Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole (Printable)
All the flavors of a bacon cheeseburger in a hearty, low-carb casserole perfect for family dinners.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean recommended)
02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or drained canned)
06 - 1 cup chopped dill pickles
→ Dairy
07 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
→ Condiments & Spices
10 - 2 tbsp sugar-free ketchup
11 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
12 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Optional Toppings
16 - Sliced green onions
17 - Extra pickles
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels, leaving 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spatula, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the beef. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and fragrant.
05 - Stir in diced tomatoes, chopped pickles, sugar-free ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes to blend flavors, then remove from heat.
06 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese and heavy cream until completely smooth and no lumps remain.
07 - Spread the beef mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top and use a spatula to gently swirl it into the beef layer.
08 - Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the casserole, then distribute the cooked bacon pieces on top.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to turn golden brown.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions or extra pickles if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Every single comforting flavor of a bacon cheeseburger shows up here, minus the carb-heavy bun that leaves you feeling heavy
- The cream cheese mixture creates this incredible velvety layer that ties everything together like magic
- My actually-picky-kids asked for seconds, and that almost never happens with dinner
02 -
- I learned the hard way that draining too much fat from the beef makes the final casserole taste dry—leave about a tablespoon in the pan
- The cream cheese mixture needs to be completely smooth or you'll end up with weird little lumps in your finished dish
- Letting the casserole rest for those 5 minutes seems annoying but it makes a huge difference in how neatly it serves
03 -
- If your bacon is super salty, cut back on the added salt in the seasoning blend
- Room temperature cream cheese blends so much faster—take it out of the fridge first thing