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Close-up of bubbling melted cheddar cheese and golden-brown tater tots inside a black ceramic slow cooker. (Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole)

Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

This Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole features savory browned beef, dark red kidney beans, and a glossy tomato sauce topped with golden tater tots and bubbling sharp cheddar cheese. A perfect, easy family dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs Ground Beef 85/15 lean for best flavor-to-fat ratio
  • 15 oz Dark Red Kidney Beans Drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz Tomato Sauce Smooth canned variety
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste To thicken the sauce
  • 1 cup Beef Broth Low sodium preferred
  • 32 oz Frozen Tater Tots Cylindrical golden-brown style
  • 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded for melting
  • 0.5 cup Green Scallions Freshly sliced for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart slow cooker Black ceramic insert preferred for visual contrast.
  • 1 Large Skillet Used for browning the ground beef.

Instructions
 

Prepare the Beef Base
  1. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until deep golden-brown crumbles form. Drain excess grease.
  2. Transfer beef to the slow cooker. Stir in kidney beans, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beef broth until a glossy sauce forms.
Slow Cook and Top
  1. Arrange frozen tater tots in a neat layer over the beef mixture. Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours.
  2. Top with sharp cheddar cheese. Cover for another 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
  3. Scatter sliced green scallions over the center and serve hot.

Notes

Ensure you brown the meat thoroughly for the best flavor.
Finish under the broiler for 2 minutes to get crispy tot edges.
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