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Cowboy Casserole

Cowboy Casserole is an easy and budget friendly family dinner. Made with hearty ground beef, beans, corn, and tomatoes. Topped with a crispy, cheesy, tater tot topping.
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Course: Ground Beef
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 680kcal
Author: Jennifer Stewart

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 9x13 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.
This recipe first appeared on Leftovers Then Breakfast.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1539mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g