Cowboy Casserole Made With Leftover Baked Beans

If you are looking for an easy and delicious dish to feed the family then you are going to love this Cowboy Casserole recipe. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and your family will leave the dinner table feeling full and satisfied.

Cooked and seasoned ground beef is mixed together with vegetables, baked beans, sour cream and cheese and then spread out in a casserole dish. It is then topped with frozen tater tots and put in the oven to bake.

Half way through the cooking time, cheese is added to the top of the casserole for additional flavor. Once the cheese melts and the casserole is hot and bubbly around the edges, it is time to pull the baking dish out of the oven.

If this recipe sounds familiar it is similar to my Tater Tot Hot Dish recipe where beef and vegetables are topped with frozen tater tots. However, the flavor of this recipe is much different.

Instead of using the mild flavors of cream of mushroom soup and mixed vegetables, this recipe is filled with more robust and bold flavors. In addition baked beans are included in the filling to make it a more hearty dish.

It is a great way to turn leftover baked beans from your backyard barbecue, potluck or picnic into a delicious meal that your family will love!

Ingredients Required

Before you get started, don’t be intimated by the long list of ingredients. Most of the items you may already have in your kitchen.

However, if you do not have them on hand, they are common items that are easily found at most grocery stores.

1. Ground Beef

To make the cowboy casserole have that beefy flavor that it deserves, it is best to use 80/20 lean to fat ratio ground beef. The grease will be drained, leaving you with meat that has great flavor.

However, if you are trying to watch your fat intake you can certainly use a lean ground beef or ground sirloin.

2. Onions

No beef casserole would be complete without onions. The flavor of a sweet onion pairs perfectly with the ground beef, especially since they are cooked together before being added to the casserole.

3. Garlic

Fresh garlic cloves are minced and added to the cooked beef and onions just until they become fragrant. However, if you don’t have fresh garlic cloves, you can use jarred minced garlic instead.

1 garlic clove = 1/2 teaspoon jarred minced garlic. Therefore, for this recipe you would use 2 teaspoons.

4. Spices

There are three spices that are added to give this casserole that iconic bold flavor that we are looking for. Chili powder, cumin and oregano are mixed with salt and pepper to provide the meat with a ton of flavor.

5. Baked Beans

Every cowboy dinner includes some form of baked beans. This is a great time to use your leftover Slow Cooker Baked Beans or even leftover Smoked Baked Beans from your backyard cookout.

Although you can also pull a can of beans from your cupboard as well. Choose whatever flavor of baked beans that you prefer.

6. Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles

For more robust flavor, this recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. Although they are often called by the brand name Rotel, you can also find other brands as well.

And for some reason you are having difficulty finding them at the grocery, you can purchase a can of diced tomatoes, and a 4 ounce can of diced green chiles and add them to the dish.

7. Sour Cream

A little sour cream is added to the filling to give a slight tangy flavor along with a little creaminess. Here you can use regular, reduced fat or fat free varieties.

8. Shredded Cheese

Add sharp cheddar cheese to both the filling and as the topping of the Cowboy Casserole. As with any baking recipe it is best to shred your own cheese so that it melts together perfectly.

However, as long as you don’t mind seeing strands of melted cheese on top of the casserole you can use packaged shredded cheese.

9. Hot Sauce

Although this ingredient is technically optional, it really does add nice flavor to the dish. The sour cream balances out the heat, however the hot sauce enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.

Of course, you can also add more if you like spicy food!

10. Corn

Frozen corn provides another layer of flavor and texture to the dish. However, it is best to let the corn thaw and drain so that the casserole doesn’t become too soggy.

You can also use canned corn that has been drained. Then use the other half of the can to make Corn Chowder.

11. Tater Tots

Every casserole recipe must include a starch. Therefore, tater tots are used as the topping of the casserole.

Best of all, there is no need to thaw them! Just layer the frozen tater tots on top of the beef mixture, cover and put it in the oven!

Common Ingredient Substitutions

One of the best advantages of making a casserole is that you can add, change, or eliminate the ingredients to make it how you prefer. Below I have listed some common ingredient substitutions when making Cowboy Casserole.

Meat: Ground Chicken, Ground Turkey, or Ground Sausage

Spices: Smoked Paprika, Onion Soup Mix, Taco or Fajita Seasoning packets

Vegetables: Diced Carrots, Diced Celery, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Frozen Peas

Beans: Black Beans, Pinto Beans, Kidney Beans, Chili Beans

Cheese: Monterey Jack, Colby, Pepper Jack, Mexican Blend Cheese

Cowboy Casserole Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups baked beans
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
• 1 (32-ounce) bag tater tots

INSTRUCTIONS

Before you begin to make the Cowboy Casserole preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Then spray a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.

Add the ground beef to non-stick skillet placed over medium-high heat. As it browns, break the meat up into small pieces.

Once half of the meat is brown, add the diced onion and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are tender. Then add the garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds – 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.

Drain the grease and return the meat mixture back into the skillet and decrease the heat to medium.

Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and pepper to the beef mixture and stir and cook for 1 minute. Then stir in the baked beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles (undrained), sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and hot sauce (if using).

Cook until the liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the thawed and drained corn until well incorporated.

Pour the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Then place the tater tots in a single layer over top of the beef mixture.

Bake Time Required

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining shredded Cheddar cheese evenly over tater tots.

Cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly around the edges and the cheese is melted. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! Mary

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