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Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole

4.7 stars, average of 38 ratings

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I love Mediterranean dishes. In fact, I devoted a whole book to Mediterranean cooking, the keto way!

This baked dish is inspired by Moussaka, one of the most beloved Greek recipes. But unlike the classic version which uses potatoes and eggplant, this one is using just one ingredient — cauliflower. I simplified the dish by creating three layers rather than multiple layers you'd usually see in a classic Moussaka.

The beef base is flavored with spices, herbs, tomatoes and red wine. I suggest you don't skip the wine as that is what gives it the ultimate umami. If you're avoiding alcohol, there will be very little left anyway as cooking and baking will remove 80 to 90% of it.

Then we've got kefalotyri cheese. Again, I recommend you don't substitute the cheese but if you have to, grated parmesan or grated Greek talagani or halloumi will work well too.

The top layer consists of cauliflower florets cut into small pieces and covered in creamy cheese béchamel sauce delicately flavored with nutmeg and bay leaf.

This low-carb casserole is perfect for meal prep and batch cooking. It freezes well and will make a satisfying keto lunch or dinner option. To reheat, pop in the oven or microwave for a few minutes and you are good to go. If frozen, let it defrost in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!

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Hands-on Overall

Serving size about 280 g/ 10 oz

Allergy information for Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole

✔  Gluten free
✔  Nut free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Coconut free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free

Nutritional values (per serving, about 280 g/ 10 oz)

Net carbs7 grams
Protein31.4 grams
Fat47.3 grams
Calories606 kcal
Calories from carbs 5%, protein 22%, fat 73%
Total carbs10.5 gramsFiber3.4 gramsSugars4.5 gramsSaturated fat22.2 gramsSodium800 mg(35% RDA)Magnesium53 mg(13% RDA)Potassium792 mg(40% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

Beef filling:
  • 2 tbsp ghee or extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
  • 1 medium red onion, diced (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium celery sticks, dliced (80 g/ 2.8 oz)
  • 1 kg ground beef (2.2 lb)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 large can tomatoes (400 g/ 14.2 oz)
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine (120 ml/ 4 flo oz)
  • 1 cup grated Greek kefalotyri cheese or parmesan cheese (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
Topping:
  • 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets (600 g/ 1.3 lb)
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240 ml/ 8 fl oz)
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (45 g/ 1.6 oz)
  • pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the beef filling. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the celery. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  2. Heat a large pan greased with ghee or olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until fragrant, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and celery. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the beef and break into small pieces using a spatula. Cook until opaque and lightly browned, for about 10 minutes. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  4. Add the cinnamon, cloves, oregano, bay leaves, tomatoes, salt, pepper and dry red wine. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. When done, set aside. Remove the bay leaves just before it's ready to assemble. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  5. While the beef is cooking, cut the cauliflower in small florets. Place in a steamer pot and cook until tender, for 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the lid and let the steam escape. Set aside. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  6. To make the béchamel cheese topping, place the heavy whipping cream in a saucepan. Add egg yolks, nutmeg, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Whisk until fully combine and then gently heat up while stirring to prevent the yolks from curdling. Once the mixture is hot and starts to thicken, add the grated cheese and stir in. Cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes to let the bay leaf infuse the béchamel. (Note: if it does curdle, use a stick blender to make it smooth again.) Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  7. When ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 170 °C/ 340 °F (fan assisted), or 190 °C/ 375 °F (conventional). To the bottom of a large deep casserole dish add the prepared beef. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  8. Top with half of the grated Greek kefalotyri cheese (or use parmesan cheese). Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  9. Add the cooked cauliflower florets. If they are too big, chop to smaller pieces. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  10. Remove the bay leaf from the béchamel sauce and evenly pour the sauce over the cauliflower. Top with the remaining kefalotyri cheese (or parmesan cheese).
  11. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the dish halfway to ensure even browning. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  12. When done, remove from the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes before serving. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole
  13. Eat warm. This casserole can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Keto Greek Beef and Cheese Casserole

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, about 280 g/ 10 oz)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Ghee, clarified butter
0 g0 g3.8 g34 kcal
Onion, red, fresh
0.8 g0.2 g0 g5 kcal
Garlic, fresh
0.5 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Celery stalk, fresh
0.1 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Beef, minced (ground), raw, grass-fed
0 g21.5 g25 g318 kcal
Cinnamon, spices
0.1 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Cloves, spices
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Oregano, dried
0.2 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Bay leaf, dried
0.1 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Tomatoes, canned (unsweetened)
0.8 g0.4 g0.1 g8 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Pepper, black, spices
0.1 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Wine, red, dry
0.4 g0 g0 g12 kcal
Kefalotyri, Greek cheese
0.5 g4 g3.5 g50 kcal
Cauliflower, fresh
2.2 g1.4 g0.2 g19 kcal
Cream, heavy whipping, pouring, full-fat (30-40% fat)
0.8 g0.6 g11.4 g110 kcal
Egg yolk, fresh
0.2 g1 g1.7 g21 kcal
Nutmeg, spices
0 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Bay leaf, dried
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Parmesan cheese
0.2 g2 g1.5 g22 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Total per serving, about 280 g/ 10 oz
7 g31.4 g47.3 g606 kcal

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Martina Slajerova
Creator of KetoDietApp.com

Martina Slajerova

I changed the way I ate in 2011, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I had no energy, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

That’s when I decided to quit sugar, grains, and processed foods, and to start following a whole-foods-based ketogenic approach to food.

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Comments (10)

Thanks Martina! This is a fantastic recipe. My husband & I both loved it & it be become a regular in our home. It was really hard to stop at 1 serving!

Thank you so much! This is definitely one of the most frequently made casseroles in our house! 😊

I'm interested in your Mediterranean cookbook that you mentioned in this post, is there a list of recipes for this cookbook?  I saw more than a few fish recipes and I'm not fond of fish.  I would appreciate some reference info before I purchase.

Hi Beth, I don't have a full list of recipes published online but I can tell you that there is a significant part of fish & seafood recipes (30% of total recipes if I had to guess). I hope this helps!

Keto Greek beef and cheese casserole. The recipe is still missing the egg portion.
How many egg yolks does this recipe require?
Thanks Brigitte

Hi Brigitte, this was added shortly after publishing the recipe (see comment below). I wonder if it didn't update in the instructions in our app? I'll refresh the recipe just in case!

Looks delicious but the recipe is incomplete.
How many egg yolks?

Thank you for noticing, it was missing in the list of ingredients but it's fixed now 😊

It is still missing the amount of eggs required in the recipe.  😊

See topping ingredients and step number 6 - I hope this helps!