Are you craving the mouthwatering flavors of a classic cheeseburger but without the guilt? Cheeseburgers have long been a guilty indulgence for many. This Keto Cheeseburger Casserole delivers all the flavors without all of the carbs, making it a perfect low-carb alternative to the classic cheeseburger, eliminating the unneeded carbs! This recipe significantly transformed many people's low-carb diet landscape. It's a comforting dish that combines the rich, creamy texture of cheese, the tangy zest of pickles, and the succulent goodness of ground beef.
This Keto Cheeseburger Casserole is SO easy to make and has less than 5 grams of net carbs per serving. Rather, it’s loaded with premium ground beef and cheese protein and maintains a low carb count by excluding bread and sweet condiments. Perfectly seasoned ground beef is tossed with ketchup, mustard, and pickles and topped off with a generous sprinkling of cheese.
Why This Recipe Works
Making casseroles is really simple. This Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole is a perfect low-carb alternative to the classic cheeseburger, eliminating the unneeded carbs! This recipe has less than 5 grams of net carbs per serving. Rather, it’s loaded with premium ground beef and cheese protein and maintains a low carb count by excluding bread and sweet condiments.
This recipe’s best feature is how easy it is to prepare. This decadent dinner has a total time of only 20 minutes! That means you can whip it up after work in the middle of the week. This keto cheeseburger casserole skillet is one of my favorite casserole recipes. It’s rich, full of melted cheese, and loaded with meat. It has all your favorite cheeseburger elements: ground beef, bacon, cheese, mustard, and onions. It’s also super easy to make. The flavors in this cheeseburger casserole are complex. But making it is not. This recipe only uses ingredients that you likely already have in your fridge or pantry.
Key Ingredients for Keto Cheeseburger Casserole
Here’s everything you need to make this meaty and cheesy casserole recipe.
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Ground beef: Use 93% lean ground beef to cut down on fat because you’ll be adding some rich ingredients like cream and cheese. If you use 80/20, you may want to drain the excess fat off. This is entirely a personal preference. I typically use extra-lean ground beef (93% lean). It's fine to use 85% lean. I like using 80/20 for the perfect balance of flavor and juiciness. Really brown the meat. The secret to getting the best hamburger flavor is to brown the ground beef. Make sure your pan is sufficiently hot before adding the beef, and don’t stir it too often. Let the beef get a good color on it before you add the next ingredients.
Onion and garlic: I suggest using fresh ones for greater flavor. Sautee the onions, stirring often, until fragrant and semi-translucent, about 5 minutes. Sometimes, when I'm lazy, I substitute onion and garlic powders - two teaspoons of each. When I’m feeling lazy, I occasionally substitute two tablespoons of onion and garlic powders.
Condiments: Use keto ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and yellow mustard to reduce the carb content while preserving the flavors of an authentic cheeseburger. As most ketchup contains a lot of sugar, you should make sure to carefully read the labels. I like Heinz Ketchup with no added sugar. It has a low-carb content and is sweetened with sucralose. Tomato paste: A hint of tomato paste adds an authentic cheeseburger flavor. Mustard: just like the tomato paste, the mustard helps add a true cheeseburger flavor.
Pickles: Dill pickles give it a crunchy, tangy taste. Dill Pickles and Pickle Juice - Make sure you read the label! Some dill pickle brands have sugar, and many also have artificial colors that you may want to avoid.
Cheese: Cheddar cheese, especially sharp or extra-sharp, brings out the added taste. Shredded Cheddar Cheese - Cheddar is a classic hamburger combination, but use whatever kind of cheese that you like. To avoid the additional starches present in pre-shredded cheeses, it is suggested to shred your own. For best results, grate your own cheese. Get the cheese super melty. Because this casserole is cooked in its own sauce, you don’t have to worry about overcooking it.
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Bacon: use your favorite variety. Bacon: Crispy, smoky, and the real star here. Cook it up fresh or use pre-cooked bacon crumbles.
Mayonnaise: Many brands of mayo contain sugar in them in small amounts.
Spices: Onion powder, Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are the instructions to make this 20-minute cheeseburger casserole recipe.
Oven Method
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook beef, onion, and garlic: Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add ground beef, onion, and garlic, and cook until the ground beef starts to brown.
- Add cream cheese: Stir in cream cheese and continue to cook until the meat is browned and the cream cheese melts.
