This is seriously the perfect weeknight dinner. You have minimal meal prep with minimal effort and end up with this easy casserole recipe. It doesn’t get much better than that!
INGREDIENTS:
lean ground beef - I used 90% lean so there wasn’t as much grease to drain off the ground meat. whole kernel corn - Be sure to drain it. You can use sweet corn or not, up to you. condensed cream of chicken soup - Cream of mushroom soup would work as well. shredded cheddar cheese - Sharp cheddar cheese or any other type of shredded cheese is delicious in this, too. milk - To thin out this easy casserole dish. sour cream - Greek yogurt could be used. onion powder - For flavor. garlic powder - For flavor. paprika - Smoked paprika is a great option as well. ground black pepper - To taste. Tater Tots - Frozen tater tots are perfect!
How to Make Air Fryer Cowboy Casserole
I make this recipe in my Cosori 5.8 qt. air fryer or 6.8 quart air fryer. Depending on your air fryer, size and wattages, cooking time may need to be adjusted 1-2 minutes.
Variations
Add beans - Some people like to add beans to this dish. Chili beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, or even black beans would all be good choices. Chicken stock - If you want to use a little bit of chicken stop to thin out the mixture, you can. Add veggies - If you’re a mom, you know how hard it is to get veggies into the kid’s diet! Now is your choice to add some diced red bell pepper or green bell pepper to this cowboy casserole recipe. Use a different meat mixture - To cut down on the calories, you can use ground turkey in place of beef. You can even mix in a little taco seasoning or chili powder to add some heat!
Top Tips
Make sure that you cook the beef mixture thoroughly on the stove top before adding it to the casserole dish. Break up the meat so that it’s easy to cook quickly and then cook until it’s fully done, with no pink at all. You will want to drain off any excess grease before adding it to the dish because if not, it will make the entire dish extremely greasy. For the corn, a can of corn will work or you can use frozen corn as well. I would cook the frozen corn in the microwave or stovetop first and then drain and add for the best results.
How to store
The good news is that once you make this hearty casserole, you’re going to have some leftovers for the next day! Just be sure to let the casserole cool down before adding it to an airtight container. If you don’t have a lid, you can cover the leftovers with aluminum foil. Store it in the fridge, and eat it within 2-3 days.
How to freeze
Did you know that this delicious dinner can be frozen? You actually have two options when it comes to freezing it! The first option is to follow the recipe card below and make this simple casserole dish, right up to where you don’t bake it. You can then put the entire tater tot casserole recipe into the freezer, covered with an airtight lid. When you’re ready to eat it, just take it out, and bake it! If you’ve already cooked this easy weeknight meal, and you want to freeze some for later, just follow the same process of covering it, and then adding it to the freezer.
What goes well with tater tot casserole?
Honestly, you don’t really need side dishes to pair with this since the tator tots, and all the other ingredients create quite the hearty meal. But, if you like options and it’s part of your meal plan process, a nice side salad would be a great accompaniment.
How do you make frozen tater tots crispy in the oven?
Crispy tots are key for this yummy dish! You need to make sure that you’re putting the tots on top of the rest of the ingredients in a single layer. If you push them down into the mixture, they’re going to absorb the moisture and they won’t be as crisp. Also, if you stack them on top of each other, it won’t give them the chance to cook and you’ll miss out on that golden brown coloring and crispiness that you’re going for.
How do you get tater tots to stick together?
You want the tater tots to stick together on the top of the casserole as it forms a cool look and a great topping. The great thing is that as long as you’re laying them closely but not overlapping, they’re going to stick together as they bake.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Frozen Burrito in Air Fryer Air Fryer Fried Eggs Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich Air Fryer White Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies Air Fryer Truffle Fries
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