Description
Cowboy Casserole brings together ground beef, potatoes, and cheese in one seriously comforting dish that makes dinner time a total crowd-pleaser. Layers of savory goodness bake into a simple meal guaranteed to satisfy hungry family members from kids to grandparents.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen tater tots
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 375°F (190°C) and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high temperature. Crumble 1 pound ground beef, add 1 small diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook 6-8 minutes until meat browns and onions soften.
- Remove excess grease from skillet. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper to season the meat mixture.
- Pour 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup and ½ cup sour cream into the skillet. Stir in 1 drained can of whole kernel corn.
- Incorporate 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the mixture, mixing until ingredients blend smoothly.
- Transfer the beef combination to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
- Create a complete layer of frozen tater tots across the entire surface of the beef mixture.
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese over the tater tots, covering them completely.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until tots turn golden brown and edges bubble vigorously.
Notes
- Save time by browning beef and chopping onions while the oven preheats, which helps streamline your cooking process.
- Check tater tots halfway through baking and rotate the dish to ensure even golden-brown crispiness across the entire casserole surface.
- For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey for beef and use low-fat cream of mushroom soup and reduced-fat cheese to cut calories without sacrificing flavor.
- Consider adding diced green chiles or jalapeños for a spicy kick that transforms this family-friendly casserole into a more adventurous meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-68 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 509 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg