This Cowboy Casserole is a simple yet hearty meal. You can add your favorite herbs or season as you wish. The recipe for this cowboy casserole doesn’t include a bunch of seasonings, so you can choose your favorites or just stick with good old-fashioned salt and pepper.
Cowboy Casserole
I actually made this Cowboy Casserole several years ago and it’s been very popular on this blog. So I pulled out the recipe recently and made it for dinner. Then I remembered why it was so popular! It combines simple ingredients and the end result is a warm, satisfying meal.
RELATED – Our crockpot mac and cheese is simple and you don’t have to boil the noodles!
This is a great meal for one of those soccer game nights or for busy recital and dance evenings. You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef if you prefer, and I’ve used both Russet and red skinned potatoes with this dish.
It’s super simple, though you do need to brown the ground beef first. This is why I like to brown several pounds ahead of time and keep them in the freezer. Then you can just bring out the cooked beef and layer your ingredients in the crockpot. Let it cook all day on low or cook it on high for 4-5 hours.
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To make this popular slow cooker cowboy casserole, you will need:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1½ pounds ground chuck, browned and drained
- 6 medium potatoes, sliced
- 1 can red beans, drained
- 1 can tomatoes mixed with 2 tablespoons flour ORÂ 1 can tomato soup
- Salt, pepper and garlic to taste
- Slow cooker
You can print the full recipe below!
More ground beef recipes
Looking for more ideas to use ground beef? I have quite a few ground beef recipes here, or you can browse a few of my favorites below.
- Taco Bell Enchirito Copycat
- Southwest Ground Beef Casserole
- Salisbury Steaks
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever
- 15-Minute Soft Taco Dinner – 100 Directions
And here’s a bonus… this crockpot dinner is kid friendly and family approved!
Cowboy Casserole
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 ½ pounds ground chuck browned and drained
- 30 oz potatoes about 6 medium, sliced
- 15 oz can red beans
- 15 oz can tomatoes
- 2 tbsp flour
- 10 oz can tomato soup
- Salt, pepper and garlic to taste
Instructions
- Put chopped onion in the bottom of the crockpot; layer with browned ground beef, sliced potatoes and beans. Spread tomatoes or soup over all. Sprinkle with seasonings as desired. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Natalie says
Great recipe! Simple to make and my kids love it!!!
Amanda Formaro says
I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing, Natalie :)
Anne says
is it possible to bake this.At what temp & time Thanks Anne
Amanda Formaro says
I havent baked it before but I’m sure you could. I would say 350, but not positive on the time. I would start with 20-25 minutes, checking on the potatoes after that. Then go up from there if need be.
MaryKate Dempsey says
Cowboy (girl) casserole was great. I used golden potatoes and red beans, smaller and a little different flavor. Coleslaw is a favorite side for bean dishes. Lotsa cheddar on top ! My friend started it and had no red or kidney beams, so she used black beans and saved me a bite. It was great but the darker the bean the more ‘gassy’ it is. Loved it and will do it again. This is what I save as a base recipe that can be spiced up or tweaked as in some smoked sausage or tender chopped chuck.
Amanda Formaro says
I love black beans and think that’s a great substitution!
Laura says
All just gone in the slow cooker. Had to try and work out the equivalent measurements over here (UK) though.
Hope I’ve worked it out ok and my fussy hubby and 2 girls enjoy it!
Can’t wait!
Amanda Formaro says
Hope you enjoyed it Laura!
Doris Bartlett says
Going to do this next week will let you know how it went
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Doris, hope you like it!
Linda Applebee says
Where I am in WI we do have blizzards that make it so I can’t shop very often so I try to buy a lot so the groceries last till I can shop again.
Last Winter was a bad one that some lost power but I did not. My aunt was here and said the pantry is almost bare so what do we eat today?
I got a quart of cream style corn as my recipe usually take 3 normal size cans and I also got the three or 4 pork chops from the freezer and the bottle of ketchup and an onion peeled and chopped and also did a bell pepper and added a can of diced tomatoes and added some cans of water and also tore up 5 slices of white bread and made a casserole. for supper I made a pot of soup that made 7 coffee mugs of soup.
I browned a pound of ground round or ground chuck and added a nice sized chopped onion and a big c an of tomato sauce and also a can of diced tomatoes and 2 cans of water and then added a can of carrots and a can of French beans and a can of veg-all and cooked that all done for supper. I would have put more veggies but that was all my soup pot would hold for breakfast I got out my pancake mix that I did myself and made it up and added a cup of my home grown frozen blueberries and also used 8 eggs to boil we each had blueberry pancakes and 2 boiled eggs each and then I got the brats and slapped out sausage and beef patties and got the brats and hotdogs out to that and got those cooked on the grill and then boiled a pot of potatoes and also boiled 8 eggs so we each had 2 with our pancakes then I chopped the onion and sweet or dill pickles for the potato salad and added the mayo and the yellow mustard and some salt and pepper to taste and drained the potatoes and poured them I za big bowl and added in the goop I made for the potato salad and then drained and dropped the boiled eggs in the pan of clod water so the shells cracked and then let them cool so I could peel and cut up and mix in the potato salad so it would be cold for our lunch then fired up the grill to cook the brats dogs and burgers and I also made drinks for us blueberry smoothies for lunch and carrot juice to drink also and had a pot of coffee too. and I also made cranberry muffins for a snack with our coffee. My aunt and Uncle that were here visiting did not know that I can cook bake and grill out.
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks for sharing that Linda! It’s always nice when friends find out what you can really do :)
monica says
Have you tried it with bbq sauce instead of the tomatoes??….was just wondering how that would taste….
Amanda Formaro says
I haven’t tried it that way Monica. If you do try it, would love to hear about the results!
bailey way says
I used 1 qt jar of homemade tomatoes instead of can tomatoes and I added 1 tbs fresh garlic. Topped with hot sauce and sprinkled with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, some kind of good. Thanks for the recipe
Amanda Formaro says
Ooo sounds good, thanks for sharing that Bailey, so glad you liked it!
Merrilly says
This recipe sounds great! I love using my crockpot, even in summer as the house doesn’t heat up. Will try it later this week right after my husband has a colonoscopy and can eat again. He’ll love it, I’m sure.
Amanda Formaro says
Hope you enjoy it Merrilly!
Peggy says
Is sounds just like a casserole that I make. It is even better the second day.