Cowboy Casserole with Tater Tots
This cowboy casserole is a cheesy ground beef bake with a tangy, taco seasoned sauce and a crispy layer of tater tots on top. Black beans and veggies make it a full meal in one dish. Make it on a busy weeknight or for football Sunday, and assemble it up to 2 days ahead. It takes 40 minutes and serves 8.
When I’ve had a long day, all I want is a hot dinner on the table. Something filling that everybody will eat, with as little effort as possible.
This one checks every box. No wonder my husband and son ask for it all the time.
Tater tots are my husband’s favorite casserole topping. Cornbread is a close second, and that version is in the cowboy recipes at the bottom of this post.
I’m drooling just writing this, and it’s still lunchtime.
I’ve put tater tots on a few other casseroles, too. They’re right below.
More Casseroles With a Potato Topping
- Philly Cheesesteak Tater Tot Casserole – beef, peppers and gravy under mozzarella and tots
- Big Mac Casserole – special sauce, pickles and cheese under crispy tater tots
- Corned Beef Hash Casserole – a brunch bake layered with tots, corned beef and Swiss
- French Fry Casserole – a ground beef casserole with french fries on top
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef – Lean ground beef, or swap in ground pork or ground turkey.
Beans – I like a mix of black beans and pinto beans. Use just one kind and double it if you’d rather. When I was testing, I also tried Ranch Style beans. They’re smoky, seasoned pinto beans and they’re so good in this.
Corn – Canned or frozen. Mexicorn adds extra flavor.
Fire Roasted Tomatoes – Regular diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes work too. Use Rotel for more flavor.
Sour Cream – Plain Greek yogurt works if that’s what you have.
Tater Tots – Frozen, not thawed. Or use shredded hashbrowns or diced potatoes. The ones with peppers and onions are amazing on this.
Seasoning – I use taco seasoning or Southwest seasoning. Fajita seasoning works in a pinch. No packet in the pantry, mix cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder.
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How To Make Cowboy Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet until it’s no longer pink. Drain if needed.
- Add the onion, garlic and jalapeños and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Add the beans, corn and tomatoes.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, sour cream and half the cheese.
- Cook until warm and bubbly. Taste and season with salt and black pepper if you like.
- Spread the beef mixture in an even layer in the prepared dish. Top with a single layer of tater tots and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until it’s bubbly and the tater tots are lightly browned and crispy. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How To Store, Make Ahead and Freeze Cowboy Casserole
Make Ahead: Assemble it and stop before baking. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes in the oven.
Leftovers: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. For crispy tots again, pop it in the air fryer.
Freezer: Bake it and let it cool completely. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F.
Cowboy Casserole Variations
Hash Brown Topping – Spread frozen shredded hash browns over the top instead of tater tots.
Meatless – Use meatless crumbles in place of the beef or double up on the beans.
More Veggies – Stir in some frozen mixed vegetables with the corn.
What To Serve With Cowboy Casserole
It’s a full meal on its own, with the beef, the beans and the tots. It also says “taco Tuesday” to me, so I keep the sides on theme.
This Fiesta salad is a great one, or keep it simple with chips, salsa and guacamole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mine is ground beef, onion, garlic and jalapeños, plus black beans, pinto beans, corn and fire roasted tomatoes. Taco seasoning, sour cream and cheddar turn it into a saucy filling, then tater tots and more cheese go on top. A lot of cowboy casseroles online use regular potatoes. Mine uses frozen tater tots. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
In my kitchen, it comes down to tots versus biscuits. My cowboy casserole has beans and corn in the beef mixture and tater tots on top. My John Wayne casserole skips the beans and corn. The taco seasoned beef bakes on a biscuit crust, under a sour cream, mayo and cheese layer with tomatoes and jalapeños.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Taste the beef mixture before it goes in the dish. That’s your last easy chance to add salt and pepper.
- Keep the tater tots in a single, even layer across the top.
- It’s done when the filling bubbles at the edges and the tots are lightly browned.
- Spray the dish first. Cleanup is so much easier.
Round Up More Cowboy Recipes
- Cornbread Cowboy Casserole – the one I made when we were out of tater tots
- Cowboy Soup – a ground beef soup loaded with beans, corn and potatoes
- Cowboy Sliders – sliders brushed with cowboy butter
- Cowboy Caviar – a bean and corn dip to scoop with chips
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Cowboy Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 teaspoon olive oil optional
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 medium jalapeño peppers seeded and diced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet
- 15 ounces black beans rinsed, drained
- 15 ounces pinto beans rinsed, drained
- 15 ounces corn drained
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 32 ounces tater tots frozen
- chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook the ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. If you need to add the olive oil, do it now. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers for 2-3 minutes or until tender.
- Add the beans, corn, and tomatoes.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, sour cream, and half the cheese. Cook until warm and bubbly. Taste and season with salt and black pepper if desired.
- Spread the beef mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Top with a single layer of tater tots. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are lightly browned and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley or cilantro.
Notes
- Make ahead: Assemble without baking, wrap tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days. Let it sit out 30 minutes before baking.
- Leftovers: 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, oven or air fryer.
- Freezer: Bake, cool, wrap in plastic and foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, bake at 350°F to 165°F.
- Swaps: Ground pork, ground turkey or meatless crumbles for the beef. Shredded hash browns for the tots. Cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder for the taco seasoning.
Nutrition
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