Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (907 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) 96% lean ground beef, fully thawed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups (246 g) corn kernels, frozen or drained canned
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups (452 g) 2% cottage cheese, blended completely smooth
- 6 ounces (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- Plain Greek yogurt for serving, optional
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. Add the Yukon Gold potato cubes in an even layer.
- Add the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Crumble the fully thawed 96% lean ground beef into small pieces over the vegetables. Pour the beef broth around the edges.
- Cover and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours or Low for 7 to 8 hours. After about 2 hours on High or 4 hours on Low, quickly break the beef into smaller crumbles, stir once, and replace the lid.
- Continue cooking until the potatoes are fork-tender and the ground beef reaches 160°F (71°C).
- If the casserole looks loose, remove the lid and cook on High for 15 to 25 minutes to reduce excess liquid.
- Turn the cooker to Warm or Low. Stir in the blended cottage cheese, half of the cheddar, and half of the crumbled bacon.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top. Cover for 10 to 15 minutes, until melted. Finish with remaining bacon and scallions. Serve with plain Greek yogurt if desired.
Notes
- Use fully thawed ground beef; USDA recommends thawing meat before slow cooking.
- Cook ground beef to 160°F (71°C) as measured with a food thermometer.
- For a browned-beef variation, brown the beef with the onion and bell pepper to 160°F, drain if needed, and transfer to the slow cooker before continuing.
- Optional Greek yogurt topping is not included in the nutrition estimate.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly, use within 3 to 4 days, and reheat to 165°F.
- Nutrition is estimated per 1/8 casserole using representative values for 96% lean ground beef, Yukon Gold potatoes, black beans, corn, 2% cottage cheese, sharp cheddar, center-cut bacon, tomatoes, and broth. Brand values vary.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: High Protein