Cowboy Casserole

Name: Cowboy Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 yellow onion (diced); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 Tablespoon minced garlic; 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 10 ounce can corn (drained well); 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese (divided); 30 ounce bag frozen tater tots or crispy crowns

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This Cowboy Casserole recipe is loaded with seasoned ground beef, corn, cheese and topped with golden tater tots! It’s an easy weeknight dinner!

ALSO CALLED TATER TOT CASSEROLE

In our house, this has always been Cowboy Casserole, but I know some people call it Tater Tot Casserole or even Hot Dish depending on where you’re from. Whatever name you use, it’s basically the ultimate comfort food! The best part? Everything cooks in one pan if you’ve got a skillet that can go in the oven. And if you don’t, no worries – you can still make this work. I throw this together at least twice a month because it’s fast, filling, and my kids actually eat it without complaining!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What’s the difference between tater tots and crispy crowns?

Crispy crowns are just a different shaped version of tater tots. I think they get a bit crispier in the oven, but honestly either one works perfectly fine. Just grab whatever’s on sale!

Do I need an oven-safe skillet?

Nope! If your skillet can’t go in the oven, just cook everything on the stove, dump it into a regular baking dish, add your tots, and bake from there. Easy.

What other cream soups can I use?

Any cream soup you like! Cream of chicken is probably my second choice, but cream of celery works too. Some people even use cheddar cheese soup. Just use what your family will eat.

Can I use a different kind of meat?

Sure! Ground turkey or ground chicken both work. Even ground pork. I stick with beef because that’s what I usually have, but swap it out if you need to.

How can I make the tots crispier?

Turn your broiler on during the last few minutes. The tops will get nice and brown and crunchy. Just don’t walk away because they can go from perfect to burnt really fast!

Can I prep this ahead of time?

You can get everything mixed together and put it in your baking dish, then cover it and stick it in the fridge. Just don’t add the tater tots until you’re ready to bake it. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time since you’re starting with cold ingredients.

How do I store this?

Leftovers go in the fridge in a covered dish for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or pop it back in the oven.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

ground beef – I usually buy 85/15 but use whatever you prefer. Leaner beef means less grease to drain.
yellow onion – just chop it up. If you don’t like onion, you can skip it.
seasonings – salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, and onion powder give the beef flavor. You could use taco seasoning if that’s easier.
garlic – minced garlic from a jar is totally fine here. Use fresh if you want.
Worcestershire sauce – don’t skip this! It adds so much flavor to the meat.
corn – one small can. Drain it good or your casserole will be watery.
cream of mushroom soup – or use whatever cream soup you have. This is what makes it creamy.
sour cream – adds creaminess and a little tang. You could use Greek yogurt if you want.
shredded cheese – I like Colby Jack but regular cheddar is great too.
tater tots or crispy crowns – get a big bag. You’ll use most of it.

HOW TO MAKE COWBOY CASSEROLE:

Turn your oven on to 400F degrees. Chop up your onion while the oven heats.

Get a big skillet (12-inch works great) on the stove over medium-high heat. If it’s oven-safe, even better – you can use it the whole way through. Throw your ground beef and chopped onion in there. Sprinkle on your salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, and onion powder. Cook the beef until it’s all browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go. When it’s done, pour off any grease that’s sitting in the pan.

Put the skillet back on the heat and add your garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Stir that around for about 30 seconds. Now dump in your drained corn, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and about a cup of your cheese. Mix everything together until it’s all combined. Spread it out flat in the pan.

Take the rest of your cheese and scatter it over the top. Now comes the fun part – start covering everything with your tater tots or crispy crowns. I just lay them out in rows until the whole thing is covered.

If you used an oven-safe skillet, stick the whole thing in the oven. If not, transfer everything to a 9×13-inch baking dish first, then add the tots. Bake for 25-30 minutes. You want those tots golden and crispy on top.

Pull it out and let it sit for a couple minutes before you serve it. That’s it!