Cozy Up with This Easy Crockpot Cowboy Casserole – Made with Simple Pantry Staples!
Our Cowboy Casserole Crock Pot supper is comforting and perfect for busy evenings.
Hooray for another EASY Crock Pot dinner idea!
Try making this delicious Cowboy Casserole Crock Pot Supper for an easy weeknight meal! It’s a simple meat and potatoes type of dish that can easily be made in the slow cooker so your family can come home to a warm and comforting meal with very little effort.
The result is a hearty mix of ground beef with soft cheesy potatoes, beans, and corn.
It’s not a fancy dinner by any means, but it is slow-cooked and full of delicious flavor and comfort. My kids loved this Cowboy Casserole Crock Pot Dinner and I appreciate an easy meal that can be made with pantry staples.
Plus, the black label Ranch beans have a tasty sauce that we enjoy!
Tips for making this Cowboy Casserole Crock Pot meal:
- I used Lipton’s onion soup mix to season the potatoes which makes them so yummy! You may be able to add diced onions and seasonings instead if desired.
- Many readers have also added a packet of Ranch seasoning and loved that taste, as well.
- This slow cooker idea can easily be adapted to suit your family’s taste. For instance, I used Yukon Gold potatoes, Ranch Style beans, and diced tomatoes with jalapeños, but you can use the variety of beans, veggies, and non-spicy tomatoes you have on hand.
- If you’d prefer ground sausage or ground turkey, I think those would work just as well in this Cowboy Casserole Crock Pot dish!
Cowboy Casserole Crock Pot Supper
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 4 HOURS
total time: 4 HOURS 15 MINUTES
A ground beef and potato supper that easily comes together for a convenient and delicious slow cooker meal.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2 pounds potatoes, cubed (I used Yukon Golds)
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 10 oz can Ro-tel diced tomatoes, undrained (pick your preferred heat level)
- 11 oz. can of sweet corn, drained
- 15 oz. can beans (I used Ranch Style), undrained
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
1
On the stove in a skillet brown and drain ground beef.
2
Spray non-stick cooking spray in the slow cooker. Add potatoes and sprinkle onion soup mix over the top. Layer the ground beef on top.
3
Add can of diced tomatoes, corn, and beans. Add the broth and close lid.
4
Cook on LOW for about 6-7 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours until potatoes are tender.
5
Stir ingredients, and then add shredded cheese over the top. Close lid for 10 minutes to melt. Enjoy!
Watch Lina make this cowboy dinner on YouTube!
Your hungry crew will love this Crock Pot meat and potato dinner!
We enjoyed the delicious melted cheese texture so much. YUM! I think easy weeknight slow cooker meals are such a lifesaver. This one is a winner for sure! It kind of reminds me of the ground beef and potato foil packet meals, except as a big batch in a CrockPot!
Sounds easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!!
Onion soup mix, wonder if there is GF/soy-free alternative. It sounds yummy!
It’s easy to make it. We posted the recipe recently —->https://hip2save.com/2017/08/03/five-favorite-homemade-seasonings-cooking-mixes/
Looks yummy! Thanks
Sure! Enjoy 👍🏻
I love to cook in my slow cooker and Crocker pot. But I end up cooking too much,can any tell me how can you cook for only person. Thanks you. Helena Anderson aka Nina
Maybe try the lunchbox size crock pot and halving or quartering the recipe?
Most things you make in a crock pot can be frozen and reheated. Get some individual serving containers and freeze. I do this for my grandparents all the time.
Just leave out the potatoes till cooking day. Everything else can go into the freezer in whatever sized bags suit your needs.
Great idea- thanks!
Just cut all ingredients in half or you could always freeze your leftovers.
Helena, we mean prep a lot!! Take the leftovers and portion them for n individual containers to freeze!! We do this with most of our leftovers, even if it’s a serving for one. My husband used them for lunch so the time
Helena, we mean prep a lot!! Take the leftovers and portion them for n individual containers to freeze!! We do this with most of our leftovers, even if it’s a serving for one. My husband used them for lunch so the time
What size slow cooker?