- Incorporate remaining ingredients: Stir in pickles, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer to casserole dish: Transfer to a casserole dish and top with cheese. After that, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 9 baking dish and bake.
- Bake: Bake for 30 minutes.
- Prepare sauce: Meanwhile, stir together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and pickle juice.
- Add sauce and toppings: Remove the casserole from the oven and drizzle with the sauce. Top with desired toppings and serve.
Instant Pot Method
- Sauté: Set your Instant Pot to saute, high. When the screen says "HOT" add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook until the beef just starts to brown. Add ⅓ cup beef broth and scrape up any browned bits.
- Incorporate remaining ingredients: Add the cream cheese, pickles, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper. DO NOT STIR.
- Pressure cook: Place the lid on your Instant Pot and set to manual high pressure for 1 minute. Allow to release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release. Stir well.
- Add cheese: Add the cheese and return the lid to the pot. Allow to sit until the cheese melts.
Tips and Variations
- Change the meat: You can make this keto cheeseburger casserole recipe with turkey thighs or ground chicken. It’s still good even if it won’t be the same. I recommend using ground dark meat, as white meat is too lean.
- Add bacon: Add the cooked bacon crumbles.
- Spice it up: Add your preferred spices, even if they are not traditional cheeseburger seasonings. This dish is great with chili powder and smoked paprika. You can add a teaspoon of each.
- Add veggies: If you want to make this casserole a full dinner, sauté the ground beef and onion mixture with one or two cups of uncooked riced cauliflower. You can also add two cups (about 2 ounces) of raw baby spinach leaves to the beef mixture when it's done cooking. Add the spinach right before adding the seasonings and mix it in until it wilts very slightly. Don't overcook it. If so, add 1-2 teaspoons more olive oil when baking it.
- Sugar-Free Pickle Juice: Certain pickles and their accompanying liquids may contain hidden sugars.
- Some people like to add egg to the meat mixture to make it hold together better. You can experiment by adding three eggs and see which way your family prefers this recipe.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- You can make this keto cheeseburger casserole recipe up to two days ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Assemble it the night before and pop it in the fridge. Yep!
- Freezing: This recipe freezes great. Leave the cheese off of it if you are planning on freezing. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual servings for up to three months.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. How long can I keep the leftovers? You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power.
Serving Suggestions
You can eat this one-pot keto cheeseburger casserole skillet all by itself. But I like to serve it with a nice side dish or two to really make a complete meal.
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You can serve it with keto buns for a unique keto cheeseburger. I love serving this meaty casserole with pickled turnips on the side or a light salad.
Is a Cheeseburger Keto-Friendly?
Without the bun, a cheeseburger can be keto-friendly as long as the cheese, meat, and toppings don’t exceed your daily carb limit. Choose low-carb, high-fat toppings; steer clear of sugary sauces.
Gluten-Free Considerations
To ensure this recipe is gluten-free, use gluten-free ingredients, especially in pre-packaged items like seasoning mixes. Many seasoning packets can contain hidden gluten, so it's crucial to check labels. Alternatively, making your own seasoning blend at home can guarantee it's safe for those with gluten sensitivities.
A Twist: Keto Cheeseburger Casserole with Cauliflower Mash
Meaty and cheesy with a creamy extra-cheesy mashed cauliflower base, this easy 2-layer keto Cheeseburger Casserole is just too gosh darn good! Loaded with flavor and hardly any net carbs, this is a meal you can dig into!
Ingredients for Cauliflower Mash:
- Cauliflower - One medium-sized head will work. Fresh cauliflower is best with this recipe.
- Heavy whipping cream - To make the cauliflower mash silky smooth.
- White cheddar - You can use yellow cheddar, but then your mash will be yellowish.
Instructions:
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, put it in a bowl with 1/4 cup of water, and cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave on high to steam it until tender.
- Drain the cauliflower and puree it with cream, egg, and white cheddar cheese until smooth. Set aside.
- Brown the beef along with the onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper. Drain off any excess fat and discard the fat.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the cream cheese, stirring until it is melted.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and sugar-free ketchup. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add the mashed cauliflower in a layer on the bottom of a 9×9 (or similar) casserole dish. Add the ground beef mixture to the top and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
- Bake covered with foil at 375-F for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Top with diced pickle, tomatoes, and onions - all your favorite cheeseburger flavors. A bit of sour cream is perfect on the top, too!
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. There are just 6 net carbs in this meaty and cheesy keto Cheeseburger Casserole recipe.
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