This tasty and cheesy ground beef casserole is keto and low-carb. One of my easiest ground beef recipes and ready in just 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner.
This casserole makes excellent leftovers that taste even better the next day and can be quickly reheated in the microwave.
Whenever I’m not sure what to make for dinner, I make this tasty casserole. Making it couldn’t be easier! Brown some ground beef, add cream cheese and spices, sprinkle with shredded cheddar, and bake.
This ground beef casserole is keto and low-carb, low calorie too if that’s a concern to you. But most importantly, it’s delicious! Leftovers are great too, so you can double the recipe if you wish.
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil spray for pan
- 2 lb. extra lean ground beef (93% lean)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with olive oil and set it aside.
Step 2
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly spray it with olive oil.
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 5
Turn the heat off, and mix ½ cup of the shredded cheddar into the beef mixture.
Step 6
Transfer the mixture to the prepared 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar on top.
Step 7
Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
NOTES
When initially browning the ground beef, it’s OK if it remains a bit pink. After all, it will finish cooking in the oven. And leaving it a bit pink in the first stage of cooking will help it remain nice and juicy.
I use extra lean ground beef, reduced-fat cream cheese, and a relatively small amount of shredded cheddar, with excellent, tasty, and creamy results. However, if you wish, by all means, use full-fat ingredients! The casserole will be even better with those.
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