Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach

This ground beef casserole rice is always a hit in our house.

It is high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and delicious the next day as leftovers.

You’ll love it!

(And, if you’re looking for other casserole recipes, try this Philly Cheesesteak Casserole, Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole, or Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole.)

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Can be made and served in 30 minutes.
• High in protein and low in carbs.
• Get in some veggies with the addition of spinach and cauliflower rice.
• Requires only straightforward ingredients that are typically easy to access at your local store.

➡️ Ingredients

⏲ How to make cheesy beef casserole

This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Cook Cauliflower Rice: Cook the frozen cauliflower rice in the microwave, according to the package instructions.
• Cook Beef: While the cauliflower rice cooks, in a large hot and oiled skillet, cook some onions until fragrant. Add in ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Once the beef is mostly cooked through, stir in spices. You do not need to drain the beef.
• Add In And Wilt Spinach: Reduce the stovetop heat then, in small batches to the pan of cooked beef, add in some spinach and cook until that has wilted, stirring occasionally.
• Prepare Casserole: To a baking dish, add the steamed cauliflower rice and some sour cream and stir together. Add in the spinach and beef mixture, stir again, and then flatten all of that into an even layer. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the dish.
• Bake Casserole: Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake at 475 degrees F until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
• Serve: Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions

• Frozen Steamable Cauliflower Rice: Fresh cauliflower rice would be your best option here. Make this by pulsing raw cauliflower florets in a food processor until riced. You can also use steamed cauliflower florets that have been cut up into small pieces.
• Ground Beef: Use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground sausage in place of ground beef.
• Sour Cream: Greek yogurt works well here; sub in at a 1:1 ratio.

✨ Variations

• Sprinkle in other seasonings, based on your taste preferences, like chili powder, cumin, and/or dried oregano.
• Stir in 1-2 Tablespoon(s) of tomato paste or ¼ cup of tomato sauce to the ground beef mixture while the meat cooks.
• Add a handful of chopped tomatoes when adding in the spinach.

〰️ How to serve

• Serve alongside this cucumber salad with sour cream or roasted vegetables.
• Plate with a piece of crusty baguette.

➜ Cooking and recipe tips

• Measure out and prep all of the ingredients you’ll need for the recipe before you start cooking. This recipe comes together quickly, and you’ll want to be sure you have everything set out so you can grab and add it in when the dish is ready for it.
• You can cook this dish in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t want to use a casserole dish, that’s totally fine! I’ve successfully made this recipe in my large cast iron skillet, and it worked really well. Instead of transferring the beef mixture to a casserole dish, add everything to your cast iron and stir well. Then, top the skillet with your shredded cheese, transfer it to the oven, and bake as instructed.

💬 FAQs