Cheeseburgers have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. This Keto Cheeseburger Casserole delivers all the flavors with none of the carbs. Perfectly seasoned ground beef is tossed with ketchup, mustard, and pickles and topped off with a generous sprinkling of cheese. The final touch is a zippy sauce made from mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle juice.
I have loved cheeseburgers since I was a child and always assumed that this was something I'd outgrow as I got older.
It turns out, cheeseburger love isn't something one gets over. To this day, I still have a soft spot for a great burger.
This Keto Cheeseburger Casserole is SO easy to make and is my favorite low-carb way to enjoy my favorite flavors.
Best of all, all of my kids like this recipe - it is one of their favorite low-carb casseroles.
Anything that requires less than 15 minutes of hands-on time that the whole family enjoys is a win in my book.
Ingredients for Making Keto Hamburger Casserole
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- Ground Beef - You can use any ground beef you want. If you use 80/20, you may want to drain the excess fat off. This is entirely a personal preference.
- Onion - I used white onion; yellow or red works fine.
- Garlic - If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Cream Cheese - Make sure you are using full fat.
- Dill Pickles and Pickle Juice - Make sure you read the label! Some dill pickle brands have sugar, and many also have artificial colors that you may want to avoid. My go-to brand is Bubbies, which you will find in the refrigerator section.
- Ketchup - I make my own. If you don't want to do this, look for a sugar-free version. Primal Kitchen makes one, but there are others out there. If you are keto, make sure you don't skip this, and traditional ketchup has sugar in it.
- Yellow Mustard - I prefer yellow mustard here, but Dijon would work as well.
- Salt and Pepper - Feel free to adjust the quantities to your personal preference.
- Cheddar Cheese - Cheddar is a classic hamburger combination, but use whatever kind of cheese that you like. If you use Swiss, adding in sauteed mushrooms is a fun way to switch things up.
- Mayonnaise - Did you know that many brands of mayo contain sugar in them in small amounts? If you are strict keto, make sure you read the labels.
- Optional Toppings - Anything you would typically put on your burger works here!
What Do You Serve With This Keto Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe?
- I recommend topping this with shredded romaine lettuce, fresh chopped tomatoes, pickles, and cooked chopped bacon.
- If you like, serve it all on top of cooked cauliflower rice.
- A simple green salad is also a nice side here.
Tips & Variations
- To make Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole, add 8 ounces of cooked and crumbled bacon to the ground beef just before you transfer it to the casserole dish.
- I like to use cheddar cheese here, but any cheese that you like works here. Whatever kind you use, fresh grated works best.
- If you would like a bit more spice, add ½ teaspoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing are excellent drizzled on top of this in place of the mayo/mustard sauce.
- Some people like to add egg to the meat mixture to make it hold together better. You can experiment by adding three eggs and see which way your family prefers this recipe. If you would like a creamier casserole, you could also add ¼ cup heavy cream when you add the cream cheese.
- Sausage or ground turkey can be used in place of the ground beef.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Ground beef is 100% keto-approved. You can feel free to use fattier beef (80/20) that most diets will tell you to avoid.
I like to use grass-fed beef, but this is entirely up to personal preference.
Cream cheese is great for a keto diet because it adds fat more than anything else! With minimal carbs, not only is it a great way to add fat to your diet, but it also adds a rich creaminess that makes everything from casseroles to soups delicious.
You can make this casserole up to two days ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Leftovers will keep for about three to five days.
This recipe freezes great. Leave the cheese off of it if you are planning on freezing. Allow the casserole to cool completely and cover it tightly with heavy-duty foil.
(I like to do a layer of plastic wrap and then foil for extra protection.) It will keep for about two months.
Make sure you check out my Keto Cheeseburger Casserole Web Story.
Making Instant Pot Keto Cheeseburger Casserole
The Instant Pot makes this recipe a snap.
You can scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions.
The most important thing to remember is not to stir when you add the remaining ingredients before cooking, as this could lead to burning.
How to Make Keto Cheeseburger Casserole
Start by cooking the ground beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet until the ground beef starts to brown.
Stir in the cream cheese and cook until the meat is brown and the cream cheese has melted.
Next, stir in your pickles, condiments, and seasonings.
After that, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 9 baking dish and bake.
Finally, when the casserole is done, drizzle with the sauce and serve with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, and bacon.
MORE EASY LOW CARB CASSEROLES TO TRY:
- It doesn't get any better than this Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole! Creamy, cheesy, and flavor-packed, this is a recipe that you will turn to again and again.
- Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Dip is my favorite go-to recipe for game day. It comes together in a flash and is perfect for when you have a crowd where not everyone is on a low-carb diet.
- Green Bean Casserole doesn't have to be just for the holidays! This keto-friendly version is made with real food ingredients and is guaranteed to leave your tastebuds singing.
Keto Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 6 ounces cream cheese cubed
- ⅓ cup diced dill pickles I use Bubbies
- ¼ cup keto ketchup
- 1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese
- Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise sugar-free
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice sugar-free
- For topping: shredded lettuce tomato, pickles, bacon
- ⅓ cup beef broth Instant Pot Only.
Instructions
Oven
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat a skillet to medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef, onion, and garlic, and cook until the ground beef starts to brown.
- Stir in cream cheese and continue to cook until the meat is browned and the cream cheese melts.
- Stir in pickles, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer to a casserole dish and top with cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and pickle juice.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and drizzle with the sauce.
- Top with desired toppings and serve.
Instant Pot
- Set your Instant Pot to saute, high. When the screen says "HOT" add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook until the beef just starts to brown. Add ⅓ cup beef broth and scrape up any browned bits.
- Add the cream cheese, pickles, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper. DO NOT STIR.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and set to manual high pressure for 1 minute. Allow to release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release. Stir well.
- Add the cheese and return the lid to the pot. Allow to sit until the cheese melts. Top with the sauce and serve.
Notes
Variations:
- To make Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole, add 8 ounces of cooked and crumbled bacon to the ground beef just before you transfer it to the casserole dish.
- I like to use cheddar cheese here, but any cheese that you like works here.
- If you would like a bit more spice, add ½ teaspoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing is excellent drizzled on top of this in place of the mayo/mustard sauce.
Nutrition
More Keto Ground Beef Recipes to Try:
- For a unique meal that is ridiculously delicious, you are going to love these fully loaded Burger Bowls.
- Keto Butter Burgers are a delicious meal that never fails to satisfy. Make them once and you will be hooked!
judith McCarthy
I would love to make this dish. I have a variety of different size casserole dishes. You don't indicate the size casserole. Looking at the picture provided, are you using, a 9x9, 3-quart casserole? Size does affect amount of servings.
Wendy Polisi
It was an 8 x8
Lisa
That looks great! Thanks!
Cyn Wise
Yummy! Just made this and my non-keto wife thoroughly approves!
Wendy Polisi
So glad that you all enjoyed it.
Nicole
We loved it. Thanks.
Randy Huguenin
I made this tonight and it was awesome. Thank you for sharing.
Wendy Polisi
So glad you liked it!
Karen M.
This was so so good! I made it in the Instant Pot; and it came out perfectly! I didn't have an onion on hand but subbed out two tablespoons of minced onion. I tried it with the ranch dressing and lettuce, which was very good. I then tasted it right out of the pot without any topping, I liked that even better!
Thank you so much for the recipe. It's going in my rotation for sure!
Sheila
Always willing to try a recipe but this one was so good we’re having it tonight. This is now one of our regular favorites. Thanks!