Tater Tot Cowboy Casserole
Full of seasoned ground beef, lots of veggies, and topped with crispy tater tots, Cowboy Casserole is one the whole family will love!
When I’ve had a long day, there is nothing I look forward to more than a hot meal on the table. Especially one that is filling, one the whole family likes, and one that takes minimal effort.
This Cowboy Casserole checks all these boxes. No wonder my husband and son ask for it all the time!
The tangy sauce is full of Southwest flavors, the ground beef screams comfort food, and those crispy tater tots on top! I am drooling already and it’s still lunch time.
Speaking of tater tots, check out my Philly cheesesteak casserole, this loaded chicken tater tot casserole, and this copycat Big Mac casserole.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy here.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef – Lean ground beef or substitute ground pork or turkey.
- Beans – I like to use a combination of black beans and pinto beans. Feel free to use one or the other and double up. A nice alternative that I tried when testing is Ranch beans. They are smoky, seasoned pinto beans and are delicious!
- Corn – Canned, frozen corn, or even Mexi-corn for extra flavor.
- Fire roasted tomatoes – Substitute diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.
- Sour cream – Substitute plain Greek yogurt if needed.
- Tater tots – Frozen, you can also use hashbrowns or frozen diced potatoes. The ones with peppers and onion are amazing in this!
- Spices – I like to use taco seasoning or Southwest seasoning. You can also substitute fajita seasoning in a pinch.
Follow us on Pinterest so you can easily save your favorite casserole recipes to your dinner planning board. And save a few of our other recipes while you are there!
How To Make Cowboy Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Drain if needed.
- 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.
For the full recipe and detailed cooking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is really a complete meal with the ground beef, the fluffy tater tots, and all the vegetables. And it says “taco Tuesday” to me so I like to serve it with some sides that stay along that theme. This Fiesta salad is a great option, or you can keep it simple with chips, salsa, and some guacamole.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven until warmed through. Pop it in the air fryer if you want extra crispy tater tots again.
Prep Ahead & Freeze
You can prep it ahead of time, just stop before the baking. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking.
For freezing, bake and cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and bake at 350F until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Ground Beef Casseroles
Some of my favorite meals are casseroles! Budget friendly, easy to make ahead of time, and great for using up leftovers. Some of my favorites are this cowboy casserole with cornbread topping, this crockpot taco casserole that is super cheesy.
Tips For The Best Casserole
- Add in some frozen mixed vegetables if you want more veggies. This is a great option if you want to make this on Meatless Monday.
- Make this in the slow cooker. Add all ingredients to the crockpot, cook on low for 5 hours.
- Try spreading shredded hash brown potatoes on the top instead of tater tots.
- Use ground pork, ground turkey, or even meatless crumbles instead of the lean ground beef.
- Don’t have taco seasoning? Use a mixture of cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and onion powder.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!
This cowboy casserole recipe is budget friendly and full of flavors the whole family loves!
Cowboy Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 teaspoon olive oil optional
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeded and diced
- 1 ounce package taco seasoning
- 15 ounce can black beans drained
- 15 ounce can pinto beans drained
- 15 ounce can corn drained
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 32 ounces tater tots
- 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. 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
- Add in some frozen mixed vegetables to add in more veggies.
- Make this in the slow cooker. Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on low for 5 hours. Keep the lid on during the cooking time for best results.
- Try spreading shredded hash brown potatoes on the top instead of tater tots.
- Use ground pork, ground turkey, or even meatless crumbles instead of the lean ground beef.
- Don’t have taco seasoning? Use a mixture of cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and onion powder.
Nutrition
BestCasseroleRecipes.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
