Unbelievably Delicious Keto Cheesy Taco Casserole – Easy Low-Carb Recipe You’ll Love!

This Keto Taco Casserole recipe is a flavorful and easy meal that the entire family will enjoy, whether everyone follows a keto diet or not! It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, taco Tuesday, or a fiesta. This recipe is kid-friendly and perfect for when you don't want to cook a meal for yourself and another one for the family. The best part about this keto taco bake recipe is that the entire hands-on time is only about 5 minutes and it has only 5 ingredients. This easy Keto Taco Casserole recipe really hits the spot.

Inspiration and Background

For years, tacos have been a go-to meal in many houses. This Keto Taco Casserole was inspired by a vegetarian enchilada casserole. The goal was to create a keto-friendly version of a classic taco casserole, replacing refried beans and corn chips with low-carb alternatives.

Ingredients You'll Need

To make this keto taco casserole, you will need:

Ground Meat: Lean ground beef or ground turkey. Both options are delicious. Full-fat beef is completely acceptable when following a low carb diet. Ground turkey from Costco comes packaged in 1-1/2 pounds, which is the perfect amount for this recipe. You can also use ground chicken or even leftover shredded chicken.
Taco Seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning or store-bought. You will need 3-4 tablespoons, so if you buy the packets you’ll need 2. It’s so quick and easy to make your own taco seasoning at home. If you make homemade taco seasoning you know exactly what the ingredients are and you can adjust how spicy it is according to your taste buds.
Rotel Tomatoes: Pick mild, medium, or hot. You’ll use 1/2 cup of this, so the remaining can you can mix in this cheese nacho sauce. Alternatively, you can add diced tomatoes and add 2-4 ounces of chopped green chiles.
Cheese: Cream cheese and shredded cheese. You can use any type of shredded cheese that goes well with Mexican food. Cheddar Cheese is a great option.
Optional Vegetables: Bell pepper, onion, jalapeno.
Other possible ingredients: eggs, tomato paste, cream.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Cook the Meat and Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add onion and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes. Add the diced onions, bell pepper, minced garlic, and lean ground beef to a large skillet on the stove. Cook on high heat until the beef has browned. Use your spatula to break the beef into bite-sized pieces. If the meat you are cooking is high in fat, you can drain it after browning. If you are using a low fat protein, then you will want to add a tablespoon of avocado or olive oil to the skillet.
Add Seasoning and Tomatoes: Next, add taco seasoning and tomato paste. If your ground beef didn’t release enough juice you may need to add a spoonful of water to mix the tomato paste in. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and stir in diced tomatoes. Cook for 3 more minutes.
Incorporate Cream Cheese: Add cream cheese, and cook until the cream cheese is incorporated. Next, add the diced Rotel tomatoes and cream cheese into the ground beef mixture. Reduce heat to medium and stir until cheese melts and tomatoes are distributed through the taco meat.
Combine and Transfer: Pour the taco meat mixture with all the Mexican flavors into your casserole dish. Spread it out so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
Add Creamy Layer (Optional): In a small mixing bowl mix together the eggs, double cream, and half your shredded cheese. Pour the mixture over the beef and spread it out with a spatula or spoon.
Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining cheese and sliced jalapenos. Top with cheese.
Bake: Bake your keto taco casserole recipe uncovered on the top rack for 15-17 minutes in the oven. Add shredded cheese and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly on the sides. For the best golden brown cheese on top broil the casserole for 2-3 minutes right before serving.
Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations and Substitutions

Meat: Substitute ground beef with ground turkey, ground chicken, or even leftover shredded chicken.
Vegetarian: Use plant-based ground meat in place of ground beef. You could also use a variety of diced vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, and zucchini.
Loaded: Top with sour cream, smashed avocado, and bacon bits.
Extra Spicy: Mix in some diced habaneros for an extra kick.
Added vegetables: Stir in some cauliflower rice to bulk up your Mexican casserole.
Cheese: Cottage cheese can be used for added protein and a creamy texture.

Serving Suggestions

We kept this simple with diced tomatoes and a sprinkle of cilantro, but the best part of this meal is that the options are limitless by adding your favorite Mexican flavors.

Serve with shredded lettuce, fresh diced tomatoes, low-carb tortillas, herb slaw, keto nacho chips, or cauliflower rice.
Add sour cream, salsa, and spicy guacamole.
Sprinkle everything with the Mexican cheese blend.

Making it Ahead of Time

To make cheesy keto taco casserole ahead of time for weekly meal prep, follow the directions as normal up until the step where you add the cheese sauce that contains a raw egg. Instead of baking, cover the cooked taco meat and place it in the fridge. When you are ready to cook the casserole simply remove it, uncover, pour over the cheese sauce and place it in the oven to bake. It may take a bit longer to bake since it is cold.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Freezing Instructions

Yes, allow the taco casserole to cool completely to room temperature first then store it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. It can be frozen whole or sliced into individual pieces.

Tips and Tricks

If you have a skillet like a cast iron pan that is also oven safe you can make this casserole all in one pan!
If you are using a glass casserole pan you may need to let your cold casserole dish from your cupboard sit on the counter to come to room temperature before baking to protect the pan.
Expert Tip: Yes, I just cook the ground turkey right in the casserole dish in the oven!
Expert Tip: For the best golden brown cheese on top broil the casserole for 2-3 minutes right before serving.

Addressing Common Questions

Can I add a can of diced tomatoes? Tomato paste is very strong so you only need a small amount for a real tomato flavor. If you do decide to add canned tomatoes to the ground beef layer you will need to cook in the frying pan for longer to allow all the liquid to evaporate and the meat to thicken, otherwise, it may be too sloppy.
Do you need taco shells for a taco casserole? The best part of this easy keto taco bake recipe is that you don’t need any taco shells or tortilla chips. By avoiding unnecessary carbs in keto recipes makes them quick and easy to make and taste like the real thing. If you wish, you can serve the Mexican ground beef casserole (keto taco pie) in low-carb tortillas with shredded lettuce and sour cream.
How can I reduce the fat from the baked taco casserole? You can use extra lean ground beef, you can drain any excess fat when frying the beef in the skillet, add riced cauliflower to reduce the fat and calories, and even swap out half the cheese for cottage cheese in the cheese sauce.
Are black beans keto? Black beans are generally avoided on the keto diet because they have a large carb count, however, you can still enjoy a small amount if it fits within your daily carb limit for weight loss.
Is Mexican food keto? Mexican food is fresh and vibrant that is full or high-protein meat and packed with fresh vegetables. It’s so easy to order Mexican food to make it keto. Avoid the side dishes that are made of corn and wheat such as corn chips, taco shells, and burrito wraps. Add plenty of meat, sour cream, avocado, and cheddar cheese.

Why This Recipe Works

This low carb taco casserole is filling and you will leave the table satisfied. This easy Keto Taco Casserole recipe has only 5 ingredients and a 5 minute prep time. It is a lifesaver on busy weeknights. My children really enjoyed this easy low carb taco casserole recipe. The ten-year-old boy had thirds. Since I first made this keto taco casserole we’ve had it dozens of times and a friend even made it for us after my 5th baby was born!

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #cheesy #taco #casserole