This would definitely pass as dinner in my house!
Just thinking out loud…what if I used Ranch seasoning instead of onion soup mix…My hubby hates onions and will detect even the smallest flake… and I cannot eat beans. What else could I use? Ideas please. Also, I would probably use frozen instead of canned veggies but I will have to make up for the water difference. Do you think I could make it in a pressure cooker? (I just don’t like to leave slow cooker on while I am away from home and I can’t cook it at night – I don’t like my house smelling like dinner at 5 am LOL)
I was thinking Ranch would be a tasty substitution. I’m going to make this in my Instant Pot, browning the meat first and then pressure cooking for 5 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
Did you try this and did it work? Was the timing correct to soften potatoes?
Hi Krista,
I used my Instant Pot for this recipe, I used 1 packet of ranch seasoning and the small white potatoes cut in half, as that’s what I had on hand. I did 6 minutes of high pressure, then did the 10 minute natural pressure release. Potatoes were fork tender, although I found just going by the above recipe to have no flavor!! I added another packet of ranch, much needed salt & pepper.
I made it last night. I was so good. Very good for a cold winters night.
Did you try this in the instant pot? Did it work for that time? Want to try this tonight 🙂
Hi Courtney,
I used my Instant Pot for this recipe, I used 1 packet of ranch seasoning and the small white potatoes cut in half, as that’s what I had on hand. I did 6 minutes of high pressure, then did the 10 minute natural pressure release. Potatoes were fork tender, although I found just going by the above recipe to have no flavor!! I added another packet of ranch, much needed salt & pepper.
Try plugging your slow cooker in the garage or sometimes I’ll do it in the laundry room with the door closed to avoid smelling the house up.
I do the exact same thing – I cook in the crock pot and air fryer in the garage. We live in a small house so I hate to smell it up by using the crock pot inside. 🙂
I love smelling the house up. When I get home I just open the windows if it is to bad. It isn’t to hot here yet. We just use ceiling fans til it gets to 90. My house has hundreds of trees around it that keep it 10 degrees cooler. LOL
Lupton has herb n garlic seasoning same place you find the onion soup mix..it is awesome. I use it in burgers meatloaf and pot roast.
I think it could be cooked stove top and a lot faster.
Was thinking the same thing
Any sub option for tomatoes?
Hmm…maybe Tomato soup? Cream of mushroom soup? Beef broth? Can of chili? Salsa?
I wanna try this so bad.seems easy for a not so great cook like me. Lol
Yes it’s one of those not fancy but still tastes great meal ideas! 👍 super easy
Not every idea will be for everyone and that’s okay!
I think it does taste better than it looks though! 😀☝🏻️
Any idea how long you might cook this in the Instant Pot?
I would think however long it would take to cook the potatoes because everything else just needs to be heated and the ground beef is already cooked. Maybe 6-8 min on high pressure.
Just made and waiting on it to get done wondering if hot sauce will be good with it
Great recipe! Made it once in the slow- cooker. I am trying it in my instant pot right now!
Perfect! Let us know how it goes – yum 😋
Lina do you have crock pot recommendations? I need a new one.
How much water do you put in it? Thanks!
We loved this recipe
I made it in the instant pot and it’s a keeper!
That’s so awesome 👏!
We made it and it was all gobbled up! Even picky eater hubby loved it enough to want to take to his family’s reunion tomorrow! I do want to try with ranch too, just maybe for us first.
What settings did you cook this on in your instapot??
Can i not use the onion soup? I dont have any but i jave everything else.
You may miss out on some awesome flavors if you skip the mix, Kayla. Onion soup mix contains these items and you could add them instead: dried onion flakes, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, parsley flakes, celery seed, paprika and black pepper. Once you get the flavor right (just add a little and taste) then you’ll be all set!
