Some days, you just don’t have the energy—or the desire—to spend loads of time conjuring up dinner. That’s exactly when this cowboy casserole comes to the rescue. With minimal effort, you’ll end up with a hearty, flavorful dish that’s guaranteed to keep you full and satisfied for days to come.
Quickly Prepared, Delicious Nonetheless: Our Cowboy Casserole Is Bold in Color & Flavor
This hearty casserole captures the spirit of the West and makes the most of simple, everyday ingredients. Our cowboy casserole recipe was inspired by the open-fire skillet dishes of days gone-by: rustic, nutritious, and without fuss. Delivered now in a casserole dish and topped with cheese, this dish is just at home in your oven.
It’s not jus that this dish is bold in color, but also in flavor. This is due to the cornucopia that goes into making it: Beans and corn not only bring color and texture, but also important nutrients. Kidney beans are particularly rich in vegetable protein: Perfect to keep you full for a long time.
The heart of this dish lies in the fried ground beef, perfectly complemented by onions and garlic. Its rich flavor is then infused into the sauce, creating a depth reminiscent of chili. The dish is rounded off with tender tomato wedges, adding an extra layer of heartiness to the dish.
As we’ve mentioned, this recipe packs a huge punch with very little effort. The ingredients ensure you’ll be full and satisfied, and depending on how many hungry mouths you’re feeding, you might even have leftovers to last a few days. Thankfully, with a good container or some aluminum foil, this cowboy casserole will stay fresh.
You can easily make our Cowboy Casserole vegetarian or vegan by swapping in the right beef and dairy alternatives. We personally prefer soy-based options.
At Scrumdiddlyumptious you will find even more easy-to-prepare, hearty recipes, such as our cheesy gnocchi casserole with cauliflower and kielbasa, cheesy bacon & bratwurst breakfast casserole and mozzarella-stuffed meatball casserole with garlic and herb crust.
COWBOY CASSEROLE
- Prep time: 20 mins
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Total time: 50 mins
- Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 2 red onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4 large potatoes
- Some neutral vegetable oil, e.g. canola or sunflower
- 1.1 lbs ground beef
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
- 1 can (11 oz) corn
- 1 can (14 oz) chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups grated cheese of your choice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel the onions and garlic. Dice the onions and finely chop the garlic.
- Wash and core the bell pepper and cut into cubes. Peel the potatoes and cut into slices.
- Heat just enough oil in a large pan, sauté the onions until translucent and then garlic until fragrant. Add the ground beef and fry until browned and crumbly.
- Drain the kidney beans and corn. Add the bell pepper, kidney beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, and tomato paste to the pan. Mix everything well and season with cumin and paprika to taste. Simmer for ten minutes and finally season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, pre-cook the potato slices in lightly salted water until slightly soft. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a casserole dish. Fill half of the ground beef mixture into the dish. Spread the potato slices evenly on top. Add the remaining ground beef mixture and cover with the remaining potatoes wedges.
- Finally, sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.