Satisfy your hunger with this mouth-watering cowboy casserole recipe. Packed with hearty ingredients like ground beef, beans, and corn, this dish will surely become a family favorite. This is quick and easy comfort food at its best.
My family loves this easy dish made with frozen tater tots and simple ingredients. This family favorite is comfort food at its best, made without canned soup. This all-inclusive casserole with meat, potatoes, and veggies is a filling meal on its own, but if guests are coming, I love to serve it with sweet potato cornbread, corn muffins, or cheddar drop biscuits.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Frozen tater tots: I like Ore-Ida, but you can use any brand.
- Ground beef: You can substitute ground turkey, pork, or chicken.
- Taco seasoning: Use store-bought or homemade.
- Cheese: cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend.
- Sour Cream: For the best flavor and texture, use full-fat sour cream.
How To Make Cowboy Casserole
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Prebake the tator tots.
- Brown the ground beef and onions over medium heat. Reduce the heat and add the garlic. Cook for a minute.
- Add the taco seasoning, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and diced green chiles to the hamburger mixture and simmer.
- Stir in half the shredded cheese and sour cream.
- Layer the tater tots over the dish and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake until the cheese melts.
Preparation Tips For Cowboy Casserole
- If you don’t like an ingredient, substitute something else. For example, if you don’t like corn, try green beans or peas.
- Add a little minced jalapeno, cayenne pepper, green chilies, or more red pepper flakes for a kicked-up spicy flavor.
- I like to prebake the tater tots on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees. This crisps them up a bit and improves the overall texture.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy: Add minced jalapeno at the same time as the garlic, and use shredded pepper jack cheese.
- Meats: To switch up the ground meat, try ground turkey, sausage, pork, chicken, or any combination.
- Italian: Add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the hamburger mixture, skip the other spices, and substitute shredded mozzarella for the Cheddar and Monterey Jack.
More Casserole Recipes
Cowboy Casserole Recipe
A fun and easy tater tot Cowboy Casserole with ground beef, onions, green beans, corn, tomatoes, and plenty of Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 508kcal
Ingredients
- 1 bag 32 ounces frozen tater tots
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can can whole kernel corn drained
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (7 ounce) can green chiles
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ½ cup sour cream warmed to room temperature for 40 minutes
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425
- Spread the tater tots over a large baking sheet. Bake the tater tots in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Brown the ground beef in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. About halfway through the browning process, add the chopped onions. Continue cooking until the ground beef is browned and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
- Add the taco seasoning, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and diced green chiles to the hamburger mixture. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar and the sour cream. If you are not cooking this in an ovenproof skillet at this time, transfer the contents to a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Layer the tater tots on the top of the hamburger mixture in the skillet. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 12-15 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze in a sturdy freezer container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until warm. Or in the microwave at 70% power for 3-4 minutes or until warmed.
Nutrition
Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 816mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 466IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 2mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Melissa C
This is comfort food at its finest and I am seriously making this recipe this week! I love a casserole first as it is so much easier and this remonds me of a recipe my mom made when I was a kid. I love it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melissa! It is delicious! Enjoy!
Lisa Marie
This is the ultimate comfort food! Great for busy families. It is perfect for satisfying hungry tummies.
Albert
I gathered all the recipe ingredients, feeling like a chef on the frontier. I mixed the ground beef, onions, beans, and a melody of spices, topping it off with a layer of golden tater tots. I watched with pride as my family savored each bite, the flavors telling a tale of tradition and home-cooked warmth. Thank you.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Albert! So happy that the family liked it!
Mary Ann
What a great casserole. The adults loved it as much as the kids. Thanks for a recipe without canned soup. I am not fond of it either.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Mary Ann!
Karen Loveland
Oh my oh my…this was out of this world….So delicious…I will definitely make it again. I highly recommend it.
Allyson B
My family loves this casserole! thanks for the easy recipe!
Sandy Lucas
This was such a hearty meal! It was really good and easy to prepare! We loved it!
Gust
The Cowboy Casserole was a total winner at our family dinner last night! It was hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor. Even my picky eaters asked for seconds.
Beth Pierce
That is great, Gust! So glad that it was a hit!
Erin S
My family loved it after trying it! Definitely making it again and again!
Becky
Would you need to make any modifications if you switched ground turkey for the ground beef? I’m trying to lighten it up a little.
Beth Pierce
No modifications necessary! Enjoy!