How to make slow cooker cowboy potato casserole (video)

When I think about cowboys, I picture them eating hearty Tex-Mex dishes like this substantive casserole. I may not spend my days wrangling horses, but by dinnertime I’ve usually worked up quite an appetite. This dish can be thrown together in 10 minutes in the morning; after work, I just sprinkle on the cheese and serve.

The classic combo of meat and potatoes goes perfectly with Tex-Mex flavors: corn, cheese, bell pepper and black beans. Potato casseroles often include creamy soups as a base, but I prefer salsa, which is both lower in calories and higher in flavor.

Cooktop Cove

Slow Cooker Cowboy Potato Casserole

6-8

15 minutes

7 hours, 15 minutes

7 hours, 30 minutes

1½ pounds ground beef

6 medium red potatoes, cut into 1½-inch cubes

3 teaspoons salt

1½ teaspoons pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 14-ounce can corn

1 14-ounce can black beans, drained

1 14-ounce jar salsa

¼ cup chicken broth

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef and drain off excess fat. Season with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. Pour into a 5-quart slow cooker.

Add potatoes and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Add all ingredients from green onions to chicken broth. Mix well.

Cover and cook on low 7 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Sprinkle cheese over the top and cook on high for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Pro tip: Finish with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole for even more Tex-Mex deliciousness.

Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here.

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