Name: Easy Keto Taco Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 500 g free range / organic beef mince; 1 small yellow onion (finely diced (70g)); 2 tbsp taco seasoning; 2/3 cup water (160 ml); 1/2 cup red bell pepper (diced (74g)); 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g); 1/2 cup sour cream (120g); 1 - 2 diced green jalapeño chilli (optional (14g)); 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded (113g)); 1 tbsp chilli powder (I used mild); 3/4 tsp paprika; 1 tsp cumin; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp dried onion powder; 1/4 tsp oregano; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 medium spring onions / scallions ((30g)); 10 black olives (sliced (30g)); 6 cherry tomatoes (diced or salsa (65g)); 2 tbsp chopped coriander ((8g)); 1 avocado ((200g))

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What better way to celebrate Taco Tuesday than with a hearty keto taco casserole? Though I’ll be honest, it's so good you won’t just want to have it on Tuesdays! This easy ground beef taco casserole is perfect for any day of the week. Packed to the brim with all your favourite taco flavours, it’s a fuss-free, one pot casserole the whole family will enjoy.

If you're eating low carb and the rest of the family isn't, you've probably done your share of cooking double meals.

Well, this one is a keeper. Because EVERYBODY likes it, whether they're following a low carb lifestyle or not! It's the perfect meal to make when you're cooking for a bunch of people, small and big.

If you didn't know this dish was from my blog, you'd never think of it as being keto!

I've left out the crushed taco chips and the refried beans that regular taco casseroles often contain, because they are high in carbs. Promise, you won't miss them at all. Once you take the first bite of this casserole, you'll be sold!

This low carb taco casserole is really easy to make and on the table in 50 minutes. It is filling, hearty and flavourful comfort food. And it's topped with fresh herbs and other Mexican favourites.

You can enjoy this casserole on its own or serve with a simple side salad, a portion of cauliflower rice or my keto tortilla chips.

I browned the taco meat in an oven-proof cast iron pan (less washing up!). But of course you can use a regular frying pan for this. Then, transfer the ground beef and tomato mix into a regular casserole dish before baking.

Feel free to double the dish if you have a crowd coming over or if you're meal prepping. It also makes for great leftovers.

How to make an easy Keto Taco Casserole - step by step:

1.) Get your ingredients ready and make the homemade taco seasoning.

For the seasoning, simply mix the spices together in a bowl. You'll end up with approximately 2.5 tbsp.

2.) Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit / 180 Celsius. Place the beef mince and onion in a non stick frying pan and fry for 4 - 5 minutes, breaking up meat, until cooked through. Drain and discard any excess fat.

3.) Add the peppers, 2 tablespoon of taco seasoning, tinned tomatoes and ⅔ cup of water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook for about about 7 minutes until it has thickened, stirring occasionally.

Taste the mix. If you like it a little hotter, add the remaining ½ tablespoon of the taco seasoning.

Tip: I used red peppers, but yellow peppers would also work well.

4.) Add the beef to a greased oven proof casserole dish or cast iron skillet. Mine was a 26 x 5cm round cast iron pan. Then layer the sour cream and spread with a spatula...

5.) ...and top with shredded cheese. I used cheddar, but Monterey Jack is also a good choice.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes uncovered or until the cheese is melted. Then, allow to cool slightly and top with optional garnishes of choice.

Homemade taco seasoning

I've made my own taco seasoning for this keto casserole. It doesn't take long at all, and the great thing is that you can adjust the level of heat to your liking.

I'd say this dish is medium/mildly hot - not super hot but not bland either, just really good. Crank it up if you prefer it spicier!

But of course, you can also use a shop-bought seasoning mix instead. Check the label when you buy ready-made taco spice blends. They often contain hidden sugars such as maltodextrin, MSG and other nasties.

Once you've made this dish one and decide it's a keeper, why not mix together a big batch of the spice blend so you have it on standby for taco days! It's great for fajitas, too.

If you want to play with flavours, you could also consider adding crushed coriander, lemon peel or a touch of cinnamon.

Mix and match Mexican toppings

The toppings are totally optional and you can mix and match using whatever you prefer and / or have to hand.

I've calculated the net carbs with the toppings I have used this time (see recipe card for amounts). If you give the toppings a miss, the net carbs reduce from 5.5g to 4.4g per portion.

These toppings always work well with ground beef taco casserole:

- diced Jalapeno chili

- chopped spring onions / scallions or red onion

- sliced black olives

- homemade salsa or chopped cherry tomatoes

- chopped coriander / cilantro or parsley

- guacamole or avocado, cubed

- shredded iceberg or baby gem lettuce

- more sour cream, especially if your casserole is spicy. It will take the edge off the heat.

Can you make make this dish ahead?

Of course! It's one of these meals that taste even better on the second day, once the flavours have had time to mingle.

Store this dish in the fridge for 3-4 days and pop in the microwave or back in the oven to heat.

Can you freeze a keto taco casserole?

Absolutely! You can freeze it for 4-6 months.

I like to batch cook and always make a double portion. Then, I freeze half, without the toppings.

You can defrost the casserole in the fridge for 48 hours, then re-heat in the oven for about 20 minutes.

If you pop it into the oven straight from frozen (180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit), you'll need to cook it for around 1 hour. Be sure to cover the dish loosely with aluminium foil. Remove the foil and cook another 10 minutes so the cheese can brown.

Check out these Mexican Favorites:

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