Southwest Style Cowboy Casserole

Want something different for dinner? A real stick to your ribs meal that’s flavorful, cheesy and a bit indulgent? This southwest casserole is a homestyle bake with country sausage, ground beef and noodles with canned white beans. The savory Southwestern spice blend and roasted hatch chiles adds a pleasant tingle to this cowboy casserole.

I call this a cowboy casserole because it’s rich, hearty with ground beef and country sausage. Just the thing you can imagine eating out on the range.

My days aren’t quite as labor intensive and calorie-burning as a cowpoke’s, therefore, I’ve made this southwest casserole a little healthier than the standard version.

That means I’ve added more healthy veggies and skipped the can of condensed soup and tater tot topping. Trust me, though. The flavor is there!

Cowboy casserole ingredients

You’ll love this recipe not only for the flavors and stick to your ribs quality but also because most of the ingredients are everyday refrigerator and pantry staples.

Fresh sausage means that it hasn’t been smoked or cooked. I recommend something like Jimmy Dean.

Ground beef can be anything from 80/20 blend to a more lean hamburger.

Ditalini is a small, short pasta tube. I like it for casseroles because they’re roughly the same size as the chopped vegetables and blend well with the mix. If you can’t find ditalini, other small pasta works too. Try elbow macaroni, small shells or orecchiette.

Cannellini Beans aka white kidney beans are big and meaty. They’re my first choice for this Southwestern bake, but you can also use other canned white beans, kidney beans or pinto beans. Just be sure to rinse and drain the beans well before adding them to the homestyle bake.

This spice blend really intensifies the Southwestern flavors in the casserole and since they’re mostly pantry staples, you probably have them on hand.

What you’ll need for the spice blend:

Green chiles give this dish a bit of smoky heat. I like the green chiles from Hatch New Mexico. My friend, Nola, usually keeps me stocked. (BTW, Nola, – I’m out).

Sourcing fire roasted green chiles

If you happen to live near a roadside chile roaster stand, stop by and pick up a bushel. (They freeze remarkably well). This is what I used in this Southwest cowboy casserole.

Check your local supermarket or specialty hispanic markets. You should be able to find canned Hatch Chiles near the taco and Mexican foods at your market. This is the easiest option if you don’t have a private stash in your freezer.

If you don’t have access to a local roaster, you can also substitute roasted poblano peppers or Anaheim peppers.

In case you’re roasting your own chiles (Hatch, poblanos or otherwise), follow these instructions:

How to fire-roast chiles for a:

1. Heat your gas stovetop or grill to a medium high heat and place the chiles on the grate directly above the flame.
2. Cook until the skin starts to blister and the aroma is noticeable.
3. Use tongs to flip the peppers, so they get evenly charred on all sides and the pepper becomes tender. I usually cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
5. Let the peppers cool to room temperature, then slip off the burnt skins. Remove the seeds and stems and discard.
6. Chop the peppers.

If you don’t have a gas stovetop or a grill, you can also roast chiles in a hot oven.

How to oven-roast chiles:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Line a sheet pan with foil and place the chiles in a single layer on the pan.
3. Roast the chiles until the skins are blackened and the flesh is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
4. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
5. Let the peppers cool to room temperature, then slip off the burnt skins. Remove the seeds and stems and discard.
6. Chop the peppers.

It’s easy to assemble the Southwest style casserole, but it does take more than one pot. Sorry.

You’ll need one pot for cooking the pasta and a large skillet for cooking and assembling the ground beef, sausage, spices and veggies.

ProTip: Undercook the pasta. About 2 minutes less than you would for al dente.

Because the noodles are tossed with the meat and veg and then baked, they’ll continue to soak up liquid. If you cook them all the way through, they’ll get mushy in the casserole while baking.

To assemble cowboy casserole

1. Add about half of the filling to a prepared casserole dish.
2. Top with half of the shredded cheese.
3. Add the remaining cowboy filling and spread evenly over the cheese layer.
4. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the meaty filling and bake.

I use a blend of cheeses to top the Southwest casserole. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are my favorites, but you can use Colby, Pepper Jack, Cheddar Jack, even Gouda or other good melting cheeses.

Twenty five to thirty minutes in the oven is all it takes for this homestyle bake to transform into melty, cheesy, meaty, tongue-tingling bliss.

This Southwestern style casserole is rich and satisfying, but not overly heavy.

I love the ribbons of fresh spinach swirled throughout with the hearty beans, and bites of ditalini.

The spice blend and hatch chiles give every bite a savory, spicy flavor.

I made this for dinner one night and my husband couldn’t stop eating it. He had two helpings and then called “dibs” on the rest for his work-week lunches. Yep. It’s THAT GOOD!

FAQ’S

What to serve with Southwestern cowboy casserole:

• Southwestern Skillet Cornbread
• 3-Ingredient Drop Biscuits
• Cheddar Chive Popovers
• Green Leaf Salad

More hearty homestyle bakes you might like:

• Pulled Pork Casserole
• Classic Tuna Casserole
• Traditional Shepherd’s Pie
• Leftover Turkey Casserole

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