John Wayne Casserole
204 Comments May 19, 2019
Updated May 13, 2025
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This John Wayne Casserole is made with a twist—tater tots! This hearty slow cooker casserole starts with a layer of potatoes, followed by a creamy, cheesy sour cream mixture, seasoned ground beef, and is finished with a generous topping of melted cheese.
I love making casseroles in the slow cooker if you want to try a few other great ones try my Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu or Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipes.
I don’t think John Wayne had anything to do with this casserole—the name likely comes from its western-style ingredients. The original version uses biscuit mix, but a reviewer once mentioned having it with tater tots at a restaurant. That’s the perfect slow cooker twist—tater tots make it easy and delicious!
I have a beloved standard crockpot tater tot casserole recipe that I adore on my site, so I knew exactly how to assemble this new creation. I also make a chicken and bacon tater tot casserole that you must try too!
Ingredients for John Wayne Casserole
This slow cooker casserole is easy to put together with simple ingredients. Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the images.
This easy meal starts with frozen tater tots, topped with taco-seasoned ground beef, onions, and peppers. A creamy sour cream and cheddar layer goes on next, finished with more cheese and optional fresh toppings like tomatoes or peppers.
Recipe Video
Watch me make this casserole in my crockpot:
How to Make John Wayne Casserole
Here is my method for making this easy slow cooker casserole. Once you get your ground beef browned, it comes together quickly.
Step One: I add the bag of tater tots to my slow cooker.
Step Two: Then I brown a pound of hamburger with bell pepper, onion, taco seasoning, and water, I pour that meat mixture over the tots.
Step Four: Then I make a sour cream and cheese mixture with a bit of seasoning and spread that on top of the meat.
Step Five: Cook on LOW for 4.5 hours, and then top with more cheese. I put the lid back on the slow cooker, and the cheese melts in minutes.
My Serving Suggestions
Being that we make this so often, we know exactly how to serve it:
- I like to top this delicious casserole with tomatoes and green bell peppers. The cool tomatoes, along with the crunchy contrast of the bell peppers, really make the dish.
- You can also top the casserole with sour cream and green onions.
- Other serving ideas are a side of cornbread or green salad.
Featured Comment
“It made this dish yesterday for the family and it was a HUGE hit! Seconds all around! YUMMY! Thank you for the great recipe! I’ll be trying more for sure!”
– Patti
John Wayne Casserole Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 32 oz. bag tater tots, (frozen, not thawed)
- 1 lb. ground beef,
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 oz. taco seasoning mix, (I use Lawry's)
- water, add the amount of water to the meat that the taco mix says to add, 2/3 cup is what my packet said
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (divided, half in sour cream mixture and half on top at the end)
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
optional toppings
- diced tomatoes
- bell peppers
Instructions
- Spray a 6-quart oval slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the tater tots down in an even layer, so there isn't a high spot.
- In a large skillet, set over medium high heat, brown the hamburger, onions and bell pepper. When the meat is browned, drain the fat. Add the amount of water the taco packet says to add to the meat (my packet said to add 2/3 cup). Add the taco packet, and continue cooking and stirring until the meat and the seasoning has thickened.
- Pour the meat mixture over the tater tots in the slow cooker.
- In a medium sized bowl add the sour cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, and half of the cheese (this is about a heaping cup of shredded cheese, save the other half to top the casserole at the end.)
- Spread this sour cream cheese mixture over the meat mixture in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4.5 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- After the cooking time is up add the remaining cheese evenly over the casserole.
- Cover and let the cheese melt, this will only take about 5-10 minutes.
- To serve, top with diced tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Ground Slow Cooker Beef Recipes to try:
Lumberjack Casserole is a hearty slow cooker dinner with beef, potatoes, beans, and cheese—perfect for a filling family meal.
Creamy and comforting, Cowboy Casserole layers ground beef, potatoes, and cheese for a satisfying all-in-one crockpot dish.
With bold flavor and simple ingredients, this Wendy’s Chili recipe lets you enjoy the drive-thru favorite right at home.
Crockpot Sloppy Joes are sweet, savory, and made with ease—just pile onto buns and dinner’s done.
Sorry, tried this and would not try again.
I’ve made regular John Wayne casserole and I am excited to try this. The tater tots are a good substitution for the crust on the bottom of regular JW casserole. One thing missing, however, is the jalapenos. I’ve always thought they gave the casserole a lot of flavor. They could be used as a garnish I guess if there are people eating the dish who have a sensitivity to peppers.
I will use diced fresh hatch green chilies since they are healthier than green bell peppers………love the recipe
My husband doesn’t like green peppers. Any suggestions for a substitute? I love them! Maybe mince them so he doesn’t really see them? Or maybe a green chili mix?
You can leave them out! I think it would be fine 🙂
Could I use french fries in place of the tots??
I don’t know how that would work. The tots work well because they are browned slightly before they are frozen. I’m thinking the fries may be bland.
Love the recipe idea! Would it be possible to use my programmable “casserole crockpot” ?
I think so! Since it is a casserole meal. My advice is to keep the lid on the entire cooking time.
I couldn’t fit all if the tater tots in. I had to leave about two handfuls out, otherwise the slow cooker lid would not close at the start of cooking.
How did this turn out Tara? I don’t think you used a 6-quart so cooker, you can see in my photos I still had a few inches of room with the 6-quart. I hope it did work for you though!
I loved all your recipes so does my large and hungry family
Yes! At the cheese factory there a line of cheese tasting with most of those cheeses!
you can order a select few of their cheeses from that website amazon also sells them but they seemed rather pricey.
Would it work if you cooked it for 8 hrs (low) in the crock pot?
I think that would be too long.
I’M IN, SOUNDS MARVELOUS! !