Description
Cowboy Casserole is a hearty, flavorful baked dish perfect for family dinners. Featuring crispy bacon, seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, and tater tots topped with melted cheddar cheese, this casserole combines classic comfort food ingredients into one satisfying meal. It’s easy to prepare and delivers a delicious blend of savory and cheesy flavors that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasonings
- 6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Dairy
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (12-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
- Chopped scallions, for serving (optional)
Toppings
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat and Cook Bacon: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they are crispy. Once done, remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.
- Brown Beef and Season: Add the ground beef and chopped onion to the skillet with the bacon fat. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Stir in the minced garlic and taco seasoning, mixing well to combine.
- Combine Ingredients: Remove the skillet from heat. Stir into the beef mixture the condensed cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, drained black beans, drained corn, diced green chilies, half of the cooked bacon, and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Assemble and Bake: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Transfer the beef mixture into the dish. Evenly top with the remaining cheddar cheese, the rest of the bacon, and arrange the frozen tater tots over the top layer. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling. For extra crispiness, optionally broil for a few minutes at the end, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped scallions if desired. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve the casserole hot, and enjoy your delicious cowboy casserole.
Notes
- You can substitute cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken soup if preferred.
- For extra spice, add chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce to the beef mixture.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To make this dish lower fat, use reduced-fat sour cream and cheddar cheese.
- You can prepare the beef mixture ahead of time and assemble just before baking.
