This post is sponsored by Crock-Pot®. All opinions are my own and I only share products I personally love. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this site possible! I’ve taken the best flavors from tacos and turned them into a super easy keto taco casserole recipe in the Crock-Pot slow cooker. Yes, you’ll love the way this low carb taco casserole tastes (of course!), but you’ll also love that it has just 4 grams net carbs per serving! And then there’s the cooking method. This Crock-Pot taco casserole recipe is made in the… yup, you guessed right. 😉 So besides a little prep in the beginning, this ground beef taco casserole is mostly hands-off, which is one of the best parts about casseroles! I also love that while this dish has traditional casserole qualities like being rich, filling, and hearty… it’s also topped with fresh, light, and flavorful toppings. This slow cooker taco casserole recipe is truly the best of both worlds. It’s a lot like slow cooker keto chili, but with zesty taco flavor infused in every bite. If you’ve been following Wholesome Yum, it’s no secret that I love easy keto Crock-Pot recipes! So, I was particularly excited to get my new 7-QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker and try making this keto taco casserole in it, because it was an improvement on the one I had before. Here’s why I like this one better:
It lets me set the time in 30 minute increments. My previous one just had Low and High, which had default times. With this one, I can select Low or High, and set the exact time I want. It has convenient latch handles. That’s why they call it the Cook & Carry! I can seal it shut and take it to a friend’s house. It’s easy to clean. Unlike the one before, this Crock-Pot slow cooker has a non-stick ceramic coating, making it easier to clean after cooking. It’s 7 quarts. My last one was a 6-quart slow cooker, so the extra space in this one is nice, yet it doesn’t take up any more room in my kitchen.
How To Make Keto Taco Casserole
Making cheesy taco casserole keto is super simple, since the ingredients are naturally keto friendly. And since we’re using the 7 QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker, this slow cooker taco casserole recipe is quick and easy! Let me show you how to make taco casserole in the Crock-Pot Cook & Carry:
Brown the ground beef. Heat avocado oil in large skillet and add ground beef. Cook, breaking apart, until browned. Season the ground beef. Add the taco seasoning and water to ground beef and cook until the extra water evaporates or is absorbed into the meat.
Transfer beef to the 7 QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker. Arrange it evenly on the bottom. Grab 2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles and drain very well. I had to call out this step because it’s super important! The casserole will be watery if you don’t.
TIP: This makes a pretty spicy ground beef taco casserole. If you prefer it more mild, you can replace one or both of the cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles with plain diced tomatoes instead. (Just watch the size – the ones with chiles are 10 ounces each but the ones without are usually 14.5 ounces, and you want 20 ounces total for the recipe regardless of whether you use the ones with or without the chiles.) Adding sour cream for garnish will also mellow it out.
Add vegetables to the keto taco casserole. Top ground beef with diced peppers, onions, and drained tomatoes with green chiles.
Stir together. Although some keto casseroles are layered, for this one we mix it all.
Cook the Crock-Pot taco casserole. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook for 2-3 hours on High or 4 hours on Low.
TIP: To turn on the 7 QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker, plug it in, press Select until the light next to High or Low is on, then use the Timer arrows up or down to set the time you need.
Add cheese. When you’re ready to serve slow cooker taco casserole, stir the mixture well first, sprinkle in cheddar cheese, and cook on high for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
TIP: If you didn’t drain the tomatoes well enough, the casserole may be watery when it’s done cooking. You can just use a large serving spoon or ladle to remove extra liquid before adding the cheese.
Serve with desired toppings. I’m sharing my favorite toppings below!
Can You Make Low Carb Taco Casserole Ahead?
Yes, you can make slow cooker taco casserole ahead! Here are the different ways you can do it:
How To Reheat Keto Taco Casserole
You have 3 options for reheating Crock-Pot taco casserole (#1 is my fave!): TIP: If you are transferring the casserole to the slow cooker or another dish for reheating, add a fresh sprinkle of shredded cheese on top!
Can You Freeze Slow Cooker Taco Casserole?
Yes, you can freeze this cheesy low carb taco casserole! Simply let it cool completely and store in an air-tight container. It will last 4-6 months. Thaw overnight, reheat until hot, and add your toppings. Almost as good as fresh from the slow cooker! 😉
Toppings For Crock-Pot Taco Casserole
One of the best parts about Crock-Pot taco casserole? The toppings, of course! Warm and filling ground beef casserole is topped with crunchy and cool toppings like salsa, sour cream, and avocado… plus a skinny pina colada on the side! Here are my favorite topping ideas for ground beef taco casserole:
Tomatillo Avocado Salsa Verde – Creamy, cool, and super fresh, this salsa verde will add great flavor to this keto taco casserole recipe. Homemade Salsa – This easy, 5-ingredient recipe comes together with fresh tomatoes and adds classic Mexican flavors to your ground beef taco casserole. Easy Guacamole – My favorite recipe for guacamole! It gives the easy keto taco casserole creamy flavor – and everyone loves guac! Pico de Gallo or simply fresh tomatoes – Diced tomatoes or pico are great toppings if you don’t make your own salsa. Iceberg lettuce – Shredded lettuce is a cool and crunchy topping, and adds a little green to the dish, too! Don’t skip it. Avocados – If you don’t make guacamole, be sure to top your taco meat casserole with some diced avocado instead. Fresh cilantro – Chopped cilantro will add a great, fresh flavor to your low carb taco casserole. Sour cream – If your slow cooker beef taco casserole is a bit spicy, a dollop of sour cream will mellow it out a bit.
If you like this taco casserole keto recipe, you probably love tacos as much as I do. Check out my complete guide to low carb tacos – it has everything you need to know about keto tacos.
7 QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker – My new favorite slow cooker. And you kinda need a Crock-Pot slow cooker to make Crock-Pot taco casserole! 😉
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! Nutrition info does not include optional toppings, since what you add, and how much, will vary.
