Cowboy casserole is a tasty twist on the classic Tator tot casserole. If you want a comfort meal for dinner this casserole is perfect. Easy to make, full of flavor, this cowboy casserole recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner or when feeding a crowd. Flavorful beef, veggies, tater tots and cheese, there isn’t anything not to love about this Cowboy Tater tot casserole recipe.
Cowboy Casserole Recipe
If you love tator tot casserole, then you will love this fun twist on the classic recipe. This cowboy casserole recipe is great for a weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd. Cowboy tator tot casserole is a tasty easy casserole recipe that is budget friendly and always a crowd-pleaser.
I had never heard of cowboy casserole until one of my kid’s friends brought some over that their mom made. I kept meaning to ask for the exact recipe that she used and always forgot so one night I was in the mood to make it and I came up with my own.
This casserole recipe takes just a few minutes of prep time and then pop it in the oven to bake. It is perfect for a busy weeknight when you don’t have time to stand by the stove cooking.
Casserole Recipes
- Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
- Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef
- Chicken Doritos Caserole
- Chicken and potato casserole
Variations of this recipe
Change up the meat. You can use ground turkey, chicken, or venison if you do not have ground beef.
Add more seasonings. If you want to add more seasonings in the sauce mixture, you can add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning.
Give it a spicy kick. Add chili powder or a can of green chiles to add more of a spicy kick by adding these into the sauce mixture.
Add more protein. If you want to add more protein black beans or pinto beans are great options. Add them in on top of the corn.
Change up the soup. If you do not have cheddar cheese soup you can use cream of mushroom, cream of celery, or cream of chicken.
Add more veggies. Feel free to add more vegetables if you want to. I use corn but you can also use a bag of mixed vegetables or just a bag of a single vegetable including green beans or peas.
Can I make this Cowboy Casserole Recipe ahead of time?
To prepare this dish ahead of time to cook within 24 hours, complete all of the recipe steps up until adding the toter tots on top. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or tin foil and store in the refrigerator. When you bake the dish, top the casserole with the tater tots and then bake in the oven according to the directions. Placing the tater tots on top before storing them in the fridge is not suggested because you will end up with soggy tater tots. This casserole will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
Can I Make Cowboy Casserole freezer meal?
If you want to meal prep and have meals ready to go in the freezer this is a great one. To prepare this casserole for the freezer, complete everything until the step for adding tater tots on top. Cover the dish with tinfoil and place in the freezer. When you are wanting to bake it, remove from the freezer the night before to thaw in the fridge. Before placing in the oven top with the tater tots and then bake. This casserole will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
How to Store Leftovers
Allow the leftovers to cool completely, then cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap or store the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Cowboy Casserole Recipe Ingredients
- Onion. White or yellow onions will work for this recipe. You will need them chopped.
- Ground beef. You can use ground chicken or ground turkey if you prefer or if you do not have ground beef on hand.
- Green bell pepper. Red or yellow bell peppers can be used as well.
- Cheddar cheese soup. Cream of mushroom, cream of celery or cream of chicken can also be used.
- Milk. Whole milk, 2% milk or skim milk can be used.
- Oil. Vegetable oil or olive oil
- Canned Rotel tomatoes. Use them undrained. If you do not want any kick to the dish then you can also use a can of diced tomatoes.
- Seasonings. Salt and black pepper.
- Sour cream. Best to use is full fat, but you can use low fat sour cream.
- Frozen corn. You can use other frozen veggies in place of the corn.
- Cheddar cheese. Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese are also good ones to use if you do not have cheddar on hand.
- Frozen tater tots.
How to Make Cowboy Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375.
Chop the onion and pepper and set aside.
In a large skillet on medium heat, add a small amount of oil and then add the onions until they are soft. Then add beef and green pepper, and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
In a small bowl add the cheddar soup, milk, Rotel, and sour cream and mix well.
Add the mixture into the cooked ground beef and stir well to combine.
Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the cooked beef mixture to the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.
Pour the frozen corn on top of the meat mixture.
Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top of the corn.
Layer the tater tots on top of the cheese.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the tater tots and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Easy Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
Cowboy Tater tot casserole recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 10.5 ounces canned cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- Oil Vegetable oil or olive oil
- 10 ounces canned Rotel tomatoes undrained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 12 ounce bag of frozen corn
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 cups frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Chop the onion and pepper and set aside.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, add a small amount of oil and then add the onions until they are soft. Then add beef and green pepper, and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
- In a small bowl add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, Rotel, and sour cream and mix well.
- Add the mixture into the cooked ground beef and stir well to combine.
- Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the cooked beef mixture to the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Pour the frozen corn on top of the meat mixture.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top of the corn.
- Layer the tater tots on top of the cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the tater tots and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Follow Us For More!
Be sure to share your review in the comments below and follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok for even more food + family fun!