This easy and cheesy cowboy casserole recipe is the perfect delicious dinner for busy nights. A simple, hearty casserole made with layers of ground beef, veggies, spices, a creamy mushroom sauce, crispy tater tots, and lots of cheese.
Cowboy Casserole Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 32-ounce bag frozen tater tots
- 1-pound ground beef (97%-3% blend used)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 10-ounce can Rotel brand diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 11-ounce can Mexican-style corn, drained
- 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ cups shredded colby-jack cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives (garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
One of the best parts of this recipe is that you can customize it to fit your family’s tastes. Love cheese? Add a few more handfuls. Not a fan of tomatoes? Leave out the can of Rotel.
This is an easy recipe to experiment with and create your own version. Here are some popular changes:
BEANS: Black beans or pinto beans give this casserole a southwestern flair. Stir them in at the same time as when you add your Rotel tomatoes.
VEGGIES: Add mixed peas and carrots to make the base layer of your casserole more similar to that of chicken pot pie.
This is a tasty twist that goes well with the creaminess and crispy tots in the recipe. You could also mix in chopped bell peppers.
HOT SAUCE: If you like your meals with a bit of a spicy kick, add a dash or two of hot sauce to your beef mixture.
MEAT: Any ground meat would work fine in this recipe. Try ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken for great options.
How To Make This Cowboy Casserole Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
STEP TWO: Add the frozen tater tots to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes to start to crisp and par-cook before adding to the casserole.
STEP THREE: Remove the tater tots from the oven and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
STEP FOUR: Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
STEP FIVE: While the tater tots are crisping, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef and diced onions for 6-8 minutes or until no pink remains and the onions are tender and translucent. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet before adding the remaining ingredients.
STEP SIX: Add the Rotel tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook for another 6-8 minutes or until the liquid from the tomatoes has reduced.
STEP SEVEN: Remove the skillet from the heat, add the Mexican-style corn, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese. Stir to fully combine all the ingredients.
STEP EIGHT: Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and spread to an even layer. Top with ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese.
STEP NINE: Place the crisped tater tots in a single layer onto the top of the beef mixture in the baking dish. Be sure to lightly press the tater tots into the beef mixture to secure them in place.
STEP TEN: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese evenly over the tater tot layer.
STEP ELEVEN: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted, the tater tots are golden brown and crisp, and the ground beef mixture is bubbly around the edges of the casserole.
STEP TWELVE: Allow the casserole to rest for 3-5 minutes before garnishing with the chopped chives and serving.
How To Serve
This casserole pairs nicely with a Caesar salad or side salad! If you want an easy dessert idea, pair this meal with our blueberry cobbler.
For more casserole recipes your family will love, check out our awesome lasagna casserole and our tuna casserole.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Once it’s completely cool, you can store it inside the freezer for up to three months in a freezer-safe dish. You’ll want to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.
PRO TIP:
This is a fantastic make-ahead dish. You can prepare it up to the end of Step Six and store it in the fridge or freezer before baking it later.
For a fun way to turn tater tots into an all-in-one meal, this cowboy casserole is a favorite of little cowboys and cowgirls everywhere! It’s a family favorite and the ideal comfort food that makes dinnertime easy. A creamy sauce and crispy potato topping will be a hit with the whole family.
Frequently Asked Questions
This easy meal freezes well and can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
As with our other recipes that feature tater tots, you can substitute them with hash browns.
This recipe is also easy to make in your crockpot. Use the same instructions, but create all of the layers in your slow cooker (instead of a baking dish). Cook the casserole, covered, on low for 5 hours.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Beef and Noodle Casserole
- Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
- Vegetable Casserole
- Corn Casserole
For even more recipes your kids will ask for my name, see this page of all of my best dinner recipes.
Cowboy Casserole
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
- 1 pound ground beef (97%-3% blend used)
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 10 ounces Rotel brand diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 11 ounces Mexican-style corn, drained
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup,
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ cups shredded colby-jack cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives, garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Add the frozen tater tots to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes to start to crisp and par-cook before adding to the casserole.
- Remove the tater tots from the oven and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
- While the tater tots are crisping, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef and diced onions for 6-8 minutes or until no pink remains and the onions are tender and translucent. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Add the Rotel tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook for another 6-8 minutes or until the liquid from the tomatoes has reduced.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, add the Mexican-style corn, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese. Stir to fully combine all the ingredients.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and spread to an even layer. Top with ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese.
- Place the crisped tater tots in a single layer onto the top of the beef mixture in the baking dish. Be sure to lightly press the tater tots into the beef mixture to secure them in place.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese evenly over the tater tot layer.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted, the tater tots are golden brown and crisp, and the ground beef mixture is bubbly around the edges of the casserole.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 3-5 minutes before garnishing with the chopped chives and serving.
Video
Notes
- To make ahead and freeze this casserole, cook the ground beef mixture (steps 5 through 8) and cover tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. Be sure to use a heavy-duty disposable 9×13-inch aluminum foil pan if freezing and baking from frozen. You will not be adding the tater tots or final ½ cup of cheese at this point. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To cook from frozen, preheat the oven to 350°F then bake covered with foil for 60 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F, remove the foil, top with the frozen tater tots and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven again, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded colby-jack cheese over the tater tots then return the casserole to the oven and finish baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the tater tots are crispy, the cheese is melted, and the casserole is heated through and bubbly around the edges of the casserole. The internal temperature of the baked casserole should reach 165°F for safe eating when baking from frozen.
- You will get the best melt from freshly shredded colby-jack cheese (from an 8-ounce block). Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can keep it from melting as smoothly as freshly shredded.
- Plain sweet yellow corn can be substituted for the Mexican-style corn in this recipe. You can substitute 1 to 1¼ cups thawed frozen corn for the canned corn.
Nutrition
Comments
Timothy says
It’s delicious my boys ask me to put it the meal rotation. 😋
Sara says
Can I use cheddar soup instead of cream of mushroom soup?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Sara – we haven’t tried that but it would probably work just fine. Enjoy!
Jeana says
We love this dish! I am trying to make ahead to freeze so my aunt can simply put it in the oven when watching my kids – can I make through the full assembly then freeze? Or won’t that work if the tater tot’s are then only partially cooked. Thanks!
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Jeana – you can make it ahead of time up to step six and then put it in the freezer. Enjoy!
Donna says
Great recipe that the whole family loves, have made it several times and always throw in a can of Black Beans. If I don’t have Cream of Mushroom in the pantry, I use Condensed Cream of Chicken and it works just as well.
Cathy says
Don’t let this one get away. The whole family loves this dish. Take it to potluck and there’s never anything left.