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    Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

    Cowboy Casserole

    Published: Feb 17, 2023 Modified: Feb 3, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    Complete with hearty ground beef, potatoes, beans, veggies, and cheese, this amazing Cowboy Casserole is the perfect comfort food! Prep is easy, and cooking it is even easier: just set it in the slow cooker and it's ready in time for dinner.

    crockpot cowboy casserole on a plate up close
    Jump to:
    • Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
    • Beef and Potatoes Casserole Ingredients
    • How to Make Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
    • Cowboy Casserole Recipe Tips
    • Beef and Potato Casserole Toppings
    • Storing Cowboy Casserole
    • Slow Cooker Beef Casserole FAQs
    • Beef Casserole Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe

    Crockpot Cowboy Casserole

    Raising 4 kids, I think it goes without saying I have always been in need of easy slow cooker dinner recipes that even picky eaters will love! There have been plenty of nights where I have had a fridge full of ingredients without any time to put together dinner.

    Cowboy casserole is the perfect solution to a flavorful, filling dinner everyone will love - including picky kids! - because it has everything you could possibly want in a casserole. It's filled with ground beef, potatoes, onions, cheese... one bite will blow your mind!

    Not only is it out-of-this-world delicious, this cowboy casserole crockpot recipe only takes minutes to prepare! Personally, nothing makes me happier then walking into my aroma-filled kitchen to a big crockpot full of slow-cooked deliciousness.

    Crockpot casseroles are one of the best budget-friendly meals that can easily feed a crowd in no time. Everyone will love the comfort in each bite - I promise they'll end up going back for seconds.

    My crockpot casserole will quickly become one of your family's favorite slow cooker ground beef recipes!

    cowboy casserole on a white plate next to the crockpot

    Beef and Potatoes Casserole Ingredients

    • ground beef
    • sea salt
    • pepper
    • cumin
    • minced garlic
    • sweet onion
    • red potatoes
    • kidney beans
    • fire-roasted diced tomatoes
    • corn
    • hot sauce
    • cheddar cheese
    • beef broth

    For additional flavor, you can use our beef taco seasoning!

    cowboy casserole ingredients in bowls with labels

    How to Make Crockpot Cowboy Casserole

    1. In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and season with salt and pepper.
    2. Cook until browned, then season with cumin. Add diced onions and minced garlic and cook down until soft. Drain any excess fat.
    3. In a 6-quart slow cooker, add cooked beef and all other ingredients except the cheddar cheese.
    4. Stir ingredients well, cover with the lid, and cook on high for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
      cowboy casserole in the crockpot ready to cook
    5. 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.
    6. Serve immediately and enjoy!
    cheese melted on top of crockpot cowboy casserole

    Cowboy Casserole Recipe Tips

    • Before adding the cheese, make sure your potatoes are soft and fork-tender.
    • You can easily substitute the red potatoes for hash browns or tater tots!
    • Brown your ground beef in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker. This gives the dish much 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!
    • Add in a variety of beans, such as black beans or pinto beans!
    • Easily make dairy-free cowboy casserole by omitting the shredded cheese, or using a dairy-free alternative.

    Beef and Potato Casserole Toppings

    • extra shredded cheese
    • cilantro
    • bacon pieces
    • sour cream
    • green onions
    • jalapeno peppers

    Serve with your favorite buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, or even plain ketchup (usually a fan-favorite with the kiddos).

    Storing Cowboy Casserole

    • To store any leftover cowboy casserole in the fridge, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the slow cooker, the stovetop, or microwave for a few minutes, until leftovers are warmed through.
    • To freeze cowboy casserole, simply brown ground beef and place in a freezer bag. Place freezer bag with ground beef in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you are ready to cook it, add your frozen ground beef to the crockpot along with the other ingredients and cook normally.
    cowboy casserole on a white plate with fresh parsley

    Slow Cooker Beef Casserole FAQs

    What is cowboy casserole made of?

    My crockpot cowboy casserole is made with sliced red potatoes, browned ground beef, spices, beans, diced tomatoes, and topped with shredded cheese! Perfect to serve for a busy weeknight dinner or for a family gathering. Cowboy casserole typically uses tater tots, but regular red potatoes work just as well.

    Can you put raw ground beef in the slow cooker?

    Although it is safe to put raw ground beef in the slow cooker, for this recipe we browned the ground beef separately in a skillet. This ensures your beef is cooked to perfection and locks in all the flavor!

    Beef Casserole Recipes

    • Mexican Casserole
    • Hamburger Casserole
    • Taco Casserole Recipe

    📋 Recipe

    crockpot cowboy casserole on a white plate with fresh parsley
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Cowboy Casserole

    Complete with hearty ground beef, potatoes, beans, veggies, and cheese, this amazing Cowboy Casserole is the perfect comfort food!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time4 hrs
    Total Time4 hrs 15 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: beef and potatoes casserole, cowboy casserole, crockpot cowboy casserole, slow cooker beef casserole
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 328kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • 1 6qt. slow cooker

    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

    See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

    Instructions

    • In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and season with salt and pepper.
      1 lb. lean ground beef, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon cumin
    • Cook until browned, then season with cumin. Add diced onions and minced garlic and cook down until soft. Drain any excess fat.
      ½ cup sweet onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • In a 6-quart slow cooker, add cooked beef and all other ingredients except the cheddar cheese.
      4-5 red potatoes, 1 can dark kidney beans, 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1 bag frozen corn, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, ½ cup beef broth
      cowboy casserole in the crockpot ready to cook
    • 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.
      1 cup cheddar cheese
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!
      cheese melted on top of crockpot cowboy casserole

    Notes

    • Try using our homemade beef taco seasoning for even more flavor.
    • Before adding the cheese, make sure your potatoes are soft and fork-tender.
    • You can easily substitute the red potatoes for hash browns or tater tots!
    • Brown your ground beef in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker. This gives the dish much 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!
    • Add in a variety of beans, such as black beans or pinto beans!
    • Easily make dairy-free cowboy casserole by omitting the shredded cheese, or using a dairy-free alternative.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 622mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 363IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 4mg

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    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and makes regular television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

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