This keto ground beef casserole recipe is an easy and tasty one pan dinner the whole family will love. Savory ground beef, marinara and different cheeses make for a tasty low carb, high protein dinner with just 3.2 grams net carbs but 22 grams of protein. Freeze leftovers of this hamburger casserole for a quick keto lunch!
You might also like the popular keto cheeseburger casserole recipe!
Today I am updating this recipe mostly because I haven’t had it for awhile and always enjoyed. it was originally inspired buy my friend’s recipe for Johny Marzetti which is a dish with noodles, ground beef, tomato sauce and cheese. I’ve since come up with my own keto Johnny Marzetti using veggie noodles and It’s also delicious!
But this keto ground beef casserole does not use keto noodles and uses cauliflower instead. I just love all the Italian flavors and the cheesy goodness of this dish. Like all good casseroles it’s full of savory ingredients like ground beef, cheeses, cream as well low carb vegetables, marinara sauce and topped with more cheese! It’s pure low carb comfort food to me and I love that it’s high protein as well with 22 grams of protein per serving.
Other keto ground beef recipes to try.
Ground beef is definitely a keto food and is easy to use as well as economical. I use hamburger a lot in my keto dinners. Check these other low carb ground beef recipes for easy dinners:
- low carb ground beef and broccoli
- keto cheesesteak skillet using ground beef
- low carb Monogolian beef meatballs
- keto ground beef and cabbage (4 flavor combinations)
Recipe ingredients I used and substitutions.
Today I used the following simple ingredients to make this decadent low carb casserole: ground beef, fennel seed, Italian seasonings, paprika, low carb marinara sauce, riced cauliflower, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, eggs and heavy whipping cream.
- ground beef – I used 85% ground beef but you can use leaner or fattier meat depending on your tastes. If it’s too fatty you might want to drain some of the grease when you brown it. You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken or even Italian sausage. If you use the Italian sausage you don’t need to use the fennel seed, paprika and Italian seasonings.
- fennel seed and Italian seasoning – The fennel seed, Italian seasoning and paprika when used with ground beef give it an Italian sausage flavor. You could just use Italian sausage or eliminate these seasonings if you want and just use salt and black pepper. But I really like the extra flavor boost from both spices.
- cauliflower – I use chopped fresh cauliflower to add bulk and nutrition to the dish. I like to chop the florets into small pieces so it’s not too chunky. You could also use cauliflower rice if you want but you would not need to microwave it. If you use frozen just make sure to thaw it first and then drain any excess liquid before adding to the dish.
- eggs and heavy cream – I used theses to make a low carb béchamel sauce like I use in moussaka. Plus they add to the protein content of the dish.
- parmesan cheese, mozzarella and cream cheese – These 3 products were used to add creamy, cheesy flavor to the casserole. You can use cheddar cheese or gouda for the mozzarella if you wish but I think the parmesan and cream cheese are necessary to add the richness of the dish.
If you want to add a little heat to the dish you can add some hot pepper flakes or hot sauce. Also you could add some other keto vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms.
I don’t use any garlic powder as the Rao’s sauce has a good garlic flavor but you can add a little garlic powder or onion powder if you feel it needs it. This is a very forgiving recipe and you can play around with it to make it your own.
My favorite low carb marinara sauce.
I’m updating this post to as I’ve found I really like Rao’s Marinara sauce and you can get it at Aldi. I love the flavor regardless of the carbs and I use it in many of recipes because it only has 5g of net carbs per half cup.
I also like Aldi’s Specially Selected Premium Marinara sauce and it also has 5g net carbs per ½ cup of sauce. It’s a bit thicker and chunkier than Rao’s so if that is more your style try that one out too.
How to make keto ground beef casserole!
This is not a very difficult casserole to make and I have pictures below to show you some of the steps but here it is in a nutshell:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Chop the cauliflower into small pieces and microwave for 5 minutes. Drain any excess water.
- Heat up a nonstick skillet to medium high heat. Add the ground beef and spices. Break up the ground meat and brown it. You can add a little salt and black pepper if you wish but I didn’t think it needed it.
- When the hamburger has browned add the cauliflower. Mix to combine and then spoon the ground beef mixture into a casserole dish.
- Heat up the same skillet to a medium heat add the cream cheese, cream and Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheeses are melted. Let it cool a bit.
- Once the cheese sauce as cooled add in the beaten egg. Mix well and pour this mixture over meat and cauliflower layer of the casserole.
- Spoon the tomato sauce over the top of the casserole and then sprinkle mozzarella shredded cheese over the sauce.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until brown and bubbly. Store leftovers in an airtight container. (Scroll down for the printable recipe card.)
