Slow Cooker Cookout Casserole

This easy slow cooker cookout casserole mixes hash brown potatoes, beef franks, and melty cheddar cheese for a fun, filling dinner. It’s simple to make with just five ingredients and tastes like a backyard cookout, but it’s made right in your slow cooker with almost no work at all.

This slow cooker cookout-style casserole uses pantry and freezer foods to turn a few cheap ingredients into an easy dinner that tastes like a classic backyard cookout. It has that smart, make-it-work spirit that people often think of from Depression-era cooking, when simple foods were stretched to feed the whole family. This version is made for today’s busy families and works perfectly in a modern slow cooker on a hectic weeknight.

Serve this dish with a crisp green salad, simple coleslaw, baked beans, or steamed green beans to help balance out the rich, cheesy flavor. If you want it to feel even more like a fun cookout dinner, add pickle spears, kettle chips, or toasted buns on the side so everyone can scoop up the casserole and build their own plate.

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen beef franks (about 16 ounces)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes (20 ounces)
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Slow Cooker Cookout Casserole: Directions

1. If you want, spray the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little nonstick spray to stop food from sticking. Add the frozen diced hash brown potatoes and the thinly sliced onion, then spread them out into one even layer across the bottom.
2. Lay the frozen beef franks on top of the potatoes and onion. Squeeze the mayonnaise evenly over the top of the franks and potatoes so it covers everything a little. Then sprinkle 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese over the whole dish.
3. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The casserole is ready when the potatoes are soft, the franks are heated all the way through, and everything looks hot and bubbly around the edges.
4. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese on top of the casserole. Put the lid back on and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes so the cheese can melt fully.
5. Once the cheese is melted and gooey, spoon the casserole onto plates and serve it while it’s nice and hot.

Goat Cheese Chicken Cavatelli