Keto Tex-Mex casserole

Keto Tex-Mex casserole

Hearty and spicy like you daydream about. Loaded with classic Tex-Mex goodness — minus the carbs — this easy keto casserole will satisfy all your south-of-the-border cravings. And say goodbye to store-bought guac and packaged taco seasonings! Making your own is simple, healthy and delicious.
December 8 2015 by , photo by in Recipes, Meal

Keto Tex-Mex casserole

Hearty and spicy like you daydream about. Loaded with classic Tex-Mex goodness — minus the carbs — this easy keto casserole will satisfy all your south-of-the-border cravings. And say goodbye to store-bought guac and packaged taco seasonings! Making your own is simple, healthy and delicious.
USMetric
4 servingservings

Ingredients

  • 25 oz. 700 g ground beef
  • 2 oz. 50 g butter
  • 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Tex-Mex seasoning
  • 7 oz. 200 g crushed tomatoes
  • 2 oz. 50 g pickled jalapeños
  • 7 oz. 200 g (425 ml) shredded cheese, for example Monterey Jack
For serving
  • 1 cup 225 ml crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 1 1 scallion, finely choppedscallions, finely chopped
  • 5 oz. 150 g leafy greens or iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup 225 ml guacamole (optional)

Instructions

Instructions are for 4 servings. Please modify as needed.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Fry the ground beef in butter on medium high heat, until cooked through and no longer pink.
  3. Add Tex-Mex seasoning and crushed tomatoes. Stir and let simmer for 5 minutes. Taste to see if if needs additional salt and pepper.
  4. Place the ground-beef mixture in a greased baking dish (about 9" or 23 cm in diameter). Top with jalapeños and cheese.
  5. Bake on upper rack in oven for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  6. Chop the scallion finely and mix with the crème fraiche or sour cream in a separate bowl.
  7. Serve the casserole warm with a dollop of the crème fraiche or sour cream, guacamole and a green salad.

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Make your own Tex-mex seasoning

Don't be scared to recreate the flavors of Texas and Mexico right in the comfort of your own kitchen. Making your own Tex-Mex seasoning blend kicks sugar out the door and puts you in the driver’s seat. And, since variety is the spice of life, play around a little! Switch in hot smoked paprika or smoked salt. Grind up dried specialty peppers, or chop up a chipotle in adobo sauce. Taste as you go and you can't go wrong! Your Tex-Mex experience will be elevated to the next level.

How to vary this dish

This casserole can be varied in a million and one ways. You can wrap it up in our low-carb tortillas, fill a crunchy keto taco shell or serve it burrito style. The whole neighborhood will want to spend Taco Tuesdays at your place.

If you're not so much into the southern spice mood, substitute the Tex-Mex flavors (seasoning, jalapeños and guacamole) for pesto or add garlic powder, basil, salt and black pepper to taste. Top it with shredded mozzarella, sliced fresh tomatoes and a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese and you'll have an Italian version that's to die for.

If you feel like flirting with Indian cuisine you can substitute the ground beef for ground pork or ground chicken and season it with curry powder and Garam masala.

How to store this casserole

This dish can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator a day before you plan on serving it. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before reheating. Placing a cold baking dish straight from the fridge into a hot oven can cause your casserole dish to crack. Reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until thoroughly warm.

