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Beef Taco Casserole (Paleo/Whole30)

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All of your taco favorites combined into one healthy and comforting beef taco casserole! Great for a satisfying meal, meal prep, and paleo and Whole30 approved!

Large glass baking dish filled with Whole30 beef taco casserole topped with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro.

This recipe first appeared on Instagram in partnership with Cece’s Noodle Co.

Who else is a fan of casserole 😏😁 to be honest, I don’t think I really knew what a casserole was until I really started getting into cooking and was looking at different recipes every day on the computer.

My mom never really made them (at least not that I can remember, but I do have the worst memory ever). But I now love them! It’s a hearty and cozy meal, all packed into one big baked dish. So today I’m taking one of our favorite meals (tacos!) and sharing a paleo and Whole30 approved beef taco casserole!

A piece of beef taco casserole sitting on a small white plate. It is topped with jalapeño. Behind it is the whole casserole and a bowl of guacamole.

How to make Whole30 Beef Taco Casserole

The beauty of casseroles is you literally mix all the ingredients together, place them in a large baking dish, and let the oven bake them together until all the flavors are melded together. It usually has some kind of binding agent to help it hold together so you can cut into it like a pie (probably the wrong analogy, but that is what my brain can think of at the moment ha).

This beef taco casserole does just that, and you only need less than 10 ingredients! Here is what you need:

  • ground beef
  • yellow onion
  • bell peppers
  • kale
  • cherry tomatoes
  • taco seasoning
  • sweet potato noodles
  • salsa
  • mayo
  • salt & pepper

Large skillet filled with sautéed ground beef, peppers, onions, and kale. A wooden spoon is sticking out of it.

We start off my sautéing the ground beef until slightly browned. Then we add in the onion and some taco seasoning and sauté for a couple more minutes. Next add the peppers, kale, the remaining taco seasoning, and some salt and pepper, and cook for a couple more minutes.

Turn off the heat and add the sweet potato noodles and cherry tomatoes and transfer to a greased baking dish. Make the binder by mixing together the mayo and some of the salsa. Distribute over the taco casserole and mix to combine. Then we just bake until firm and crispy on top!

Large glass dish of Whole30 beef taco casserole before it is mixed with the binder and baked.

I love topping it with avocado, more salsa, cilantro, and hot sauce, but whatever you like will work! If you find it a little runny (more on that below), you can eat it out of a bowl!

How to meal prep/prep in advance

Beef taco casserole is a great dish to prep ahead of time or meal prep for the week! There are a few different ways you can meal prep it:

  • Make the beef and veggie mixture and just store it in the fridge. Then, when you are ready to assemble, just put it in a large glass baking dish, make the salsa and mayo mixture, and bake.
  • Bake it on Sunday and store in the fridge for a quick meal during the week. Either reheat it in the oven or microwave depending on your setting.

If you have leftovers, just store it in the fridge in a tightly sealed glass container. It saves well and should be good for up to a week.

Can you freeze Beef Taco Casserole

Yes! Depending on how you want to serve it, you can freeze two different ways:

  • Bake it and then freeze the whole casserole. You will need to defrost the whole casserole when you are ready to eat, but makes a great option for a family.
  • Bake it and then cut it into serving portions and freeze them individually. Then you just need to defrost each serving when you are ready to eat.

To defrost, just place in your fridge the night before and it should be ready to heat up the next day. To reheat, you can either put it in the microwave for a quick option or bake it in the oven until warmed through.

Overhead shot of casserole in a large glass dish. It is topped with sliced avocado and cilantro and next to it is a plate of sliced limes and a bowl of guacamole.

Can I use a different meat?

Yes, any meat will really work! You can substitute ground chicken or ground turkey and I think even shredded chicken will work just find. You just won’t have to cook shredded chicken beforehand.

Tips to avoid a runny casserole

A few factors play into how this casserole will turn out. The goal for it is to stay together and not be runny. You will have a little excess liquid, but don’t want too much.

To avoid a runny beef taco casserole, try to use a chunky salsa. If it is has too much liquid, it will transfer over when you bake it. If you can only find a more liquid salsa, add more mayo for a binder.

Second, make sure you drain all the liquid from the beef before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. I use a slotted spoon to transfer it over.

A plate of a slice of taco casserole topped with sliced jalapeño. behind it is the whole casserole dish and a bowl of guacamole.

