Description
Craving a cozy, family-friendly dinner that’s big on comfort and light on effort? This Easy Cowboy Casserole layers a creamy, cheesy ground-beef filling under a crispy tater-tot crown—hello weeknight hero. It’s ideal for a quick dinner, easy recipe nights, potlucks, and make-ahead meal prep. Simple ingredients, minimal prep, and maximum comfort.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
32 ounces frozen tater tots
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter (for sauteing)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet; brown ground beef and drain fat.
3. Add onion and garlic; cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in soup, sour cream, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
5. Fold in frozen mixed vegetables.
6. Spread mixture in dish and top with cheddar cheese.
7. Arrange tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
8. Bake 35–40 minutes until tots are crisp and the filling bubbles.
9. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Broil 1–2 minutes at the end for extra-crispy tots (watch closely).
Assemble up to 24 hours ahead; add 5–10 minutes to the bake time from cold.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (about 1/6 recipe)
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 980
- Fat: 33
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 26
- Cholesterol: 95