Craving beef, beans, cheese and potatoes with a little spicy kick? Saddle up and make this delicious Cowboy Casserole! This savory and comforting meal is incredibly easy to make and is great for busy nights. Creamy, filling and topped with crispy tater tots, this stick-to-your-ribs, Tex-Mex family dinner is also kid approved!
Cowboy tater tot casserole is one of those tasty recipes I find myself making again and again. It's so easy to whip together and makes a complete, satisfying meal--all in one dish.
Honestly, I think I could layer just about anything with a ton of cheese and crispy tater tots and it would be a winner here (I mean, what's not to like about those ingredients--am I right?).
But for me, the best part of this easy cowboy casserole recipe are the Tex-Mex ingredients. Ground beef, chili and onion powder, crumbled bacon, hearty red kidney beans, corn and green bell pepper take this dish to the next level when mixed with a can of cream of celery soup.
Top it with shredded Colby Jack cheese and frozen tots, pop it in the oven, and dinner is done!
I never thought I would make a tater tot casserole that I enjoyed more than Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole (seriously, the first love of my life). But the spicy, savory flavors that come together in this creamy and super cheesy cowboy casserole are really second to none!
Jump to:
👪Why you'll love it
| Easy, make ahead recipe- After browning the ground beef and briefly cooking it with the seasonings and bell pepper, you then mix in the bacon, beans, corn, half the cheese and soup. Place the mixture in a 13x9 dish and then layer on the rest of the cheese and frozen tater tots. Bake it immediately, or refrigerate/freeze for later. It's seriously that simple. Complete Meal- This cowboy casserole with tater tots recipe checks off all the boxes for a wholesome family meal. With plenty of protein from the beef, beans and cheese, vitamins from the fresh pepper, and heartiness from the corn and tater tots, this meal's got you covered for dinner--one-dish Texas style! Kid approved- Kids love beef, cheese and tater tots. You can get away with adding a lot of extra ingredients alongside them in a one-dish meal. 'Nuff said. Keeps well- Because cowboy casserole is filling and makes a lot, you will most likely have leftovers. This dish keeps well in the fridge and freezer both before and after it's made! For more info, see Storing Cowboy Casserole below. |
Please note that not all ingredients are pictured.
🥘Ingredients
For a complete list with measurements, see the printable recipe card below.
- lean ground beef, cooked and drained--I often use extra lean; with all the other flavors, you won't miss the extra fat and calories from a higher fat percentage
- chili powder and onion powder--provide a nice savory, spicy kick to the browned beef
- green bell pepper, diced --may substitute with any color pepper; I like green for the flavor and color variety in this dish
- bacon--I use real bacon crumbles (bought in a bag) to save time
- red kidney beans--their hearty, robust flavor is a great addition to this recipe
- thawed frozen corn--feel free to use canned corn or fresh corn instead; you could also use defrosted or canned mixed vegetables
- cream of celery soup--I like using reduced fat for this recipe
- shredded Colby Jack cheese--I use reduced fat
- frozen tater tots-- do NOT defrost--they get golden crisp on top when baking and taste delicious
🤔What is cowboy casserole and why does this recipe have tater tots in it?
There are many different versions of Cowboy Casseroles out there, though almost all have ground beef, bacon, onion, corn, beans and cheese.
The variation mainly comes from the choice of starchy topping. While some are topped with biscuits or cornbread, most cowboy recipes use some form of potato. I like using tater tots because they get golden crisp on top and taste so good with the Western/Tex-Mex ingredients in this recipe.
🔪Instructions
For a more complete set of instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet; drain.
- Add diced pepper, chili and onion powder to the skillet; mix. Cook until peppers are soft.
- Place the drained kidney beans, defrosted frozen corn, bacon crumbles and soup in a large bowl; mix.
- Then add the cooked beef and peppers to the bowl. Stir in half of the shredded cheese; mix.
- Transfer mixture to a greased 13x9 casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the beef mixture.
- Top with frozen tater tots and bake for 35-40 minutes or until tater tots are golden crisp and filling is bubbling.
Hint: To save time, while I'm browning the ground beef, I dice the pepper, drain the beans, defrost the corn and preheat the oven.
🥣Substitutions
Protein: Feel free to use ground turkey instead of beef.
Bacon: You can cook 3-4 strips of bacon instead of using crumbles.
Condensed soup: You can use cream of mushroom, potato, chicken, or asparagus.
Cheese: You can use shredded cheddar or pepper jack.
📖Variations
Mexican Cowboy Casserole: Add a can of black beans and diced green chiles. Top with green onions and jalapeños when serving.
Spicy Cowboy Casserole: Add 1 diced jalapeño to the casserole filling, along with 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a splash of hot sauce.
🍽Equipment
- skillet with lid
- meat chopper
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- colander
- large mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- sturdy mixing spoon
- 13 x 9 casserole dish, lightly greased
🍶Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days.
Reheating instructions: Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the tater tot casserole is heated through.
You may also freeze this for up to 2 months. If never cooked, thaw completely and follow original baking instructions. If cooked and then frozen, thaw completely and then bake covered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.
***You can also assemble this casserole earlier in the day, refrigerate and bake later (it usually bakes for close to an hour if you chose this option).
💭Top tip
When arranging the frozen tater tots on top, pack them in single file style--no overlapping, or the casserole won't bake evenly!
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite desserts to serve with Cowboy Casserole:
📋Recipe
Cowboy Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean or extra lean ground beef cooked and drained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- ½ cup real bacon crumbles may substitute 3-4 cooked bacon strips
- 1 can red kidney beans drained, but not rinsed
- 1 cup defrosted frozen corn may substitute canned corn or fresh corn
- 1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of celery soup may use cream of mushroom, potato, chicken, or asparagus
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack Cheese can substitute with shredded cheddar or pepper jack
- 28 oz frozen tater tots do not defrost
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet; drain.
- Add diced pepper, chili and onion powder to the skillet; mix. Cook until peppers are soft, usually 10 minutes or less.
- Place the drained kidney beans, defrosted frozen corn, bacon crumbles and soup in a large bowl; mix.
- Then add the cooked beef mixture to the bowl. Stir in half of the shredded cheese; mix.
- Transfer mixture to a greased 13x9 casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the beef mixture.
- Top with frozen tater tots and bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until tater tots are golden crisp and filling is bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- For leftover storage, reheating, and make ahead options, see the above post or click HERE.
Notes
- To save time, while I'm browning the ground beef, I dice the pepper, drain the beans, defrost the corn and preheat the oven.
- I sometimes add a can of black beans and diced green chiles to give this more of a Mexican flare.
- When arranging the frozen tater tots on top, pack them in single file style--no overlapping, or the casserole won't bake evenly!
Kathy M. says
Such a hearty casserole! I really enjoyed the flavors and the kidney beans in this!
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Thank you! Believe it or not, a lot of cowboy casseroles don't have kidney beans in them, but I think they are so good and totally add to the flavor profile.