More Easy Paleo Recipes

Chicken Caesar Spaghetti Squash Boats

Paleo Popcorn Chicken (Whole30)

Paleo Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Whole30)

Whole30 Italian Beef Zucchini Boats

Whole30 Fish Taco Bowls

Balsamic Chicken & Veggies Skillet (Paleo/Whole30) 

Large glass baking dish filled with Whole30 beef taco casserole topped with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro.
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4.64 from 61 votes

Beef Taco Casserole (Paleo/Whole30)

All of your taco favorites combined into one healthy and comforting beef taco casserole! Great for a satisfying meal, meal prep, and paleo and Whole30 approved!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Beef Taco Casserole, Paleo Beef Taco Casserole, Whole30 Beef Taco Casserole
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 360kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups/175 grams)
  • 2 large bell peppers, diced (4 cups/500 grams)
  • 3 packed cups kale, roughly chopped (90 grams)
  • 1 package Cece's Noodle Co. Sweet Potato Noodles (or 4 cups raw sweet potato noodles/300 grams)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (300 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning, divided
  • 1 1/4 cup salsa, divided
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, salsa, hot sauce...

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a large baking dish.
  • In a large sauté pan, add beef and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned. Add onion and 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add peppers, kale, remaining taco seasoning, and salt and pepper and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Turn off heat and mix in raw sweet potato noodles and cherry tomatoes. Transfer mixture to the baking dish, leaving behind the grease.
  • In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup salsa and mayo. Pour over sweet potato and beef mixture, evenly distributing. Use a fork to make sure it is evenly spread throughout the casserole. Top with more salsa if desired and bake for 35 minutes until firm and crispy on the top. Let rest for 5 minutes to firm up some more. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Beef Taco Casserole (Paleo/Whole30)
Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
Calories 360 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Potassium 754mg22%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 2400IU48%
Vitamin C 162.5mg197%
Calcium 90mg9%
Iron 2.5mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!

This post may contains affiliate links and I may make little bit of money if you click on and purchase the products that are linked. It doesn’t cost you any extra money. The compensation helps with expenses to keep ETG up and running. I truly appreciate your support!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Kelly!!

    1. This looks awesome!
    2. I hate HATE to be that person, but I also HATE mayo, is there any other type of binder I could sub in? Maybe arrowroot powder, or almond flour? I’m really sorry I honestly just HATE mayo.

    thanks so much for this dope recipe!

    Reply

  2. Do you think spiralized butternut squash would work? If not I’ll have to break down and sprialize my own potatoes. Can’t find a prepackaged version. This is purely a lazy question 🤣

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Tried this recipe and I LOVE IT! It’s seriously full of flavor and I for in ALL the veggies I needed! I’m adding it to my rotation! Rated 11/5 – would make again and again and again. 🙂

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Kelly, this recipe was out of this world! If I’m being honest, I was a little skeptical about the mayo but you don’t even notice it. My husband actually made extra salsa/mayo to top his. Absolutely delicious!!!

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Made this today and it was delicious! 🤗 Your blog post above with tips and tricks were very helpful! Easy read, easy to follow, delicious result! I’m also stoked for the homemade taco seasoning that was in the recipe and can’t wait to use it in other recipes! 😊

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Made this recipe last night, and loved it. Having the leftovers for lunch today and just as yummy. My husband loved it too, and he’s tough to please!

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    I’ve now made this recipe a few times, once subbing sweet potato cubes for the spiralized noodles (which works, even though the noodles are much better) and topped with black bean chipotle dip, avocado and extra cilantro. It’s amaxing no matter what, and so simple to follow! I needed a quick easy dinner tonight with some lunch leftovers and it was done in 35 mins. My mom who hates all Mexican food even tasted it, and LOVED it. Great work here Kelly! Keep it up

    Reply

  10. “to be honest, I don’t think I really knew what a casserole was until I really started getting into cooking and was looking at different recipes every day on the computer. My mom never really made them…”

    You must not be from the Midwest 😂 I literally just found out this year that not everyone in the US refers to a baking dish as a “casserole dish”.

    Great looking recipe, super excited to try it!

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    This recipe is BOMB. I am not a vegetable person at all and this is the perfect meal for me! I am going into my 2nd week of Whole30 and I’m excited to have some delicious meals.

    Reply

    • Yay! I try to get in as many veggies as I can in meals and this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much for trying it Amanda and good luck on your Whole30!

      Reply

  14. Hi! I really hate to be that picky person who can’t eat such and such but, I can’t do peppers of any color. I love them but, they don’t love me! Lol! Anyway, I am afraid if I leave them out all together the casserole will be too runny. Any ideas for substitutes? Maybe mushrooms? Thanks in advance!

    Reply

  15. This looks amazing! I’m working on my grocery list for meals I’ll be making next week, and am definitely including this one. I’m generally not a picky eater at all, but I can’t stand kale. Do you have any suggestions for substitutes?

    Reply

    • Hey Allie! You can substitute any green that you like – spinach, turnips, collards… or you could just leave it out and add a little more of the other veggies if you wanted. I just try to get some green in most meals, so I added it in there. Hope the helps!

