Description
This hearty Crock-Pot Cowboy Casserole combines lean ground beef, tender sliced potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes, and savory seasonings slow-cooked to perfection and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for an easy, comforting meal that requires minimal prep and delivers maximum flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Dairy
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef, browned, crumbled, and drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Vegetables and Beans
- 6 medium Russet potatoes, washed and sliced
- 16 ounces canned kidney beans, undrained (low sodium preferred)
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Condiments and Seasonings
- 10.5 ounces canned cream of mushroom soup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked, crumble it, and drain excess fat. Wash and slice the Russet potatoes, peel and dice the onion, and mince the garlic.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: In a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, add the browned ground beef, sliced potatoes, kidney beans (undrained), diced tomatoes (undrained), cream of mushroom soup, diced onion, minced garlic, kosher salt, dried oregano, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir everything well to combine evenly.
- Cook the casserole: Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours until the potatoes are tender and all flavors meld together.
- Add cheese topping: Uncover the slow cooker and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the casserole. Recover and continue cooking for an additional 1 hour to melt the cheese thoroughly.
- Serve and enjoy: Once the cheese is melted and bubbly, the Cowboy Casserole is ready to serve. Dish out hearty portions and enjoy this comforting slow-cooked dish.
Notes
- For a lower sodium version, use low-sodium canned beans and tomatoes.
- Make sure to brown and drain the extra lean ground beef to reduce excess fat and enhance flavor.
- If you prefer a thicker casserole, reduce the amount of liquid in the canned ingredients slightly or cook uncovered for the last hour to thicken.
- This recipe can be doubled if using a larger slow cooker.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated well in the microwave or oven.
