I love making “one-dish” meals like chili, meatloaf, etc. They have become a major favorite around my house since you can get your meat & veggies all in one flavorful bite, while saving yourself the work of too many dishes!
This new creation of mine was inspired by my love of one-dish meals, and the fact that I wanted Mexican food (but Paleo style!). I think that Mexican foods are some of the toughest to “Paleo-fy”, since most are wrapped in a tortilla & served with rice and beans~ so not quite Paleo-friendly.
I wanted a dish that would satisfy the cravings for a Mexican flavor, without any guilt. This baked casserole gives you the taste of an enchilada when you bite into it, but is packed with high-quality beef and a ton of veggies. I use cauliflower “rice” in this dish, which has a great grain-like texture that is the perfectly neutral-flavored base for the ground beef and enchilada sauce.
This enchilada bake tastes amazing, is super filling & hearty, and makes great leftovers! It’s also a great way to put your shredded cauliflower to use. (See my post on how I shred & store my cauliflower in bulk here)
Let me know if you give it a try! I’m pretty excited about this one… definitely something a little different! 🙂
Beef Enchilada Bake | Paleo, Keto, Whole30
Servings: 8
Calories: 593kcal
Ingredients
- 24 oz riced cauliflower
- 1 1/2 – 2 lbs grass-fed ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno minced (seeds removed)
- 5 eggs
- 14.5 oz tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- salt and pepper (don't be shy with it… there's a lot of cauliflower to season up!)
- avocado slices (optional garnish)
- chopped cilantro (optional garnish)
- hot sauce (optional garnish)
- lime wedges (optional garnish)
- salsa (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Combine the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and oregano in a small bowl until smooth~ this is your enchilada sauce.
- Saute the ground beef & onion in a large pan until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess liquid.
- Stir the bell pepper, jalapeño, and "enchilada sauce" into the pan until combined.
- Drizzle a 9 x 13" baking dish with avocado oil, or a cooking fat of your choice, to avoid sticking.
- Fill the bottom of your dish with the shredded cauliflower, then top with the meat and veggie mixture.
- Crack the eggs into the casserole, and stir them in until the eggs are no longer visible.
- Once stirred, bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour- or until the casserole is browned around the edges and the eggs are set.
- Let it cool for a few minutes, slice into squares, & serve topped with garnishes of your choice!
Notes
- I’ve updated this recipe to what’s basically a double batch, which easily serves 6 or more (depending on your serving size). Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you’re feeding less or don’t want leftovers.
Nutrition
Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 243mg | Sodium: 501mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Iron: 6mg
83 Comments
Julie B
July 28, 2014 at 2:42 amThis was seriously the best, most filling, meal I've made in a while! It was the bomb – we've been eating a lot of just meat on the grill with a side of veggies to keep it paleo style. But this was awesome! It as like eating the good ol' enchiladas that I used to make! Ok, so maybe better! Everyone was so full too! Definitely will be making this again!!
Julie B
July 28, 2014 at 2:44 amOh, and we did make a side of your real guacamole to go with it – topped it off fabulously! The only thing better would be if you were home to make it for us (and do the dishes????)!
Eligonma
July 28, 2014 at 10:31 pmI made this yesterday and my husband and I loved it! It was so easy to make, but so delicious!
Jessie B
July 29, 2014 at 1:30 amMom~ I am SO happy you guys all enjoyed it! Even picky Alex! I agree, it's a lot more filling than you would think. Now I will have to try it with guacamole on top next time! Love you & thank you for the nice comment!
@Eligonma: I am so happy to hear that! I agree, really easy~ especially if you have the cauliflower on hand! Thank you for coming back to leave a comment 🙂
OneThickChick
August 5, 2014 at 11:03 pmThis was good. I was short on time so I precooked the cauliflower rice for a few minutes in the microwave then cooked it at 475 for about 20ish minutes. Kids liked it too!
Jessie B
August 6, 2014 at 3:48 am@OneThickChick~ Good thinking! & glad to hear kids loved it, they can be tricky to please 🙂 Thanks for coming back to tell me!
Sandra Hudson
August 12, 2014 at 12:45 amHow do you make the cauliflower rice?
