Crockpot Cowboy Casserole is the ultimate comfort food, packed with hearty ingredients like ground beef, tender potatoes, and melty cheese. It’s quick to prep and perfect for busy days—just layer everything in your slow cooker and let it handle the hard work. By dinnertime, you’ll have a warm, satisfying meal ready to enjoy, making it a hit with the whole family.

Crockpot Cowboy Casserole

Our easy cheesy Crockpot Cowboy Casserole recipe cooks a comforting, homemade meal with minimal work and not much clean-up. Simply brown the ground beef, combine the meat and remaining ingredients in the slow cooker, then set it and forget it until dinner is done.

This delicious one-dish dinner combines the robust flavors and satisfying portions of cowboy food with the simmering method and stew-like consistency of my slow cooker chili. It’s packed with protein, veggies, and complex carbs for a well-rounded meal; a meat and potato recipe that’s filling enough to ensure you’ll leave the table satisfied and a taste that’s hard to resist.

When you have a crowd of hungry cowboys, why not skip the open flame and feed them a slow cooker cowboy casserole instead?

Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole Ingredients

Lean ground beef: Feel free to use ground chicken or ground turkey for ground beef for a lower-fat meat mixture.
Sweet yellow onions: Onion adds sweetness and depth of flavor to the ground beef. If preferred, you can substitute plain yellow onion for the sweet yellow onion.
Minced garlic: Feel free to substitute garlic powder for the minced garlic.
Dark red kidney beans: I use canned kidney beans for this crock pot casserole, but feel free to use any of your other favorite varieties, like black beans, chili beans, or cannellini beans. Don’t use dry beans, as they won’t cook in time.
Petite diced tomatoes: Petite diced tomatoes usually contain less liquid than whole or crushed tomatoes, which helps maintain the desired consistency of the dish.
Diced tomatoes and fire roasted hatch chilies: You can also combine canned diced tomatoes with a can of green chilies.
Frozen corn
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Chipotle powder: If you are not able to find chipotle powder, you can substitute chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, or even taco seasoning.
Yukon gold potatoes: You can substitute sliced red potatoes for yukon gold. They may take just a bit longer to cook the red potatoes, so be sure to adjust the cooking time by about 30 to 45 minutes longer.
Shredded colby and monterey jack cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese (mild, sharp, or even extra sharp) can be substituted for the shredded colby and monterey jack cheese. Shredded pepper jack cheese can also be substituted for the colby jack cheese for an even spicier casserole version.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole with melted cheese being served.

How to Make Crockpot Cowboy Casserole

Brown The Beef: Brown the ground beef, onions, and garlic until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess oil from the beef mixture and add to the crockpot.
Make The Meat Mixture: Stir in the undrained kidney beans, both cans of diced tomatoes, frozen corn, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder.
Assemble: Remove half of the meat mixture, add a layer of potatoes on top of the remaining mixture, then cover with the reserved meat.
Cook The Casserole: Place the lid onto the crockpot and cook on high for 5 hours, or low for 7 hours.
Cover The Casserole: Remove the lid, sprinkle shredded cheese over the casserole, and re-cover until the cheese is completely melted.
Serve: Serve hot and enjoy!

Kidney beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and spices added to a crockpot; meat mixture stirred with beans and tomatoes; sliced potatoes layered on top; casserole cooked in crockpot; shredded cheese sprinkled over the casserole; melted cheese topping the finished dish.

Serving Suggestions

Crockpot ground beef casserole recipes make a complete meal on their own because they contains plenty of protein, veggies, and carbs. However, you can certainly serve it with bread, whole grains, a salad, or biscuits on the side.

Bread: Cornbread, garlic bread, or breadsticks are great ways to soak up the sauce of this stew.
Salad: A side salad or steamed veggie can add a simple contrast to the full flavors of this slow cooker casserole.

Crock pot recipes are practical for feeding a group, perfect for family get-togethers, game day gatherings, or taking to tailgates. For more easy slow cooker casseroles, check out my French toast casserole and breakfast casserole.

Tips & Variations

Bulk Up The Beef: Feel free to add sausage, bacon, or more beans to bulk up the meat mixture.
Vary The Veggies: You can add corn, peas, carrots, green bell pepper or any kind of veggie you love.
Vegetarian Version: To make a meatless meal, replace the beef with a variety of veggies and beans. Or use your favorite plant-based meat substitutes to make a vegetarian casserole.
Customize Your Casserole: Cowboy slow cooker recipes can be customized with whatever ingredients you like or have on hand. Add in your favorite veggies, swap out the cheese, or adjust the spices to suit your taste. This dish is a great canvas for creativity, allowing you to tailor it to your family’s preferences.
Pick Your Potato: For a tater tot twist, you can bake a cowboy casserole in the oven with a beef and cream of mushroom soup base and a tater tot and cheese topping. Or if you like Russet potatoes, try my Texas Cowboy stew.

Proper Storage

To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze the casserole for up to 2 months. If freezing, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top until heated through.

Other Easy Casserole Recipes

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