An easy taco flavored low carb yellow squash casserole that’s quick and easy to prepare. It’s a yummy way to use up a bumper crop of summer squash.
Are you getting tons of yellow summer squash in your garden this year? We certainly are.
My husband just pulled out another handful of summer squash from the garden today. I’ve been eating yellow squash every day since they began to ripen.
Casserole dishes are such a breeze to prepare. This low carb yellow squash casserole is a simple dish that can be prepared quick and easy.
It only took about 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to bake. I made it right after coming home from work.
This is definitely a recipe to keep on hand for busy weeknights! Most taco casserole recipes use tortillas.
Although there are low carb ones, I can’t find any that are gluten free. And, I don’t always have the time to make my own.
A lot of people use zucchini in place of noodles. So, I thought why not use yellow squash in place of tortillas. Sounds reasonable, right?
Turns out, it was a great idea! This low carb yellow squash casserole is a winner. I’m putting in down as a regular on my low carb menu.
You will have to cook up the meat first. Some people keep browned ground beef in the freezer, but I usually don’t.
While the meat is cooking, I slice up the squash. I also freshly grate my cheese for this low carb yellow squash casserole in a food processor.
You can use pre-shredded cheese if you prefer. However, you should keep in mind that it contains unnecessary carbs.
Check the ingredients on the shredded cheese package. Starch is usually added as an anti-caking agent so the cheese pieces don’t stick together.
Although this is named a low carb yellow squash casserole, you don’t have to use this particular vegetable. Zucchini would work just as well.
The same thing goes for the cheese. I used cheddar because I usually have some in the refrigerator. But, a Mexican cheese blend could be used instead.
If you liked this recipe, you may want to check out my taco stuffed peppers and yellow squash recipe. It’s another tasty way to use up those summer garden vegetables!
Low Carb Yellow Squash Casserole with Taco Flavor
Low Carb Yello Squash Casserole with Taco Flavor
Ingredients
- 2 cups summer squash , thinly sliced
- 1 can diced tomato , 14.5 oz
- 1 pound ground beef , cooked and drained
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , grated
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Add canned tomato and seasonings to cooked meat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
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Place the sliced squash at the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan. Place meat mixture on top of squash, sprinkle grated cheese on top.
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Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Servings: 10
Carbs per serving: 3 g
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Tamara says
I didn’t have canned tomatoes so I used a bit of salsa and a small can of chipotles in adobo sauce instead. Mixed in a big dollop of Greek yogurt too, to calm the heat of the chiles. Also used ground pork instead of beef. Pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was with these substitutions! This is a very adaptable recipe.
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your modifications! Sounds great.
Shannon says
We modified this a little. Used a hamburger and sausage combo and added some wild rice. It was very good.
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your mod. Sounds great for those not concerned with the extra carbs from the rice.
Debbie says
Thanks for the recipe Lisa!! Yummy and easy, a great combo! Will definitely make this again. I used lean ground turkey and added a can of mild chopped green chilies. I tilted the pan while cooling and dabbed off the liquid that drained from the squash.
Randy says
We loved it , full of flavor, I added about 5 green onions and a few cloves of garlic.
Valerie says
Does the squash need to be boiled before we can slice it?
Lisa says
I add the squash slices raw.
Mary Kasper says
So yummy … and quick and easy. I did not have all the spices on hand but did have a pkg of McCormicks taco seasoning. I used half a package with great results. The sour cream was also a great idea. Thank you!!!
Nancy Rice says
Could you use a taco seasoning mix instead of the individual spices?
Lisa says
You can! I just like to use a home blend because most of the taco mixes contain unnecessary starches.
KIm B. says
Made this tonight and I must say it was so, so good!
Lisa says
Thanks for giving it a try!
Alison says
Made this tonight. My husband and friend raved over how tasty it was. I did tweak it just a bit in what sounded yummy to me to add to it. I sauteed some mushrooms to add to the meat mixture. I added a layer of Greek pepperocini’s on top of the meat before topping with cheese. Finally, I added sliced olives on top of the cheese before baking. Wonderful, simple, yummy dinner.
Thank you for the recipe!!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your tweaks Alison! Sounds really yummy with the mushrooms and pepperocini.
Virginia says
I made this a couple weeks ago, and I’m making it again tonight. I’m doing LCHF and I think this will be a regular. I added a little green onion & served it with a dollop of sour cream. It’s really good, thanks for the recipe!
Lisa says
Sour cream is yummy with tacos. And the green onions is great for flavor and color. Love those adds!
Stacey says
I made this and took it to work. It was DELICIOUS, not a drop left in the pan.
Lisa says
I’m so glad you and your coworkers enjoyed it! 🙂
Susan says
This is awesome! I rate this an eleven! My family loves this and wants me to make it again!
Lisa says
Always a winner when the family asks for a repeat! I’ll be making this one once our garden squash come in.
Jennifer says
Very good!!! I give it 5 stars. 😊
Lisa says
So glad you liked it Jennifer!
Edith says
Could you make it without the cheese? I can’t have anything fermented.
Lisa says
You can leave the cheese out.
SM says
Summer Squash Taco Casserole : this was wonderful! So healthy and yummy! I rate it 5 stars.
Lisa says
Thanks so much! So glad it was a winner for you!
Emma says
Hi! Looks great. Can it be frozen?
Lisa says
The squash may get mushy if frozen. If you’re okay with that, go for it!