Jessie B
August 12, 2014 at 5:33 amHi Sandra! I have a post all about it here: http://justjessieb.blogspot.com/2014/03/shredded-cauliflower-tips-how-to.html (or just search shredded cauliflower on my blog). I do it in the food processor! 🙂
Victoria Lynn
October 9, 2014 at 1:53 amThis was amazing! I love a good comforting casserole and this beautiful dish hit the spot! We served it was a touch of salsa verde and slices of avocado! Amazing. Thank you for all the recipes.
Jessie B
October 10, 2014 at 12:23 amYay, great feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Deana
December 22, 2014 at 9:49 pmOh!!! I have been doing a Naturopath detox ( no wheat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, or starchy veggies) This is the comfort food I have been missing!! I made mine with Chorizo
and it is freaking awesome!
Jessie B
December 23, 2014 at 12:19 amDeana- Thank you so much for the awesome feedback! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Chorizo is a great idea!
Anonymous
January 3, 2015 at 9:21 pmQuick question. When stir in eggs, should I be stirring the complete together? As in, should the cauliflour have to stay layered on the bottom or no?
Jessie B
January 3, 2015 at 9:52 pmCauliflower doesn't have to stay layered on the bottom. Just so long as the egg looks mixed in 🙂
Luana
January 4, 2015 at 11:21 pmThis looks great and I want to try it. To me it looks like it has a cheese topping, but I don't see any cheese in the ingredients list? Also, how many servings will this yield? I'm thinking 6-9?
Jessie B
January 5, 2015 at 12:44 amLuana, you're right- it does look "cheesy" on top… but it's just the shredded cauliflower/egg once it's baked 🙂 & as far as servings, I would say you could cut it into 8 pieces, so 8 servings. It just depends on your portion size & your appetite 🙂
Kristen
January 11, 2015 at 2:38 amThank you for a great recipe! My family is on all sorts of dietary restrictions due to food allergies & this recipe worked out perfectly for us. The only thing I changed was that I subbed ground turkey for the beef, but otherwise step by step. SO good & I look forward to making this many more times.
Corinne Kamlade
October 31, 2021 at 10:26 pmI’ve made this so many times and it’s great each and every time. I do have a quick question. I would like to use this as a freezer meal for the nights I don’t have time to cook. My question is, should I leave the eggs out until I am ready to bake? I want to say yes but I’m not sure.
Heather
January 11, 2015 at 3:25 amHi Jessie! This is on my meal plan for this week. Do you have a brand of Whole30 tomato sauce you recommend or like to use? Thanks!
Jessie B
January 11, 2015 at 3:39 amKristen- thank you so much for your kind words! So happy to give you a recipe that works out for your whole family. 🙂
Heather- any canned tomato sauce will do, as long as there is no added sugar. I find mine at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods (the 365 brand). I hope you enjoy it!
Heather
January 16, 2015 at 2:53 amThank you for the rec! I bought tomato sauce for this and then fire roasted tomato sauce for the sweet and spicy beef stew and I ended up using the fire roasted for this recipe and it was soo good! Mmm mm!
Jessie B
February 1, 2015 at 11:38 pmHeather, I am very late responding… but the fire roasted sounds great! 🙂
running too
February 15, 2015 at 9:06 pmi am making this right now but I am confused in one of the lines it mentions enchilada sauce but thats not in the recipe ingredients list?
Jessie B
February 15, 2015 at 9:15 pmThe "enchilada sauce" refers to the sauce you mix up in step 2. It's the tomato sauce & spices that makes up an enchilada sauce from scratch 🙂
Jacqueline Weber
February 16, 2015 at 9:23 pmI know that Paleo recipes typically do not post nutritional content, but I'd love to know this info if you have it! 🙂
Jennifer Sutton
March 7, 2015 at 12:47 amI found this recipe to be incredibly bland, not at all like Mexican flavors. And I don't even like spicy stuff. Any tips on making this more flavorful? I think the cauliflower soaked all the flavor out of this.
Anonymous
March 12, 2015 at 11:09 pmI tried this recipe the other day and SERIOUSLY LOVED IT!!!!! Oh, my……so good! Even my cauliflower-hating son loved it!
