John Wayne Casserole Recipe
John Wayne Casserole is a southwestern layered, hearty dish made with tater tots, seasoned beef, a creamy cheese mixture, and a melty cheddar topping—perfect for a comforting, all-in-one meal.
Servings: 8
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!
Video
Notes
Spice: This recipe is very mild if you desire a more spicy version try pepper-jack cheese or replacing the bell pepper with jalapeno.
More Flavor: Add a can of rotel tomatoes in the beef mixture for even more flavor.
Leftovers: MANY readers have commented that the leftovers are even better than the original dish. You can store the leftover casserole in the fridge for up 4 days, or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1061mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 23.6mg | Calcium: 293mg | Iron: 2.5mg
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