This easy Cowboy Casserole is a creamy, hearty, and comforting dish perfect for any night of the week. With simple ingredients like crispy bacon, ground beef, and melty cheese, it’s quick to make and sure to satisfy everyone. Feel free to customize with your favorite veggies or cheese!
Ingredients Needed
- 1 (32 oz) bag of tater tots
- 4 strips of bacon (about 3 oz)
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 lb ground sirloin
- 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper, divided
- 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 8 oz shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped chives or scallions, for topping
How To Make Cowboy Casserole Recipe
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Let the tater tots thaw slightly while you prepare the filling.
- Cook Bacon: In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Cook Onion & Garlic: Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook for about 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground sirloin to the skillet, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Remove from the heat.
- Make Filling: Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper until smooth. Fold in the spinach to wilt slightly and then stir in the frozen corn.
- Assemble Casserole: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the beef mixture. Arrange the tater tots on top in concentric circles, or simply place them closely together. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Bake: Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes, until the tater tots are golden and crispy.
- Finish & Serve: Remove from the oven and crumble the cooked bacon over the top. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Use Fresh Bacon: For the crispiest bacon, use fresh strips and cook them until extra crispy. This adds a nice crunch to the casserole.
- Don’t Overcook the Beef: Be sure to cook the ground beef until it’s fully browned but not overcooked. Overcooking can make it dry.
- Add Extra Veggies: Feel free to add more veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Layer Tater Tots Evenly: Arrange the tater tots in a single, even layer so they bake to a perfect golden brown.
- Let the Casserole Rest: After baking, let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. This helps it set and makes it easier to serve.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Cover leftovers cowboy casserole and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap leftovers cowboy casserole tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 350°F until hot, about 20-25 minutes.
- Reheating: To reheat leftovers cowboy casserole, reheat the Cowboy Casserole in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly, or microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (1/6 of the recipe)
- Calories: 464
- Total Fat: 35.8g
- Saturated Fat: 14.5g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
- Sodium: 1,000mg
- Potassium: 400mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 13.2g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 22.8g
More Recipes:
Cowboy Casserole Recipe
Description
This easy Cowboy Casserole is a creamy, hearty, and comforting dish perfect for any night of the week. With simple ingredients like crispy bacon, ground beef, and melty cheese, it’s quick to make and sure to satisfy everyone. Feel free to customize with your favorite veggies or cheese!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Let the tater tots thaw slightly while you prepare the filling.
- Cook Bacon: In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Cook Onion & Garlic: Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook for about 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground sirloin to the skillet, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Remove from the heat.
- Make Filling: Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper until smooth. Fold in the spinach to wilt slightly and then stir in the frozen corn.
- Assemble Casserole: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the beef mixture. Arrange the tater tots on top in concentric circles, or simply place them closely together. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Bake: Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes, until the tater tots are golden and crispy.
- Finish & Serve: Remove from the oven and crumble the cooked bacon over the top. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions before serving.
Notes
- Use Fresh Bacon: For the crispiest bacon, use fresh strips and cook them until extra crispy. This adds a nice crunch to the casserole.
- Don’t Overcook the Beef: Be sure to cook the ground beef until it’s fully browned but not overcooked. Overcooking can make it dry.
- Add Extra Veggies: Feel free to add more veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Layer Tater Tots Evenly: Arrange the tater tots in a single, even layer so they bake to a perfect golden brown.
- Let the Casserole Rest: After baking, let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. This helps it set and makes it easier to serve.
Cowboy Casserole Recipe