Description
Hearty cowboy potato casserole brings rustic ranch flavors straight to your dinner table. Crispy edges, creamy center, and savory beef blend create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Vegetables:
- 5 large potatoes, peeled and chunked
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1 can (10.75 ounces / 305 grams) cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Sauté ground beef with finely chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced bell pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat until meat is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are softened, approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Thoroughly drain excess fat from the meat mixture to ensure a cleaner, lighter dish.
- Whisk cream of mushroom soup with milk, creating a smooth, creamy sauce, and season with salt, black pepper, and paprika for enhanced flavor profile.
- Create initial layer in slow cooker by spreading half of the sliced potatoes across the bottom, ensuring even coverage.
- Distribute half of the seasoned meat mixture directly over potato layer, followed by pouring half of the prepared soup mixture.
- Repeat layering process with remaining potatoes, meat, and soup mixture, creating a compact, well-distributed casserole.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on low temperature for 5-6 hours, allowing potatoes to become tender and flavors to meld together.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly across the top during final 20 minutes of cooking, letting it melt and create a golden, bubbling surface.
- Once cheese is fully melted and potatoes are fork-tender, garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a vibrant, fresh finish.
Notes
- Customize meat choice by swapping ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner protein option.
- Enhance flavor by adding fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to the soup mixture for deeper complexity.
- Prevent potatoes from sticking by lightly greasing slow cooker with cooking spray before layering ingredients.
- Cut potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Breakfast, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg