This cowboy casserole is an easy-to-make dinner that is perfect for a weeknight meal or storing in the freezer for later! With a beefy, cheese-packed filling that is topped off with crispy tater tots, this dinner is definitely kid-approved! After one bite, it will quickly become a family favorite!
Easy Cowboy Casserole with Tater Tots
Casseroles are always a huge hit with my entire family! They are simple to make, don't need any extra side dishes, and generally require very little prep work! Plus, they are super tasty!
Not to mention, adding a layer of crispy tater tots on top of anything will definitely appeal to any kid in the house! You'll only spend a few minutes browning the beef and mixing everything together before the oven does all the rest of the work!
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For more fantastic casserole recipes, check out my collections for 5-ingredient casseroles, chicken casseroles, and ground beef casseroles!
🥘 Cowboy Casserole Ingredients
Cowboy casserole is made up of pantry staple ingredients that many households like to keep stocked! Just grab some bacon and a bag of frozen tater tots, and you are good to go!
- Ground Beef - 1 pound of ground beef. I recommend using 85/15.
- Corn - One 15-ounce can of corn, drained.
- Cream Of Mushroom Soup - One 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup (or check out my homemade recipe).
- Cheddar Cheese - 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese, divided into three ½-cup portions. You could also use Colby or Colby-Jack.
- Whole Milk - ½ cup of whole milk.
- Sour Cream - ⅓ cup of sour cream. I recommend using full fat for the best flavor and texture.
- Onion Powder - ½ teaspoon of onion powder (or try an onion powder substitute).
- Pepper - ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Bacon - ½ cup of bacon that has been crisped and chopped.
- Tater Tots - 28 ounces of frozen tater tots. You do not need to thaw them first.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Cowboy Casserole
The hardest part of making this casserole is just browning the ground beef! After that, everything is just mixed together and then baked! All you need to get started is a large skillet, a 9x13 baking dish, a wooden spoon, and your measuring utensils.
This recipe will make 8 servings of cowboy casserole.
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5).
- Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook 1 pound (454 grams) of ground beef until there isn't any more pink, crumbling it as it cooks.
- Combine. Into the same skillet with the beef, add 15 ounces (425 grams) of corn, 10.5 ounces (298 grams) of condensed cream of mushroom soup, ½ cup (56 grams) of cheddar cheese, ½ cup (118 milliliters) of whole milk, ⅓ cup (77 grams) of sour cream, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of onion powder, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of garlic powder, and ½ cup (118 grams) of bacon. Mix well.
- Assemble. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Add another ½ cup of cheddar cheese and then arrange a layer of 28 ounces (794 grams) of tater tots over the top.
- Bake. Bake in the oven, uncovered, at (190°C/Gas Mark 5) for 40-45 minutes.
- Add cheese. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole and then let it bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
🥗 Sides
This casserole can be enjoyed all on its own or paired with any of your favorite side dishes! Try it with some broccoli cauliflower soup, candied carrots, or grilled acorn squash. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If using fattier ground beef than 85/15, I suggest draining off the excess grease after browning the ground beef.
- For an 'ultimate cowboy casserole,' you can add some diced onion and minced garlic to cook with the browning beef before adding the rest of the ingredients. Pinto beans also make a fantastic addition to make an even heartier meal!
- You can easily add any extra mix-ins that your family may enjoy. Try it with diced red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, frozen veggies, chiles, or different cheese varieties.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Keep your cowboy casserole covered and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freezing Cowboy Casserole
Let your casserole cool completely, and then wrap it tightly in foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheating Cowboy Casserole
You can reheat small portions in the microwave or larger portions in the oven at 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5) until heated through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can fully assemble your cowboy casserole, cover it, and then store it in the fridge for up to a day before baking!
Sure! This casserole makes a fantastic freezer meal, as it can be frozen before or after baking! Make sure to wrap it tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap before storing it. If it was already baked, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. If it was frozen before being baked, you can put it in the oven straight from frozen (but it will take longer to cook).
This casserole is incredibly flexible and can be easily customized! You can add fresh veggies, such as spinach, garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Or, toss in a bag of frozen mixed veggies straight from the freezer! Pinto beans can make it heartier, and you can even swap the tater tots for hashbrowns!
😋 More Tasty Casserole Recipes
- Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole - Delicious layers of spaghetti, cheese, and meat sauce are a great way to switch up your typical pasta night.
- Chicken Tater Tot Casserole - Chicken is coated in a creamy sauce and topped with crispy tater tots.
- Mexican Lasagna - A flavorful casserole layered with beans, ground beef, tortillas, cheese, and more.
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole - Chicken, cheese, tortillas, black beans, and enchilada sauce make this a perfect set-it-and-forget-it meal.
- Chicken Divan Casserole - An easy chicken dish that can even be made using leftovers.
- Mirliton - A traditional Cajun recipe that combines squash, shrimp, ham, and spices.
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📖 Recipe Card
Cowboy Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 15 oz corn (drained)
- 10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1½ cup cheddar cheese (shredded and divided - or use Colby or Colby-Jack)
- ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup bacon (crisped and chopped or crumbled)
- 28 oz tater tots
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook 1 lb ground beef until no pink remains, crumbling it as it cooks.
- Into the same skillet with the beef, add 15 oz corn, 10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup, ½ cup out of the 1½ cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup whole milk, ⅓ cup sour cream, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ cup bacon. Mix well.
- Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Add another ½ cup of cheddar cheese and then arrange a layer of 28 oz tater tots over the top.
- Bake in the oven, uncovered, at (190°C/Gas Mark 5) for 40-45 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole and then let it bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- If using fattier ground beef than 85/15, I suggest draining off the excess grease after browning the ground beef.
- For an 'ultimate cowboy casserole,' you can add some diced onion and minced garlic to cook with the browning beef before adding the rest of the ingredients. Pinto beans also make a fantastic addition to make an even heartier meal!
- You can easily add any extra mix-ins that your family may enjoy. Try it with diced red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, frozen veggies, chiles, or different cheese varieties.
- To store: Keep your cowboy casserole covered and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- To freeze: Let your casserole cool completely and then wrap it tightly in foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: You can reheat small portions in the microwave or larger portions in the oven at 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5) until heated through.
N Houff says
Really delicious for family of 5! Hands down, everyone loved the very last bite. Worked as written, assembled the same, same bake time, except I used what I had on hand: cubed colby-monterey jack (cojack) cheese, I sliced corn off of 2 ears of corn, 1/4 cup minced onion, and no bacon. Just wonderful.