Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole - Gluten Free (2024)

This keto cheeseburger casserole with bacon is an easy ground beef dish to make, perfect for sharing with family and friends on a busy weeknight. It's like a low-carb bacon cheeseburger without all of the prep. It's so good!

Don’t you just love the ease of low-carb casseroles? They make the keto diet simple to stick with, and meal planning becomes a breeze.

In the winter months especially, our family indulges in casseroles regularly. After all, what’s not to love about the heat of the oven warming the kitchen when it’s cold outside?

Not to mention the tempting aromas that call everyone to the table before you can even say, “dinner’s ready!”

This low-carb cheeseburger casserole has quickly become a classic request at our house (even with picky eaters). It's a simple ground beef casserole that makes a cheap meal that doesn't take a lot of work.

After all, you’ve got beef, bacon, and cheese in one spot. This dish is clearly cut out to be a winner!

Why you'll love it

If you need an easy dinner dish that will feed an entire family, then this is the recipe for you! Even if your family isn't eating keto with you, they will all savor every bite of this delicious gluten-free bacon cheeseburger casserole.

From the creamy, cheesy filling to the comforting combination of garlic and onion, this casserole really does taste like your favorite cheeseburger.

Ingredients

With six common ingredients and some seasoning you likely have in your kitchen already, this low-carb hamburger casserole is one you can make over and over again.

And, with only 2 net carbs per serving, you don’t have to stress it!

Serve it with some lettuce, tomato, diced onions, and chopped pickles (because hello, classic bacon cheeseburger accouterment!), and you’ve got a delicious, comfort food dinner ready to roll.

Here's what you'll need:

Meat

I used a combination of both ground beef and cooked bacon pieces. Those are the two types of meat you'll normally find on a fast-food burger!

You can also sub out the ground beef for some ground turkey. You can also use some vegan ground meat and bacon for a vegetarian dish.

Dairy

A lot of keto-friendly casserole recipes use cream cheese, but this one doesn’t. Instead, it relies on whipping cream and cheddar cheese for its gooey, savory yumminess.

Use your favorite type of cheese in this casserole! I used mild cheddar cheese for a classic taste. But, you can also use pepper jack cheese for an extra spicy kick.

The heavy cream thickens the casserole and gives it a richer flavor.

Eggs

Just like with all types of casserole, you need some eggs to bind everything together. Of course, this keto cheeseburger casserole will still taste good without them, but it won't hold together very well.

Seasonings

Use your favorite spices and seasonings in this keto casserole. To keep it classic, I used garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper, and some tomato paste.

You can also use your favorite burger seasoning as well!

Quick tips

So how do you make keto cheeseburger casserole? Quickly and easily, that’s how!

• Pre-bake the bacon. Have you tried the baking bacon method yet? It’s so simple to cook it in the oven until it’s nice and crisp. You get picture perfect strips and it’s a lot easier than frying in a pan. No more standing over a large skillet and dodging flying grease splatters!
• Freshly grate cheese at home. This will keep the carb impact and inflammatory ingredients to a minimum. There are hidden carbs in pre-shredded cheese as potato starch or other fillers are added to keep the cheddar cheese shreds from clumping.
• Add cheese to the keto sauce. You can either stir the cheese into the meat or the sauce. I ended up stirring the cheese into the sauce, because it’s all going to melt together anyhow, so why not keep things nice and simple?

Instructions

This bacon cheeseburger casserole is one of the easiest dishes you will ever make! Here are the basic steps in the recipe.

Cook The Beef

Cook up the ground beef in a pan over medium high heat with a little bit of olive oil (or your preferred oil). Make sure the bacon is precooked and chopped.

Once that's done, brown and drain your lean beef.

Make Your Sauce

Next, mix together your secret sauce which is blend of eggs, cream, and tomato paste. I like to add shredded cheddar cheese to the egg mixture so that the cheese melts evenly when baked.

Add Meat To Baking Dish

Add the ground beef mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle the cooked, chopped bacon over it.

Pour On The Sauce

After spreading the meat in the baking pan, pour the heavy cream and tomato paste sauce over the beef and bacon mixture.

Top With Cheese And Bake

Add the remaining cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole dish.

Bake the keto cheeseburger casserole at 350 for 30 minutes or so. It should come out golden brown.

Now it's ready to enjoy! How easy is that?

Serving suggestions

What are some of your favorite side dishes to make with burgers? I'm sure there are keto-friendly versions you can make!

For example, if you love french fries, make some crispy gluten-free green bean fries. They have a similar crunch and a delightful taste, but only 4.6g net carbs per serving.

These keto onion rings are a bar classic and even healthier for you.

Or, if you need something that is really low in carbs, make some mock low-carb potato salad. It only has 3g net carbs in each serving.

For quick meal prep, make a batch of cauliflower rice or cauliflower "mashed potatoes" to eat as a side with each serving of cheeseburger casserole.

FAQs

Before we get to the printable recipe card, here are some questions people often ask about how to make it.

Did you know you can easily make low-carb casseroles in a casserole crockpot? They are great when baked, but it's a great alternative when you want to make life even easier.

Want some more comforting casserole recipes? Here are a few family-friendly classics:

• Sausage Casserole Recipe has mock potatoes in it and is full of cheesy goodness.
• Low Carb Zucchini Casserole is creamy and filing and the best thing to eat when you want something that is rich.
• Keto Chicken Alfredo has broccoli and all of your favorite Alfredo ingredients- but with a lot less carbs.
• Keto Sweet Potato Casserole lets you enjoy sweet potatoes on a low-carb diet.
• Chicken Vegetable Casserole is packed with fiber and nutrients and the best thing to eat when you are feeling under the weather.

And, don’t miss these other easy low-carb ground beef recipes.

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Recipe

First published on February 8, 2016. Post updated on January 4, 2022, with new images and additional recipe information.