Name: Zucchini Ground Beef Taco Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American | Mexican
Ingredients: 4 cup zucchini, unpeeled and shredded; ½ tsp salt; 2 large eggs; 1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated and divided; 2 cup cheddar cheese, grated and divided; 2 lb ground beef 80/20; 1 taco seasoning packet or 1 recipe of Seeking Good Eat's Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix; 1 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup salsa; Optional: taco toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomato, green onion, olives and sliced avocado

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Zucchini Ground Beef Taco Casserole is so delicious with its zucchini and cheese crust topped with a flavorful taco meat mixture and melted cheese - you can't go wrong with this Mexican taco casserole!

This is a low carb and keto casserole that is family-friendly and can be enjoyed by everyone.

Portrait image of the zucchini ground beef taco casserole on a white plate

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You Will Love This Taco Casserole
Ingredients and Tools
Step by Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Common Questions
📋 Recipe
Related Recipes
How to Share This Recipe

You Will Love This Taco Casserole

The zucchini and cheese crust is so delicious and adds amazing flavor.

Got lots of zucchini growing in your garden? I do! In fact, I accidentally let a zucchini grow too large so I used it in this recipe and it made the perfect 4 cups shredded zucchini.

This is a perfect casserole if you are a mixed diet household. While this is a low carb and keto-friendly recipe it should work for almost everyone in your house, whether they are following a ketogenic diet or not. This will make your life easier.

You can make this casserole ahead of time by baking and freezing, or you can assemble it and keep it in the fridge the day before you want to bake this. You can also bake the casserole and eat on it for several days for lunch.

Gluten-Free, Low Carb, and Keto

With 37.3 grams of fat and only 4.2 grams of net carbs, this is a perfect keto casserole. The nutrient counts for each serving is 1/8 of the casserole. I love that this casserole is so satisfying and filling - and I'm not left wanting more after dinner! 🙂

37.3 fat | 4.2 g net carbs | 36.7 g protein

Ingredients and Tools

Ingredients

4 cups zucchini, unpeeled and shredded
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated and divided
2 cup cheddar cheese, grated and divided
2 lb ground beef 80/20
1 taco seasoning packet or 1 recipe of Seeking Good Eat's Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
Optional: taco toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomato, green onion, olives, and sliced avocado

Tools

Cutting Board
Food Processor with shredder attachment or use a cheese grater
Measuring Cups
Cheese Grater
Measuring Spoons
Skillet
Casserole Dish

Step by Step Instructions

Make and Bake The Zucchini Crust

Preheat oven to 400ºF

Drain shredded zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine, zucchini, eggs, half of cheddar, and pepper jack cheese.

Spray a 13 x 9" casserole dish with nonstick spray. Press mixture into the bottom of the dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Zucchini Ground Beef Taco Casserole, Seeking Good Eats

Prepare Taco Meat

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water. Cook until liquid is absorbed.

Add sour cream and salsa to the meat and stir until combined.

Assemble Casserole

Spread the meat mixture evenly over the top of the zucchini crust. Top with the remaining half of cheeses.

Bake Casserole

Bake until cheese is bubbly, approximately 20 minutes.

Serve

The casserole can be topped with your favorite taco toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomato, green onion, olives, and sliced avocado. Serve with additional sour cream and salsa.

Expert Tips

Always use freshly grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese that comes from packages is coated to keep it from sticking. This coating also prevents the cheese from melting.
Make sure that your grated zucchini has had the moisture thoroughly removed from it. Sprinkling the salt over the zucchini while it sits draws out the moisture. Use your hands to gently squeeze the zucchini to wring the moisture out. If it still seems moist you can dab the zucchini with a paper towel.

Common Questions

How can I lower the fat in this recipe?

You can lower the fat in this recipe by using lower-fat cheeses, and by substituting a fat-free sour cream of regular sour cream. You can also use leaner ground beef, or substitute a lower fat ground turkey or chicken. Enjoy!

Can I freeze zucchini ground beef taco casserole?

Yes, this taco casserole is freezable! Bake and cool the casserole. Cover and freeze. To reheat, partially thaw the casserole overnight in your refrigerator. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking.

Note that if you have topped the casserole with fresh vegetables such as shredded lettuce, tomato, green onion, these cannot be frozen. You will need to remove it before freezing.

Bake the casserole (uncovered) at 350º for 30 minutes or until heated through.

How long will taco casserole keep in the refrigerator?

Mexican taco casserole will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator after it has been baked. This casserole makes GREAT leftovers!

📋 Recipe

Zucchini Ground Beef Taco Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Zucchini Ground Beef Taco Casserole is so delicious with its zucchini and cheese crust topped with a flavorful taco meat mixture and melted cheese - crave worthy.