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.

Course main meal beef

Cuisine American

Keyword cowboy casserole recipe, how to make cowboy casserole, what is cowboy casserole, what to serve with cowboy casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 508kcal

Author Beth Pierce

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 9x13-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.

If you don't like an ingredient, substitute something else. For example, if you don't like corn, try green beans or peas.
For a kicked-up spicy flavor, add a little minced jalapeno, cayenne pepper, green chilies, or more red pepper flakes.
I like to prebake the tater tots for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees on a baking sheet. This crisps them up a bit and provides a better texture overall.