Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe Is How to Kick Off Rodeo Season by Donna John
Note: 30Seconds is a participant in affiliate advertising programs and this post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links.
Being from Texas, any recipe that has "casserole," "cowboy" or "rodeo" in the title is going to get my attention. And this weekend kicks off the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, with the barbecue cookoff, which is a big deal down in these parts! Recently I've made a few tater tot casseroles that have been hits with my family, so I decided to try a cowboy tater tot casserole recipe that came through my newsfeed to celebrate rodeo season. After some tweaks, this hearty casserole recipe was the result.
The shopping list may look a little long for this casserole recipe, but many are just spices you probably already have in your pantry. For this high-protein cowboy tater tot casserole you'll need ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, enchilada sauce, beans, sour cream, tater tots and shredded cheese. The ground beef is cooked with the spices before the enchilada sauce and beans are stirred in. The mixture is put into a casserole dish, topped with the sour cream and tater tots, and baked. Right at the end, shredded cheese is sprinkled on and allowed to melt.
The original recipe called for white rice. I decided to omit this ingredient, but if you want rice in your casserole, add about 1 cup cooked rice when adding the beans and enchilada sauce. Serve this ground beef casserole with a fresh vegetable or salad on the side. The leftovers reheat well for lunch or dinner the next day.
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 10 ounces (1 can) enchilada sauce
- 14 ounces (1 can) pinto beans or ranch beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces tater tots (or more, as needed)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese
Here's how to make it:
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet until cooked through. Drain off excess fat. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook about 30 more seconds, stirring. Ground turkey could be substituted for the ground beef. Chopped onion would be a nice addition. Add it to the ground beef when you brown it in step one.
- Add the enchilada sauce and beans. Cook about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread the sour cream over the top in an even layer. Top with the tater tots to cover the top completely.
- Bake in a preheated 450-degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily. Food, fun, health, happiness.
30Second Mobile, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Related Products on Amazon We Think You May Like:








Blessed that's all it was. I had visions of a broken tibia or fibia,which would be an absolute nightmare, as I'd previously shattered everything BUT the kneecap, so now have 16" of titanium rods & knee joint. The thought of them having to break out the implant & redo it + was enough to make me want to 🤮, so I'm truly thankful it wasn't worse!