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I’ve made this low carb cauliflower casserole probably a dozen times in the past few weeks. I still have yet to get sick of it! If there’s one weeknight recipe from the blog that I’m hoping you’ll try, it’s this one. Everyone I’ve shared it with has fallen in love with it!
Some people have been complaining lately that cauliflower has gotten expensive, apparently due to a shortage. I feel very fortunate that in my area this has not been the case (thank you, Trader Joe’s!), because I am so in love with this versatile veggie. A miracle veggie, really, if you ask me. You can roast it, make soup with it, replace mashed potatoes, make quesadillas, and so much more. There are endless unique things you can do with it, but one of my favorites is to incorporate it into casseroles. They have that “comfort food” factor without being carb heavy.
This low carb cauliflower casserole is my favorite one yet. It’s brimming with layers of crisp-tender cauliflower, smoky ground beef mixed with marinara sauce, gooey melted cheese, and aromatic fresh basil. It’s comfort food at its finest. In the middle of winter, it’s just what I’m craving.
I love how easy this recipe is to throw together. You can easily eyeball the quantities or be off on the timing, and it doesn’t matter if you estimate this or that. It will still turn out amazing. The ingredients are very simple and versatile, and you probably have most of them on hand.
You could easily make substitutions in this recipe if you need to. Ground chicken or turkey works just fine instead of the beef. And if you have some other veggies on hand, they can stand in for the cauliflower. (For the record, in my opinion the cauliflower is the best, but you can swap it out if you must.) I know it’s called low carb cauliflower casserole, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mix it up a bit! One of my favorite variations is using a mixture of beef and turkey for the meat, paired with a combination of broccoli and cauliflower for the veggies.
By the way, if you’re looking for a comfort meal that’s freezer friendly, you’ll want to save this low carb cauliflower casserole recipe. I’ve done it a few times and it works perfectly! If you line the pan with foil before cooking, you can just freeze it right in the pan. Then, once it’s hardened, take it out by grabbing the foil edges. Wrap the top in more foil, and finish with plastic wrap. The wrapping will avoid freezer burn, and the foil means you can throw it in the oven straight from the freezer – so convenient!
Low Carb Cauliflower Casserole with Beef Marinara (Gluten-free):
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RECIPE CARD
Low Carb Cauliflower Casserole with Beef Marinara (Gluten-free)
PrintIngredients
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- 1 head Cauliflower (cut into florets)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1/2 large Onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 cup Marinara sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Fresh basil (chopped, divided)
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
RECIPE TIPS in the post above! VIDEO + nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Lightly grease a round 9 in (23 cm) or square 9x9 in (23x23 cm) casserole dish (line with foil if desired).
Toss the cauliflower with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, cook the onion in a skillet for 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent and slightly browned.
Add the ground beef. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.
Stir in the garlic, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and half of the fresh basil. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes, until heated through.
Pour the tomato meat sauce over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese bubbles. Top with the remaining fresh basil ribbons.
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Recipe Notes
Nutrition info will vary slightly depending on the brand of marinara sauce.
Serving size: 3/4 cup
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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22 Comments
Lilly Hughes
Made it today. Good flavor. I realize you can eyeball so I bought a small cauliflower. It never got tender. Roasted for 10 minutes, then 5 more minutes. Decided to make it a layer between meat sauce layers, thinking it would cook more if surrounded by more heat. Still not cooked enough. I like the idea that you can freeze. Most of these recipes are difficult to half, and the two of us can’t eat it all even two nights in a row. Love that it is low carb and gluten free. No health reasons for gluten-free, but I feel better when I don’t eat it. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lilly,
I’m glad you like the flavor!
Regarding the cauliflower not getting tender, the culprit is likely crowding the pan too much. Cauliflower needs air flow to roast, so putting it between sauce layers will not really cook it very well inside. Next time, use a larger pan, spread it out more, and make sure the cauliflower is tender before making the casserole with it.
I’m the same way as you with gluten-free recipes – I just feel much better without it!
Danielle
Hi! Could you use riced cauliflower for this as well?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Danielle, Yes, you can. I would probably pan fry it to cook it first, in place of roasting the florets.
Holly
I just discovered your recipes, and I love them! This was delicious, but was pretty soupy when I cut into it. Is it supposed to be that way? Or did I do something wrong? Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Holly, I’m glad you liked the taste! Mine isn’t usually soupy, I would guess that it might be differences in marinara sauce? Try a thicker kind if possible.
Rachel
This was delicious! Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Rachel!
Loren
I never comment on posts but I made this last night and it was SO delicious. I didn’t have basil so I added some Italian seasoning and extra salt and pepper. I also used a whole jar of pasta sauce. It was so yummy! Everyone loved it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Loren! I’m so glad you liked it. I add Italian seasoning too sometimes.
Brendan
Where’s the print button? I just printed this recipe and it cost me 12 pages of nothing to get the recipe. Put a print button on there!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Brendan, the print button is at the top right of the recipe card, you’ll see a printer icon. I just tested it and it only printed two pages for me. There may be something in your printer settings that needs to be changed. Sorry that happened!
Nancy
Do you drain the diced tomatoes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Nancy, No, there’s no need to drain them. You can if you want to, but in this recipe it doesn’t make too much difference one way or the other.
Kayla
So the diced tomatoes are the marinara sauce?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kayla, No, they are separate. The recipe ingredients list both – 1 cup marinara sauce (I used Kirkland Signature Organic Marinara Sauce) and 1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes (found in the canned vegetables aisle). Hope that clears it up!
Kathryn Smith
Could leftovers be frozen? Mainly the cauliflower without losing it’s flavor?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yes! I’ve frozen this before and it worked great. Just reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
Susan C Huth
I usually use frozen cauliflower in dishes like this. Would you say one 16 oz bag would do it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Susan, That sounds like a good time saver! Yes, a 16 oz bag of frozen florets should be enough. (Note that a fresh head of cauliflower weighs about 2 pounds, but the weight is different for just florets that are frozen.) You’ll need to roast the florets for longer from frozen in step 2 – just until they are crisp-tender. Otherwise the recipe will be the same.
Lauren
How is the cauliflower prepared? Chopped, grated or whole?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lauren, The cauliflower is cut into florets. (I noted this in parentheses next to the cauliflower on the ingredients list.) Hope you get to try the recipe!