Description
Hearty slow cooker cowboy casserole brings robust western flavors to your dinner table with ground beef, potatoes, and cheese melding into a comforting one-pot meal. Rustic ranch-style ingredients create a satisfying dinner you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 lb bacon, chopped
Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1 cup diced bell peppers
Pantry and Dairy:
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Brown ground beef and bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked and crispy, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Sauté diced onions, minced garlic, and bell peppers in the same skillet until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a slow cooker, adding diced potatoes and frozen corn.
- Whisk cream of mushroom soup, milk, worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker, ensuring even distribution.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly across the top of the casserole.
- Dust the surface with breadcrumbs to create a light, crispy topping.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours, until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded together.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes after cooking to allow the ingredients to settle and absorb the remaining moisture.
- Serve hot, directly from the slow cooker, with a large serving spoon.
Notes
- Opt for lean ground beef to reduce excess fat and create a healthier version of the dish.
- Swap regular bacon with turkey bacon for a lower-calorie alternative that still provides delicious smoky flavor.
- Consider using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes for added nutritional value and a slightly different taste profile.
- Gluten-free option: Replace breadcrumbs with crushed gluten-free crackers or almond flour to maintain the crispy topping texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg