Description
Cowboy Casserole is a hearty slow cooker dinner made with seasoned ground beef, tender Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, corn, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and optional melted cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can corn, drained
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook while breaking the beef into small pieces until the meat browns and the onion softens.
- Add the minced garlic and kosher salt. Stir and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Drain excess grease when necessary.
- Transfer the beef and onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the sliced potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with their juices, black-eyed peas, corn, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Stir gently until combined.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the potatoes and carrots become fork-tender.
- Taste the casserole and adjust the salt and spices as needed.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the casserole. Cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Stir lightly or serve with the melted cheese layer on top.
Notes
- Slice the potatoes into even 1/4-inch rounds so they cook at the same rate.
- Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas, and drain the corn before adding them.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm larger portions in a covered saucepan.
- For make-ahead preparation, brown the beef and onion, combine them with the remaining ingredients except the cheese, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze the uncooked beef and vegetable mixture without the cheese for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
- Taste the finished casserole and adjust the salt, smoked paprika, and chili powder before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 1022
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 54
- Fiber: 11
- Protein: 48
- Cholesterol: 108