Creamy And Cheesy Cowboy Casserole Recipe

Hearty casseroles are all too appealing, brimming with layers of ingredients combined in a rich filling. That description is spot on with this creamy and cheesy cowboy casserole, courtesy of The Takeout recipe developer Kate Shungu. A flavorful base loaded with ground beef, corn, and cream of mushroom soup gets a special treatment with a shredded cheese and tater tot topping. Unlike usual renditions of this Wild West classic, Shungu's recipe doubles down on flavor, by tossing the tater tots with a spiced oil.

It's just the special touch needed to transform this dish to new heights. "I love all the Southwest flavors in this casserole, from the chili powder seasoned tots to the green chiles in the beef mixture," Shungu shares. As such a nourishing casserole, Shungu comments, "It's a meal that could stand on its own, though I like serving it with a Southwest salad (a salad kit is great for this) to add a little freshness to the meal." Of course, this casserole works equally as well amidst a game day spread of appetizers or as a main course option for a Super Bowl party.

For this recipe, you'll need olive oil, a small yellow onion (finely chopped), red bell pepper (finely chopped), ground beef, a can of chopped green chiles, corn kernels, chili powder, a can of cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, shredded cheddar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and a bag of frozen tater tots. If desired, get fresh chopped chives for garnish.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion and chopped bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the chiles, corn, 1 teaspoon chili powder, cream of mushroom soup, milk, and salt.

Transfer the mixture to a 13x9-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder.

Transfer the frozen tater tots to a large bowl, and pour the seasoned oil over the top. Toss to combine.

Arrange the tater tots in even rows over the top of the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the tater tots are golden brown.

Sprinkle chives over the top, if desired, and serve.

This cowboy casserole recipe is a fairly classic representation of the dish, albeit with seasoned tater tots for extra pizzazz. However, there are plenty of other ways to switch it up so you can include this as a regular part of your weekly repertoire, gatherings, and potlucks without resorting to the same exact formulation every time. 

For starters, Shungu recommends swapping out the ground beef with ground turkey. This will give the dish a milder flavor and a lower fat content. Of course, you can ramp it up by mixing cooked or crumbled bacon into the mixture as well. On the other hand, black beans or kidney beans add fiber and a nice chew, or Shungu suggests using them as a substitute for meat. Alternatively, swap the tater tots out with hash browns for a textural variation. Meanwhile, if you're looking for more heat, Shungu recommends adding jalapeños or spicy diced chiles.

Some casseroles make for great leftovers, but this cowboy casserole is at its peak right out of the oven, according to Shungu. Unlike casseroles with a creamy top layer, tater tots shine when they're crisp and crunchy from the baking process. For that reason, Shungu recommends adjusting the portion size accordingly, and suggests, "Make half a recipe if you're worried you'll have too much."

That said, there's optimal and there's still really good. Leftover cowboy casserole will keep for several days in the fridge, but you'll want to be careful about how you reheat it. Shungu recommends using the oven to ensure the tater tots crisp up again. Other appliances like a toaster oven or air fryer work too if you transfer the leftovers to an appropriate dish. "Avoid reheating in the microwave, which will result in soggy tater tots," Shungu warns.