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Complete with hearty ground beef, potatoes, beans, veggies, and cheese, this amazing Cowboy Casserole is the perfect comfort food for a busy weeknight! It's a huge hit with kids and a for-sure family favorite!
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Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
When I have a big day ahead of me, the first thing I think about is what I can throw together in the crock pot for later! After all, there's nothing better than finishing up a busy weekday to he smell of dinner already cooked and filling the kitchen. I can't get enough of slow cooker recipes for dinner! This cowboy casserole recipe is a slow cooker beef and potato comfort food dish I keep coming back to. It's just so easy and delicious, using only simple ingredients!
Why You'll Love My Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
It uses only easy, accessible ingredients
By using potatoes instead of tater tots, frozen corn, and canned tomatoes, this recipe comes together using only ingredients you likely already have on hand! That means that even if you don't have a clue what you want for dinner, you probably have everything you need to make a filling, comforting potato and beef casserole.
It's totally hands-off
Brown the beef, toss everything in the slow cooker, give it a good mix, and you're all set! This hands-off dinner recipe practically cooks itself, and by using easy ingredients, you barely need to chop any vegetables for prep, either.
It's perfect for customizing
Looking for a creamy potato casserole? Mix in a can of cream of chicken soup! Want to spice it up? Try swapping the meat for taco meat, or add in your favorite taco seasoning! Looking to get your kids to eat their veggies? Add in chopped bell pepper, carrots, and more. You can't go wrong with this easy crock pot casserole recipe!
Beef and Potatoes Casserole Ingredients
- Ground beef: Ground beef cooks up tender and juicy in the slow cooker, and absorbs all the flavors of the seasonings. If you want, you can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Sea salt: I prefer a nice flaky salt like Maldon sea salt flakes, but kosher salt works great too!
- Black pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper is a must, as it will add a ton of flavor to the dish.
- Cumin: A bit of cumin adds a rich, earthy flavor that really compliments the beef and root vegetables.
- Minced garlic: I recommend fresh garlic so it can really flavor the whole dish! You can also use bottled, or powdered garlic in a pinch.
- Onion: A fresh, diced sweet onion adds a ton of juicy flavor to this dish. You can also use a yellow onion or white onion.
- Red potatoes: Red potatoes have a great texture for slow cooker potatoes, as they don't fall to pieces and have a tender chew to them. Plus, the soft skin means you don't need to peel them! You can also use fingerling potatoes or small Yukon gold potatoes.
- Kidney beans: You can also use other beans! I like kidney beans, black beans, and northern white beans.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: I highly recommend fire-roasted tomatoes, as they're packed with flavor! That said, you can also use regular diced tomatoes and up the amount of spices.
- Corn: Frozen or fresh corn will work great. You can also use canned corn, as it will cook up the same.
- Hot sauce: Use your favorite hot sauce, like Frank's Red Hot or Sriracha!
- Cheddar cheese: Cheddar cheese is my favorite for the sharp flavor, but you can use your favorite flavorful melty cheese. I also like it with pepperjack cheese, monterey jack, and Mexican blend.
- Beef broth: Beef broth soaks into the potatoes to make them nice and moist when cooked, and absorbs the juices from the meat and veggies to make a delicious sauce!
Looking to boost the flavor even more? I highly recommend adding in taco seasoning! Try my homemade taco seasoning blend- it's so easy, and so, so delicious!
How to Make Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
- In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook until browned, then season with cumin, as well as any extra seasonings if adding. Add diced onions and minced garlic and cook down until soft. Drain any excess fat.
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, add cooked beef and all other ingredients except the cheddar cheese.
- Stir ingredients well, cover with the lid, and cook on high for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove lid and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover with the lid again and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips for Making Cowboy Casserole
- Before adding the cheese, make sure your potatoes are soft and fork-tender. You can lower the cook time by cutting the potatoes smaller!
- You can easily substitute the red potatoes for hash browns or tater tots! You can add them in frozen; they'll heat thoroughly in the slow cooker.
- Make sure to brown the ground beef in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. This gives it a nice sear and a ton more flavor.
- Have company coming over? Toss in a few extra cans of beans and tomatoes and this meal can easily be stretched to feed more! Or, make a double batch to store for meal prep. It freezes great!
- You can make a thick, creamy sauce for this casserole by adding in a can of condensed cream of chicken soup! Cream of mushroom soup also works great.
- Easily make dairy-free cowboy casserole by omitting the shredded cheese, or using a dairy-free alternative.
Cowboy Casserole Toppings
This casserole is great on its own, but it's even better if you pile on toppings! I find that any topping that tastes good on tacos or on baked potatoes will taste great on ground beef and potato casserole.
- extra shredded cheese
- cilantro
- bacon pieces
- sour cream
- green onions
- jalapeno peppers
Finish it all off with a delicious sauce to drizzle over top, like a tangy crema, gooey cheese sauce, or spicy and sweet honey buffalo sauce!
Storing Cowboy Casserole
- Refrigerator: You can store leftover casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure to let the potato casserole cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers.
- Freezer: You can freeze this casserole, but be warned that the cheese may not thaw quite right, and the potatoes may not be as tender! However, if the potatoes are cut nice and small, it will still freeze great. I recommend freezing it in a casserole dish and covering it with foil so you can put it directly in the oven to heat.
- Thawing: Thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight or place it in an oven-safe container in the oven with foil over top. Heat for 30 minutes at 400°F or until the internal temperature reads at least 165°F.
- Reheating: Reheat thawed portions in the microwave, or on the stove! I like adding a little extra cheese!
FAQ
My crockpot cowboy casserole is made with sliced red potatoes, browned ground beef, spices, beans, diced tomatoes, and topped with shredded cheese, all cooked up in a delicious beef gravy. The classic cowboy casserole uses tater tots, which you can use instead of the potatoes, but I love how tender potatoes turn out.
You can absolutely put raw ground beef in the slow cooker, and in dishes like chili, this can make for extra juicy and tender ground beef. However, I recommend browning the ground beef in this recipe first, as it adds lots of flavor and helps break up the beef.
Cowboy Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- 4-5 red potatoes sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 clove
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 can dark kidney beans drained - 14.5 oz
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 14.5 oz - or regular diced tomatoes
- 1 bag frozen corn 10 oz
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce use your favorite
- 1 cup cheddar cheese sharp
- ½ cup beef broth
Instructions
- In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook until browned, then season with cumin. Add diced onions and minced garlic and cook down until soft. Drain any excess fat.
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, add cooked beef and all other ingredients except the cheddar cheese.
- Stir ingredients well, cover with the lid, and cook on high for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove lid and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover with the lid again and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Christine Mueller says
Excellent!! My fussy boyfriend loved this. I didn't change a thing!!
Isabel Laessig says
This is wonderful to hear, Christine. Thank you!