Are you looking for a keto meal to soothe your savory cravings? This Keto Ground Beef Mexican Casserole packs a tasty dose of nutrition with protein, veggies, and lots of savory spices that will leave you full and satisfied.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
We love Mexican-inspired dishes in our household, and sometimes it can be tough to find healthy options in restaurants. We try to avoid excess sodium and mysterious chemical ingredients, which often means that the best solution is to cook at home! This casserole provides the restaurant flavors we love, and is keto-approved.
One of the best parts of the keto diet is that we can still enjoy cheese and dairy products, which pair so well with Mexican food! In this recipe, the cheese and sour cream are a mere highlight to the yummy base. Also, by switching up normal rice for cauliflower rice, my kiddos don’t even notice a difference! A healthy alternative, check. A healthy alternative that even the kids will love? Check!
This Keto Beef Casserole is a family favorite in my house, and surely will be in yours, too!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups cooked cauliflower rice
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- ¼ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 ounces shredded mexican cheese
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
- pinch of salt
- pinch of black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, then add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until translucent.
Step 3: Stir in the garlic and slowly cook for 1 minute.
Step 4: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes until browned. Season with the paprika, taco seasoning, salt and pepper.
Step 5: While the meat is cooking, break it with a wooden spoon, then add the chopped roma tomatoes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
Step 6: In another skillet, heat the oil and warm the cauliflower rice. Season with salt.
Step 7: In a casserole dish, combine the warmed cauliflower rice, sour cream, and butter.
Step 8: Spread the beef mixture evenly on top of the cauliflower rice mixture and sprinkle with the shredded Mexican cheese.
Step 9: Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let it cool down before cutting and serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Add More Veggies To Your Casserole: If you want a healthier version of this casserole recipe, you can easily mix in extra veggies for additional nutrition. Some excellent options could be adding some more diced bell peppers, jalapenos, or frozen peas. You can also mix in mushrooms, which increase the quantity of the dish, and add beneficial antioxidants. If you only like the vegetables that are already listed, feel free to use more of them. You can easily double the number of tomatoes, cilantro, cauliflower rice, and onion. This will help to add more nutrients, and also increase your chances of having delicious leftovers!
- Use Your Favorite Cheese: I used Mexican cheese in this recipe, but you can also use your favorite cheese like mozzarella or parmesan cheese. If you want to add a bit more heat and spice to the dish, you can try pepper jack or habanero havarti! Or, a safe option for those of you with more traditional palettes is a classic sharp cheddar cheese. The options are endless, and with any cheese, you can’t really go wrong. Just keep in mind that the overall taste of this dish will change!
- Choose Your Favorite Protein For This Dish: Feel free to substitute ground beef with other meat options. If you want to focus on a lean protein, you can choose ground turkey, ground chicken, or tofu (extra firm tofu works best and holds its form most reliably). Otherwise, ground pork, ground bison, or even sausage can work well. You can use ground sausage, which mimics ground beef very well. If you prefer, you can also use link sausage, and chop it into bite-sized pieces. This will add a nice texture throughout the casserole.
- Make It Vegetarian: This recipe can be also made as a vegetarian option. Substitute the meat with an assortment of beans to keep the protein value high. I personally like black beans, kidney beans, and white beans. Dark red kidney beans are one of the healthier bean options and provide good fiber. I recommend selecting beans with no added salt, to help keep the sodium levels reasonable. Substitute the meat with lentils or mushrooms – both work well here. The texture of these resembles the texture and color of ground beef.
FAQ’s
If you want to prepare this dish in advance for a family or dinner party, you can absolutely do that. Sometimes it helps to assemble everything ahead of time, so that on the day of, you can just heat and serve! Sometimes I prepare this dish the night before. Just make sure to cover the casserole properly and keep it in the refrigerator until used. When you are ready to serve it up and wow your guests, just warm it in the oven or microwave before serving!
What Can you Serve With This Keto Beef Casserole?
While the casserole can be a full meal on its own, sometimes you may want to have some yummy sides that will complement the main dish. My kids always say that my Keto Tortilla Chips are a must. The other dish I like to prepare as a side to this Keto Beef Casserole is this Keto Coleslaw. It’s a bright and fresh addition to the otherwise hearty casserole, and also gives an extra dose of veggies. Also, it’s sugar-free and gluten-free!
Is Beef a Good Choice on a Keto Diet?
Beef can be an excellent keto protein option. Ideally, when abiding by a keto diet, you want to avoid heavily processed meats, and opt for more organic options. Grass-fed beef is a good variety to look for, and you can also research the source of the meat you buy.
Storage Information
Store the casserole in an airtight container. If you have a casserole dish with a lid, that will work best. Otherwise, I recommend using plastic/cling wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the fridge for at least 3 days. Before serving, simply reheat the casserole. My preferred method is to reheat it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. If you’re in a rush, you can also reheat in the microwave until the cheese is melted and the casserole is warm!
Can You Freeze Beef Casserole?
Yes! You can freeze this beef casserole for up to 6 months. The key is to make sure it is as air-tight as possible. This can be done by prepping the ingredients and bagging them in freezer-grade plastic bags. For this approach, you will want to package and freeze the cauliflower rice, sour cream and butter in one bag, and the beef mixture in a separate bag.
This way, when you’re ready to thaw and combine everything, you can still prepare it with the original layers. I recommend keeping the shredded cheese out of the freezer, and putting it on when you heat everything up. That will ensure even coverage on the top!
Keto beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 cups cooked cauliflower rice
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- ¼ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 ounces shredded mexican cheese
- fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 Roma Tomatoes chopped
- pinch of salt
- pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, then add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and slowly cook for 1 minute.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes until browned.
- Season with the paprika, taco seasoning, salt and pepper.
- While the meat is cooking, break it with a wooden spoon, then add the chopped roma tomatoes. Remove
- the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- In another skillet, heat the oil and warm the cauliflower rice. Season with salt.
- In a casserole dish, combine the warmed cauliflower rice, sour cream, and butter.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly on top of the cauliflower rice mixture and sprinkle with the shredded mexican cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool down before cutting and serving.