Summary:
Like a cross between a cheeseburger and a lasagna, this comforting keto casserole has a rich and cheesy tomato meat sauce with juicy bites of tender broccoli.
Ground Beef & Broccoli Casserole
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 370
Net Carbs: 5.5g
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef (Note 1)
- 14-ounce can
tomato sauce - 6 cups small broccoli florets (Note 2)
- 1.75 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Note 3)
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Note 4)
- 1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1.5 teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon
garlic powder - 1/4 teaspoon
ground cayenne
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut any broccoli florets larger than 2 inches into smaller pieces, and add all broccoli to large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until tender, about 5 minutes. Let them drain and steam out on paper towels (Note 5).
- Make Beef-Tomato Mixture: If wet, pat ground beef dry with paper towels. Add beef to large pan over medium heat. Crumbling beef with stiff utensil, cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Keeping everything in pan, stir in tomato sauce, celery, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Simmer for at least 10 minutes to thicken sauce (Note 5), stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and let moisture steam out.
- Assemble Casserole: Directly in
8×8 inch baking dish (Note 6), add broccoli, beef-tomato mixture, and half of cheddar cheese, carefully stirring together until well-mixed. Evenly top with remaining cheddar cheese. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. - Bake & Cool: Bake uncovered at 375 F until casserole begins bubbling up sides and starts to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it. Serve (Note 7).
NUTRITION
| Makes 4 Servings |
| Amount Per Serving: |
| Calories 370 (45% from fat) | |
| Total Fat 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat 11g | 53% |
| Cholesterol 111mg | 37% |
| Sodium 1290mg | 54% |
| Net Carb 5.5g | |
| Total Carb 9.5g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
| Sugars 5.5g | |
| Protein 37g |
PHOTOS
I made this tonight for a family that never agrees on anything for dinner. It was thumbs up from everyone and it was super easy.
I wanted something different so I made this recipe over the weekend. I did change it according to the ingredients I had. I used several vegetables, fresh herbs and fresh tomatoes, and andouille sausage to make my sauce. I used several cheeses and a plant based meat (Lightlife). I’m not vegan/vegetarian, however I’ve fallen in love with the taste and texture of this brand. Thanks for the idea and I’m glad that I tried it out.😋
I made using canned green beans instead of broccoli. Added sour cream and avocado when serving.
This is so delicious and very easy! I used ground turkey. I measured my cheese before weighing and ended up with 4.5 oz cheddar (which was well over two cups) and .75 oz parm. I was happy because it was way less calories that way! This is my second recipe I’ve made of yours. My first was the IP Balsamic Chicken Thighs and that is literally the best thing I cook at home. This second recipe did not disappoint!
This was very yummy!!!!
We really enjoyed this recipe. I will definitely be making it again.
Can I make this with ALL shredded Parmesan instead of shredded cheddar? I’m all out of cheddar .
No, parmesan won’t melt as easily as cheddar. You can substitute cheddar with any kind of soft cheese that melts easily, like mozzarella.
Quick and easy, my family loves it. This is my second time making this dish in the last two months and it’s still a hit.
I am anxious to make this recipe this weekend! I wanted to let you know that your “PRINT” button doesn’t work, however. It just keeps opening new tabs over and over vs printing. Thank you
Can you test the “print” button on another device? I just tested it on both my computer and phone, and it is working correctly.
Restart your computer. This happens to me occasionally.
This was absolutely delicious! The only thing I added was Italian seasoning to the ground beef as I was browning…I usually season my ground beef while browning. Definitely a repeat at my home! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Is there a substitute for the tomato sauce? My son can’t eat tomatoes but loves ground beef and broccoli.
You could replace the tomato sauce with a different sauce that your son likes, maybe some kind of creamy sauce? I’m thinking something like alfredo sauce. The flavors will be very different without tomatoes, just FYI.
that’s what I was thinking some kind of alfredo sauce or sometimes if I don’t want to tomato base I’ll even make a white gravy which is pretty easy to make.
