Description
Cowboy Casserole is a hearty and comforting dish featuring seasoned ground beef, creamy mushroom soup, tender corn, crispy bacon, and golden tater tots topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a family-friendly main course that combines flavors and textures everyone loves.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup cooked and chopped bacon
- 28 ounces frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook ground beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef while breaking it into small pieces. Continue cooking until no pink remains. Drain excess grease thoroughly.
- Make the creamy mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and sour cream until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Season the mixture: Add onion powder, salt, and black pepper to the creamy mixture and mix until evenly incorporated.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the cooked ground beef, frozen corn, half of the shredded cheddar cheese (½ cup), and the chopped bacon until everything is evenly combined.
- Assemble casserole: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Evenly layer the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and then arrange the frozen tater tots on top in a single layer.
- Bake the casserole: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are browned and crisp.
- Add final cheese layer: Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and gooey.
- Serve: Optionally, sprinkle some additional cooked bacon on top before serving warm for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a lower-fat option, use lean ground beef or ground turkey and reduced-fat cheese and sour cream.
- Feel free to substitute cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken or cream of celery soup for a different flavor.
- Adding diced onions or bell peppers to the ground beef can add extra texture and flavor.
- If you prefer crispier tater tots, broil them for 1-2 minutes at the end of baking while watching carefully.
- This casserole can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated before baking; just add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
