Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole is the ultimate comfort food dish. With tender potatoes, filling beef, and a creamy, cheesy sauce, this crockpot casserole is a must-try!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a small commission. Thank you! Read our disclosure policy here.
Next time you're craving something that's satisfying and easy to make, this amazing crockpot cowboy casserole is a simple and crowd-pleasing dish that cooks away all day for easy serving at dinner time!
Why this Recipe Works
You can easily prepare this casserole on weekday mornings for a quick and easy dinner in the evening, or if you want a lazy weekend meal that's still packed with flavor.
This dish has lots of hearty and filling ingredients like potatoes, beans, and corn with a flavorful and creamy base! Fantastic for an all-in-one meal that has everything you want in one dish.
And if your family can't get enough of dinners like this, my Cowboy Cornbread Casserole and this Sloppy Joe Casserole are both great choices as well!
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef: Use a lean ground beef for a slightly lighter result.
- Olive Oil
- Onion: White or yellow.
- Garlic: Fresh minced is always recommended.
- BBQ Seasoning: Any kind works.
- Diced Tomatoes: Rotel, fire-roasted, or regular all work.
- Kidney Beans: Black beans will work too.
- Corn: I use frozen corn and thaw it beforehand.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite.
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Red Potatoes: Another kind of potatoes can be used if you prefer, but I like that red potatoes tend to stay firmer when cooked.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Creates a creamy and filling base for this casserole.
- Cheddar Cheese: Pepper jack cheese is also a good choice.
How to Make this Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
- Step 1: In a skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add olive oil and cook garlic and onion until translucent and fragrant. Add the beef and BBQ seasoning back to the skillet.
- Step 3: Transfer the beef mixture to your slow cooker.
- Step 4: Top with the kidney beans, tomatoes, corn, BBQ sauce, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Step 5: Add sliced red potatoes to the top of the mixture.
- Step 6: Mix until potatoes are coated.
- Step 7: Top with cream of mushroom soup, mix, and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Step 8: Check the casserole every so often and add cheese once the potatoes start to get tender. At the end of cooking time, top with more cheese and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes until melted.
Recipe Tips
- For the best melty cheese, shred or grate a block of cheese instead of buying pre-shredded.
- Feel free to use ground chicken or ground turkey instead of the ground beef.
- Try to cut the potatoes all to about the same thickness so they all cook at the same rate.
- If you have leftovers, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or transfer back to your slow cooker and cook until heated through again.
Recipe FAQ's
The hearty and rustic ingredients in this casserole are similar to the meals that cowboys might have eaten while working on the range.
A light side salad or some green beans are perfect side dishes for this casserole!
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Make sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for all my latest recipes!
Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ -2 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons BBQ seasoning see notes
- 1 can diced tomatoes undrained*
- 1 can dark kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn frozen thawed
- ¼ cup BBQ Sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds red potatoes sliced to ¼ inch thickness
- 1 15.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large 10 or 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat cook, add the ground beef and break up into crumbles using a nonstick spoon or spatula. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink and fully cooked through. Drain the cooked beef and set aside.
- In the same skillet add the olive oil, onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the onions soften. Add the beef back to the skillet and the BBQ seasoning, mix well and turn off the heat.
- Into the bottom of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker add the ground beef mix. Top with the diced tomatoes, drained kidney beans, corn, BBQ sauce, Salt and Pepper. Gently mix with a wooden spatula or spoon
- Layer the sliced red potatoes, then top with the cream of mushroom sauce. Gently mix again with a spoon or spatula.
- Cover and cook on high heat for about 4-5 hours, low for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally. When the potatoes are tender and starting to soften, the casserole is ready for cheese!
- Reserve ¼ to ½ cup of the shredded cheese aside. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese, cover and cook on low for a final 10-15 minutes.
- Serve while warmed and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and the reserved shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Leftovers will last for up to 4 days after cooking.
- Ground chicken or ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef, if preferred.
- BBQ seasoning can be found in the spices aisle at most major grocery stores, or you can use your own blend! If you can’t find a BBQ seasoning mix, a bbq rub would be an appropriate substitute.
- If the potatoes are cut too thin, they will cook through quicker. If they are cut thicker than ¼ inch, they might take longer to cook and cause some edges to burn.
