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close up overhead shot of a baking dish of Cowboy Casserole garnished with chives
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5 from 8 votes

Cowboy Casserole

Easy and cheesy, this cowboy casserole recipe is the perfect family-friendly dinner idea!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cowboy casserole recipe
Servings: 6
Calories: 761kcal

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces tater tots
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ medium yellow onion, diced
  • 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes, not drained
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
  • 15.25 ounces whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1½ cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese shredded, divided
  • 1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Lightly spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Place the tater tots in the dish and pre-bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
  • Turn the oven up to 425°F.
  • In a large skillet cook your onions and ground beef until beef is no longer pink and onions are tender.
  • Pour in the Rotel tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Cook until the liquid has reduced, about 8 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and add sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, drained corn, ½ cup of cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
  • Pour the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle ½ cup of cheese over the top of the casserole.
  • Layer the tater tots on top,pressing them down into the mixture.
  • Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top of the tater tots.
  • Sprinkle the chopped chives over the cheese.
  • Cover and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and serve.

Video

Notes

Note: 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.
 
Note: By creating an even layer of tater tots you’ll get a nice, even amount of tater tots in each slice of your casserole (plus, it looks pretty)!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 761kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1402mg | Potassium: 956mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 323mg | Iron: 4mg