Our Meaty Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole is a hearty slow cooker recipe that is sure to please the entire crew. Layers of beef, sausage. taters, beans and cheese make this one can’t miss meal! 
Cris here. I am back with another favorite recipe from our kitchen and a favorite farm family for you to meet thanks to Indiana’s Family of Farmers. This hearty casserole is one that suits about everyone that tries it and that could be because it has just about everything you can imagine in it! Ha! But don’t worry, it is super easy to throw together and it is a dish that can cook all day as I found out the hard way. More on that in a sec.. but first, let’s meet the Mahans.
Faces Behind Our Food
I knew this Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole was perfect for the recipe in our Faces Behind Our Food Series (sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers) to introduce you to my friend Sarah and her family because it totally reminded me a little of the flavors in her Hungry Jack Casserole (recipe link below)!
Sarah and her family live on a beef and grain farm. They feed out their beef, which means they get them when they are about 700-800 pounds and feed them until they reach 1200 pounds when they are sold and go to market. They also farm corn and soybeans. Brad, her husband, is the fifth generation, and they are raising the sixth generation.
Sarah is the gal behind This Farm Family’s Life and Farmwife Crafts. There you can read about her life on their farm, her beautiful daughters, crafts (of course!) and some yummy recipes!
These are a few of Sarah’s favorite recipes…
Sugar Cream Pie is an Indiana classic– our state pie even (I think)– and Sarah does it up right.
Hungry Jack Casserole is internet famous and a great hearty casserole for the hungry Jack’s in your family.
Kids of all ages love Sarah’s Pizza Casserole— I should know, we LOVE it!
Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole
Now that I got your tummy grumbling from all those yummy dishes, how about that Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole I promised.
Just be glad I am not making it FOR you if you are hungry! The other day I made this recipe in a different slow cooker than I usually do and it was not near ready until about 2 hours later than expected! The cowboys were getting restless by the time it was done!
A Few Notes:
- The timing on this recipe is a basic guideline (as with all our recipes). I have made this casserole in my crock pot at home in about 4 hours on high, but recently when we were on vacation, I was using a different slow cooker and let’s just say lunch was NOT done until dinner. I knew better. I had broken my own rule: Always, always, always test a recipe (when using different crock pot) when you have TIME to watch it and adjust the time accordingly.
- Since this recipe calls for a browning step, you might enjoy using a stove-top safe slow cooker (THIS one is my current favorite) or even an all-in-one unit for less clean up.
- We used Cream of Mushroom Soup with Roasted Garlic but you can use regular cream of mushroom if you want to and just add in some garlic.
- We used Ranch Style Beans, but you can use pork and beans or pinto beans if you can’t find them.
- This recipe filled up a 6 qt slow cooker. If you choose to use a smaller slow cooker you will want to divide the recipe.
- This recipe makes a bit of a mess, so if you like to use crock pot liners, you might use one here.
- 1 lb Ground Breakfast Sausage
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 1/2 lbs Baby Gold or Red Potatoes- Sliced Thin
- 15 oz Jar of Salsa
- 15 oz Can Northern Beans- Drained and Rinsed
- 15 oz Can Ranch Style Beans
- 11 oz Can of Mexicorn
- 10 3/4 oz Can Cream of Mushroom with Garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
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Brown ground beef and sausage in a skillet or stove top crock (THIS one is my current favorite) and drain.
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Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and mix well.
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Top with cheese.
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Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 OR until potatoes are tender.
Big thanks to Indiana’s Family of Farmers for sponsoring this post! Affiliate links were used in this post.
when you say northern beans, do you mean navy beans?
Hi Phyllis- Northern Beans and Navy beans are technically different, but you can substitute one for the other. I think navy beans are a little smaller in size than northern. Hope that helps! ~ C
I make cowboy beans a lot. This recipe is totally different and would be a welcome option to our “teen grandson” nights. However, the beans you call Ranch Style Beans are not sold here in Central Ohio, that I’ve ever seen. Is there an option with a comparable flavor? Are they beans with Ranch dressing flavor? Thank you for any information on this and for the recipe!
Ranch Style beans are from Texas. They are pinto beans in a red chili tomato sauce in a can. I grew up making them on the farm to feed all the hands working. We called them cowboy beans. The recipe is simply making chili but with out the meat but a bag of dried pinto beans instead. I have cooked the beans first then make the chili sauce or cooked the beans in the chili sauce with extra water. Enjoy!
I found your suggestions on the Ranch Style beans! I thought they were a flavored bean. I have plenty of those beans in the pantry!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Linda! I do believe they have a bit of flavoring to them, but honestly, I’ve only ever had them in recipes so I don’t know how they taste all on their own. Anyhow, with all the other flavors involved, I am sure the substitution mentioned will work just fine. Enjoy! ~ C
Thank you!!
WHAT TYPE OF SAUSAGE?
Hi Cindy! Just regular ground breakfast sausage. Enjoy!!
sorry caps were locked.
You refer to sausage… does that mean whole sausages, or sausage meat? Thanks.
Hi David! We used ground sausage meat. Enjoy!