Description
Hearty Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole offers a rustic journey through western-inspired comfort food. Packed with ground beef, potatoes, and a rich blend of cheesy goodness, this simple one-pot meal brings ranch-style satisfaction straight to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Vegetables and Starches:
- 3 cups (450 g) frozen diced hash brown potatoes or fresh potatoes, cubed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) diced tomatoes, drained
- ¼ cup (30 g) chopped green onions or parsley (optional, for garnish)
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 1 can (10.5 oz / 300 g) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
- 1 cup (120 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sizzle ground beef with diced onions in a skillet over medium heat until meat browns completely. Eliminate excess grease and enhance with salt and pepper seasoning.
- Prepare the ceramic slow cooker vessel by lightly coating interior surfaces with cooking lubricant to prevent sticking.
- Construct culinary layers strategically: arrange potato chunks as the foundational level, then distribute seasoned beef mixture uniformly across potato terrain. Cascade kidney beans and tomato fragments over meaty landscape.
- Craft a velvety binding sauce by whisking cream of mushroom concentrate with milk, infusing garlic powder, smoked paprika, and incorporating half the cheese reservoir. Delicately cascade this liquid amalgamation across layered ingredients.
- Seal slow cooker with protective lid, initiating low-temperature cooking cycle for approximately six to seven hours. Verify potato tenderness and ensure entire casserole reaches bubbling consistency.
- During final cooking phase, generously scatter remaining cheese medallions across surface, allowing gentle melting to create golden, appetizing crust.
- Complete presentation by sprinkling fresh green onion snippets or verdant parsley garnish. Transfer steaming casserole directly to dining tableau and savor hearty cowboy-inspired creation.
Notes
- Customize potato cuts for varied textures, using diced or sliced potatoes depending on personal preference.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version of the casserole.
- Enhance flavor complexity by adding smoked jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce for those who enjoy spicier dishes.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium cream of mushroom soup and choosing low-salt canned beans, perfect for health-conscious individuals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg