Description
This hearty Cowboy Casserole is a comforting one-dish meal packed with ground beef, crispy bacon, beans, corn, and melty cheddar cheese, all topped with golden tater tots. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines savory taco seasoning with creamy mushroom soup and sour cream for rich flavor and satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat & Protein
- 6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Vegetables & Legumes
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (12-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
Dairy
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Canned & Packaged
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
Seasonings & Garnishes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped scallions, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Cook Bacon: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they become crispy. Once done, remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pan to add flavor for the next steps.
- Brown Beef and Season: Add the ground beef and chopped onion to the skillet with the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat until the beef is fully browned and the onions are softened. Drain off any excess fat. Then stir in the minced garlic and the taco seasoning packet, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Combine Ingredients: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the condensed cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, drained black beans, corn, diced green chilies, half of the cooked bacon, and half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Mix everything thoroughly to combine the flavors well.
- Assemble and Bake: Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Transfer the beef mixture evenly into the dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese and bacon pieces over the top, then layer the frozen tater tots evenly on top of everything. Place the casserole uncovered into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the tater tots turn golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Optionally, you can broil the casserole for a few minutes at the end to get the tater tots extra crispy.
- Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallions if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy this delicious, comforting dish.
Notes
- You can substitute the cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken soup if preferred.
- For added spice, consider adding diced jalapeños along with the green chilies.
- The casserole can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated; just bake when ready.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
- To make this recipe lower in fat, use turkey bacon and lean ground turkey instead of beef and regular bacon.
