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Southwest cowboy casserole with a golden cornbread-style crust, fresh from the oven

Southwest Cowboy Casserole

This is what happens when tater tot hot dish heads southwest for the winter, chipotle-seasoned beef, roasted salsa, and melty cheddar turn a Midwest potluck classic into something with real kick and a little smoke. Quick, cheap, and worth the extra 20 minutes it takes to crisp up the bottom layer of tots.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 green bell pepper diced (or a mix of colors)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder up to 1/2 tsp — less for just a hint of smoky flavor, more for a bigger hit of smoke and heat
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz, roasted garlic if available
  • 1/2 cup roasted red salsa homemade (like my Salsa Roja) or store-bought fire-roasted
  • 1 10 oz can can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles mild or hot
  • 1 small can canned diced green chiles or chopped jalapenos
  • 1 14.5 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 12 oz bag frozen corn thawed (or canned regular, or canned fire-roasted corn for extra smokiness)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar or pepperjack cheese (for extra zest, if you prefer) divided
  • 1 bag tater tots 30 oz, divided

Equipment

  • 9x13 Baking Dish
  • Large Skillet

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Arrange half of the tater tots in a single, even layer across the bottom of the dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
  3. While the tots bake, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef as you go, until browned and softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, kosher salt, and black pepper, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Drain excess grease.
  4. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, roasted red salsa, Rotel with its juices, corn, black beans, sour cream, and half of the shredded cheese. If you want extra heat, stir in the additional can of diced green chiles or chopped jalapenos now. Mix until fully combined, then taste and add more salt if needed.
  5. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  6. Pour the meat mixture evenly over the pre-baked layer of tots.
  7. Arrange the remaining tater tots over the meat mixture in a single layer.
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top, and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top layer of tots is crispy.
  10. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Swapping the milk for a roasted red salsa (my own Salsa Roja or a store-bought fire-roasted salsa) and seasoning the beef with cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder is what gives this one real Southwestern flavor instead of just "beige casserole with a can of Rotel." Canned fire-roasted corn is another easy smoky swap if your store carries it.
The pre-baking step for the bottom layer of tots is optional but recommended, it keeps the bottom from turning to mush and gives the casserole an actual crispy crust.
No baking dish handy? A disposable foil pan works great and makes cleanup a non-issue.
🛒 Shop the gear I used in this recipe