Tater tot hotdish, otherwise known as Cowboy Casserole, is an incredibly filling viral dinner recipe full of intense flavors and sure to become a family favorite recipe in no time!
This creamy, delicious dinner combines beef, a variety of BBQ seasonings, and tater tots as the final filling layer making a sincere twist on one of the best classic comfort foods.
Why you will love Making BBQ Tater tot Hot Dish.
Uber filling – Like most old-fashioned and classic casserole recipes, this “cowboy casserole” can easily feed a crowd. There won’t be much need for a side dish recipe, making dinner less time-consuming and less expensive to make.
Mix it up – Over time, there have been hoards of variations to tater tot casserole recipes. Some include more vegetables like green beans with cream of mushroom soup and have a thicker quality and taste much as you find in Shepards Pie. But this hearty casserole recipe is more exciting and brings something new to the table with its BBQ taste.
Where did this Cowboy Casserole Recipe Originate?
This recipe was created and shared by viral TikTok video creator @bestfriendsforfrosting. Visit her page for more delicious ideas and recipes! You can see her entire video below:
Our thoughts on this viral recipe: This was good. It was different, but I liked the bbq flavoring.
Changes we made: The original recipe called for a cornstarch slurry. I didn’t use one, and I didn’t think it needed it.
TikTok Hot Dish Ingredients:
- Uncooked Ground beef – It doesn’t matter if you use lean ground beef or fattier ground beef.
- Seasonings – Cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Fresh – Green pepper ( seeds removed and chopped), Onion (use yellow onion or white onion).
- Canned – Diced tomatoes and Beef broth.
- Frozen – Frozen kernel corn and frozen Tater Tots.
- BBQ sauce – Use any brand of Barbecue sauce that you enjoy.
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
How to make Tiktok Cowboy Casserole.
- Add beef to a cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until browned. Drain grease.
- Season with cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix well. Remove meat mixture from pan and set aside.
- Add green peppers and onion to the pan and cook until onion is tender about 5-6 minutes.
- Return beef to pan with green peppers and diced onions. Add a can of diced tomatoes, frozen corn, beef broth, and bbq sauce, and mix all ingredients well.
- Stir in sour cream and one cup of cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 9×13 dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread half of the tater tots in the bottom of the prepared baking dish (single layer) and top with beef mixture.
- Finish with a layer of tater tots on the mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
- Place casserole dish in preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and hot. The top should be golden brown. Serve immediately with a side of Frank’s hot sauce.
Expert Tips
Can this recipe be prepped ahead?
I do not recommend prepping cowboy casserole ahead. The corn and tater tots are best kept frozen and not thawed, making this an impossible dish to completely prep and leave for a significant amount of time.
Spice it up – With freshly chopped green chilies or a drained can of jalapenos.
Crispy Tater Tot Layer – If you want a slightly crispier tater tot, throw it under the broiler for a few minutes. Just remember that broilers work FAST in hot ovens and it’s very easy to burn. Check minute by minute until the desired color is reached.
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TikTok Cowboy Casserole (Tater Tot Hotdish)
Equipment
- baking dish
- non-stick cooking spray
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 green pepper seeds removed and chopped
- 1 small onion diced
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes canned
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup beef broth
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup + 1/2 cup separately
- 32 oz. frozen tator tots keep frozen
Instructions
- Add uncooked ground beef to a cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Season beef with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Remove beef from the pan and set aside.
- Add chopped green peppers and diced onions to an empty skillet and cook until onion is tender about 5-6 minutes.
- Return seasoned beef to pan with peppers and onions and add canned diced tomatoes, frozen corn, beef broth, and bbq sauce. Mix well.
- Stir in sour cream and one cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread half of the frozen tator tots in the bottom of the baking dish and top with all of the beef mixture.
- Place remaining tater tots on top of the mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
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