Tex-Mex Cowboy Casserole

This Tex-Mex Cowboy Casserole has been a family favorite FOR YEARS! It is one of the most popular casseroles on our site and it’s no wonder why! It’s got everything you could ever want in a Tex-Mex meal, all in one easy casserole! Ground Beef, corn, salsa, black olives, a sour cream and cottage cheese sauce, tortilla chip crumbs and lots of cheddar cheese! The flavors are just unreal and the leftovers are even better! Crazy good!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
1 (12 oz) jar chunky salsa (Hot or Mild, whichever you prefer)
1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives, drained (save out a few of the black olives for the topping)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
2½ cups tortilla chip crumbs (It takes about 5 cups of whole chips to make 2½ cups of crumbs)
2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup green onions, chopped
A few whole tortilla chips for garnish

Instructions:
Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain. Add in the corn, chunky salsa and all but 2 Tbsp of the black olives. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, until mixture is warmed through. Remove from heat and set aside. Combine cottage cheese, and sour cream. In a 2 quart non stick sprayed casserole dish. Layer ½ the crushed chips, then ½ the meat mixture, then ¾ cup cheddar cheese and finally, ½ the Cottage Cheese mixture. Repeat the layers again, ending with the cottage cheese mixture. Cover with foil, and bake in preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Top with remaining cheddar cheese, tomatoes, black olives, bell pepper and line the outside with whole tortilla chips. Place back in the oven, uncovered, for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. (Careful not to let chips burn) Remove from oven, and allow to set for 10 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve!

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