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155 comments

  1. 101
    Jacob
    March 13 2017
    I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but MFP is showing 12 net carbs for this meal. Can anyone explain what I'm doing wrong?
    Reply: #153
  2. 102
    Susan
    April 12 2017
    This was very good. I altered it slightly and added some black olives on top. There isn't any specific measurement for the Tex Mex Seasoning... I used 3 tablespoons. Also, I used half the cheese. When I served it, I added sour cream and chopped avocado. Husband was particularly pleased.
  3. 103
    Brad
    May 4 2017
    I made 8 servings. Simple and good. I used raw jalapeños, seeds and all but sauteed a little first. I wish the recipes listed calories and grams of fat and protein. i don't really want to type all this into MFP to get the nutritional information.
  4. 104
    Karen
    June 24 2017
    Amazing!!! Our family loved this one.
  5. 105
    Leonel352
    July 20 2017
    Has anyone made a video on how to cook this? lol
  6. 106
    kayla
    August 10 2017
    what is the servings size for the carb count of 8g?
    is it 1/2 cup or 1 cup of the finished dish. That was not specified. thank you.
  7. 107
    Jane
    September 6 2017
    Great recipe - my husband and I both loved it! Shared it on Facebook. Thank you!
  8. 108
    lorraine
    September 9 2017
    where does the crème freche get added?
    Replies: #111, #117
  9. 109
    BrianC
    September 10 2017
    In the UK, we call "ground beef" simply "mince" or "minced beef". Surprised the US is still on imperial units - the rest of the world metricated 40 years ago ;-) Glad to see there is a button to click on to get metric units though :-) What is a scallion? It appears to be a spring onion. It is interesting to see the different names for things around the world. :-)
    Replies: #118, #119, #125, #156
  10. 110
    Carole
    September 12 2017
    Another winner, another favorite for me, and family loved it too. I didn't do too much different. The seasoning mix was great, much better than a purchased packet with all sorts of gunk in it, including gluten sometimes. I cooked the 80/20 beef without butter as it has plenty of fat in it for cooking. I didn't end up having to drain off anything, either. I added some chopped onion, and when finished I also threw in a few slices black olives. I used a Mexican jalapeño mix grated cheese and that was good. The crème fraiche is sour cream if you haven't figured it out. That should be corrected in the ingredient list, although it is correctly referenced in the instructions. I put a lot of little sliced scallions into the sour cream, and in the guacamole I put some red pepper and some tiny chunks of onion, lemon juice, and mayo. Both the sour cream and the guacamole were nice with the casserole. I did 3 serving size and used almost all of a 15oz can of petite tomatoes (not crushed) and some but not all of the juice in the can. I cooked the meat with tomatoes for awhile to reduce the liquid a bit, but it didn't really get too watery, and was fine when the casserole was heated. We didn't even miss the usual tortillas it all tasted so yummy. This one goes on my recipe rotation!
  11. 111
    Reply to comment #108 by lorraine
    John
    October 9 2017
    its gotta be on the side, not for sure tho.
  12. 112
    Amy
    October 12 2017
    Made it as directed and it was delicious!! I've made this a few times and I think it can be customized easily with stuff like olives, bacon, etc. My family is not LCHF and they eat it with tortilla chips and soft corn tortillas. I eat it on a bed of lettuce with avocado, onions, and sour cream. Thanks again for a great, quick, and easy recipe!
  13. 113
    Trish
    October 15 2017
    very tasty, thank you! made 8 servings. used 2/3 ground pork and 1/3 ground beef as that is what we had on hand. added a small can of green chilis, but only used 2 oz of jalapenos. used the full amount of taco seasoning even though it seemed a bit much when looking at it. also reduced the butter to 2 oz and added 1 T olive oil. served over chopped romaine without any additions
  14. 114
    T & H
    October 24 2017
    Cannot edit the serving count?
    Reply: #115
  15. 115
    Reply to comment #114 by T & H
    Peter Biörck Team Diet Doctor
    October 25 2017
    Hi T&H!

    It should work ( test again) .

    Cannot edit the serving count?

  16. 116
    Jeff
    November 12 2017
    How many calories are there? They aren't listed in the nutrition.
  17. 117
    Reply to comment #108 by lorraine
    Vicky
    November 16 2017
    Lorraine, Creme freche and sour cream are very similar (but not quite the same), so creme freche in the ingredients is the sour cream in the instructions - just a mix up of terms..
  18. 118
    Reply to comment #109 by BrianC
    Vicky
    November 16 2017
    Hi Brian, scallion can indeed be a 'spring onion' but it is sometimes means a 'shallot' - a small onion the size of a pickled onion but slightly 'sweeter' in flavour. The spring onion has less carbs because of its green leafy top. As you say - different names for different places!
  19. 119
    Reply to comment #109 by BrianC
    Vicky
    November 16 2017
    Brian - just noticed - scallion is in the list of ingredients and described as chives in the instructions - as its in the creme freche/sour cream, then chives would be best!
  20. 120
    JustStartingKeto
    January 15 2018
    I noticed a lot of people asking about the macro counts, so I calculated it in an app. I used chicken thigh meat in the calculation. I used the ingredient list to serve 4 and came up with this per serving: 590 cal, 54 protein, 40 fat, 1fiber & 7 carbs. Happy eating!
  21. 121
    JustStartingKeto
    January 15 2018
    Forgot to tell you that my calculation was EXCLUDING avocado. BTW, I’ve made it since posting the calculations. Although very tasty, the serving size it’s not a substantial meal. For those macros, if you’re after weight loss, you might want to eat a smaller portion on a day you have extra carbs available and pair it with a good sized salad or vegetable serving.
  22. 122
    cheezee
    February 6 2018

