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Cowboy Casserole

A hearty one-pot dish featuring ground beef, potatoes, cheese, and a medley of beans and tomatoes, perfect for family gatherings and weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat Mixture
  • 1 pound lean ground beef Can substitute with turkey or meat substitute.
  • 1 cup finely diced sweet yellow onions
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Vegetables & Legumes
  • 1 16-ounce can dark red kidney beans, undrained
  • 1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with fire roasted hatch chilies, with juice
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
Potatoes & Cheese
  • 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced about ⅛ inch thick
  • 1¼ cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Lightly spray your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray to ensure easy cleanup.
  2. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef along with diced onions and minced garlic until the beef is no longer pink.
  3. Drain any excess grease from the skillet and transfer the cooked mixture into the prepared crockpot.
  4. Add the undrained kidney beans, petite diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chilies, frozen corn, kosher salt, black pepper, and chipotle powder to the crockpot. Stir until well mixed.
Assembly
  1. Set aside 1½ cups of the meat mixture.
  2. Layer the sliced Yukon Gold potatoes over the meat mixture in the crockpot.
  3. Spread the reserved meat mixture evenly on top of the potatoes.
Cooking
  1. Cover the crockpot and cook on high for about 5 hours or low for 7 hours.
  2. Just before serving, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, cover again, and allow it to melt completely.

Notes

Serve with a simple green salad or crusty bread. Consider adding jalapeños or cayenne for extra spice. It can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days or frozen (before adding cheese) for optimal flavor.