Cowboy Casserole
This easy cowboy casserole recipe has golden tater tots, ground beef, and Tex-Mex flavors! The addition of bacon makes it extra delicious, and it's simple and affordable.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (12 ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
- 2 cups shredded cheddar divided
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots see note
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped scallions for serving (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Add the bacon to a skillet over medium heat and cook until crispy (about 10 minutes). Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and leave the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the beef and onions to the skillet, stirring occasionally and breaking the beef up with your spoon, until it's browned and the onions have softened (about 7-8 minutes). Spoon out most of the excess fat.
- Add the garlic and taco seasoning to the skillet and cook for about a minute.
- Turn the burner off, and then stir in the condensed soup, sour cream, black beans, corn, diced green chilies, half of the cooked bacon, and about a 1/2 cup of the cheddar. Combine well (I use 2 large spoons to make this easy).
- Transfer the skillet mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish and smooth in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the rest of the cheese, the remaining bacon, and then top it with the tater tots.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the tater tots are nicely browned and the cheese is hot and bubbly. You may want to broil at the end for a few minutes (watch it carefully). Serve with chopped scallions and season with salt & pepper if needed.
Notes
- Tater tot package sizes can vary, so anything in the 32 oz. ballpark will work (you may use a bit less depending how you arrange them in your baking dish).
- Some of the ingredients in this dish can be quite salty, so use low-sodium versions wherever possible if you are sensitive to salt.
- Serves 6-8 depending on how much people eat.
Nutrition
Calories: 636kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1524mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 737IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 261mg | Iron: 4mg