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Home » Recipes » Entrees

Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

Published: Jun 27, 2023 by Bowl Me Over · 11 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Your family is going to devour this yummy Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole! Stuffed with ground beef, cheese and corn then topped with crispy tots and more cheese. The whole family will love this, even your most picky eaters! It's a perfect weeknight dinner.

If you love this easy recipe you'll love this cheesy beef noodle casserole as well!

Cowboy Casserole in white dish with serving spoon.
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🗒️ Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🔪 Equipment
  • 🙋‍♀️ FAQ's
  • 👍 Tips
  • 📓 Variations
  • Storage
  • Web Story
  • Serving suggestions
  • Related recipes
  • Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole

Why you'll love this recipe

✔️ This easy casserole recipe is so simple!

✔️ Made with everyday ingredients you have on hand, it's pure comfort food! This hearty casserole takes just minutes to make, it's a delicious dinner, easy recipe and perfect for weeknight meals!

✔️ You can even make it ahead and freeze it!

🗒️ Ingredients

Ingredients needed for Cowboy Casserole with print overlay.
You'll love this delicious Cowboy Casserole!

You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients for the cowboy casserole recipe, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

  • frozen tater tots - diced hash brown potatoes would work just as well.
  • ground beef - you can certainly substitute ground turkey, chicken or ground pork.
  • cream of mushroom soup - cream of chicken or celery would work! I'm also really tempted to try cheddar cheese soup, yum!
  • montreal steak seasoning - make your own or store-bought, either will work!
  • shredded cheese - the recipe calls for Colby, but cheddar, Colby Jack or even mozzarella would be delicious.
  • cream style corn - using cream style eliminates the need for milk. If you don't have cream style substitute with canned corn (drained) or frozen whole kernel corn - you'll need about 1 ½ cups. Plus ½ cup of heavy cream.

🔪 Instructions

Collage of photos showing the first three steps how to make this casserole dish. With print overlay.

This is an overview, for detailed instructions just scroll down to the bottom!

  1. Preheat the oven, spray the casserole dish with non-stick spray.
  2. Cook beef over medium-high heat, add the onions and seasoning. Sauté until the onions are soft.
  3. Add the cream of mushroom soup and corn, simmer to combine.
  4. Pour the ground beef mixture with the creamy sauce into prepared 9x13 casserole dish.
Photos of the final two steps to make tater tot casserole. With print overlay.
  1. Top with cheese reserving about half for the top.
  2. Spread the tater tots on top of the casserole in one even layer. Top with remaining cheese and bake the cowboy casserole until hot and bubbly - enjoy!

🔪 Equipment

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  • 9 x 13-inch baking dish - this one has great handles, making it easy to handle when hot.
  • wood spoons for cooking - this set is great as it includes a spoon, scraper and slotted spoon.
  • 12" cast iron skillet - I have several and use them all the time!

🙋‍♀️ FAQ's

Do I need to thaw the potatoes?

Nope, not at all! You add them frozen to the casserole dish.

What can you use instead of cream of mushroom soup?

Substitute with cream of celery, asparagus or cream of chicken soup.

Can I freeze this meal?

Yes, Cowboy Casserole makes a great freezer meal! Prepare the casserole as per instructions, but do not bake. Seal well and freeze. Remove from the freezer the night before and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Can you use regular potatoes?

Don't run to the store if you're out of tater tots, because you can use potatoes! Thinly slice baby potatoes and lay them overtop of the casserole. You could also use a thin layer of frozen French fries.

Tater Tot Casserole in white dish with serving spoon.
Easy to make Tater Tot Casserole is a great family friendly meal!

👍 Tips

  • Use a 9x13 casserole dish, you'll want it to be at least 2 inches deep.
  • You can lighten up this casserole by substituting ground chicken or turkey. In addition the condensed mushroom soup can be substituted with cream of celery or chicken.
  • Normally I suggest you cover the casserole with aluminum foil, but not for this dish because the tots won't crisp up if you do.
  • If you prefer super crispy tater tots - baked them first and add them to the casserole fully baked about halfway through cooking.

Place the casserole under the broiler for 3-5 minutes for the top to get toasty and golden brown. Watch it closely, so it doesn't burn.

Cowboy Casserole in dish with a serving heaped on a plate with fork.
Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole Recipes - easy to make and a great weeknight meal!

📓 Variations

  • Make this classic recipe Tex-Mex by adding a can of chopped green chilies, diced bell pepper, Rotel tomatoes and black beans!
  • Mixing in a can of drained green beans and sweet corn makes this a complete one pan meal.
  • Make it even heartier by adding a can of kidney beans or pinto beans!

Storage

Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container, refrigerated up to 3-4 days.

Freeze - This casserole freezes well up to two months.

Reheat - Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For best results, reheat in the oven until hot and bubbly.