Jessie B
March 25, 2015 at 5:59 amJacqueline~ I don't typically include it, but here's a simple calculator I've used in the past if you want to check it out! 🙂 http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
Jennifer~ Try doubling the spices to better suit your tastebuds. & don't skimp on the salt & pepper! Sorry it wasn't your favorite. You might like my "All-American Crockpot Chili" recipe if you like a big flavor punch! 🙂
& Anonymous~ I love the happy feedback! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 🙂
Anonymous
November 10, 2015 at 12:34 pmI made this for dinner last night. It was DELICIOUS! I added a little more chili powder for heat. Also I garnished with sliced olives and topped with guacamole.Yum! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Christie Rowe
January 14, 2016 at 5:25 pmI have made this before and loved it, but when I went to make it again yesterday, I couldn't bring myself to pay $8.00 for a cauliflower, so I cooked up three medium sweet potatoes and mashed them in the bottom of the casserole dish. Followed all other direction & it was fantastic!! SO good both ways and nice to have a variety. Thanks for this recipe – it has been a life saver during my first Whole30!
Jessie B
January 14, 2016 at 8:41 pmWow, I never realized cauliflower was so expensive in some places! Great idea to swap it out. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Michele
January 16, 2016 at 11:23 amGreat recipe, I have made this about 3 times. After the first time I doubled the sauce because I like it moister. I have also added black olives and a few red pepper flakes. Freezes fantastic and a great way to get a lot of veggies in without noticing you are eating all those veggies 🙂
Jessie B
January 16, 2016 at 4:34 pmThanks for the great feedback, Michele! Glad to know it freezes well!! & I love it with olives on top, so good. 🙂
Emma
January 20, 2016 at 7:09 pmMaking this tonight! When using TJs cauli-rice can I throw it in frozen? Or should I cook it first?
Danielle
February 24, 2021 at 2:09 ami used frozen cauliflower, i let it defrost a little while preparing everything else and it worked perfectly
Jessie B
January 20, 2016 at 7:17 pmFrozen is perfect @Emma!! Can't wait to get my hands on some TJ's cauli-rice to make this that much easier 😉
mary chaisson
August 22, 2020 at 2:47 pmso when using frozen cauliflower rice for this should it be thawed first?
Jessie B
August 28, 2020 at 6:36 pmNope, I use straight from frozen! 🙂
Darlene Rodgers
January 27, 2016 at 3:32 amjust wondering how spicy this is.. I am unfortunately a mild to slightly medium heat eating girl.. So don't want to make a whole dish that I later won't be able to eat.. Thanks!
Jessie B
January 27, 2016 at 3:34 amHi Darlene! Most of the people who have left feedback have mentioned that they preferred it with the spices doubled~ so I would say it's more of a "mild" recipe if you make it as written in the recipe! I think you will like it! 🙂
Rachel Mullins
January 30, 2016 at 2:33 amI found this recipe through stalkerville.net and I loved it. I definitely would double the spices for my tastes, but it is good. I spiced it up with some verde sauce. I topped it with sliced avocado. Thanks for the recipe.
Kathy
March 9, 2016 at 12:51 amGood!! I left the seeds and everything in with the jalapeño so it had a little bite to it. I also increased the amount of spices of little. I wasn't sure when to add the salt and pepper so I just added them when I put the cauliflower in the baking dish. 45 minutes was more than enough time in my oven. Delicious topped with guacamole!
Camille
April 19, 2016 at 1:14 pmCan't thank you enough! 9 days into Whole30 and I needed to eat something filling. This was tasty-and my kids even liked it! And I have leftovers! Hooray!!
Did I Just Do What I Think I Did?
May 18, 2016 at 1:57 amMy husband and I loved this recipe just like it is! Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
May 22, 2016 at 4:02 pmThis recipe was hearty and fantastic. I'm not a cauliflower fan at all, but I keep it in rotation because of the low carbs. I roasted the "rice" with a little bit of coconut oil, salt and pepper to try to dry it out a bit and try to mask the cauliflower taste a little for my own preference. Definitely adding this into our meal plans regularly. Thanks!
Anonymous
July 21, 2016 at 11:20 amLoved this!!! But I'm going to disagree on 8 servings. My husband and I ate more than half for just one meal! There are just a handful of recipes that ever displace our regular rotation of 5-6 favorites. This will definitely be one of them!
Jennifer
September 8, 2016 at 1:48 pmSo, have you frozen this successfully? I would love to do two and put one in the freezer for another time. Let me know what you think.
