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My father said a casserole only earned the name cowboy casserole if it had beef, beans and a potato lid you could hear crunch when the spoon went in. Anything less, he said, was just a hot dish. It was the supper my mother made at the end of the month, when the grocery money was nearly gone, and a little ground beef went a long way in that pan. Beef browned with onion, a can of beans, a can of corn, chili powder, a splash of barbecue sauce, a handful of cheddar, and potatoes lined up across the top.
The trouble with most potato-topped casseroles is the top. The potatoes sit on a wet filling, steam instead of roast, and come out pale and soft. The cure is a thick filling with no extra liquid, a layer of cheese between the filling and the potatoes, and potatoes that go in already hot and half crisp, then bake in a hot oven. Here is how to get that potato top crisp instead of soggy, every time.
Why this cowboy casserole works
- A thick filling. The beef sauce simmers until it is thick, so no liquid steams the potatoes from below.
- Cheese as a barrier. A layer of cheddar under the potatoes melts into a seal between the saucy filling and the crisp top.
- A head start for the potatoes. Potato rounds that roast on a sheet while the beef cooks go on the casserole already hot and dry.
- One even layer. Potatoes lined up in a single tight layer all crisp at once; piled up, the bottom ones steam.
- A hot oven. A hot oven browns the potatoes quickly and bubbles the cheese before the filling dries out.
Ingredients
Serves 6 from a 9 by 13 inch dish. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the beef filling
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (680g)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) corn kernels, drained, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup tomato sauce (240ml)
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce (80ml)
For the topping
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (225g)
- 1 bag (28 to 32 ounces, about 850g) frozen potato rounds, or 3 russet potatoes sliced very thin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for sliced potatoes
Choose a barbecue sauce with no meat in it and read the label. If you use raw sliced potatoes, slice them very thin, about 1/8 inch (3mm), and toss them with oil and salt.
How to make cowboy casserole
Start the potatoes
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees (220°C). Spread the frozen potato rounds on a sheet pan in one layer and bake them for 12 minutes while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- Brown the ground beef with the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, for 8 to 10 minutes, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Spoon off any extra fat.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beans, corn, tomato sauce and barbecue sauce. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is thick and the sauce clings to the beef with almost no liquid in the pan.
- Spread the filling evenly in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and press it flat.
Top and bake
- Scatter the cheddar evenly over the filling, right to the edges.
- Arrange the hot potato rounds in tight rows over the cheese in one even layer, covering the whole dish. If using sliced potatoes, overlap them like tiles in rows.
- Bake on the upper middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes (35 to 40 for raw sliced potatoes), until the potatoes are deep golden and crisp and the cheese bubbles at the edges.
- Rest the casserole for 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets and the servings hold together.
Tips that make the difference
- Simmer the filling until a spoon drawn through the pan leaves a clear path. A wet filling is the reason for soggy potatoes.
- Use a metal or ceramic dish and the upper middle rack, where the top gets the most heat.
- For extra crunch, give the casserole 2 minutes under the broiler at the end, watching closely.
- Let it rest before cutting. A casserole served straight from the oven runs on the plate.
Variations
- Black bean cowboy casserole. Use black beans instead of pinto beans and add a can of drained diced green chiles.
- Mashed potato top. Spread 4 cups of mashed potatoes over the cheese and bake until the peaks brown.
- Spicier. Add a chopped jalapeño with the onion and a pinch of cayenne with the chili powder.
- Ground turkey. Use ground turkey in place of beef and add a little extra smoked paprika.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat portions in a 375 degree (190°C) oven or an air fryer for 12 to 15 minutes to crisp the potatoes again; the microwave warms it but softens the top.
To make ahead, assemble the filling and cheese in the dish, cover and chill for up to a day. Add the potato rounds and bake, allowing 10 minutes more.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my cowboy casserole soggy on top?
The filling was too wet or the potatoes went on frozen and piled up. Simmer the filling thick, roast the potato rounds first and lay them in a single layer.
Can I make cowboy casserole without barbecue sauce?
Yes. Use an extra 1/3 cup of tomato sauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a little more smoked paprika.
Can I use raw potatoes?
Yes. Slice them very thin, toss with oil and salt, overlap them in rows and bake until tender underneath and crisp at the edges.
Can I freeze cowboy casserole?
The baked filling freezes well for up to 3 months. Freeze it without the potato top, then add fresh potato rounds before baking.
Make it at the end of the month, tap the top with your spoon, and listen for the crunch.
Cowboy Casserole (Ground Beef, Beans, Corn and a Crisp Potato Top)
Cheap and filling cowboy casserole: browned ground beef with onion, beans, corn and a smoky tomato sauce, covered in cheddar and a lid of potato rounds baked until crisp and golden.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) corn kernels, drained, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 bag (28 to 32 ounces, about 850g) frozen potato rounds, or 3 russet potatoes sliced very thin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for sliced potatoes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees (220°C). Spread the frozen potato rounds on a sheet pan in one layer and bake them for 12 minutes while you make the filling.
- Brown the ground beef with the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, for 8 to 10 minutes, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Spoon off any extra fat.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beans, corn, tomato sauce and barbecue sauce. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is thick and the sauce clings to the beef with almost no liquid in the pan.
- Spread the filling evenly in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and press it flat.
- Scatter the cheddar evenly over the filling, right to the edges.
- Arrange the hot potato rounds in tight rows over the cheese in one even layer, covering the whole dish. If using sliced potatoes, overlap them like tiles in rows.
- Bake on the upper middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes (35 to 40 for raw sliced potatoes), until the potatoes are deep golden and crisp and the cheese bubbles at the edges.
- Rest the casserole for 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets and the servings hold together.
