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Cowboy Casserole is a hearty, creamy beef and tater tot bake that’s seriously satisfying. This easy dinner recipe comes out hot, bubbly, and full of flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights or anytime you need a quick, family-friendly comfort food.
What is Cowboy Casserole?
Cowboy Casserole is a comforting, all-in-one baked dish made with ground beef, shredded cheese, corn, sour cream, and crispy tater tots. It’s similar to a classic tater tot hotdish, but with a Tex-Mex twist thanks to the Rotel tomatoes. The result is a creamy, cheesy, one-pan dinner with just the right amount of kick.
Why You’ll Love This Cowboy Casserole
- Complete one-pan meal; no side dish needed
- Perfect for leftovers or freezer meals
- Easy to customize with different meats or cheeses
- Always a crowd-pleaser on busy nights
Ingredients Notes
- Ground beef – Can be swapped with ground turkey or chicken
- Yellow onion – Adds flavor and texture
- Rotel tomatoes – For a Tex-Mex kick; use regular diced tomatoes for less spice
- Whole kernel corn – Drained; adds sweetness and texture
- Cream of mushroom soup – Substitute with cream of chicken or a homemade white sauce
- Colby and Monterey Jack cheese – Provolone, pepper jack, or cheddar cheese are great alternatives
- Sour cream – Greek yogurt or softened cream cheese work as substitutes
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground black pepper
- Chopped chives – Optional, for garnish
- Frozen tater tots – The crispy potato topping that makes this tater tot casserole extra satisfying
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cowboy Casserole
- Prep the pan and tater tots: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Arrange tater tots in a single layer and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
- Cook the beef mixture: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion over medium heat until the beef is fully cooked and the onion is soft. Drain any excess grease.
- Add seasoning and simmer: Stir in Rotel tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes or until the liquid reduces.
- Combine filling: Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, soup, corn, and ½ cup shredded cheese until the cheese melts and mixture is creamy.
- Assemble casserole: Spread the beef mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese over the top, then layer the pre-baked tater tots.
- Top and bake: Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese and chopped chives on top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Serve: Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
Try a slow cooker cowboy casserole by layering the ingredients in a Crockpot and cooking on low for 4–5 hours.
Recipe Tips
- For crispier tater tots, pre-bake before assembling
- Let casserole rest 5–10 minutes before slicing for best texture
- Use freshly shredded cheese for better melting
- Prep ahead by assembling and refrigerating unbaked up to 24 hours
Store & Make Ahead Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven or microwave until heated through.
- Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe dish or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Make Ahead: Assemble up to 1 day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 5–10 minutes to the baking time if starting from cold.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
If you’ve tried this Cowboy Casserole Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Cowboy Casserole
Serves — 6
Creamy Cowboy Casserole is a hearty, one-pan dinner packed with seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and crispy tater tots. Quick, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes not drained
- 1 15.25- ounce can whole kernel corn drained
- 1 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup undiluted
- 1½ cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese shredded, divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp chives chopped
- 1 32-ounce bag tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Lightly spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Place the tater tots in the dish and pre-bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.1 32-ounce bag tater tots
- Turn the oven up to 425 degrees.
- In a large skillet cook your onions and ground beef until beef is no longer pink and onions are tender.1 pound ground beef, ½ medium yellow onion
- Pour in the Rotel tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Cook until the liquid has reduced, about 8 minutes.1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Remove from the heat and add sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, drained corn, ½ cup of cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.1 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1 15.25- ounce can whole kernel corn
- Pour the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of cheese over the top of the casserole.1½ cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
- Layer the tater tots on top pressing them down into the mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top of the tater tots.
- Sprinkle the chopped chives over the cheese.1 tbsp chives
- Cover and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- Pay super close attention to the ingredients above whether or not you should drain or not drain any of the canned ingredients! If you accidentally do the opposite, it will change the overall consistency and end product of your casserole!
- Pro-Tip: It is not absolutely necessary that you bake the tater tots before putting them in the casserole. As long as they are thawed out, they will cook in the oven regardless. However, I highly recommend if you have the time, adding this easy step because they will turn out so much better! They will be far crunchier and crispier.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 2mg
