Keto Taco Casserole Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/23/22
Baked low carb taco casserole.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 casserole

This low carb taco casserole is full of flavor, and it will be a hit with the whole family—even cauliflower haters won't be able to say no to this casserole. The cauliflower rice takes on the bold taco flavors and blends nicely with the ground beef, salsa, and cheese.

Feel free to change it up with the ingredients you have on hand. If you don't have salsa, use diced tomatoes, or make it with ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef. Pepper jack or a Mexican blend of cheeses may be used in place of the cheddar, or use a colby cheese and Monterey Jack blend.

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce) package frozen riced cauliflower (about 3 cups)

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 pounds ground beef

  • 1/2 bell pepper, chopped

  • 2 (1.25-ounce) packages taco seasoning (about 4 tablespoons)

  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

  • 1 cup salsa

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • Chopped fresh cilantro, optional garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 350 F.

    Ingredients for a keto taco casserole.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Put the thawed riced cauliflower on a few doubled sheets of paper towel or a kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Set aside.

    Cauliflower rice.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and bell pepper and continue to cook until the meat is browned.

    Ground beef is browned in a skillet.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. Add the taco seasoning and stir until well blended.

    Adding the taco seasoning to browned ground beef.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Layer about half of the beef mixture in a 2-quart baking dish or casserole; top with about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. 

    Layering the low carb taco casserole.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. Top the ground beef and cheese with the riced cauliflower and another 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

    Cauliflower rice layer on the ground beef layer.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  7. Top with the remaining beef and another 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

    Cheese layer on ground beef, keto taco casserole.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  8. Spoon the salsa evenly over the second ground beef and cheese layers.

    Layering the taco casserole in the baking dish.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  9. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted, about two minutes.

    Cheese sauce for the keto taco casserole.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  10. Pour the cream and cheese sauce mixture over the salsa layer. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

    Baking dish with keto taco casserole.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  11. Bake the casserole for 30 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

    Baked low carb taco casserole.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  12. Serve the casserole with toppings, such as extra salsa, chopped green onions, avocado slices, guacamole, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, jalapeño pepper rings, or sour cream.

    Low carb taco casserole with salsa and sour cream.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Glass Bakeware Warning

For premade casseroles or leftovers that are in a glass baking dish and have been refrigerated, do not place directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, place any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or, allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven preheats.

Tips

  • To reheat the whole casserole, take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes ahead of time. Cover the baking dish tightly with a lid or foil and bake it at 325 F to 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it registers at least 165 F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.

Recipe Variations

  • For a spicier casserole, add a few tablespoons of minced jalapeño peppers to the ground beef mixture or replace the chopped bell peppers with a can of chopped green chili peppers.
  • Ground turkey or ground chicken can be swapped in to replace the ground beef.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
656 Calories
46g Fat
14g Carbs
43g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 656
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g 60%
Saturated Fat 22g 112%
Cholesterol 176mg 59%
Sodium 1270mg 55%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 43g
Vitamin C 43mg 213%
Calcium 378mg 29%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 850mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)