Cheesy Fiesta Beef-Slow Cooker 

Cheesy Fiesta Beef-Slow Cooker. A warm, cheesy, and hearty slow cooker meal made with just five simple ingredients. Seasoned ground beef blends with creamy cheese sauce and zesty tomatoes for a rich, satisfying dinner the whole family will love — no thawing, no fuss, no stress.

This slow cooker cheesy fiesta beef is the kind of meal that just makes sense on a long, tiring day. It is filling, simple, and uses things you most likely already have at home — including a frozen block of ground beef straight from the freezer. You do not have to thaw anything or do a lot of prep work. Just open a few cans, toss everything into the slow cooker, and let it do its thing. I picture my kids walking in after a busy afternoon, lifting that lid, and getting a big whiff of warm, cheesy goodness. It is not a fancy meal by any means, but it is the kind of food that disappears fast — and that big, almost-empty pot at the end always puts a smile on my face.

This cheesy fiesta beef is great spooned over warm white rice, egg noodles, or crispy tater tots for a real down-home dinner. You can also scoop it into soft flour tortillas or pile it on top of tortilla chips for a quick nacho-style meal. Keep it simple on the side with a fresh green salad, sweet corn, or sliced raw veggies to balance out all that cheesy richness. Add some warm dinner rolls or a slice of cornbread and you have got a cozy, belly-filling supper that keeps everyone at the table happy.

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds frozen ground beef, solid block, not thawed
• 1 can (15 ounces) processed cheese sauce, such as nacho or cheddar cheese sauce
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, do not drain
• 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
• 1 small onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup

Cheesy Fiesta Beef: Directions

1. Set the frozen block of ground beef flat in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Make sure it sits as flat as it can so it cooks all the way through evenly.
2. Scatter the chopped onion all around and over the top of the frozen beef block so it spreads out nicely.
3. Open the taco seasoning packet and sprinkle it over the beef and onions, covering as much of the surface as you can.
4. Pour the full can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, juice and all, right over the top of everything.
5. Spoon the processed cheese sauce out of the can and spread it in a thick layer over the frozen beef and the rest of the ingredients, covering as much of the top as possible.
6. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, or on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first few hours — the heat and steam inside need to build up to cook the frozen beef all the way through safely.
7. Around the 3 to 4 hour mark on HIGH, or after about 6 hours on LOW, use a strong spoon or spatula to start breaking up the beef block right inside the slow cooker. Stir it into the melted cheese mixture and keep breaking it apart until the meat is crumbled into small pieces and mixed in well. If you still see pink in the middle, put the lid back on and keep cooking.
8. Once the beef is fully cooked with no pink left and the temperature in the center reads at least 160 degrees F, give everything a really good stir. The cheese, tomatoes, onions, and seasoning should all come together into one smooth, thick, cheesy beef mixture. Taste it and add more seasoning if you feel it needs it.
9. Switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting. Give the mixture one more good stir right before you serve it, then ladle it over rice, noodles, potatoes, or scoop it into tortillas and enjoy.

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