Ground Beef Cauliflower Casserole (Printable)

Hearty low-carb casserole with ground beef, cauliflower rice, and melted cheese topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 4 cups cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
05 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped

→ Dairy

07 - 1 cup sour cream
08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry Staples

10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1 tsp dried basil
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and red bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking apart with a spatula. Cook for 5-7 minutes until fully browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Add oregano, basil, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly to combine.
06 - Mix in cauliflower rice and spinach. Cook for 4-5 minutes until cauliflower is tender and excess liquid has evaporated.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Fold in sour cream and half the cheddar cheese until evenly distributed.
08 - Spread mixture evenly into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
09 - Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese and all mozzarella cheese over the surface.
10 - Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
11 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cauliflower rice soaks up all those savory beef juices while staying surprisingly light
  • You get that gratifying cheese pull and crispy edges without the heavy carb coma afterward
  • It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, if there's any left
02 -
  • The casserole will look jiggly when it first comes out of the oven, but it firms up during those crucial 5 minutes of resting
  • If you're sensitive to spice, skip the red pepper flakes entirely—the smoked paprika provides plenty of depth without heat
03 -
  • Squeezing thawed frozen cauliflower rice in a clean kitchen towel removes excess moisture and prevents a watery final dish
  • Grating your own cheese from blocks makes a huge difference in how smoothly it melts and integrates into the casserole

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