Cowboy BBQ Tater Tot Casserole

BBQ Tater Tot Casserole is a hearty and easy dinner that would even fill up a hungry cowboy!

How I came up with this Cowboy BBQ Tater Tot Recipe

Two things happened this week that inspired this recipe. First, I saw a delicious breakfast tater tot casserole from NeighborFood. It made me remember the first time I heard about tatertot casserole when I was in college. I thought it sounded weird, tried it anyway, and fell in love. I have since kind of forgotten about it, but when I saw that breakfast one, it gave me a hankering. I started to think about how I could make a recipe that was somehow different than the standard cream of mushroom soup version. Then someone probably said, “Mommy!” and I got distracted and forgot about tater tot casserole existing again.

Then, a few days later we had french fries for dinner. No news there, but I decided I wasn’t in the mood for plain fries and got some BBQ sauce for dipping. That reminded me of how much I like fries and BBQ sauce, and that reminded me of my tatertot casserole craving. That’s how we got here.

I don’t know why I called this Cowboy Casserole exactly. It just seems like something a cowboy would eat, but I don’t have a cowboy handy to ask if they are into tater tots and BBQ sauce and corn. We sure liked it, and it’s plenty easy. It’s also easy to make the meat part ahead of time and bake when you’re ready.

My BBQ Sauce Recommendation

Oh, and as a side note, I like to use BBQ sauce with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. That usually is hard to find and expensive, but I noticed that Target’s Market Pantry brand uses real sugar and is really reasonably priced. This only feeds my Target addiction, as if I needed help with that. Use your favorite BBQ sauce in this recipe, and enjoy a tasty comfort food dinner!

Why I love this Cowboy Casserole Recipe

To me any recipe with cowboy in the name needs to a complete and hearty meal. It probably should also include some meat, beans, carbs and some form of BBQ sauce or hot sauce. This recipe has all those things and is definitely a dish that will fill you up and keep you full. It is perfect for families with teenage kids that can eat you out of house and home. Here are my top 3 reasons you will love this recipe:

1. It is a crowd pleaser. This recipe is loaded with flavor from the Tex-Mex seasonings, bbq sauce, and hot sauce. It is also very addictive due to the crispy tater tots and cheesy topping.
2. It is very easy. With only about 10 minutes of prep time and then 30 minutes in the oven it is easy to throw together on a weeknight.
3. You cannot make too much. This recipe works great as leftovers and can be frozen. See my notes below on storing and reheating this cowboy tater tot casserole.

BBQ Tater Tot Casserole Topping Recommendations

My family is addicted to condiments and sauces. No dish can be served without first emptying out the door of the fridge and putting all the condiments on the table. Now some of the combinations my kids make I can understand, some like jam with eggs I just cannot. Here are some of our favorite things to serve as toppings for this cowboy tater tot casserole. They also work great on most Tex-Mex casseroles.

• More BBQ sauce. Feel free to give your plate an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce on top.
• More hot sauce. If you like the heat hot sauce is a great addition and I like the vinegar to give the dish some acidity.
• Pickled jalapeños. This is one of my favorites. I add some rings or diced jalapeños on top for some extra flavor and kick.
• Ketchup. One of my sons puts ketchup on everything. I mean everything. But who doesn’t like ketchup and tater tots.
• Ranch dressing. I live in California. We love ranch. But it does work really well with the flavors in the casserole, especially with a little extra hot sauce.
• Sour cream or Mexican crema work well if you want something creamy.
• Enchilada sauce. This is one my husband has started to use as his alternative to ketchup. We make extra of this easy 5-minute enchilada sauce recipe and keep it in the fridge.

Why casseroles make great leftovers and freezer meals

I am going to make a blanket statement that I might regret later but all casseroles make great leftovers and work as freezer meals. Now I know that is a huge claim but I think it is true and here is why.

• Casseroles benefit from having time for the flavors to meld together.
• They have enough sauce that they do not dry out when reheated.
• They use meats that have been prepared in a way that allows them to reheat well. Think ground beef, pulled or diced chicken in sauce, braised meats. All these can be reheated without issue.
• You can reheat them in the microwave and oven. More on this below.

How to store and reheat casseroles

Here are my tips on how to best store and reheat casseroles. This works for this cowboy tater tot casserole but also for others like this chicken enchilada and rice casserole.

1. Let the casserole cool on the counter and ideally in the fridge for 1-2 hours. This allows the casserole to set and firm up making it easier to portion.
2. Portion the casserole in the size you would want to reheat. I often cut it into pieces that are large enough to feed two. This makes it easy to thaw and/or reheat what you need instead of a whole casserole.
3. Transfer to the appropriate storage container depending if you are freezing or refrigerating.
   • If refrigerating I recommend storing in an oven and microwave safe container such as pyrex. This way, you can microwave it and then place it in the oven. More on this below.
   • If freezing I recommend two storage options.
     1. Place the portioned casserole in a Tupperware or airtight container and freeze.
     2. Place your portions on a sheet tray and place the tray in the freezer for 2 hours so the portions partially freeze. Then, transfer the firm portions to freezer bags and place them in the freezer. This is best if you do not have a lot of extra containers you can afford to have sit in your freezer.
   • Take the portions out of the freezer 24 hours in advance and transfer to the container you are going to reheat them in and allow to thaw in the fridge.
   • To reheat I like to microwave the portion for 2-3 minutes doing so in 1 minute increments with about 30 seconds of rest in between. This allows the center to warm without the casserole over cooking and becoming tough in places. Then place the casserole portion in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. This high heat allows the top to crisp up and to warm the rest without drying out. Because you are heating in the microwave and oven be sure to use something like pyrex that is both oven and microwave safe.

Cowboy BBQ Tater Tot Casserole

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5 from 2 reviews

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BBQ Tatertot Casserole is a hearty and easy dinner that would even fill up a hungry cowboy!

• Total Time: 48 minutes
• Yield: 6

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 20 ounces ground turkey A pound of turkey or beef is fine.
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup frozen corn (or 10 ounces can whole kernel corn drained)
• 15 ounces can pinto beans drained
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 28 ounces bag frozen tatertots

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13″ baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, ground meat, chili powder, hot sauce, and salt. Stir and cook until meat is almost cooked through. Stir in corn and drained beans, and cook a couple more minutes until hot.
3. Pour meat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Drizzle BBQ sauce over the meat, and spread shredded cheese over that. Arrange tater tots in an even layer over the top of the cheese.
4. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are golden brown. (I like to bake mine a little longer so the tots get pretty crispy on top.)

• Author: Andi
• Prep Time: 3
• Cook Time: 45

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