      Reply

    • Hi Krysta! Yes, it would freeze great! You can either freeze the whole thing and then defrost and bake again, or freeze individual servings and heat up again. Both ways work! Hope that helps.

      Reply

  17. 5 stars
    This was DELICIOUS!! I loved it so much and so did the hubby. I added fresh squeezed lime, Greek yogurt, and cilantro. Yum!!

    Reply

  19. 5 stars
    The flavor combo is awesome! Also, you can’t even tell there’s kale in here. Seems like a winner for picky vegetable eaters.

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    Whoa! I made this last night to have for dinner tonight, and it was the most delicious #whole30 meal I’ve eaten! It’s extremely flavorful with just the right amount of kick at the end. My husband loved it too!
    Thank you @eatthegains for creating this masterpiece! Delish!

    Reply

    • So happy you loved it Lindsay!! And I always love it when the guys can get on board too! Thank you for trying it and I’m glad you enjoyed!

      Reply

  21. 5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely delicious!! I have made it several times & it is always a family hit! Thank you for sharing your delicious creations ❤️

    Reply

  22. 5 stars
    This recipe is so good! It made a huge casserole! I cut individual portions and froze them because this casserole is just too good to waste. It is so easy to prepare, and it has great flavor. It wasn’t runny at all. I will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  23. 5 stars
    This is awesome! I usually hate meal prep because I can’t eat the same dish more than two days in a row. With this recipe, I tripled the amounts and ate it for lunch and dinner until it was finished. It is so damn good!

    Reply

  24. 5 stars
    Stumbled across this on Pinterest and it has easily become one of my favorite meals!!! I’ve made it for new mamas and friends and it becomes one of their go-to’s as well. My toddler approves too, which is always a win! I recommend prepping the veggies in advanced so it’s less time in the kitchen all at once.

    Reply

    • Hi Karissa! I think so, but I’m not sure how much you would need. You could also sub a different kind of noodle if needed. Let me know if you try it!

      Reply

  26. I have made this recipe over and over and over because it it that good!! I even got my mom hooked on the recipe! I slightly altered it to fit with what was in my fridge and my favorite is adding in some zoodles (cooked first and drained well) and using chipotle lime mayo. I always make this during a whole30 and make is frequently when not doing W30!! Thanks for the flavorful meal!

    Reply

    • Hey Molly, I don’t recall off the top of my head, but any kind you like should work. Just make sure it is Whole30 compliant if you are on the Whole30.

      Reply

  29. 5 stars
    This recipe is very simple but so tasty. My family couldn’t stop commenting about how delicious it was. I made my own sweet potato noodles as pre-packaged noodles aren’t something I can get in my town but they’re simple enough to make with a vegetable spiralizer. I also used a homemade Whole30 compliant tomato sauce instead of salsa as I had some in the fridge to use up. But other than that, I stuck to the recipe. It’s a recipe that is going into our family recipe folder so we can make it again.

    Reply

    • Aw yay, I love hearing the whole family loved it! Love that you made it work for you too. Glad you guys enjoyed it and thank you for trying it!

      Reply

  30. 5 stars
    OBSESSED. So easy and my husband loved it. Our grocery was out of SP noodles so we subbed in carrot noodles, which worked great. We will prob add this to our weekly rotation of recipes 😅 was also amazing as leftovers!!

    Reply

  31. 5 stars
    This sounded amazing, but I was surprised to learn it was even better than it sounded, Ive already recommended to all my friends. We had ours with tostitos for a little added crunch. As an added bonus, my genius husband added a fried egg and salsa one morning and it was all of a sudden a delicious breakfast taco bowl. We WILL be making this again!

    Reply

  32. 5 stars
    Not entirely sure how this recipe doesn’t have a full five stars from everyone. My hobby is making meals from food bloggers who dedicate their lives to creating awesome recipes and this one hands down takes the cake for best recipe I have ever made! It’s creative, it’s insanely easy to make, so nourishing and the best part, my boyfriend loves it just as much as I do! This is a staple in our household and we can’t thank you enough for sharing your genius with us! I can tell you right now we wouldn’t be so well fed without you!

    Reply

  33. 5 stars
    This recipe was SO good, and even hubby approved 🙂 I was a little worried that the mayo would taste a little funky but it wasn’t even noticeable. Just the perfect amount of creaminess!

    Reply

    • I would look for an egg free mayo – I know they make that! If not, you can maybe try coconut cream instead. I haven’t tried it so not sure how it would work, but it might!

      Reply

  36. 5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always delicious!! I’m lazy and can’t find pre-made spiraled sweet potatoes so I shred them in the food processor and it still turns out amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

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