Another option is beef stew or meatloaf packets. If you want to amp the Tex-mex part you could do taco or Fajita seasoning pkt. I personally make my own pkt seasonings as the price for that little pkt is ridiculous once you find out it’s a few cents for enough to make 10 pkts (and no msg in mine)!
It looks good but I think a pan of cornbread would go good with it
Yum great idea!
We eat ours over buttered cornbread… SO yummy! I’m on my third time making this recipe this weekend. Happy I found it!
Oh yum!! Thanks for sharing ❤️
What size crockpot?
I think a 5 or 6 quart would work – I have a 6 quart – Thanks!
Cooked it to recipe Specifications and 7 hrs 25 minutes potatoes are still crunchy…boiling potatoes now to make family happy…
My favorite kind of recipes too! Thanks! I’m really needing more ideas after a few hectic weeks back at school.
YASSS! And thanks for the feedback!
Lina, could you please share the settings to do this in the instant pot? Any additional liquid needed?
I have not tried it in the IP- so it might be a little trial and error. I would guess 5-6 minutes on high and maybe add an extra 1/4 cup of broth or water. That plus the liquid from tomatoes, and stated 1/4 cup water in recipe should be good. Thanks!
Thank you 🙂 On the menu for next week!
Serve this with some warm cornbread and….OH MY!! Thanks for sharing, will be making it this winter!
Yum I love cornbread! – Thanks Marty!
Could you make this vegetarian without the meat?
ya that sounds like a good!
I made it vegetarian by leaving out the meat and adding a second can of beans. Kids approved.
Doing my walmart grocery pickup order right now, and I’m unable to find the ranch style beans near me (at Target or otherwise). So do I just do a can of pinto beans+1 pack dry ranch dressing (in addition to the onion soup mix), or will it taste weird? Or would you just do the can of plain pinto beans?
I think a can of plain pinto beans is fine! Enjoy 😉
Can I use kidney beans
Yes I’m sure you could 👍
I made this recipe yesterday at my house. It was a hit with my family. Thank you for posting this good, easy recipe
Oh yay I’m so glad you all enjoyed! Thanks for sharing.
I steamed the potatoes in my instapot for 10 mins then put everything in the slow cooker. Instead of the water I used tomato juice. Everything turned out yummy 😋
Oh thanks so much for sharing your IP version! Yum!
I wonder how chicken would do in the recipe instead of the ground beef? Any idea? I think it would work.
Well for anyone still wondering how to convert to an instant pot recipe, let me tell you what not to do 🤣 I added all ingredients except beans and beef along with an extra 1/2 cup of chicken broth ( so 3/4 cups total liquid) and cooked on high pressure for 5 minutes. Everything looked great when I took the lid off, added beans and beef and cheese and stirred…. which is when it turned into soup 😂 apparently way to much liquid and a bit to much time in the pressure cooker! I would cut down to 1/3 cup liquid a 3 minutes high pressure next time. On the bright side I threw in an extra cup of cheese, added some garlic powder and now I have a lovely potato soup 😂 great recipe!!
I just made this but it was a miss for me. I did not like the taste at all. It took so long for the potatoes to cook and I cut them into small cubes. I made the Chicken Zucchini Casserole this weekend and it was absolutely delicious!!! I would make the Zucchini recipe over and over again for sure, but I won’t be making the Cowboy Supper anymore!
Tha is Laura for adding your feedback!
wonder if frozen cubed potatoes would work. I dont have time to peel and cube up potatoes in the morning before going to work
Ya I’m thinking that could be tasty too!
Simply Potatoes has bags of fresh precut potatoes – at my local grocery store they’re in the refrigerator case with other breakfast foods. I use them a lot in dishes (like potato soup) that would otherwise require peeling and chopping potatoes. I known it’s not the most economical solution but it gets dinner on the table and probably still costs less than going out to dinner at a restaurant.