Web Story

Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

This web story shows step by step instructions to make this dish.

Serving suggestions

  • I made a big batch of pan fried vegetables, it's one of my favorites side dishes! And it's perfect with the Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole.
  • A bright fresh garden salad and homemade cloverleaf rolls would be amazing as well.

Related recipes

I have more great casseroles on the blog your picky kids will love!

  • Mexican Tater Tot Casserole and the Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole - if you're looking for big meaty flavor AND tater tots, yum!
  • Unstuffed Pepper Casserole has all the flavor of stuffed pepper, with none of the fussy prep work. We love this recipe!
  • A real favorite is this recipe for Rotel Chicken Spaghetti - it's creamy and cheese, filling & delicious!
  • Frito Pie is the best walking taco recipe around. Kids big and small love this meal! Or give this easy recipe for Salisbury Steak with onion soup mix. Always a winner!

I hope you give this a try soon, I think you'll enjoy it as much as we do!

Cowboy Casserole in white dish with serving spoon.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
5 from 21 votes

Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole

Yummy Cowboy Casserole with creamy ground beef filling with cheesy, crispy potato topping. This easy dinner recipe is a hearty meal that's perfect for busy nights. This will be a big hit and a dish the entire family will love!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 545kcal
Author: Deb Clark
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 32 oz. Tater Tots frozen
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion diced
  • 15.5 ounce cream corn
  • 10.75 ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • 2 cups colby jack cheese

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray an 9x13 with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the pound of ground beef. Drain the fat and add the diced onion and steak seasoning. Saute for 3 minutes.
  • Reduce to medium heat. Stir in the condensed soup and cream corn into the hamburger mixture. Simmer for 2-4 minutes to combine the flavors.
  • Pour the creamy mushroom sauce, meat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with half the cheese. Spread the potatoes in a single layer over the top of the mixture. Sprinkle the top of the tater tots with the remaining cheese.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
  • Optional: Broil the casserole for 3-5 minutes. The top will turn golden brown and crispy. Just watch it closely so it doesn't burn.

Notes

Place the casserole under the broiler for 3-5 minutes for the top to get toasty and golden brown. Watch it closely, so it doesn't burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1150mg | Potassium: 641mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 262mg | Iron: 3mg
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About Bowl Me Over

Welcome to Bowl Me Over! My name is Debra and I send warm greetings from sunny California. I am a serious foodie – I’ve been known as the go-to girl in our family for years, catering weddings and anniversary parties. In the summer I help cook mountains of food for our family reunions. Often times things I create end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over! Let's stay connected, you can email me at debra@bowl-me-over.com and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy

    October 19, 2023 at 3:25 pm

    I added the kidney beans and tomatoes with chilies.we loved it. I also waited to put the cheese on top till I broiled it which helped it get crunchy

    Reply
    • Bowl Me Over

      October 20, 2023 at 7:52 am

      That sounds delicious Tracy, yum!

      Reply
  2. Kim

    October 04, 2022 at 10:09 am

    5 stars
    I made this with ground chicken meat & onion. It was WONDERFUL!! Even my 7 year old ate it & he never knew there were onions in it!! Thank you so much we have this every week now, per his request!!

    Reply
    • Bowl Me Over

      October 04, 2022 at 8:51 pm

      Hey Kim, that's high praise from your little, that's awesome!! Glad this Tater Tot Casserole is a hit with the family and I appreciate you stopping by the blog. Good to hear from you!

      Reply
  3. Dean

    September 08, 2022 at 9:27 pm

    No offense but my kids turned their nose up at this. Even my two that will eat or at least try anything. I’m going to try possibly sprinkling taco seasoning on it.

    Reply
    • Bowl Me Over

      September 09, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      I'm sorry your family didn't enjoy the recipe, I hope you find others on the blog that they do!

      Reply
  4. Amanda

    November 01, 2021 at 2:42 pm

    Love getting these emails about options for new recipes! Thank you and keep them coming!

    Reply
    • Bowl Me Over

      November 03, 2021 at 6:57 am

      You're so welcome! Thanks for being a part of the blog!!

      Reply
  5. Sherry

    August 04, 2021 at 4:13 am

    Do u have a microwave version of the Cowboy Casserole?

    Reply
    • Bowl Me Over

      August 04, 2021 at 7:35 am

      I'm sorry Sherry, I do not. The microwave just wouldn't do it with the tater tots. How about making it on the stove top? Combine the ingredients as directed in a big heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Top with the tots, reduce to low and cover. It's not going to be perfect, but I would think that would work. Let me know how it goes for you! Deb

      Reply
    • Becky

      February 28, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      Tried this tonight, it's delicious! We added Rotel and fire roasted green Chile's, definitely a keeper. Thank you!

      Reply

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