Keto Mexican Beef Casserole Recipe

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This keto Mexican casserole is like a low carb shepherd’s pie with a Mexican twist! Spicy ground beef topped with a cheesy mashed potato-like topping make this a super delicious and comforting dish.

Have you ever thought about combining the comfort of a shepherd’s pie with the flavors of a Mexican taco casserole?

No? Me neither, until I came up with this recipe!

I love making casseroles. They’re a great way to feed the family and still have leftovers. Plus, they’re so easy to make!

I have quite a few casserole recipes inspired by Mexican flavors, like my keto taco casserole or easy mexican chicken casserole. 

But this low carb Mexican casserole with ground beef recipe is a little different.

Recipe inspiration

The topping for the dish is adapted from the Spicy Burger Casserole recipe found in Taking Out the Carbage by DJ Foodie! I highly recommend this gorgeous cookbook. The size of the book and number of recipes blew me away. It’s a must-have for any low carb cookbook collection.

And the cheesy mashed potato-like topping from his cookbook is genius. It’s what makes keto Mexican casserole the perfect comfort food!

It reminds me so much of a shepherd’s pie, but with a delicious and spicy filling. It was immediately a big hit with my family.

Most faux mashed potato recipes use cauliflower, like my garlic cauliflower mash. Cauliflower is well known for mimicking the texture of potatoes.

However, the topping for this recipe doesn’t require any cauliflower at all. In fact, it’s made from super common ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now.

All you need is a little water, almond milk, butter, almond flour, and cheese!

Ready to see how easy it is to make this low carb Mexican beef casserole?

How to make keto Mexican casserole

This simple dish comes together by cooking the ground beef filling, preparing the topping, then baking for about half an hour. It’s really that easy!

First, we’ll cook the ingredients for the ground beef filling:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. 
2. Once the beef is browned, add the canned tomatoes and remaining spices.
3. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer to a 9×13 baking pan.

Next, combine the topping ingredients on the stove:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the water, almond milk, and butter. Bring to a slow simmer.
2. Once simmering, whisk the almond flour into the saucepan mixture.
3. Whisk in half of the grated cheddar cheese.
4. Taste the mixture and then add salt and pepper to your taste.
5. Cook the mixture until it is roughly the consistency of mashed potatoes. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water or almond milk. If it’s too thin, sprinkle in a bit more almond flour.

Lastly, we’ll finish prepping the casserole and place it in the oven to bake:

1. Spread the topping mixture evenly over the ground beef mixture.
2. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
3. Place the casserole in the oven and bake at 350°F for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and just starting to turn golden.

Your low carb Mexican casserole is ready to serve! 

How many carbs in low carb Mexican beef casserole

I like to cut this hearty casserole into about 15 servings.

At that size, each piece will have 5.5 grams of total carbohydrates and 1.5 grams of fiber. This means that there are 4 net carbs per slice.

Each serving will be about 180 calories. This leaves plenty of room for delicious toppings or sides. Or you could treat yourself to seconds!

Other recipes to try

Looking for more easy low carb casserole recipes? Check out a few of these favorites:

• Southwest Casserole with ground beef is another delicious casserole loaded with Mexican flavor!
• Broccoli Egg Casserole made with bacon and cheese can be made ahead for easy breakfast all week.
• My Easy Sausage Casserole includes mock potatoes made from daikon radishes for a delicious low carb comfort food!
• Cauliflower Ham Casserole is super easy to prepare and a great way to use leftover ham.
• Keto Eggplant Lasagna combines two popular dishes into one very delicious and satisfying meal!

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Mexican Taco Casserole – Taking Out the Carbage

Author: Lisa MarcAurele

4.89 from 18 votes

A unique low carb taco bake that’s sure to be a winner. It’s got a spicy ground meat base topped with a cheesy mashed potato-like topping.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

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Servings 15

Calories 344

Ingredients

Beef Filling:

• ▢ 2 pounds ground beef
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic
• ▢ 20 ounces tomatoes & green chilis (or salsa or diced tomatoes), 2 cans
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chili powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional

Topping:

• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ ½ cup unsweetened almond milk 120 mL
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh whole butter 60 mL
• ▢ 1 ½ cups almond flour 360 mL
• ▢ 1 pound cheddar cheese grated

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Beef Filling:

• Brown ground beef with minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
• Cook over medium heat until beef is browned.
• Add canned tomatoes and remaining spices.
• Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Pour out into 9×13 baking pan.

Topping:

• Place medium-sized saucepan on the stove with the water, almond milk, and butter. Bring to a slow simmer.
• Whisk the almond flour into the simmering almond-water mixture.
• Whisk in half of the grated cheddar cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper.
• The almond flour mixture should be roughly the consistency of mashed potatoes. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water or almond milk. If it’s too thin, sprinkle in a bit more almond flour.
• Spread the mixture evenly over the ground beef mixture.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of the almond flour mixture.
• Bake at 350F (177C) for about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve!

Notes

Adapted from a recipe in Taking Out the Carbage.

It’s best to shred your cheese fresh with a hand grater or food processor. The pre-shredded kind sold in bags is mixed with a starchy anti-caking powder so it has unnecessary carbs.

Recipe was made in an 9×13-inch pan but the recipe can easily be cut in half and made in an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan instead.

To up the flavor of this Mexican casserole even more, try adding on gluten-free enchilada sauce.

Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

Nutrition

Serving: 177g | Calories: 344 | Carbohydrates: 5.5g | Protein: 52.9g | Fat: 22.5g | Saturated Fat: 10.2g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 709mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 0.9g

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 4 g | % Carbs: 3.7 % | % Protein: 49.2 % | % Fat: 47.1 % | SmartPoints: 8

Values

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    [serving_size] => 177
    [calories] => 344
    [carbohydrates] => 5.5
    [protein] => 52.9
    [fat] => 22.5
    [saturated_fat] => 10.2
    [cholesterol] => 94
    [sodium] => 709
    [fiber] => 1.5
    [sugar] => 0.9
)

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Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

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First Published: November 11, 2016… Last Updated: April 28, 2020