Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe Is How to Kick Off Rodeo Season Casseroles High Protein Recipes Beef Dinner Low Sugar Recipes

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: 

1. 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. 
2. 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.
3. 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.

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