Keto Beef Taco Casserole (Big, Bold Tex-Mex Flavor)

When you are craving Mexican-inspired flavors but want dinner in minutes, this is genuinely as good as it gets. Keto beef taco casserole combines everything you love about taco night into one easy weeknight dish.

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After living in Texas for 20 years, I take my taco-inspired dishes very seriously, and this one does not disappoint.

This is genuinely distinct from my Chicken Taco Casserole, this one leans on beef and diced tomatoes with green chilis for a bolder, meatier direction.

Chef Jenn’s Take on Beef Taco Casserole

Use lean ground beef, you get more actual meat per pound and toss out less fat. If you cook with ground beef often, buying in bulk from a local butcher tends to be better value and quality than individual packs from the grocery store.

Brown the beef, drain down to about 2 tablespoons of fat, then sautee the onion and garlic in that fat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with green chilis, liquid and all, and mix well to heat through. Fold in the olives. Pour into the casserole dish, top with cheese, and bake until hot and bubbly. No diced tomatoes with green chilis on hand? Use regular diced tomatoes plus a separate can of diced green chilis, or just plain diced tomatoes. Shred your own cheese too, it is cheaper and skips the anti-caking starch found on bagged shreds.

Ground pork, chicken, or turkey all work in place of beef, or mix half beef with another ground meat. Skip the onion and garlic entirely to drop the net carb count by a point or two, or add diced bell pepper or other veggies to the beef mixture.

What You’ll Love About Beef Taco Casserole

• Let everyone add their own favorite toppings.
• Big, bold Tex-Mex flavor, everything you love about taco night in one dish.
• Genuinely easy, ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• Ground beef – Or ground pork, chicken, or turkey, or a mix.
• Rotel diced tomatoes – 14.5 ounce can
• Cheddar cheese – shredded
• Olives – Black olives work well.
• Garlic
• Onion
• Avocado oil
• Homemade taco seasoning
• Toppings – Sour cream, shredded lettuce, tomato, sliced jalapenos, pico de gallo, salsa, green onions, guacamole.

How To Make This Low Carb Taco Casserole In The Oven

Brown the beef in a large skillet. Drain off all but about 2 tbsp of the fat. Add the onions and the garlic and sautee for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the canned tomatoes, liquid and all, and the taco seasoning. Stir well and heat through. Fold in the olives.

Add the beefy mixture to a casserole pan and top with cheese. Bake at 375-F for about 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Top with your favorite taco toppings and serve!

Make It A Meal

I usually serve this alongside a big salad topped with sliced avocado, or with your favorite cauliflower rice. For more Tex-Mex favorites, Pizza Casserole, Chicken Taco Casserole, and Beef Barbacoa are all worth adding to the rotation.

Storage

You have two options here. Freeze the filling alone, without cheese, in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight and add the cheese fresh before baking. Or freeze the fully baked and cooled casserole wrapped in plastic and foil, and thaw and reheat when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Even more Keto deliciousness!

Food food food! Want more keto recipes? Here are some of my favorite keto recipes:

• Crack cauliflower
• This meaty sausage dish
• A hearty breakfast hash
• Got an Instant Pot? Try this sauerkraut dump-and-go recipe

And, if you’re having trouble counting carbs, check out this handy calculator.