Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole (Printer-friendly)
All the flavors of a bacon cheeseburger in a hearty, gluten-free casserole. Creamy, cheesy, and ready in under an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean recommended
02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or drained canned
06 - 1 cup chopped dill pickles
→ Dairy
07 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
→ Condiments & Spices
10 - 2 tbsp sugar-free ketchup
11 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
12 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Optional Toppings
16 - Sliced green onions
17 - Extra pickles
# How-To Guide:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels, leaving 1-2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pan.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet with reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spatula, until browned completely, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to the beef. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and fragrant.
05 - Stir in diced tomatoes, chopped pickles, sugar-free ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes to combine flavors, then remove from heat.
06 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth and well combined.
07 - Spread the beef mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top and gently swirl with a spatula to distribute.
08 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the casserole, then top with the cooked bacon pieces.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions or extra pickles if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It delivers every single comfort of a bacon cheeseburger while keeping you in ketosis
- The creamy sauce somehow makes everything taste even more indulgent than the real thing
02 -
- Draining most but not all the beef fat keeps the casserole rich without being greasy
- The cream mixture needs to be completely smooth before pouring or you'll get lumps
03 -
- Room temperature cream cheese blends seamlessly while cold will leave you fighting lumps
- Letting it rest those crucial 5 minutes makes serving so much cleaner