Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
There are plenty of reasons to keep this cowboy casserole recipe in your dinner rotation.
- Easy preparation: Most of the cooking happens in the slow cooker.
- Hearty and filling: Beef, potatoes and beans make this a substantial dinner.
- Simple ingredients: Everything can be found at an ordinary grocery store.
- Family-friendly: The flavors are familiar and easy to customize.
- Great for busy days: Prepare it earlier and let the Crockpot do the cooking.
- Easy to adapt: You can change the beans, cheese, vegetables, or seasonings.
Ingredients
For approximately 6 servings, you’ll need:
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into thin slices or small chunks
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped green onions or fresh parsley for serving, optional
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: Lean ground beef provides plenty of savory flavor without making the casserole excessively greasy. Drain excess fat after browning.
Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes work particularly well because they become creamy and tender while holding their shape. Russet potatoes can also be used.
Kidney beans: Beans make the casserole more substantial and complement the ground beef. Pinto or black beans are good alternatives.
Corn: Sweet corn provides a little sweetness and texture.
Tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes add moisture, while tomatoes with green chiles provide extra flavor and mild heat.
Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the casserole a stronger cheesy flavor. Freshly shredded cheese generally melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
1. Brown the ground beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion.
Cook, breaking the beef into small pieces, until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.
Add the garlic during the final 30–60 seconds.
Drain excess grease.
2. Prepare the slow cooker
Lightly grease the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker.
Place the potatoes in the bottom. Keeping the potato pieces relatively uniform helps them cook at approximately the same rate.
3. Add the remaining ingredients
Add the cooked ground beef and onion mixture.
Then add the kidney beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomatoes with green chiles, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper.
Stir gently to distribute the ingredients.
4. Slow cook
Cover the Crockpot and cook until the potatoes are completely tender.
Cook on LOW for approximately 6–7 hours or HIGH for approximately 3–4 hours.
Slow cookers vary, so begin checking the potatoes toward the earlier end of the cooking range.
5. Add the cheese
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the casserole.
Replace the lid and cook for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
6. Serve
Spoon the casserole into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions or parsley if desired.
Serve while hot.
How Do You Know When Cowboy Casserole Is Done?
The potatoes are the best indicator.
Insert a fork or small knife into one of the larger potato pieces. It should slide through easily without much resistance.
If the potatoes still feel firm, replace the lid and continue cooking. Avoid repeatedly removing the lid because doing so releases heat from the slow cooker.
Tips for the Best Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
Cut the potatoes evenly. Large potato chunks can take significantly longer to cook than the other ingredients.
Brown the beef first. Browning develops better flavor and lets you drain excess grease before adding the meat to the Crockpot.
Don’t add the cheese too early. Add it near the end so it remains creamy and melted instead of cooking for several hours.
Adjust the seasoning at the end. Canned tomatoes, broth and cheese can all contain salt, so taste before adding additional salt.
Use freshly shredded cheese when possible. It usually produces a smoother melted topping.
Cowboy Casserole Variations
One advantage of this easy Crockpot cowboy casserole is how easily you can customize it.
Make It Spicier
Add diced jalapeños, extra chili powder, cayenne pepper, or a hotter variety of tomatoes with green chiles.
Change the Beans
Replace kidney beans with pinto beans or black beans.
Try a Different Cheese
Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, pepper Jack, or a Mexican-style cheese blend can replace some or all of the cheddar.
Add Bell Peppers
Diced red or green bell peppers add extra vegetables, color and texture.
Use Ground Turkey
Ground turkey can replace ground beef for a different variation. Brown it before adding it to the slow cooker.
What to Serve With Cowboy Casserole
Because this slow cooker ground beef recipe already contains meat, potatoes and vegetables, you don’t need an elaborate side dish.
Try serving it with:
- Green salad
- Garlic bread
- Cornbread
- Steamed green beans
- Roasted broccoli
- Coleslaw
For toppings, try sour cream, sliced green onions, chopped parsley, jalapeños, or additional shredded cheese.
How to Store Leftovers
Allow leftover cowboy casserole to cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Refrigerator
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Freezer
Place cooled portions in freezer-safe airtight containers. For best quality, use within about 2–3 months.
Keep in mind that potatoes can become slightly softer or grainier after freezing and thawing.
Reheating
Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave until steaming hot throughout.
For larger portions, place the casserole in an oven-safe dish, cover it, and reheat at 350°F until thoroughly heated.
Add a splash of beef broth if the casserole seems dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put raw ground beef directly in the slow cooker?
For this recipe, browning the beef first is preferable. It improves flavor and allows excess fat to be drained before the beef goes into the casserole.
What potatoes are best for cowboy casserole?
Yukon Gold potatoes are an excellent option because they become tender and creamy while generally maintaining their shape.
Russet potatoes also work, although their texture tends to become softer.
Can I prepare it the night before?
You can prepare several components ahead of time. Brown the ground beef and chop the onion, then refrigerate them in covered containers.
For food-safety and cooking-performance reasons, don’t store the entire uncooked casserole overnight inside the slow cooker’s removable crock and then immediately begin slow cooking it while refrigerator-cold. Assemble when you’re ready to cook.
Can I make cowboy casserole without beans?
Yes. Leave the beans out if you don’t like them. You can add extra beef, corn, or another vegetable to compensate.
Is cowboy casserole spicy?
This version is mildly seasoned. Tomatoes with green chiles add some flavor, but you can use plain diced tomatoes for a milder casserole or add jalapeños and cayenne for additional heat.
Can I use frozen corn?
Yes. Frozen corn can replace canned corn. There’s usually no need to thaw it first when adding a relatively small amount to a long-cooking slow cooker recipe.
Why are my potatoes still hard?
The pieces may be too large, or your slow cooker may run at a lower temperature. Continue cooking until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.