Cecelia
September 12, 2016 at 2:48 pmThank you for this awesome recipe! I used a whole mild Hatch chile pepper instead of the other peppers because it was all I had. I really like spicy foods, and this was perfect. I went right back to WF and bought a large supply of the peppers to freeze for the off season.
Megs
September 28, 2016 at 6:08 pmI always do some subbing when I try recipes based on what's in my fridge/in season and to balance my macros. This is an awesome recipe that lends itself well to subbing for specific nutrition needs! Thanks for sharing Jessie! I forgot to buy cauli so tried it with 16oz shredded butternut squash combined with 4-1/2tbsp hemp seed and some cilantro. Then I cooked ground turkey in some beef tallow, garlic & cumin to try to achieve the ground beef flavor you used. Next, I cheated the seasoning and used Simply Organic's enchilada sauce packet that was sitting in my pantry begging to be used – but I plan to season from scratch using your recipe next time! I also topped with 1-1/2tbsp sprinkled nutritional yeast to add some salt/cheese flavor to the mix. Then we topped with scallions and peppered avocado. My boyfriend ate 1/2 the dish in one sitting – he couldn't be stopped!
Natasha Maxey
January 18, 2017 at 1:54 amThis was really really good! My whole family ate it all even my picky eaters! I saw someone post that this was bland they must have done something wrong bc it had plenty of flavor! I have a pot luck to go to Friday where half of us is doing whole30 I will be bringing this dish. Thank you!
Anonymous
February 1, 2017 at 3:55 pmAnyone have the nutritional information for this recipe? Trying to track my meals 🙂
Cara Kuebert
April 8, 2017 at 4:44 pmThis was delicious and super easy! I used 1 bag frozen cauli rice from TJ's and doubled the seasonings in the sauce like other comments and it was tasty! I ate it warm topped with some salsa and avocado and also cold with some lettuce/kale for a hearty but healthy salad. Also froze very well. Thanks for another great recipe!
Unknown
April 16, 2017 at 9:46 pmI am on FMD (fast metabolism diet) and this is a great choice for Phase 3 (if you add guacamole or avocado). I would double the cauliflower to increase veggie intake. It was wonderful!! First time I ever had riced cauliflower. I feel like a whole new veggie has been opened up to me.
Jackie
April 26, 2017 at 3:02 pmOMG, made this last night and it's sooooo sooooo delicious! Can't wait to try your other recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Jessie B
April 26, 2017 at 6:18 pmLove that you loved it Jackie!!! 🙂
David R Chapdelaine
May 1, 2017 at 8:40 pmI am just wondering if you have ever frozen this recipe. Thanks 🙂
Hunter Quintana
June 19, 2017 at 4:41 pmCan you tell me what the nutrition breakdown is on this recipe? Carbs? Protein? Fats? Calories? I love this recipe and want to share it with other that do a lot of nutrition logging.
Thanks much!
Debbie Cooper
July 17, 2017 at 5:18 pmThis is probably a small thing but I too thought from the recipes instructions that we should leave the cauliflower on the
bottom. My question – wouldn't it be easier to put the meat, sauce and cauliflower in a bowl and stir it with eggs thoroughly then put it into a greased pan and bake? Is it all supposed to be thoroughly stirred together? Thanks for your help.
Darlene
July 29, 2017 at 1:12 amWe are on Whole 30 and this was a great addition to our menus! I used frozen cauli-rice and sautéed it with diced onions then added garlic salt, pepper, and Trader Joe's Chili-lime seasoning. For the beef, I added diced carrots and onions (to get more veggies in). I used the compliant version of Rotel (15oz) instead of the tomato sauce. These ingredients are what I had on hand and your recipe is very forgiving and it came out really well! Just thought I would share these ideas and save people a trip to the store 🙂
Mony Joli
October 10, 2017 at 10:06 pmamazing.
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Brock Lesnar
Anonymous
December 21, 2017 at 5:33 pmModified slightly but OMG this recipe is SO amazing. I used 1lb ground turkey + 1lb ground chicken instead of beef (it's what I had in the kitchen) – but otherwise followed it exactly. SO SO GOOD my husband told me it's the best meal I've made all year. Thank you for sharing!!
