Cowboy Casserole
A layered Tex-Mex bake with seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, tortilla chips, and melted cheddar cheese for a comforting one-dish meal.
Ingredients
Beef Mixture
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb ground beef (90% lean)
- 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes undrained
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 15 oz black beans rinsed, drained
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
Casserole Assembly
- 6 cups tortilla chips about 6 ounces
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese about 8 ounces
Instructions
Beef Mixture
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef, onion, and garlic; cook and stir until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 lb ground beef (90% lean), 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the chili powder, ground cumin, and dried oregano; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- Stir in the diced tomatoes (undrained), tomato sauce, black beans, and frozen sweet corn; bring to a simmer.14.5 oz diced tomatoes, 8 oz tomato sauce, 15 oz black beans, 1 cup frozen sweet corn
Casserole Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Layer half of the tortilla chips in the dish, top with half of the beef mixture and half of the cheddar cheese, then repeat the layers.6 cups tortilla chips
- Bake until bubbling around the sides and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
During testing, I found lightly toasting the tortilla chips in a 350°F oven for 3 minutes prevents them from getting soggy.
When simmering the beef mixture a few extra minutes, the sauce thickens better and clings to the chips.
Leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container stay crisp when reheated at 350°F for 10 minutes.