Ninja Foodi Cowboy Casserole is an easy, hearty dinner made with seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, cheese, and crispy tater tots. Everything cooks right in the Ninja Foodi using the Sauté and Air Crisp functions for a delicious one-pot meal.
I enjoy making this casserole when I need a filling dinner without a lot of cleanup. The crispy tater tots and cheesy beef filling make it a family favorite, and I’ve included oven instructions if you don’t have a Ninja Foodi.
“My family and I have had this recipe several times. Every single time, it's been amazing.”
Why I Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Ground Beef: Creates the hearty base of the casserole.
- Tater Tots: Frozen tater tots give the casserole its crispy topping.
- Onion: Adds flavor to the ground beef.
- Black Beans and Corn: Make the casserole filling and hearty.
- Rotel Tomatoes: Add a little heat and flavor.
- Cumin and Chili Powder: Season the beef mixture.
- Sour Cream: Makes the filling creamy.
- Cheddar Cheese: Adds a delicious cheesy layer.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, crispy finish.
- Green Onions: Optional topping for extra flavor.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Ninja Foodi Cowboy Casserole
Brown the Beef: Set the Ninja Foodi to Sauté on High. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles.
Cook the Onion: Add the chopped onion and cook for 1–2 minutes, until softened. Drain excess grease if needed.
Season the Beef: Stir in the cumin and chili powder.
Make the Filling: Add the black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes with chilies, and sour cream. Stir until well combined.
Add the Tater Tots: Arrange the frozen tater tots evenly over the beef mixture.
Air Crisp: Close the Air Crisp lid and cook at 390°F for 20 minutes.
Add the Cheese: Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the tater tots and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the cheese melts and the tots are crispy.
Add Toppings: Sprinkle with cooked bacon and optional green onions before serving.
Tips I Found Helpful 🩵
- Use frozen tater tots straight from the bag. No need to thaw them first.
- Drain the black beans and corn before adding them to the casserole.
- Drain excess grease from the ground beef to keep the filling from getting greasy.
- Spread the tater tots evenly so they crisp up nicely.
How to Store Leftovers 🩵
Store leftover Ninja Foodi Cowboy Casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F until heated through, or warm individual portions in the microwave. The air fryer will help crisp up the tater tots again.
More Ninja Foodi Recipes
Ninja Foodi Cowboy Casserole
Ninja Foodi Cowboy Casserole is a hearty one-pot dinner made with seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, cheese, and crispy tater tots.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 bag frozen tater tots
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, drained if canned
- 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Green onions, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Set the Ninja Foodi to Sauté on High. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 1–2 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the cumin and chili powder.
- Add the black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, and sour cream. Stir until well combined.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots evenly over the beef mixture.
- Close the Air Crisp lid and cook at 390°F for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the tater tots and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the tots are crispy.
- Top with crumbled bacon and optional green onions before serving.
Notes
Use frozen tater tots without thawing. Drain the black beans and corn before adding them to the casserole. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your Ninja Foodi model.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 513Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 661mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 33g
Making this on Thursday. It will be my very first time using our Ninja Foodi. I’m so excited to try this.
It’s so good you will love it
@Michael, watch the times. It cooks faster than noted.
Holy cow this is GOOD!! This was my first time cooking in my new Ninja Foodi. This was so easy, and very filling as meal by itself (and we did the recommended serving of 1/6.
Thank you for sharing this super delicious recipe.
I’m glad you liked it
Does this have a ceramic pot? If not, what is the model # for that one?
yes it does 🙂 It’s the Ninja Foodi not an instant pot 🙂
Turned out great! Quick question, where in the instructions does it say to add the can of Rotel? I assumed it was with the corn and beans. Also, the ingredients list tater-tots, however the instructions say hash-browns, both similar but different cuts of potatoes that may confuse some people when shopping for ingredients.
I am nit reading any references to frozen hash browns, although I wish I had. This recipe looks so darn good but I don’t like the consistency of tater tots. Does anyone know how to swap the tater tots for hash browns, I sure would be grateful. Thank you.
I just made the Cowboy casserole. In the list of ingredients 1 can tomatoes q But in directions its not listed.
Is this just a mistake or don’t use can tomatoes?
Use them I will fix it sorry
This was great! Easy and quick. The family loved it. I used a can of green chilies and a can of stewed tomatoes because that’s what I found first (just moved still unpacking) a can of seasoned Lima beans for the same reason. 1 fresh ear of corn because it’s in season. Also added for topping I would recommend fresh tomato, ketchup, or siracha. That’s the way we role! Thanks for posting!
Is it air fry or bake? I drained my beans, corn and tomatoes.
Is this 390 air crisp or 390 baje
Is it supposed to be soupy? Liquid from cans of corn, beans. When do we add the Rotel? More liquid as well!
Where does the Rotel diced tomatoes come in to the recipe?
I’ve never made anything like this before. The recipe calls for Rotell chili’s, but never says when to put them in. I put it in with the sour cream. Hope that was right!
Made this tonight and it came out really tasty despite multiple errors on my part. My picky toddler ate it right up!
This was pretty good, just wanted to follow up with some people here in the comments
1 – When to add the tomatoes is missing from the recipe, I just added it when I added all the veggies in step 5, turned out fine.
2 – For those saying it’s liquid-y make sure to drain your beans and tomatoes (and corn if using canned corn)
I tweaked it a bit by adding bell peppers to the list of veggies (chopping them and adding on step 5), but also would recommend adding a bit of seasoning somewhere, maybe some garlic/garlic power when browning the beef, or a little salt and pepper with the beef. Another option is adding a can of cream of mushroom soup to give it a bit more flavor.
This recipe was cheap and easy, and made a big portion, just had a couple tweaks I’d make if I was making it again
Are you suppose to drain the beans and corn?
When are you supposed to add the rotel tomatoes?