This keto hamburger mushroom bake is a hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make dish that's perfect for a family dinner. It's a great way to use ground beef and can be easily customized to suit your dietary needs and preferences. This recipe combines the savory flavors of ground beef and mushrooms with the creamy richness of cheese, all while keeping the carb count low.
Why This Recipe Works
Being on a low-carb diet often makes having casseroles a challenge. This keto mushroom swiss burger casserole is a simple low-carb ground beef casserole combining hamburger, swiss cheese, mushrooms, and baked for just 20 minutes. This recipe is a tasty way to use up ground beef. It has a thick and creamy texture with a mild flavor - so it is perfect for picky eaters or families with kids. This hearty casserole will fill everyone up! All the dairy and cheese make it taste super-rich. Not only is it hearty, but it is budget-friendly too. The most expensive ingredient in it is ground beef. This recipe is the perfect example of this. No need for elaborate ingredients.
Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Mushrooms
- Swiss cheese
- Goat cheese
- Scallions
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Heavy whipping cream
- Worcestershire sauce
- Steak seasoning
- Butter
- Basil
- Minced garlic
- Salt
- Onion (optional)
- Spinach or kale (optional)
- Mustard (optional)
- Parsley, oregano, and marjoram (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Set aside an 8x8 inch baking dish.
Cook Beef & Mushrooms:
- Add ground beef and salt to a high-sided pan over high heat. Crumble the beef with a stiff utensil and cook until browned, releasing liquid. This should take a few minutes.
- Keeping everything in the pan, add mushrooms and garlic. Cook until mushrooms have shrunk and most of the released liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. This usually takes 6 to 8 minutes. The only remaining liquid should be beef grease.
- If you like, you can brown the hamburger with steak or burger seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and saute the mushrooms with butter.
Assemble Casserole:
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- Transfer the beef-mushroom-garlic mixture to the baking dish.
- Stir in goat cheese and 2/3 of the Swiss cheese until well mixed with the beef and mushrooms. The goat cheese should melt quickly, nicely coating the other ingredients.
- Evenly sprinkle scallions on top, then distribute the remaining 1/3 of Swiss cheese over them.
- Arrange the surface of the casserole so it's flat and even.
Bake & Serve:
- Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) until the casserole is very hot, bubbling up the sides, and the cheese is completely melted, about 15 minutes.
- Let the casserole cool at room temperature for 5 minutes, then cut into 4 equal portions.
- Bake the keto mushroom swiss burger casserole for 15-20 minutes on 350 degrees.
Tips for the Perfect Keto Hamburger Mushroom Bake
- Browning the Beef: Ensure the ground beef is properly browned to develop a rich, savory flavor. Drain excess grease to keep the casserole from being too oily.
- Mushroom Preparation: Sautéing the mushrooms until they release their water is crucial. This prevents the casserole from becoming watery.
- Cheese Selection: The combination of Swiss and goat cheese provides a balance of nutty and tangy flavors. Feel free to experiment with other cheeses like Gruyere, provolone, or even a bit of Parmesan for added depth.
- Spice it Up: Don't be afraid to add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the beef mixture for a spicy kick.
- Adding Vegetables: Incorporate low-carb vegetables like spinach, kale, or bell peppers for added nutrients and texture.
Variations and Customizations
- Meat Substitutions: The recipe is flexible! You can substitute a combination of any other ground meat; turkey, chicken, pork, lamb, for some or all of the beef. We use elk in this casserole often.
- Dairy-Free Option: This recipe is dairy-heavy; in general, when a recipe contains this much dairy, it is difficult to make substitutions.
- Carnivore Diet: Mushrooms are a grey area on the carnivore diet. Omit if you want to.
- Egg Allergy: I have made this recipe using gelatin in the place of eggs in this recipe.
- GAPS Diet: Dripped Yogurt Cheese should be used in place of the cream cheese for very strict GAPS. However, if you have been on GAPS for a while and are tolerating dairy well, many of us purchase cultured cream cheese from the store and use that.
- Add Vegetables: Spinach is the perfect vegetable to use in cheesy casseroles because it wilts and has a very mild taste. The kale will give it a bolder taste and make it even healthier. Don’t worry if you don’t like kale, spinach is plenty healthy by itself.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this keto hamburger mushroom bake hot as a main course. It pairs well with a side salad or steamed vegetables.
Storage and Reheating
- Leftovers: Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven until very hot, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Freezing: Casserole can be frozen before baking. To freeze, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and slip into a freezer bag. Thaw before baking.
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