Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Oct 20, 2025 
Feed a hungry crowd with this hearty & delicious Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole! It’s loaded with ground beef, Rotel chiles, beans, cheese, then topped with tater tots and baked to crisp, golden perfection.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Yeehaw, y’all! Saddle up… On a cozy couch, because this cowboy casserole recipe is the ultimate comfort food must-have for those busy weeknights and lazy weekend dinners. Or both, in the same week, because yes, it’s that good.
For my family, tater tots steal the show of any dish they’re a part of, like in my spicy breakfast tater tot casserole or slow cooker tater tots. But in this recipe, below that crispy golden goodness, this cowboy tater tot casserole is loaded up with all of your favorite hearty fixin’s like bacon, ground beef, beans, and cheese. Lots of cheese.
Why You’ll Love this Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
- Easy to prepare – You only need 15 minutes of prep time to sauté the filling and arrange the tater tots above it, then let the oven do it’s magic!
- Prep ahead – This is a great casserole to prep ahead and freeze for later baking. Or make it ahead a day or two and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Customizations galore – Top it with your favorites like sour cream, chopped scallions, salsa, hot sauce – anything that tickles your fancy!
Be warned – if your family is anything like mine, there will be no leftovers to speak of.
Ingredients and Tips
- The meats – You’ll need thick-cut chopped bacon and your choice of 80/20 or 90/10 lean ground beef.
- Onions and garlic – These aromatic powerhouses bring together all of the best savory flavors.
- Seasonings – Chili powder for that smoky out-on-the-range campfire flavor, and a pinch of salt.
- Filling – Mild or spicy Rotel – whichever suits your spice level preference! As well as kidney beans, frozen corn, shredded cheddar and cream cheese to bring it all together.
- Tater tots – no need to thaw, you can use straight from frozen.
- Green onions – sliced, to garnish the casserole
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef
Tips for Success – This cowboy casserole with tater tots is terrific to make ahead! Cook the filling and assemble the entire dish, then freeze or refrigerate to bake later. I suggest using an aluminum disposable pan or other freezer-to-oven safe baking dish.
Find the full Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Storage Notes
- Storing leftovers – Baked cowboy casserole leftovers will keep well for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge.
- If prepping ahead – you can put the casserole together, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for a day or two.
- Freezing – To freeze, wrap the casserole dish in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by one or two layers of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Add some veggie side dishes to this cheesy, meaty, carb-y party to make it a full, balanced meal. Try reader favorites like roasted cauliflower and broccoli (even kids love it!), honey glazed carrots, air fryer Brussels sprouts, or green beans.
We also like to balance out the coziness of the casserole and enjoy it with a crisp green salad loaded with lettuce and fresh goodies. Our romaine hearts salad and homemade caesar salad dressing recipes are delightfully simple and refreshing!
Cowboy Casserole Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 strips bacon chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 – 15 ounce cans Rotel diced tomatoes and chiles
- 15 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
- ¾ cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spray with cooking spray.
- Set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Place the chopped bacon in the pan. Stir and fry the bacon for 3-5 minutes to brown. Then add in the ground beef. Chop the ground beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Then stir in the onions, garlic, chili powder, and salt. Stir and cook the meat mixture until the ground beef is cooked through and the onions are soft.
- Stir in the Rotel, kidney beans, frozen corn, shredded cheese, and cream cheese cubes.
- Scoop the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out into an even layer.
- Arrange the tater tots over the surface of the meat mixture. You can do this in straight lines or create a pattern with the tater tots.
- Bake the casserole for 40-50 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly around the edges, the tater tots are gold-brown, and a knife inserted into the center of the casserole comes out HOT.
- Once out of the oven, sprinkle chopped green onions over the top of the casserole. Serve warm.
Notes
- Storing leftovers – Baked cowboy casserole leftovers will keep well for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge.
- If prepping ahead – you can put the casserole together, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for a day or two.
- Freezing – To freeze, wrap the casserole dish in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by one or two layers of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
A soggy casserole is usually due to the corn thawing before baking. Or the dish has not baked long enough. Bake the casserole for at least 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the tots are browned.
Cowboy tater tot casserole likely originated from the Midwest in states like Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Montana. But this hotdish-style recipe has long been a quick and easy dinnertime favorite around the country!
This dish is SO delicious! It’s also one of the easiest meals I’ve ever made. I think it most appropriate for a cover dish. Being the only meat eater in the house it makes SO much I gave half away – and they loved it too!