and easy to scale. Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, widely promoted in the 1940s and 50s as a cooking shortcut, became the backbone of countless casseroles. At the same time, canned chow mein noodles, introduced by La Choy and marketed as an approachable “exotic” ingredient, added crunch and novelty without extra work. By the 1960s and 70s, this combination had settled into Midwest and church-basement tradition, especially in communities where feeding a crowd mattered more than culinary flair. The dish stuck because it stretched meat, used pantry staples, reheated well, and delivered that familiar contrast of creamy and crunchy that made it feel special, even when served from a foil pan on a folding table.
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I use 80/20 lean ground beef, so excess grease doesn’t make the casserole heavy or oily.
- Potatoes – Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes both work. Slice them thin (⅛-inch), or they won’t cook through in time.
- Celery – Dice small so it cooks evenly with the other vegetables.
- Carrots – A small dice helps them cook at the same rate as the potatoes.
- Green pepper – Any color bell pepper works.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion works. Red onion is too sweet for this dish.
- Water – This keeps the sauce loose enough for the potatoes to cook properly.
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup – Cream of chicken or cream of celery works as a substitute.
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Chow mein noodles – Reserve half for topping. Don’t substitute crunchy wonton strips—they burn too quickly.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – I recommend shredding your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the topping gritty.
How To Make Church Potluck Hot Dish
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. A ceramic baking dish works especially well here because it holds heat evenly and keeps the casserole hot on the table. Peel and slice the potatoes using a mandoline slicer set to thin slices. This helps all the potatoes cook at the same rate and keeps the texture tender instead of chunky.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it apart using a meat chopper tool so it cooks evenly without large clumps. Cook until no longer pink, then drain off excess grease.
Add the celery, carrots, green pepper, and onion to the skillet. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and release their flavor. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and water, mixing well with a silicone stirring spoon until smooth and creamy. Add the sliced potatoes and toss gently until fully coated in the sauce.
Spread half of the chow mein noodles evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. This creates a crunchy base layer that holds up under the casserole. Transfer the beef and vegetable mixture over the noodles. Use an offset spatula to spread everything into an even layer so it bakes uniformly.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, allowing the potatoes to soften and the sauce to bubble.
Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining chow mein noodles over the top. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, until the noodles are lightly crisped and the potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving so it sets and scoops cleanly.
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- I tested this recipe with a number of different kinds of potatoes. I settled on russets. They held their shape enough while still getting nice and soft. But, any kind of potato will work.
- I suggest 80/20 ground beef, or lean ground beef, for this recipe. It’s got the best combination of flavor and fat, and you won’t have to scoop off too much fat after browning the beef.
- Shred your own cheese for better melting and flavor – a rotary grater makes quick work of shredding cheese. Sharp cheddar was my favorite.
Make It A Meal
To round out your meal, serve this with simple rolls or a salad. For dessert, I love serving this along with other vintage classics like Watergate Salad for dessert. A slice of Sunshine salad is also a great choice for something sweet and fresh and that blurs the line between dessert and sides. If you’re feeding a crowd, consider this Shipwreck casserole as well, so people have a choice.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 325°F or in the microwave until warmed through.
Church Potluck Hot Dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup diced celery small dice
- 1 cup diced carrots small dice
- ½ cup diced green pepper small dice
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup water
- 21.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup or 2 cans (10 ¾ ounces), undiluted
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4-5 ounces chow mein noodles divided
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
- Add the celery, carrots, green pepper, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, garlic powder, onion powder, and water until smooth. Add the sliced potatoes and mix until coated.
- Spread half of the chow mein noodles in the baking dish. Top with the beef and potato mixture and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes
- Remove foil, top with remaining noodles, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Slice the potatoes evenly so they cook through without leaving firm spots. A mandoline makes this easy.
- Drain the beef well to keep the casserole from becoming greasy.
- Shred your own cheese for better melting and flavor.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.