Hello, I have calculated the number of carbs per serving of the recipe. According to the tomato sauce link you suggested, for 1 serving you get around 8g net of carbs to start! How can you get to 5.5 net for everything! There is surely an error
I calculate the nutrition information based on the actual products I used and the USDA database for basic foods. Different brands can vary quite a bit in carbs. Nutrition information is always an estimate, and a rough one at that, and also varies depending on the manner the food is prepared. Not to mention how nutrition labels include rounded figures. Since you’re likely using different brands of products than I am, you’ll get a different result. The tomato sauce link is to give readers an idea of the type of ingredient I am referring to, since there are a variety of tomato products out there.
I just submitted this recipe to Carb Manager so I could track it and it gives me 15g net carbs?
Sounds good, but wondering how the carbs are so different.
Nutrition information can vary wildly from brand to brand and for the specific type of product, so it depends on what you selected in Carb Manager. When I calculate the nutrition for my recipes, I use nutrition labels from the exact product I used to make this recipe, or the data from USDA. For this particular recipe, the ingredients most likely to have discrepancies would be the tomato sauce and broccoli florets; for those ingredients, use their ounce value when inputting into Carb Manager and verify that you have selected the correct type of product.
Was easy to make, when I was short on time. I forgot to put in the celery. I was reviewing the recipe and did not have time to chop it up. So I sprinkled some celery seasoning on top then mixed it in. Was very delicious, also use crushed tomatoes, since I bought the wrong canned goods, still was a nice hearty and flavorful dish. Definitely adding this to my personal favorites list.
Maybe too much broccoli? I used a whole bag of organic frozen. I cut the salt to 1 teaspoon and it still felt a little heavy. That being said, I will make this again and next time cut the salt back further and might try smoked paprika.
Family really liked casserole! Will definitely make again! I used pepper flakes instead of cayenne pepper!
This was a great recipe for “using what you have on hand” and was easy. I used frozen broccoli and followed the recommendation of letting it steam out which worked well. Next time I might add mushrooms.
Could I use marinara sauce instead of the canned tomato sauce do you think? Thanks so much!
Yes, I think that could work. When you’re simmering the marinara sauce with the ground beef and spices, take extra care to ensure the sauce becomes nice and thick (to avoid a watery casserole). Since marinara sauces vary a lot in their water content, you may need to simmer longer than the 10-minute cooking time mentioned in the recipe. Hope that helps!
That is a pretty high number for sodium. Is there any way to lower that?
Most of the sodium in this recipe comes from the added salt and tomato sauce; the latter varies a lot from brand to brand in terms of its sodium content. To reduce sodium, use less added salt and look at the various tomato sauce brands available at your supermarket to select one with lowest sodium according to nutrition labels.
Oh my goodness, just made this and it was fantastic, will definitely make again. Thank you so much for sharing.
Loved this recipe but next time will cut back on the salt. Even my picky eater liked it and said he would eat it again.
Tried this tonight, one of best keto recipies i have tried so far.
What can I use instead of tomatoes? My kid is allergic.
The tomatoes form the sauce in this casserole. You could replace it with a different sauce that is suitable for your family, maybe some kind of creamy sauce? The flavors will be very different without tomatoes, just FYI.
Alfredo sauce would be yummy and the jarred variety in the grocery store is generally only around 4g carbs per serving
Can you use frozen broccoli?
That should be fine. Follow the same instructions regarding cutting them into small florets and microwaving until tender (you might have to microwave longer since it’s frozen).
Hi there
I live in New Zealand. I am not familiar with tinned tomato sauce. Will tinned diced tomatoes be the same? Many thanks
🙂
Tinned diced tomatoes aren’t the same. Tinned tomato sauce is essentially tomato puree which is much thicker, and it’s possible they are not sold in cans in your country.
Try using a basic store bought marinara sauce or a tomato based pasta sauce.