Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole Recipe

This hearty Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole is packed with tender potatoes, seasoned ground beef, kielbasa, beans, corn, and a creamy mushroom beef broth sauce that cooks low and slow into the ultimate comfort food.

For more hearty, meat-loaded cowboy-inspired recipes be sure and try my Ultimate Cowboy Queso and Cowboy Stew.

Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

Cowboy Casserole is a hearty, cheesy, family-friendly casserole dish that often includes ground beef, vegetables (including corn, tomatoes, and beans), cheese, and some sort of creamy sauce. It’s often topped with a layer of crispy tater tots. 

Cowboy inspired recipes are often loaded with a couple different kinds of hearty meat (ground beef + kielbasa), tender potatoes, seasonings, and vegetables. If you’re looking for a good slow cooker ground beef recipe, then this fun twist to classic cowboy casserole is a must-make. 

This slow cooker version of the classic cowboy casserole includes all the same delicious flavors, but its made in the slow cooker! So prepare it the morning of and let the magical slow cooker do all the work. Your family will love this hearty dinner recipe that’s waiting for them. 

My slow cooker version has perfectly seasoned ground beef with dried seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, pinto beans, green beans, corn, fresh sliced red potatoes, and it’s topped with a creamy beef broth with cream of mushroom soup. 

The flavors infuse together during the longer cook time and it’s really so amazingly yummy. Top the cowboy casserole with a dollop of sour cream, extra shredded cheese, green onions, chopped cilantro, and jalapeños if you want some spice!

Ingredients Needed

1. Ground Beef : I use lean ground beef for this recipe – 93/7 or 96/4. You can use whatever fat percentage you prefer, as the excess grease will be drained, but just note that as it cooks in the slow cooker the fattier ground beef can give off more grease while cooking. Which is why I prefer lean ground beef. 
2. Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika : These are the dried seasonings needed for the ground beef mixture. 
3. Worcestershire Sauce
4. Petite Diced Tomatoes : Canned tomatoes that are labeled as petite diced tomatoes in juices; no need to drain the juice, just dump everything into the slow cooker. 
5. Pinto Beans : Drain and rinse the pinto beans before adding them into the crockpot. 
6. Rotel : These are diced tomatoes with green chilies and can be bought in various heat levels such as original, mild, medium, or spicy. Choose your favorite one. Do not drain the juices, just dump everything into the slow cooker. 
7. White & Gold Corn : Canned corn with yellow corn and white corn, be sure and drain the excess liquid from the can. 
8. Canned Green Beans
9. Kielbasa Sausage : This is a store-bough sausage that comes in a U shape and it comes in various flavors, so pick your favorite, slice it up, and use it in the recipe. You will find the kielbasa sausage near the hotdogs at the grocery store. 
10. Red Potatoes : Thinly slice the red potatoes using a knife or a mandolin. 
11. Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
12. Beef Broth
13. Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

How To Make Crockpot Cowboy Casserole (Printable Recipe Card)

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, Cook and crumble the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. Drain any excess grease from the pan. 

Add the dried seasonings and Worcestershires sauce to the cooked ground beef, and stir to coat the meat in the seasonings until it’s well combined. 

Add the petite diced tomatoes, pinto beans, Rotel, white & gold corn, and the green beans into the ground beef mixture and stir together to combine all the ingredients well. 

Layer half of the thinly sliced red potatoes into the bottom of the slow cooker. Evenly spread half of the ground beef mixture over top of the potatoes. Then layer half of the sliced kielbasa sausage over top the ground beef. Add half of the shredded cheese on top. Repeat these layers one more time but reserve the remaining shedded cheese for later (do not add the final cheese layer on top yet). 

In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth and cream of mushroom soup. Pour the sauce evenly over the layers of ingredients inside the slow cooker. 

Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours, or until the red potatoes are tender and the casserole is thick. 

When the cook time is done, sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese over top, cover with the lid again and let the cheese melt (about 5-10 minutes) before serving. 

Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onion or chopped cilantro, and sliced jalapeños if you want some spice. Enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers of Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole Recipe

Refrigerate leftovers inside an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave or on the stove top in a saucepan until heated thoroughly. Add a splash of broth, milk, or water as needed.

This casserole does really well on the WARM setting for several hours if needed. Some nights my family eats dinner at different times or maybe you want to serve it for a party and need to let it sit out for a few hours.

Can I Make Any Substitutions?

• Ground Beef : You could also use ground turkey or ground chicken for a lower-fat option. 
• Rotel : Use a mild version, medium heat, or the spicy heat rotel for a higher heat level.
• Petite Diced Tomatoes : Regular canned diced tomatoes can be used instead; I prefer the small cuts of the petite. 
• Pinto Beans : Any canned bean can be used instead if pinto; try red kidney beans (light or dark red), chili beans, white navy beans, or a can of black beans. 
• White & Gold Corn : I love this corn so I always use it, but feel free to use a can of yellow corn or a can of white corn instead. 
• Red Potatoes : Another good option is Yukon gold potatoes that have been thinly sliced. Red potatoes are the best because they are firmer in texture which means they will hold up better to the longer cooking time, and won’t get mushy at all. 
• Kielbasa : This is a packaged U shaped sausage that you will find near the hot dogs and deli lunch meat. There are lots of different varieties and flavor so choose one you like. I’ve used the turkey one before with great results, but there are also spicy ones, cheddar, beef, etc. 
• Colby Jack Cheese : Use any variety of cheese you prefer instead. Pepper Jack for some spice, white cheddar, yellow cheddar, or Monterey Jack are all good options.
• Beef Broth : Use regular salted broth, reduced-sodium, or salt-free – it just depends on your preference and/or dietary restrictions or needs. You can also use water + beef bouillon instead. 
• Cream of Mushroom : This is the best one to use because of it’s bold, hearty, and savory flavor but you could also use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom with garlic. 

Recipe Tips For Success

• Thinly slice the potatoes to ensure they cook through evenly during the slow cook time. You can cut the potatoes with a knife or use a Mandolin Slicer for ease. Just be careful of your fingers! Go slow! I love the one linked because it has a holder for the potato, so there is way less change of messing it up and cutting yourself by accident.
• Make sure you are draining the corn, beans, and green beans well before adding them into the slow cooker. We don’t want excess liquid or else the casserole could become too watery. 
• This cowboy casserole is best served with a dollop of sour cream, thinly sliced green onions, and additional cheese if wanted. If you want spice, try serving the casserole with sliced jalapeños or add a dash of hot sauce on top. 

More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Crockpot Mississippi Chicken
• Slow Cooker Potato Soup
• Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
• Slow Cooker Mississippi Steak Bites
• Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
• Crockpot Pulled Beef Sandwiches