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–+ servings

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Rice Casserole

Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice Casserole packed with fresh spinach, beef, and cheese then combined with cauliflower rice and baked. Author: Katerina Source: Diethood
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lbs beef lean ground
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • salt To Taste
  • black pepper To Taste
  • 5 Ounces baby spinach Fresh
  • 10 Ounces cauliflower Riced and cooked
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp basil Dried
  • 2-3 Tbsp milk If needed
  • 8 Ounces Italian Cheese Blend Shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  • Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add onions and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
  • Add ground beef; season with Italian Seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Continue to cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, and cook until beef is completely browned.
  • Add in spinach, you might have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your skillet - cook, stirring frequently, for 1 more minute or until spinach is wilted.
  • Remove from heat, drain liquid from the skillet, and set aside.
  • In a 9x13-inch baking dish combine cooked cauliflower rice, sour cream, butter, and dried basil; stir and mix until completely combined and creamy. If sour cream and butter aren’t melting completely, stir in some milk. (The cauliflower rice should be warm enough to melt the butter.)
  • Add prepared beef mixture to the baking dish; stir until everything is completely incorporated.
  • Top with shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
  • Remove from oven and let stand several minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • Be sure you let your casserole stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.This will allow the casserole to firm up and will make it even prettier and more yummy on your plate. Trust me, it’ll be worth the wait.
  • Resist the urge to cover this casserole with foil before baking. I know, that’s like casserole blasphemy, but since everything is already cooked and warm, it’s really not necessary. Baking it uncovered will allow the cheese to get bubbly and melty, which I really like!
  • More veggies? No problem. If you want to add more veggies to this casserole, you could throw in some diced and sauteed carrots, or some frozen peas or corn.
  • Meat options. You can opt to use ground turkey, ground pork, or sweet Italian sausage in place of the ground beef, if you prefer.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE MADE VEGETARIAN?

  • Absolutely! This casserole can definitely be modified to be vegetarian. My favorite way to do that is by using mushrooms in place of the ground beef. Mushrooms have a hearty meat like flavor and I bet you won’t even miss the meat!
  • Another option is to make a lentil based ground meat substitute. This is pretty commonly done as a taco meat substitute and could work easily here as well.

CAN I MAKE CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE IN ADVANCE?

So much yes! This, or any, casserole, makes for a great as a freezer meal.
I love to make it for my new mom friends or where a parent has just undergone a surgery. This is also a great freezer meal idea for meal prep and making weeknight dinners just a little easier for YOU.
This casserole will be fine in their freezer for about 3 months. All you have to do is defrost it and heat it in the oven when you are ready for it.
Want to make it ahead but not freeze it? Sometimes I will prep this casserole in the morning or the night before we are going to eat it. I’ll tightly cover it and let it hang out in my refrigerator until dinner time, then I simply pop it in the oven and it’s ready in 20-25 minutes.
The joy of casseroles! Can I get a heck ya?! 🙌

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS

  • Once the casserole is baked, your leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for about 3-5 days.
  • You can also freeze your leftovers. Let the casserole cool completely first. Then, place the leftovers in an airtight, freezer safe container for about 3 months.

HOW TO REHEAT CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

  • Reheating your cheesy ground beef and cauliflower rice casserole is simple! All you have to do is bring it to room temperature, then pop it in your 375˚F oven and bake it until it is heated through. Then, serve it up and watch your family enjoy!
  • If you are not reheating an entire casserole, just scoop what you want to eat into a bowl and microwave until heated through. I usually pause halfway through the microwaving time to stir the contents of my bowl.
NET CARBS: 10 g

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 553Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g                              58%
Saturated Fat 14g             70%
Cholesterol 120mg        40%
Sodium 314mg                13%
Potassium 982mg          28%
Carbohydrates 13g        4%
Fiber 3g                              12%
Sugar 5g                              6%
Protein 43g                      86%
Vitamin A   4556IU         91%
Vitamin C   49mg            59%
Calcium       274mg          27%
Iron               5mg              28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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