Cheesy Keto Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef

I can’t be the only one whose noticed the rise in keto recipes over the past few years, can I? Quick and easy keto ground beef recipes seem to be all the rave lately! And for good reason. Now a quick disclaimer: this isn’t the dish to make if the reason you went with a keto diet was to lose weight, but hey, cheat meals are important for staying on track!

This cheesy keto Mexican casserole with beef is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. The savory taco meat mixed with sauteed onion, garlic and seasoning topped with gooey cheese and jalapeno peppers for a kick is to die for. Honestly if you’re not on a keto diet, this makes a perfect beef taco or burrito filling.

What makes this Mexican Ground Beef Casserole keto?

There are lots of variations to Mexican beef casseroles, but most of them have rice. Rice is a big no-no if you’re on the keto diet. I’ve also seen this casserole made into a taco version where soft tortillas line the bottom – also not keto.

What makes this Mexican recipe keto is the absence of carb heavy foods such as rice or tortillas. This can be tricky to do since those ingredients add structure to the casserole to hold it together, so we add eggs! Adding 3 eggs holds the ground beef together giving it structure.

What is in the Mexican Keto Ground Beef Casserole?

This cheesy keto casserole contains ground beef, taco seasoning, eggs, rotel tomatoes, sauteed bell peppers, onions and garlic. After cooking and mixing together, it’s placed in a casserole dish and topped with Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and sliced jalapenos before being melted down in the oven. The casserole is typically served with salsa and  a dollop of sour cream topped with fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime for added flavor.

Why make this easy Mexican Keto Casserole with ground beef?

My favorite part about this casserole is that it feeds everybody. It caters to your keto diet guests but can be transformed into a tortilla chip dip or tacos for those who aren’t on the diet! Just use no eggs if you want it to be more loose and better for scooping.

This also serves as a gluten-free casserole and dip. Make sure to use corn tortilla chips or tacos for your gluten-free guests instead of flour and always check the ingredient label for allergens!

What meat other than beef can be used for a Mexican casserole?

Yes! If you’re loving the idea of a cheesy meal but think the beef brings the calorie count a little too overboard, you lower your calories by switching to white meat chicken. Sear room temperature chicken breasts that have been patted dry on medium high until golden. Add about a cup of chicken broth, cover, and reduce heat to medium low for 10 minutes. It should be easy to pull apart once cooled and can easily be used in place of beef.

Same holds true with pork. Pulled pork is an excellent option for this meal. Pulled pork usually takes a little longer to make than pulled chicken so I normally don’t recommend it but hey, if you’ve got some leftover pork shoulder or smoked pork from a bbq you need to get rid of – this is your recipe!

Last, you can really take this up a notch if you use barbacoa meat. Barbacoa can be made from pork, goat, or lamb, but is most commonly made from beef. It is essentially “Mexican barbecue”, or a large chunk of meat that is slow cooked in savory broth and seasonings. Check out my beef barbacoa recipe here (I use beef chuck roast). It’s going to require a bit more effort and time but if you’re REALLY trying to impress, I recommend it.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave or in oven baked at 350°F until warmed through.

Ingredients

 3 lb ground beef – 90% lean with 10% fat is ideal to add to the flavor. The higher the fat content, the greasier it will be which makes it fall apart easily. Keep that in mind!

1 ¼ cup cheddar cheese – yellow, sharp, and freshly grated.

1 ¼ cup monterey Jack cheese – freshly grated.

1 can rotel tomatoes – I use rotel canned and diced tomatoes because they taste more seasoned and robust than normal diced tomatoes but it comes down to preference. 1 whole diced tomato works well too.

3 eggs – 3 large or 2 jumbo to hold the meat together.

1 jalapeno pepper – slice thinly to top the melted cheese.

1 spanish onion – the larger the better!

1 bell pepper – I used green for color, but you can use any color you want.

5 cloves garlic – the more the better! This is strictly for taste can be adjusted to taste.

2 ½ tbsp taco seasoning – I make it fresh at home by blending crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and chili powder, but it is easier to buy it pre-made.

Garnish – green onion and fresh cilantro. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

How to cook Cheesy Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef

Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Next, heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat and add all of your ground beef to the pan. Heat until cooked through stirring frequently to prevent burning.