Top Left: Brown the ground meat in a skillet along with the spices. In the meantime you can cook the cauliflower in the microwave and then add to the beef mixture. Top Right: Next spoon into a casserole dish.
Middle Left: Make the cream sauce in the skillet by whisking the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream in a skillet until the cheeses are melted and well combined. Let it cool a bit and then add in the beaten egg and pour over the meat mixture. Middle Right: Spoon the marinara sauce on top of the creamy sauce.
Bottom Left : Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese as the last layer. Bottom Right: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes until the cheese is nice and brown.
You can serve this with just a green salad for a complete meal. Or you can add a simple green vegetable like green beans, broccoli, etc. You can also garnish with chopped fresh parsley or even fresh basil leaves.
There were plenty of leftovers I like freezing casseroles for a quick meal. Reheated, this keto casserole still tastes great and it’s filling too. Sometimes I make a batch of this casserole just to have a few keto lunches in the freezer. It’s a great recipe for low carb meal prep or meal planning and this dish can make lunches for a week.
Other tasty keto casseroles you might like.
I love casseroles even though I didn’t grow up with them. The fact that these meals have everything in one bite appeals to me. So on this blog I have quite a few low carb casseroles you might like if you too enjoy comfort foods:
- chicken broccoli casserole
- cheesy cauliflower casserole
- low carb breakfast casserole
- slow cooker keto Mexican ground beef casserole
- keto green bean casserole
- loaded mashed cauliflower casserole
Well I hope you like this keto ground beef recipe as much as I did.This is perfect weeknight keto dinner recipe so if you like casseroles and are on a keto diet give this one a try.
The nutritional info for ⅛ of this casserole is: 334 calories
25.2g fat / 4.6g carbs / 1.4g fiber / 22g protein = 3.2g net carbs
Keto Ground Beef Casserole Recipe (high protein too)
This keto ground beef casserole is an easy and delicious one pan dinner the whole family will love. Savory ground beef, marinara and different cheeses make for a tasty low carb weeknight dinner with just 3.2g net carbs and 22g protein.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- ½ teaspoon Italian spice seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ¼ cup cream cheese (2 oz)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup marinara sauce (I used Rao's or Aldi Specialty Selects)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F and spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the beef to a skillet along with the fennel, Italian seasonings and paprika. Cook until browned.
- In the meantime place the cauliflower in the microwave and cook for 5 minutes.
- Once brown, add in cauliflower mix and then spoon into a baking dish. Note* I used a leaner ground beef. If you use a fattier ground beef and have a lot of grease, please drain it before adding the cauliflower.
- To make the cheese sauce, in the skillet add the cream cheese, cream and Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheeses are melted then take it off the stove and let cool a bit.
- Add in the beaten egg to the cooled cheese sauce, whisk and then pour over meat and cauliflower mixture.
- Spoon the red sauce onto the casserole and then top with mozzarella cheese.
- Place baking dish in the preheated oven and bake 30 minutes until brown and bubbly. Let cool before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight contatiner. This is a good recipe for meal prep as you can freeze portions for a low carb lunch.
Notes
Nutritonal information is 334 cals / 25.2g fat / 4.6g carbs /. 1.4g fiber / 22g protein = 3.2g net carbs
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of the ground beef. You can also use do have cheddar cheese and half mozzarella on top if that is your preference.
- I also use fennel seed, paprika and Italian seasoning to give the meat an Italian sausage flavor. So you could also add a bit of Italian sausage to get those flavors if you don't have any fennel seeds in your pantry.
- You can use cauliflower rice instead of florets if you prefer but if you do you don't need to microwave it first as it's such small pieces. If you use frozen cauliflower rice or florets let them thaw first and drain any excess water from it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 ServingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 334Net Carbohydrates: 3.2g
Joan says
Hello Paulette….looks delicious! please advise, do you use fresh cauliflower or frozen. Do you cook the cauliflower first? Thanks!
Denise Wright says
Hi Joan, I used fresh cauliflower and then microwaved it. But you could use frozen. Just cook it a bit and make sure to drain all the excess water before adding to the dish. Hope that helps!
Ellen Torres says
Hi! Could you add creamed cottage cheese to this?
Denise says
Hi Ellen, I think you could, however I have not cooked with cottage cheese before and I am not sure how it would turn out. I’m sorry I’m not much help. Let me know if you do and how it turns out.
Julie Daniels says
Hi…
Do you think I could swap out the cauliflower for broccoli?
Denise says
Hi Julie,
Yes you can use broccoli but the cauliflower has more of a neutral taste. But the broccoli should be fine. Hope you like it.
Denise
Mary A. says
Hi there! Could I make this recipe without the heavy cream? I have everything else. We also have whole milk and coconut milk if either of those could sub?
