Description
Hearty slow cooker cowboy casserole brings rustic ranch-style comfort straight to your dinner table. Packed with ground beef, potatoes, and cheesy goodness, this one-pot meal promises satisfying flavors you’ll crave time and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound ground beef
Vegetables and Beans:
- 4 medium potatoes, sliced thin
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) diced tomatoes, undrained
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) cream of mushroom soup
- 1/3 cup milk
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked, carefully draining any accumulated fat.
- Create a foundational layer of thinly sliced potatoes across the entire bottom of the slow cooker.
- Distribute the seasoned ground beef evenly over the potato layer, ensuring complete coverage.
- Scatter kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and finely chopped onions across the meat layer.
- Whisk cream of mushroom soup with milk, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a separate mixing bowl until smooth.
- Pour the creamy seasoning mixture uniformly over all ingredients in the slow cooker, guaranteeing comprehensive coverage.
- Secure the slow cooker lid and cook on low temperature for 6-7 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours, allowing flavors to meld together.
- During the final 30 minutes of cooking, generously sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese across the top, permitting it to melt and create a golden, bubbling surface.
- Remove lid, let casserole rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve piping hot for maximum flavor enjoyment.
Notes
- Opt for lean ground beef to reduce excess fat and create a healthier version of the casserole.
- Slice potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Consider using low-sodium cream of mushroom soup to control salt intake for health-conscious eaters.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, vegetarian-friendly alternative that maintains the hearty flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg