For those embracing a ketogenic lifestyle, the craving for familiar comfort foods can be a challenge. Luckily, you can enjoy low-carb versions of classic dishes with a Betty Crocker-inspired twist. This article explores some delicious and easy-to-make keto recipes that bring the taste of home to your table without compromising your dietary goals.
Keto Cheeseburger Pie
This recipe is a low-carb take on the classic cheeseburger pie, offering a satisfying and simple alternative to traditional cheeseburgers. If you’re feeling like a cheeseburger, but don’t want to make individual patties and grill or fry them on the stove, this easy meat pie is like a giant cheeseburger that takes less than 30 minutes! The original Betty Crocker recipe uses Bisquick Pancake & Baking mix to create a crust-like base, resulting in a carb-heavy dish. According to Cronometer, a slice of pie from this original recipe has 19 grams of carbs. This keto-friendly version eliminates the Bisquick and other high-carb ingredients, significantly reducing the carbohydrate content. This low carb keto cheeseburger pie is a delicious, easy recipe that will please the whole family!
Ingredients and Preparation
Unlike a keto bacon cheeseburger cauliflower casserole, this cheeseburger pie doesn’t need any almond flour or coconut flour to bind it. The recipe utilizes a combination of ground beef, onions, eggs, cream, and cheese to create a flavorful and filling pie. Here's how to make it:
- Prepare the Base: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place ground beef, onion and oil to a large cast iron skillet (or see above instructions for using a 9 inch pie plate). Cook over medium high heat until beef is browned and onions are tender. Depending on the fat percentage of ground beef chosen, if there is excess grease, feel free to remove some the frying pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and turn off heat.
- Combine the Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, baking powder and one cup of the cheddar cheese. (Save the 1/2 cup to sprinkle over the top.) Pour this mixture into the ground beef in the skillet and stir together until nicely combined.
- Bake: Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar over the top and place skillet in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned around the edges and center is puffed, golden and knife in center comes out clean. Allow to cool about 10 minutes then slice and enjoy.
For those without a cast iron skillet, the mixture can be cooked in a large skillet and then transferred to a 9-inch pie plate before baking.
Tips and Variations
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pie: Turn this keto cheeseburger casserole recipe into a bacon cheeseburger pie simply by adding some crispy bacon on top! Bake your bacon in your oven while you are preparing the the hamburger pie on the stove top. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay your bacon slices on a large baking sheet pan.
- Heavy Cream Substitute: If you don’t want to use heavy cream or don’t have it you can swap it with Half & Half.
- Ketchup Consideration: If you’d like to add a side of ketchup, avoid regular ketchup because in just 1 tablespoon it has 3.7 grams of sugar and 4 total carbs.
- Serving Suggestions: Make it a complete meal by adding a side salad like my avocado cucumber salad, or crispy broccoli cauliflower, or this simple arugula salad.
Storage and Reheating
You can cover the entire low carb cheeseburger casserole baking dish once cool with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat by thawing the casserole dish in the fridge overnight. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes.
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Keto Taco Pie
This keto taco pie is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish that has become a favorite for many. It’s no surprise why keto taco pie is one of my most popular dinner recipes. With a few basic ingredients and 15 minutes of prep work, you’ve got a healthy, crowd-pleasing meal ready to go. The recipe is a testament to how simple ingredients can come together to create a satisfying and delicious meal. It’s one of those recipes that I can make any time, anywhere, and everyone is happy. Not a single picky-eater complaint. When I shared it with my readers, it became an instant hit for them too. Everyone who tries it raves about it, and most people put it into their regular dinner rotation. Because it’s simple to make and full of bold flavor. What more could you ask from your keto dinner recipes?
Key Features:
- Healthier: This keto recipe is full of protein and low in carbohydrates. Each serving has 33 grams of protein and only 2 grams of carbs. And absolutely no grains, gluten, or starches.
- Customizable: The recipe allows for various substitutions and additions to suit individual preferences.
Ingredients and Preparation
You can find any number of taco pie recipes on the internet, but they aren’t all created equal. The famous Betty Crocker recipe takes Bisquick, and other versions add canned biscuits or tortillas to bulk them up. The keto version focuses on a protein-rich base with minimal carbs. Here's a breakdown of the key ingredients and steps:
- Prepare the Base: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan.Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 7 minutes, breaking up clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the taco seasoning until well combined, then transfer the beef to the prepared pie pan.
- Create the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over beef in the pan.
- Bake: Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and bake 30 minutes, or until the centre is set and cheese is browned.
Ingredient Substitutions and Additions
- Ground Beef: You can also use ground turkey, pork or chicken. It’s up to you whether you drain the fat after cooking the meat.
- Taco Seasoning: You can use store-bought seasoning, but make sure it has no added fillers, sugars, or starches. I really like the seasoning from Primal Palate. Or make your own by combining chili powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Heavy cream: Some of my readers have substituted heavy cream with coconut milk.
- Shredded cheese: I usually use cheddar or a Mexican blend. You can also use Monterey Jack or Pepper jack.
- Garlic: A few cloves of minced garlic add more flavor.
Serving and Topping Ideas
Get creative with your toppings: Tacos are all about the toppings and this taco pie is no different. Try adding a dollop of sour cream, some chopped tomato and avocado, or some salsa and guacamole. Fresh cilantro or green onions are delicious too.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut milk in place of the heavy cream and some dairy-free cheese shreds for the cheddar cheese.
Nutritional Information
This recipe for easy taco pie has 2.3 grams of carbs and 0.3 grams of fiber. Thus it has 2 grams net carbs per serving. This keto taco pie has 393 calories per serving. There are 6 servings in the recipe
Storage Instructions
Store any leftovers tightly wrapped up in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Freezing Instructions
Taco pie is a great make-ahead recipe as it freezes really well. Simply bake the pie until it’s done, then let it cool, and wrap it up tightly. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely and then re-warm it in a 300F oven for about 20 minutes before serving.
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