    where does the crème freche get added?

    That's what I'm wondering. There's also sour cream in the method but not the ingredients so maybe there was a mix up.

  23. 123
    Louise Jenkins
    February 8 2018
    I was wondering too
  24. 124
    sarah
    February 13 2018
    I didn't love it. Maybe its because i used fresh tomatoes and smashed them instead of canned ones? I wouldn't make it again. Not anything special, but not bad either.
  25. 125
    Reply to comment #109 by BrianC
    Greg
    February 25 2018
    I wish we would hurry up and go metric. Makes a lot more sense! And yes, scallion = spring onion...
  26. 126
    Melissa
    March 30 2018
    One of our all-time favorites!!! YUM!
  27. 127
    Brennan
    April 20 2018
    Odd question but do you drain the grease from the hamburger when it's browned? Asking for a friend.
  28. 128
    Michelle
    May 14 2018
    You know what works great for casseroles? Freezing them in the dish, then popping them out and putting the casserole-ice-cube in a bag. I vacuum seal mine. I put a label saying which dish I used to make it, and then I defrost it in the dish. Works great!
  29. 1 comment removed
  30. 130
    brenda
    May 18 2018
    I wish they would state the serving size. I made this according to 4 servings and guessed it was a cup serving...doing it that way probably makes it 5 servings. It is definitely filling. I omit the hot peppers and add green peppers and regular onion. I also do diced tomatoes. Makes it more of a chili than a casserole, but I like it.
  31. 131
    brenda
    May 18 2018
    why can't you add recipes to favorites?
    Reply: #132
  32. 132
    Reply to comment #131 by brenda
    Peter Biörck Team Diet Doctor
    May 19 2018
    Hi Brenda!

    Click on the heart symbol at the bottom of the picture.

  33. 133
    Ivonne
    May 26 2018
    Wow, this was so good! A bit too spicy for my taste but that's something I can adjust to my own taste. Love the combination of spicy, sour, cheese and soft guacemole. I ate it with iceberg lettuce as tacos. Yummm. This is a keeper on my list.
  34. 134
    Chad
    June 1 2018
    This was great, I dont have the right oven dish though so I mixed everything in a small pot and left it on the lowest heat on the hob. until it thickened.
    Worked great. Will try again.
  35. 135
    Danny
    June 17 2018
    Can I use ground turkey in this dish .
  36. 136
    Gordon
    July 16 2018
    Absolutely delicious.
  37. 137
    Trisha
    July 31 2018
    This is one of our favorite keto recipes! We always top it with the recommended sour cream and also add
    guacamole.
  38. 138
    Juanita
    August 12 2018
    Was it meant that the entire recipe for the taco seasoning be used? Seemed a bit much, but I see someone used 3 tablespoons. Great idea to make your own--loved that! Didn't pour off the liquid from cooking the meat, after all, fat=good, right?
  39. 139
    Renu
    August 14 2018
    Made this today, it was so YUM!!! Ate as lettuce warps with butter lettuce on side. Its a KEEPER!
  40. 140
    Vanessa
    August 17 2018
    Made this tonight and it was amazing!!
  41. 1 comment removed
  42. 142
    Dana
    September 14 2018
    Why did yall change the Tex Mex seasoning? I knew you guys always had a separate Tex Mex seasoning than the one that was that was listed in the Tex Mex dish recipe; however, Yall have deleted the ingredients in the Tex Mex dishes. I think I remember the way it was before. I hope, so because it was perfect. Y'all should have kept both seasoning options on this website!!!!
    Reply: #144
  43. 143
    Cassie
    September 16 2018
    This was excellent! I used a can of Rotel and added chipotle powder.
  44. 144
    Reply to comment #142 by Dana
    Charlotte
    September 16 2018
    Hi Dana please can you help
    Me
    !!! They have changed the seasoning and it’s not very good I cannot remember how it was before as I only
    Made it once please could remind me !! Thank you xxxxx
    Reply: #145
  45. 145
    Reply to comment #144 by Charlotte
    Hans
    September 17 2018
    Charlotte,

