Description
This Ground Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice is a creamy, cheesy 45-minute dinner made with simple ingredients and comforting flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a hungry family, this baked casserole delivers all the cozy satisfaction of a classic ground beef dish with a lighter cauliflower rice twist.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
10 ounces frozen cauliflower rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon dried basil
2 to 3 tablespoons milk, if needed
8 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese (or preferred shredded cheese)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
Add ground beef and season with Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until fully browned.
Stir in spinach (in batches if needed) and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and drain excess liquid.
In the prepared baking dish, combine cooked cauliflower rice, sour cream, butter, and dried basil. Stir until creamy. Add milk if needed to smooth the mixture.
Stir in the cooked beef mixture until evenly combined.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Let rest for 7–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Add extra vegetables like sautéed mushrooms, carrots, or frozen peas.
Swap ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, pork, or Italian sausage.
Do not cover while baking — this helps the cheese brown beautifully.
Let the casserole rest before cutting to help it set.
Make ahead by assembling the casserole one day in advance and refrigerating until ready to bake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 10 ounces)
- Calories: 553 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 314 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg