Instant Pot Cowboy Casserole is an easy, hearty, beefy tomato pasta dish with melty cheese that will keep your little and big cowboys happy and full. Yee-haw!
Instant Pot Cowboy Casserole
Viki a women that belongs to the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipe Facebook Group shared her stove-top recipe for something she calls cowboy casserole. She said that she makes this for potlucks and for her granddaughter’s volleyball team when it came her turn to feed them. I was intrigued and, of course, knew that I needed to make my own version in the Instant Pot. As described by Viki it, “is basically homemade hamburger helper; only better.” She was right. It’s a hearty beefy tomato pasta dish with melty cheese. And it’s delicious. And 900 times better than the stuff in a box. Greg literally had 3 helpings.
I loved the use of the wagon wheel pasta. I have always noticed these circular pasta noodles in the bulk bins at Winco but have never used them. They seem like a throwback to childhood and I liked their shape, texture and way they were coated in sauce. You can also use the cavatappi pasta or elbow macaroni noodles.
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Recommendations
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
To make Instant Pot Cowboy Casserole I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly. It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.
Instant Pot Cowboy Casserole
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
An easy homemade hamburger pasta meal that will keep your little and big cowboys happy and full. Yee-haw!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 ¾ cups beef broth
- 8 oz (about 2 ½ cups) uncooked wagon wheel pasta
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 (2.25 oz) can sliced olives (optional)
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- ⅓ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the ground beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Add in the 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Brown the beef for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease drain it off.
- Add in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add in the pasta in an even layer over the top of the beef. Layer the diced tomatoes over the top of the pasta. Scoop the tomato paste in dollops over the top of the tomatoes. Add in olives, if desired. Sprinkle the ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and sugar over the top. Do not stir.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When the time is up let the pot sit for another 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir the pasta until it is coated in the meat and sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top and let melt. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I loved the wagon wheel pasta but if you can’t find them use cavatappi pasta or elbow macaroni noodles.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I made this last night and it was fantastic! I used diced tomatoes with chipotles and it added a bit of zing, which we loved. This recipe was so easy and so flavorful…we’ll definitely enjoy this often! Thank you!
Good idea on the chipotles! I bet that added tons of flavor.
Another great recipe. So simple and straight forward. You’ve been my instant pot Guru for over a year.
★★★★★
Ahhh, thanks Garry!
I don’t like diced tomatoes, can I use a jar of spaghetti sauce instead? If so, how much? And do I leave everything else the same?
Sure you could do that. I would use about 1.5 cups of the sauce. And I’d leave everything else the same.
I’d like to make half of the recipe. Do I change the cooking time? Sounds delicious.
Hi Pat, you’d keep the same cooking time: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-halve-instant-pot-recipes/
Very tasty! I followed the recipe. Next time I will add more Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. The cooking time was perfect!
★★★★
Glad you liked it Laurie!
Can this recipe be doubled? I have a 6 quart duo Insta pot and would like to try doubling it and cooking it in that pot. Can I double it and cook it all at once, or must I make two separate batches of the casserole?
★★★★★
For sure you can double it. Double all ingredients and keep the same cooking time.
This was so easy to make. My husband saw your recipe and sent it to me. I took the hint the flavors were great. Thank you
★★★★★
My husband send me recipes too! Mostly things he’s seen on facebook.
This was good. I used ground turkey and rotini pasta. I may not use the black olives next time. Will also try spicing up the ground turkey to make it a sausage (you would add crushed fennel seeds, basil and oregano and salt and pepper to the ground turkey and let it sit in the refrigerator several hours or overnight).
★★★★★
I love the idea of making it into sausage. I love all the seasonings in sausage!
Hi Karen
Can you make the cowboy casserole in the slow cooker and if so can you be so kind to send me the recipe .
I looked and could not find the slow cooker recipe anywhere if you got it posted maybe you can tell me how and where to find it .
Thank you
I am sorry I don’t have a slow cooker recipe for this particular recipe. You could easily make it on the stove top though.
Tried this and liked it a lot. I did add some celery, as I had some to use up, and some yellow pepper chopped I also put in a can of pinto beans. Was very good but next time I would add some Worcester sauce perhaps, to give it a little more zing.
I love Worcestershire! Sounds like a good plan to me.
Can anything be substituted for the pasta
Personally I haven’t tried anything else. what were you thinking of using?
Curious what size pot is this recipe written for. I have a mini?
I used a 6 quart.
Pasta! No Beans!! Chuck Wagon will be burnt to the ground.
★★★
I agree! And leave out the Italian seasoning.
Why? Did you not like it with the seasoning?
This would be a great recipe to make for a large group with cooked pasta and then just bake in oven.
Totally!