Vegan Cowboy Casserole

This vegan cowboy casserole is the perfect comfort food that will have the entire family coming back for more!

Its feeling a lot like fall around our parts of the Pacific Northwest! Whether its sweltering where you are or are noticing its getting chilly as well, then this vegan cowboy casserole is just the dish to try. This casserole is typically meat based but my version is plant forward. More importantly, this casserole's packed with savory flavors with a hint of heat and tang along with wonderful textures.

This super delicious casserole is primarily made of delicious veggies, pea protein crumbles, beans, cheese and topped with delicious crispy tater tots. Packed with carbs, proteins and tater tots to entice the little ones(and the grown ups), this one will be a firm family favorite once you try it.

Try these other delicious casseroles - navy beans and wild rice casserole, tater tot casserole, Greek spinach rice casserole, broccoli and orzo casserole

Key Ingredients

Vegetables - I used red onions, garlic, tomatoes, frozen corn and mushrooms. You can also use other vegetables like green peas, green beans, peppers, sweet potatoes. For tomatoes, I used canned tomatoes but you can use fresh tomatoes as well.

Pea Protein Crumbles - I have dehydrated pea protein crumbles in lieu of any animal protein. You can also use crumbled tofu, seitan, tempeh, TVP or any plant based crumbles.

Beans - You can use a combination of beans like black, red kidney beans, pinto beans. In the recipe, I have used a combination red kidney and pinto beans. I also used canned beans to cut down on prep time. This dish is also perfect if you are looking to use some beans that are lying around.

Dairy - The main dairy we will use are sour cream and cheese. I subbed with vegan sour cream(forager) and vegan pre-shredded mozzarella and Colby jack(both violife) to keep it vegan. You can also use any vegan cheese. If you are okay with regular dairy, use any cheese including mozzarella, Mexican cheese. You can also sub sour cream with greek yoghurt.

Tater Tots/Topping - Frozen tots are added as a topping covering the entire casserole.It is also a fun element for the kids and crispiness of tots adds great texture. Other great topping options would be mashed potatoes, corn meal . I am thinking you can also top with thinly sliced potatoes and it will turn out great.

Spices/Seasoning -I added taco seasoning which already contains cumin, paprika etc. This means you don't have to add all of this individually.However, I did add a little bit of cumin powder just for the added flavor. I have also added some hot sauce for some heat and acidity. You can decide the quantity based on your preferance.You can also add some jalapeños for extra heat.

Cilantro - I added just a little for some extra flavor and color! You can leave it out or sub with any other herbs of your choice.

Some tips for a great vegan cowboy casserole

Make it one pot - Using a cast iron or oven safe skillet makes it easy to cook the casserole over the stove. Once you have topped with the frozen tater tots, just place the same pan in the oven until the tots are completely done.

Dont skimp on the seasoning - The casserole is already full of umami packed ingredients like tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese. But the delicious flavor comes from the taco seasoning. Once you add the seasoning, let the ingredients cook for a few minutes for the flavors to be absorbed.

Use canned beans - This is purely for convenience since I like cooking beans on my own vs using canned. However, there are times where I am really thankful for canned beans especially if you are making this for a weeknight dinner.

Speed up the process - Half the cooking time is reserved for baking the casserole with the tater tot topping. Since all the other ingredients are already cooked, you can just bake the tater tots on its own while the other ingredients are cooking. Once the rest of the casserole is done, just top with the baked tater tots and serve.

Vegan/ Gluten-free options - The recipe is fully vegan and gluten-free. Ensure the tater tots, hot sauce, taco seasonings are completely vegan and gluten-free or marked so before purchasing them.

Storage, reheating and meal prep

Meal Prep - If you are planning to meal prep, then I would recommend cooking the casserole minus the tater tots and let it cool down to room temperature. Transfer to a freezer safe container and cover it completely before freezing. The day before you plan to use it, let it thaw overnight. You can also chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Top with the frozen tater tots and cook as you would in the recipe.

Storage - This should last well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave before eating. For freezing, follow the steps above. When you reheat after freezing, the tater tots might not retain the same crispy texture though.

Serving suggestions - This cowboy casserole is completely satifying on its own. You can also serve light salad or some warm bread rolls along with it.

Did you give this vegan cowboy casserole a try? If you did, please let me know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below. You can also follow along on social media at Facebook, Bluesky or Pinterest.

Recipe