I made this today and it was great. Very filling.
Perfect! Thanks so much for sharing Sandra 🙂
What is the nutritional value of the meal? I’m pregnant and trying to track my daily caloric intake. Thank you
Do I have to brown the ground beef first? Or can I just let it cook in the crockpot?
You’ll need to brown it first, Leyla!
I need calorie count 🙁
Can i use black beans
ya I think that sounds yummy!
If cooking on high or medium how long would you recommend cooking this? I’m SO not a morning person I generally do the “3-4 hours on high ” meals, would that work?
Do you think black beans or kidney beans would be good in this? I can’t seem to find ranch style beans.
I think either would work, and the result would taste similar!
Can you boil the potatoes and put them in later
yes, I am sure that will work too!
So yummy and super easy! I didn’t have ranch beans on hand but I had a can of baked beans. Used ranch instead of onion mix because I opened pack before double checking. Still super yummy and easy. Thank you for sharing.
Oh nice sub ins! Thanks for stopping by Sarah!
This is delicious!!
My husband raves about it.
So easy.
Oh that is so great! Thanks Cindy!
This has become a family favorite. I make it at least twice a month. Amazing flavor and so hearty!
Oh nice! Thanks for the feedback!
My family loves this and it’s great for out at the shack. I use Rotel instead of plain diced tomatoes and I use Chilli beans. Once on a plate or in a bowl I top it with a little salsa and sour cream it’s delish
I made more because we have a bigger family. I cooked 2lbs of hamburger, 2 envolopes of the onion mix, 2 cans of rotel, 1 can of corn, 2 cans of red beans,
5-6 small cloves of garlic cut in half, put in last in different places. added onion flakes, garlic salt, and a little sprinkle of red pepper flakes to my hamburger. This was so so delicious. My family loved it and my husband asked if we can bring this to our Sabbath Bible study next week. Definitely keeping this recipe. So Comforting and Filling. Thank you!
That is so awesome!! Glad you enjoyed it 💕🙌
Yummy. I am going to see if my neighbor will make it and give me some. My guys won’t eat tomatoes or corn. LOL
I’d make it for you if I were your neighbor.
Thank you H2S! I’ve got everything to make this Gordy. Er tomorrow night! Going to add a chopped onion s as well!
Omg. Yum!
Lipton makes a “Beefy Onion – Soup Mix” that is divine! I use it for stews and much more! It would be great in this recipe as well, imho!
I use it too, ElleS! 🤗 Thanks for sharing your suggestion! If you try it out with the soup mix, let us know what you think! ❤️
I made this last night. I wanted something easy and different. I live in KS and we were having big storms so I wanted to make something ahead of time before tornados started popping off. Let me tell you what. My 15 year old son is picky. My son had three bowls of this. He wanted more but he said he couldn’t fit no more in his belly. I didn’t get to try it because I had a quick sandwich trying to take care of house, four dogs, and 18 month old. This will stay on our rotation. Ty
You’re welcome, Autumn! Happy to hear this was a hit! 💖 Hoping you stay safe from the storms! 🤗
I’ve made this several times. Most recipes for slow cookers result in an overcooked tasteless meal. Not this one! Since I have vegetarians in my household, I use an extra can of beans instead of the ground beef. I don’t use ranch beans. I use one can of kidney and one can of black. Love this easy recipe!
Glad to hear this recipe has been a hit, TS! Thanks a bunch for sharing the substitutions you made to make this vegetarian! 🙌💓
Thank you so much! I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner and funny enough I had ground beef and almost all the ingredients
thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’m going to be saving this and hopefully it will be loved tonight, I had ground beef thawed out trying to figure out what to do with it tonight and I had almost all the ingredients except I had to make my own ranc style beans and I had all the ingredients to make that. keep doing what you’re doing I so appreciate it and have been a follower for many years.