Denise says
Hi Mary, whole milk will have quite a few carbs but if you don’t care about that, it would work. If you do care about carbs I would suggest using a bit more cream cheese and some water to thin it out as it melts in the pan. The coconut milk would have an odd taste I think with this dish. Hope that helps!
Jackie Peebles says
Absolutely love this, my husband isn’t a fan of Keto or cauliflower…but shhh he’s in there getting a second helping 😀
Denise says
I’m so glad he likes it! Thanks for coming back to comment!
Nancy Akerly says
When do you add the red sauce?
Denise says
Hi Nancy, I’m sorry that wasn’t clear. If you look at the photo collage above in the post you can see I put it on over the white sauce. I’ve fixed to the recipe and added the word “red” to the step you should add it. Hope that helps and you like it! Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
Patti says
Very quick and easy. My family loved it.
Denise says
Hi Patti, so glad you liked it. This is one of my favorites …. real comfort food to me.
Veena Azmanov says
Awesome presentation. Looks delicious and healthy.
Mary says
Hi,
Can you brown the meat and get it ready a few hours before putting in the oven?
Denise says
Hi Mary,
Yes that shouldn’t be a problem. I hope you enjoy it!
Pat good says
Will you please let me know what size casserole pan
Denise says
Hi Pat, I think it was a 9×13 pan? I’m sorry but I don’t quite remember. Hope that helps!
Theresa says
Great recipe although I was confused in the typed recipe where to put the cream cheese mixture. I didn’t see it there, but the pictures gave me an idea of where it should go. Happy to find this recipe.
Denise says
Hi Theresa, I so glad you liked it. I’m sorry if the instructions were not clear but I’ve fixed them for everyone else. Thanks for bringing that to my attention!
Emily says
Do you drain the cooked ground beef? It doesn’t say.
Denise says
Hi Emily,
I did not because I used a leaner ground beef. But if it seems to greasy to you, yes drain the grease. I’ll add that to the recipe. Thanks for pointing that out and good luck!
Michelle says
This is my new go to favorite casserole, 3rd time making it. I’ve Aldo shared it with a couple friends and they love it also. I one thing I added was sautéed mushrooms and some roasted garlic. Just delicious
Denise says
Thanks Michelle, I’ll have to try that next time!
Kelsey Rickert says
With a busy work schedule we have to have a casserole on hand at least once a week! I have been in a casserole funk so this will help get me out of that! Love that it is low carb and keto friendly too!
Chef and Steward says
Totally saving this because it is keto, easy and looks amazingly delicious! It’s the kind of meal you want to tuck in with a spoon and served in a bowl!
Markus Mueller says
I don’t eat keto, but I would still love making this! Its almost like Sheppards pie minus the potatoes!
Deseree says
Delicious, healthy, and keto friendly! You can bet that I am adding this to my menu next week.
Jacque says
I made this and my family had no idea how healthy it actually was. Perfect for the whole family!
Denise says
Hi Jacque, so glad they liked it!
Julie says
I love how quick and easy this recipe is! Do you think the leftovers would freeze well?
Denise says
Hi Julie, Yes I have frozen it before and it comes out fine. Just a few minutes in the microwave to heat it up.
Loreto Nardelli says
This casserole screams comfort and yum. Love the combination of cauliflower beef and the sauce and cheese. Sounds just scrumptious!
Cheers!
Michelle says
I love casseroles in winter. This looks so comforting and tasty and I love all the flavours in this, especially the fennel seeds, so good!
Denise says
Thanks Michelle! The fennel seeds give the meat that Italian sausage taste.
Jo says
I’m a huge fan of casserole recipes. Your beef casserole dish looks perfect and comforting. Would be perfect for chilly winter nights.
Jennifer says
This casserole is delicious! My family loved it!
Denise says
Hi Jennifer,
So glad you liked it! It’s my new favorite now.
Heather says
Ooh this looks good. And I’ve been trying to watch the carbs lately so can’t wait to try this. I have a head of cauliflower too that has been sitting in the fridge. Can’t wait to use it in this recipe!
Denise says
Hi Heather! I hope you like it. I have SOOOO many cauliflower recipes so if you want to use cauliflower come back and check them out!
N L Hoffman says
I felt like the recipe needed some salt.
Denise says
Hi N, sometimes I’m light with the salt because some people don’t like too much and I feel that is something people can easily add themselves. Thanks for coming back and sharing your thoughts and tips!
Beth Neels says
I just love casseroles in the winter, as well! They are so comforting! This sounds so flavorful, I don’t think you could even miss the noodles! Yummy!
Paulette Carter says
You did not list the cauliflower in the ingredient list in the recipe.
Denise says
Hi Paulette, thanks for catching that! I fixed the recipe and I hope you like it!