13 Keto-Friendly Ground Beef Recipes

Moussaka - Eggplant With Ground Beef (or Lamb) and Cheese — The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Cheap, delicious, and filling, ground beef is a keto-friendly animal protein staple that is easy to keep on hand, either refrigerated or frozen. Cutting the carbs out of ground beef recipes doesn't have to involve any less satisfaction from your meals, so we have a full dozen keto ground beef recipes for you to try. Whether you're in the mood for something classic like a meatloaf, or want a hands-off game day chili, we've got plenty of options highlighting this easy to use--and even easier to eat--ingredient.

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Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

The Spruce

If you enjoy stuffed cabbage but have no interest in the tedious process of actually stuffing cabbage with ground meat, this quick stovetop recipe is for you! The cabbage and beef meld gently in an aromatic tomato sauce. Serve over green veggies, shirataki rice, or cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes or rice for a complete meal.
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Keto Taco Casserole

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Delectable layers of beef, cheese, salsa, and cauliflower rice are bathed in a simple cheese sauce for this keto-friendly taco casserole. The result is a rich and filling casserole that's perfect on its own, but even more fun with extra toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, or green onions.
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Moussaka - Eggplant With Ground Beef (or Lamb) and Cheese

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

This Greek casserole Moussaka is similar to an eggplant parmesan. While the recipe does call for wheat flour, the two tablespoons needed will only add two carbs per serving to this low carb dish, keeping it within keto parameters for an entree. Be sure to choose an unsweetened plant based milk over dairy milk to keep carb count down.

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04 of 13

Crock Pot Game Day No-Bean Chili With Ground Beef

Photo: Diana Rattray

What would game day be without chili? We don't think anyone wants to know the answer to that! This bean-free chili is meat heavy and so full of chiles and spices that you won't even notice their absence.

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Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan With Ground Beef

The Spruce

Stuffing eggplants with beef and cheese is a fun take on eggplant parmesan, and it doesn't require any frying, either. Just omit the bread crumbs called for, or swap them out for almond flour; almond flour makes for an excellent keto bread crumb replacement when no binding is needed, and will add more fat and protein to the dish.
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Keto Meatloaf

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Beef has the starring role in this meatloaf, but pork play an award worthy supporting character. You'll be using chorizo, pork rinds, and bacon to enhance the ground beef, so there is no shortage at all of fat happening here. Making it involves no more work than a standard meatloaf, and it can be prepped ahead of time.
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Jerky Made From Dehydrated Ground Beef

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

No longer do you need a cut of steak to make this keto snack staple! Instead, this jerky is made with affordable ground beef, and is seasoned with garlic, lemon, tamari, and onion. Swap out the tablespoon of sugar for a keto sweetener such as Swerve, or omit it completely if you prefer a more savory jerky.
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Turkish Baked Eggplant Filled With Ground Beef

This classic Turkish homestyle dish features the delicious blend of eggplant, ground beef, tomato and spices. Photo © yildiraycan - Fotolia.com

Japanese eggplant is longer, thinner, and softer than the wider Globe version most common in our grocery stores. For this recipe, it's fried to give it the most delicate possible texture, and paired with bell pepper, tomato, garlic, and parsley for a beautiful stuffed presentation.

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Easy Ground Beef Tacos

The Spruce

Make tacos quickly on any day of the week with this easy recipe. Instead of a corn or flour tortilla, use our recipe for almond flour tortillas to keep the dish fully keto. The secret to its juicy texture is water added when cooking, which is a free and straightforward way to ensure perfect beef texture.
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Slow Cooked Hot Dog Chili Sauce Recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

What's better to top a meat sausage than...more meat? Chili sauce is a classic hot dog topping, and comes together here in a crockpot. Ginger, cloves, and cumin give it a signature flavor that's a perfect pairing to a snappy sausage. Pair it with this crunchy keto slaw.
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Desi Indian-Style Burger (Indi-Burger)

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Forget the bun, this flavor-packed Desi Indian-Style burger is delicious on its own. By mixing ground beef or lamb with the classic Indian seasonings of ginger and garlic pastes, coriander, cumin, and garam masala, you take the typical hamburger to a whole new level. Serve with cooling raita sauce and a side of greens.
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Moroccan Kefta Kebab

The Spruce

Kefta (or kofta) is a deliciously spiced and tender type of Moroccan kebab made using ground beef or lamb. The mixture is flavored with cumin, paprika, minced onion, coriander, and parsley and formed into skewers. If you don't have skewers, you can grill the kefta as flat meatballs. Serve your kebabs with a fresh salad or cauliflower rice.

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Keto Cauliflower Lasagna

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

We’ve finally found it…a keto pasta dish that actually tastes like pasta. This keto lasagna is incredibly delicious and will fool even the most devoted pasta lovers. Beef combines with fragrant sausage and a creamy ricotta filling for the ultimate dinnertime vibes.

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