    Make your own Taco seasoning (four servings):
    2 teaspoons chili powder
    2 teaspoons paprika powder
    1 teaspoon ground cumin
    1 – 2 teaspoons onion powder or garlic powder
    1 pinch cayenne pepper
    1 teaspoon salt (optional)

    Bon appétit!

  46. 146
    Michelle
    September 19 2018
    My husband loves this recipe and it is pretty easy to make. This will be added to my list of recipes that I will always make.
  47. 147
    Jon
    October 13 2018
    Love this recipe! So simple to make and the seasoning recipe is very good. I like my Tex Mex on the hotter side, so upped the amount of chili and used a hot jalapeño instead of mild. I was surprised that it didn’t end up being soupy or too greasy, so it was easy to portion into separate containers for freezing.
  48. 148
    Kris
    October 14 2018
    I really like this! I enjoy flavorful, spicy food and this was just the ticket. I'll be making this again.
  49. 149
    Randi
    October 25 2018
    Delicious! Not necessary, but I sprinkled cooked chorizo over the top before baking. Reminded me of queso fondido. Om nom.
  50. 150
    Fran
    October 30 2018
    Is 870 calories and the remaining macros for the entire recipe??
  51. 151
    Teresa
    December 5 2018
    This recipe ills hunger in its track! Woo hooo! I decided to try intermittent fasting after eating this deliscious meal. I had it for early dinner 4pm. What really stunned me was that by 11pm I wasn’t hungry. I broke my fast 10:30am the following day. Will continue to make this dish, my husband who is not on the keto diet also loves it! I mad the spice mix and guacamole according to all the instructions. Since like was listed that what I used in my Tex mex prep. Thank you!
  52. 152
    Jill
    January 6
    Wow! Loved this, very tasty, made it for me n hubby (not low carb) he loved it. I made as recipe and also did the guacamole and the tex mex seasoning it was quite filling and I'm fasting after this so hopefully will keep me full. Defintly going to be a regular on our menu. Thank you 😊
  53. 153
    Reply to comment #101 by Jacob
    Jason
    January 27
    Substract fiber for net carbs
  54. 154
    Fraehan
    February 9
    Hands down one of the best keto recipes here. I used taco seasoning instead of tex mex and it turned out just amazing with rich flavor.
  55. 155
    Kim
    February 25
    I was doing well on keto until I ventured onto Pinterest, all Keto recipes aren't good keto recipes. Well, I'm back and I made this! I added black olives and extra jalapenos and it is delish! The only thing I would change is using a leaner meat. I made this with 80/20 Angus ground beef and there was a lot of oil...still delicious though.
  56. 156
    Reply to comment #109 by BrianC
    ron
    March 18
    Mince and ground aren't exactly the same thing. Mince is more finely done, so I would guess it's processed differently. Then there's mincemeat, which is not just meat at all.
  57. 157
    Reply to comment #58 by Southern Gent
    ron
    March 18
    Cooking in butter adds flavor. Even to just plain meat.
  58. 158
    ron
    March 18
    Cooking in butter adds flavor. Even to just plain meat.
  59. 159
    Margaret
    6 hours ago
    My husband and I both loved this. Frying 80/20 beef in even half the amount of butter still produced too much grease, so will either leave out the butter next time or will buy leaner beef. The Tex-Mex spice blend is what really made the dish delicious. I added smoked paprika and the smell while it was cooking was out of this world. I will definitely be making this again! I'm looking forward to using it for my taco salad!
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