Cheesy “Cowboy Casserole” Is So Good, I’ve Made It for Dinner 3 Weeks in a Row

published Aug 6, 2024

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Cowboy casserole (a casserole with ground beef and other ingredients, topped with tator tots and melted cheese — Credit: Kelli Foster

If you’re looking to channel your inner cowboy or just craving some good old-fashioned comfort food, these cowboy recipes are just what you need. They’re perfect for outdoor cooking (the cowboy way!) or anytime you want to bring a bit of the Wild West into your kitchen.

We’ve wrangled up our absolute favorite cowboy recipes, from hearty cowboy beans that are packed with smoky, savory goodness to a thick and juicy cowboy steak that’s grilled to perfection (don’t forget the cowboy butter!).

Whether you’re cooking under the stars or at home on the range, here are 15 cowboy recipes that will make you want to tip your hat.

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This classic BBQ side dish utilizes pantry staples and comes together in just one pot. Serve it with smoked ribs or grilled chicken thighs at your next cookout.

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Cowboy Spaghetti

If classic Bolognese sauce and a bowl of chili had a weeknight-friendly baby, it would be this cowboy spaghetti. The smoky sauce is full of ground beef, chili powder, and aromatics that come together quickly for a seriously filling meal.

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Cowboy Margarita

A fun twist on the classic margarita with orange juice, jalapeño pepper, blanco tequila, and beer. It’s citrusy, perfectly sweet, and super refreshing.

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Cowboy Stuffing

This Southwest twist on the Thanksgiving favorite will have everyone at your table saying "Yeehaw!".

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Cowboy Candy (Candied Jalapeños)

Cowboy candy (also known as candied jalapeños) is the best thing to happen to summer cookouts! Try sweet and spicy cowboy candy in fried chicken sandwiches or chopped up in potato salad.

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Cowboy Baked Potatoes

Crisp, golden oven-baked potatoes are loaded with a blend of seasoned ground beef, beans, and barbecue sauce and then topped with sharp cheddar, spicy jalapeños, and crispy bacon. It’s the perfect comfort food with a Southwestern twist.

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Cowboy Dressing

Salads will beg to be served with this creamy, smoky dressing. Use it to dress restaurant-style taco salads or drizzle it over fish tacos. You can also use it for dipping loaded steak quesadillas or crunchy veggies.

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Cowboy Pasta Salad

Cowboy pasta salad combines two potluck favorites into the ultimate summer side dish. It's everything you love about summery cowboy caviar in pasta salad form.

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If you want to feel like a cowboy, this Flintstones-style cut of beef is certain to get you one step closer. Salt, pepper, a thick bone-in ribeye, and heat is all you need for one of the most impressive meals of the grilling season.

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A mixture of butter, lemon, herbs, and spices melted together for an easy compound butter dipping sauce for steak (try it with cowboy steak!), vegetables, or bread.

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Cowboy Casserole

This ultra-comforting casserole is layered with seasoned ground beef, creamy tomato sauce, corn, black beans, melted cheese, and topped off with a blanket of crispy, golden tater tots.

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Cowboy caviar is seriously perfect potluck party food — especially in the South, where tailgating season begins before the air turns crisp.

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These easy cookies — studded with pecans, coconut, and chocolate chunks — taste like an upgraded chewy oatmeal cookie.

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Slow Cooker Charro (Cowboy) Beans

Pinto beans, bacon, and sausage combine to make charro beans (also known as "cowboy beans"), a popular dish in Texas. The base of this dish is frijoles de la olla, a five-ingredient recipe for saucy, creamy pinto beans.

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This bright, bubbly cowboy cocktail from Texas will quench your thirst all summer long. All you need are 3 ingredients — blanco tequila, fresh lime juice and Topo Chico mineral water.

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