Exams Results
December 28, 2017 at 2:24 pmAmazing. thanks to share with us. NTRCA
adriennebishop7
January 9, 2018 at 10:06 pmSo super good! I made it twice and the second time doubled the sauce and spices. Also used pre-made cauli-rice and chili seasoning which made it super easy. Have you ever just made it to right before adding eggs and then refrigerated and baked a different day? Would be good for prep. Thanks for sharing!!!
Jessica
January 10, 2018 at 6:21 amThis was so good!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Anonymous
January 22, 2018 at 7:47 pmThis was so good! Totally checked the Mexican food box for this family. Next time (very soon!) I'll top with guac and chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce. Thanks for the great recipe!
Meredith
February 12, 2018 at 1:40 amThis was delicious! I had to make a few substitutions because I didn't have everything, but still totally filling. Thanks for sharing!
Ursula
September 11, 2018 at 2:17 pmI made this dish and placed the beef enchilada on a Romain lettuce boat, added guacamole and sprinkled it with Everything But the Bagel seasoning and dashed it with hot sauce to add the ��. Absolute perfection! �� #yummers
Rachel
September 22, 2018 at 4:56 pmIf I were going to prep this ahead of time so that my fiancé could pop it in the oven (he gets home from work 1-2 hours ahead of me) – would you recommend cracking/stirring the egg in when I prep the dish or right before he puts it in the oven? Planning to prep it Monday and probably bake either Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks!
Bonnie
October 1, 2018 at 9:17 pmOk I’m a tid bit confused as I’m about to make this. Do I layer the sauce on bottom or cauli rice ? Is it sauce, rice, meat, eggs? How do I mix the egg in the pan without it all mixing together ?? Or should it ALL be mixed by the end ?
Jessie B
October 1, 2018 at 9:21 pmHi Bonnie- mix the sauce into the meat mixture like it says in step 4. From there, once everything is in the baking dish, feel free to stir it up as much as you like. You can stir it completely or leave some cauliflower rice as a layer on bottom- it's up to you. As long as the eggs are mixed in and not just sitting on the top. Hope this helps 🙂
Angela Hancock
October 21, 2018 at 11:22 pmFor those of you that have frozen this, what is the best method?
Emily
December 30, 2018 at 4:56 pmDoes this have a strong egg flavor?
Rebecca O
January 20, 2019 at 5:38 amThis is very very tasty!! I’ve made it twice since starting whole 30 this January. Do you think you could use shredded chicken instead of beef? Or would the texture be off??
Lauren
April 10, 2020 at 9:54 pmWe live this bake! Such great flavor and so simple!
Jessie B
April 13, 2020 at 11:44 pmI’m so happy you love it Lauren!! One of our favs too! Thanks so much for telling me! xo
ChelseaB
April 13, 2020 at 7:12 pmMy whole family loved this easy to make dinner. I love that I could sneak in a veggie without them even noticing. 😉
Jessie B
April 14, 2020 at 3:35 pmHaha I love that!! So glad you all enjoyed & got your veggies in!!
Lisa Hill
April 23, 2020 at 1:47 amI’m making this for dinner tomorrow and wondered…..Is there anything that you do with the Cauliflower before putting it in the casserole dish? I just bought the refrigerated cauliflower rice.
Also, do you completely stir the rice with the meat mixture when you’re adding the eggs? or try to leave it in tact as possible?
Jessie B
April 23, 2020 at 7:00 pmHey Lisa, for the cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen is fine and can go in the dish as is. No need to prepare it beforehand. For the eggs, I would mix it in as much as you can. It’s a pretty full proof recipe so it should work out even if it doesn’t get fully mixed. I hope your dinner turns out great!
Emily
January 3, 2021 at 8:17 pmI LOVE this recipe! A favorite in our house! Is it safe to eat Pregnant with the eggs? I’m assuming so since they are cooked…but wanted to check!
Jessie B
January 4, 2021 at 6:49 pmYes absolutely! They get fully cooked in the oven 🙂
Missy
January 12, 2021 at 1:02 amThis recipe was AMAZING ! I absolutely loved it. I ate it so fast lol! I’m on a food program where I need to log my meals. Do you know how many calories this is per serving ? I couldn’t find the nutrition info or I passed over it to quickly ! But way to go ! I will be making this again ! I’m happy I so much for leftovers !
Natalie
January 17, 2021 at 2:13 pmI made this for a quick and easy breakfast. It was delicious all through the week! Thanks for sharing!!