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5.0 from 777 votes

Cheesy Keto Ground Beef Casserole

This keto ground beef casserole is ready in 30 minutes. It's an easy weeknight recipe that can be customized with seasonings and vegetables.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 304 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • Olive oil spray for pan
  • 2 pounds ground beef 85% lean
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
  • 1 cup cheddar shredded, divided
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with olive oil and set it aside.
  2. Heat a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly spray it with olive oil.
  3. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is no longer raw, about 5 minutes. Drain the beef and return it to the skillet.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne into the beef, then slowly and patiently mix in the cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated.
  5. Turn the heat off, and mix ½ cup of the shredded cheddar into the beef mixture.
  6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar on top.
  7. Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted, for about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

  • When calculating the nutrition, the fact that we drain the fat is taken into account. As always, the nutrition info is approximate. 
  • When initially browning the ground beef, it's OK if it remains a bit pink. It will finish cooking in the oven. Leaving it a bit pink in the first stage of cooking will help it remain juicy.
  • I don't include chopped onions in this recipe, because it's delicious with the onion powder, and it's so much easier not to deal with chopping an onion. But you can add a medium chopped onion when browning the ground beef.
  • You can add 1-2 cups of veggies when browning the ground beef, such as bell pepper strips, small broccoli or cauliflower florets, or chopped celery. 
  • Sometimes, I mix a tablespoon of hot sauce (like Sriracha) into the beef mixture.
  • You can add more spices, including smoked paprika and chili powder. You can add ½ to 1 teaspoon of each additional spice.
  • You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze individual servings. They can be frozen for up to three months and reheated in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Serving 4ounces Calories 304kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 2g (1%) Protein 24g (48%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Sodium 497mg (21%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 304

% Daily Value*

Serving 4ounces
Calories 304kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 2g 1%
Protein 24g 48%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Sodium 497mg 21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.