Keto Ground Beef Casserole
This easy recipe for Keto Ground Beef Casserole with green beans is the perfect way to make a hearty low carb dinner for the family that tastes delicious using hamburger meat. It combines lean ground beef, green beans, cream cheese and is topped with shredded cheese then baked in a one skillet casserole.
Normally, the 5 components of a casserole are protein, starch, vegetables and cheese. However, if you’re following a low carb or keto diet the starch has got to go!
Luckily you can use one of my favorite keto casserole recipes using lean ground beef that is still hearty and delicious and perfect for meal prep.
🐄Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Keto Ground Beef Casserole
- Lean Ground Beef: You could use a ground beef with a higher fat content, but I find that sticking with 90% or more keeps the casserole from getting too watered down with fat in the beef mixture. If you have meat with a higher fat content, feel free to drain it beforehand or, you could also try using ground turkey or ground bison for this recipe.
- Canned Green Beans: This is a quick way to add a dose of nutrients from low carb vegetables in this casserole.
- Cream Cheese: This will pull together all the ingredients and make everything creamy and delicious.
- Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce: Either of these go well with a beef dish adding a great depth of flavor. Coconut Aminos are a great gluten and soy free alternative.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds another layer of flavor that goes fantastic with ground beef.
- Grated Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese: The combination of these 2 cheeses makes this true keto comfort food when it gets melted on top.
- Crumbled Bacon: This is optional but really makes this keto casserole pop!
📖How To Make Keto Ground Beef Casserole
1️⃣ Preheat Your Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 to prepare for the skillet to go in the oven.
2️⃣ Cook Ground Beef and Onions: Heat avocado oil in an oven safe skillet over medium high heat. Add in sliced onions and saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to turn translucent. Add in ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
3️⃣ Stir In Seasonings: Cut cream cheese into blocks and add to ground beef and onion mixture as well as the Coconut Aminos, Coarse Grain Mustard and black pepper. Turn heat down to medium and gently stir until cream cheese is melted and everything is combined. Once mixture is combined, fold in drained green beans.
4️⃣ Top and Bake In Oven: Evenly top green bean casserole with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese. Add skillet to preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted on top. Serve hot.
🔁Variations
- Bulk up the veggies in this dish by tossing in some cauliflower rice or sautéed mushrooms into the mix before baking.
- Make this recipes using fresh green beans. Just make sure you blanch them first to make sure they are par-cooked before adding to the meat mixture.
- Cheddar and parmesan are a great mixture of cheese to add, but feel free to use your favorites including pepperjack, or gouda.
- This dish does not need to be made in a cast iron skillet. You can prepare the casserole, then transfer it to a casserole dish and bake in the oven.
- Season this casserole with your favorite herb blend or a mix of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
♻Storing Leftovers
If you have any leftover keto hamburger casserole, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
Can you make it ahead? This recipe can be made 24 hours ahead of time. Follow the instructions up until adding to the oven. Wrap the casserole in plastic wrap once cooled, then bake in the oven when read.
❔ FAQ
The best meat for a casserole highly depends on what kind you’re trying to make. For keto casseroles, ground meat is a great high fat and low carb option.
Ground beef can be baked in the oven (hello meatloaf!) but in this case it is cooked in the skillet on the stove then placed in the oven so the toppings can melt.
You do not need to use a cast iron skillet for this casserole. You could use whatever oven safe skillet works for you or you could cook everything in a skillet then transfer the mixture to an oven safe casserole dish before topping then bake in the oven as per the recipe states.
This depends on the individual person. For most keto diets, a ground beef with a higher percentage of fat is suitable while others prefer a leaner meat. Either way, any hamburger meat is good for a low carb diet.
More Easy Keto Dinners
Keto Ground Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1 tbsp Avocado Oil sliced
- 1 White Onion
- 2 tsp Minced Garlic
- 2 14oz cans Green Beans, drained
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- ¾ cup Shredded Cheddar
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp Crumbled Bacon OPTIONAL
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 to prepare for the skillet to go in the oven.
- Cook Ground Beef and Onions: Heat avocado oil in an oven safe skillet over medium high heat. Add in sliced onions and minced garlic and saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to turn translucent. Add in ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
- Stir In Seasonings: Cut cream cheese into blocks and add to ground beef and onion mixture as well as the Coconut Aminos, Coarse Grain Mustard and black pepper. Turn heat down to medium and gently stir until cream cheese is melted and everything is combined. Once mixture is combined, fold in drained green beans.
- Top and Bake In Oven: Evenly top green bean casserole with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese. Add skillet to preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted on top. Serve hot.
Hi there!
Where does the minced garlic go in this recipe? I noticed it listed in the ingrediants, but cannot for the life of me find where it is noted in the instructions? Does this maybe go into the saute onion step?
Oops! Yes, the minced garlic is cooked with the onions. -Krista (Team Thyme & JOY)
This recipe is Great! I was looking for something to do with 500g of fresh green beans and 500g ground meat mix.. Only Change I made was to add about 3tbs of Worcestershire sauce and to sauté about a quarter cup of zucchini and red bell pepper with the onions.. (to add more veg) Will absolutely be making again! Thx so much.
We loved this casserole!! The taste was fantastic, love the little zing from the dijon. Very filling also. Thank you so much!
That’s music to our ears. Thank you so much, Becky! -Krista (Team Thyme & JOY)
Where does the garlic come in?
The garlic is sauteed with the sliced onions. -Krista (Team Thyme & JOY)
I added a drained can of rotel original added Cajun spice maybe a 1/2 tbs & pepper flakes 1/4 tbs . Very good !!!! I think next time I may try pepper jack cheese to.
YUM! Pepperjack makes everything better, IMO. Thanks for the kind review! -Krista (Team Thyme & JOY)
I added a few things maybe 2 Tbsp of tomato paste, a can of rotel drained, about 2 tbsp of Cajun spice & pepper flakes also used shredded pepper jack & parmesan cheese. It was delicious will make this again .
I subbed the soy sauce for Worcestershire sauce. I also used a low carb honey mustard instead of Dijon mustard. I added some French fried onions on top when I put it in the oven because they weren’t very high in carbs. I only used about half the container. SO GOOD. I’ll be making it again!
Karen, thanks for the added spices. It came out rather bland, so I added the Rotel and a few spices. I love it. Thanks to both of you!!!
Why does the nutrition facts say 1g is a serving? Is that a typo- 1 gram is like air??? Help
Can this be made with fresh green beans ??
Can you use sour cream instead of cream cheese?
Yes that should work!
This is the second time in two weeks that I have made this dish! DELISH!
Made this tonight and it’s a KEEPER! It takes like stroganoff with none of the carbs! Hubby and I love it. I did add an orange and yellow bell pepper cuz I thought it needed the color. NOM NOM. Thank you so much.