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Bubbling hot Cowboy Casserole with golden-brown crispy tater tots, melted cheddar cheese, seasoned ground beef, corn, and black beans

Easy Cowboy Casserole

This easy Cowboy Casserole combines seasoned ground beef, sweet corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes with green chiles in a creamy cheese filling, topped with ultra-crispy golden tater tots and melted cheddar.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Savory Beef & Aromatics
  • 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef 85/15 or 90/10 lean
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Pantry Filling & Creamy Base
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) sweet whole kernel corn drained (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles such as Ro-Tel, with juices
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or 1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cheddar soup
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided; 1 cup for filling, 1 cup for topping
Crispy Crown & Garnish
  • 1 bag (28 to 32 oz) frozen tater tots kept frozen until ready to bake
  • 3 medium green onions (scallions) thinly sliced, for garnish
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro optional, chopped

Equipment

  • 9x13-Inch Ceramic or Glass Baking Dish
  • 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet or Heavy Pan
  • Wooden Spoon or Meat Chopper
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Cheese Grater

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and diced onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain excess grease, add minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
    Browning ground beef with diced yellow onions and minced garlic in a black cast iron skillet
  2. Sprinkle the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper over the beef. Stir in the drained black beans, drained sweet corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles (with their juices), and sour cream. Simmer over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until thoroughly warmed and creamy.
    Stirring black beans, sweet corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and Tex-Mex seasoning into the beef skillet
  3. Pour the warm beef and bean mixture into your prepared 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread it out with a spatula into an even layer. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the beef layer.
    Spreading the beef and bean mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkling shredded cheddar cheese on top
  4. Arrange the frozen tater tots in neat, tight rows across the entire surface of the casserole, covering the meat and cheese layer completely from edge to edge.
    Arranging frozen tater tots in neat, tight rows over the beef and cheddar cheese layer in the casserole dish
  5. Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 30 to 35 minutes until the beef filling bubbles at the edges and the tater tots turn golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the hot tots. Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Garnish with sliced green onions and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
    Freshly baked Cowboy Casserole straight out of the oven with golden crunchy tater tots, melted bubbling cheese, and fresh scallions

Notes

Keep tater tots frozen until the exact moment you arrange them in the baking dish. Thawed tots turn soggy instead of crunchy.
Placing tots in tight, straight rows exposes maximum surface area to hot oven air, guaranteeing every tot turns crisp.
Let the casserole rest on the counter for 10 minutes after baking. This gives the sauce time to thicken so each scoop holds its shape.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in an air fryer or toaster oven at 375°F for 5 minutes to restore crispy tater tots.