Low carb taco casserole is the easiest one pot meal you’ll ever make. You can’t go wrong with meat, cheese and beans.
**This post was updated in 2019**
Lately I’ve been trying to cook with ingredients I already have on hand. The Hubs and I have occasional family budget meetings, and the most recent one revealed that we could maybe cut back on some of our grocery costs.
Whoops.
That over-spending obviously falls in my lap, but not to worry, there are plenty of ways to creatively use what you’ve already got in your pantry and fridge.
Trust me. I’ve been down this road before and consider myself somewhat of an expert in meal mash-ups.
Low Carb Taco Casserole
A Cooking Light cookbook called Real Family Food was where the inspiration for this casserole came from. A mental inventory of what I had in my pantry already made me realize I would be able to pretty much replicate the book’s recipe with a few substitutions, and thus, my own Taco Skillet Casserole was born.
Nothing beats a one pot meal. Meal planning, shopping and cooking is plenty of responsibility for me. No need to add a stack of dishes to clean after the fact.
In addition to being so simple and quick to make and clean up, I’ve found that people of all ages can get behind this simple skillet casserole. Wrap a bit up in a tortilla for the kids, or serve as more of a dip on game day with a bowl of tortilla chips. You can garnish your plate with anything from avocado, to fresh lime depending on your tastes.
This one pot low carb casserole truly has something for everyone.
If you give this recipe a try, Iโd love to see it! Tag me @betsylife on Facebook or Instagram and Iโll share your creations!
Low Carb Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 serrano chilis diced
- 1 1/4 lb ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 15- ounce can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 2 ounces shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese about 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
Instructions
-
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
-
Add onion, garlic and chilies; sautรฉ until soft. Add turkey and cook until browned.
-
Stir in chili powder, cumin, and salt. Add tomatoes, and beans, and quinoa. If quinoa is not fully submerged in liquid, add 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until quinoa is cooked through.
-
Sprinkle with cheese; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 1 minute or until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, avocado and/or sour cream.
Recipe Notes
Substitute black beans for cannellini beans. Substitute rice for quinoa
Awesome one pot meals
Jeanette says
Love how easy this healthy dish is – perfect for a busy night.
Russell van Kraayenburg says
This skillet looks fantastic! I would love to dig right into this.
jules says
this looks delicious AND healthy. great way to break in my new cast iron skillet. i might try a handful of hominy along with the quinoa you suggested…great recipe, thanks for the post.