This low carb Keto Taco Casserole delivers all the comfort and flavor of taco mac with far fewer carbs. Zucchini noodles, seasoned taco meat and a creamy cheese sauce are baked until golden and bubbly — a satisfying keto-friendly dinner under 6 net carbs per serving.
This casserole has become a new favorite at our house. It’s simple to make, full of flavor, and perfectly suited for a low-carb or keto lifestyle. It’s inspired by classic taco mac, but uses zucchini noodles (zoodles) instead of pasta to keep carbs low.
Zoodles are spiralized zucchini that mimic noodles. When prepared correctly they make an excellent low-carb substitute for pasta. The key to success with zucchini is removing excess moisture before combining it with the sauce and meat.
Ingredients in Keto Taco Casserole
This casserole has three main components: zoodles, taco meat, and a creamy cheese sauce. You’ll need:
- Zucchini (spiralized)
- Ground beef or ground turkey
- Taco seasoning
- Canned tomatoes with green chiles
- Butter
- Garlic
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
Substitutions
You can use any ground meat you prefer — beef, turkey, or a blend. Almond milk keeps the carb count low; if carbs aren’t a concern, substitute your preferred milk (unsweetened if you want to keep sugar low).
How to Make Keto Taco Casserole
One challenge with zucchini in place of pasta is excess moisture. In this recipe the zoodles are pre-baked to remove moisture before assembling the casserole — that step makes a big difference in texture and prevents a soggy dish.
Pre-bake the zoodles in a 9×13-inch dish, checking at 10-minute intervals and stirring so they dry evenly. Depending on the zucchini size and water content, total pre-bake time will typically fall between 10 and 20 minutes. Remove them when the moisture has evaporated and the zoodles have visibly shrunk but before they become brown or crispy.
While the zoodles are pre-baking, brown the ground meat, drain any excess fat, and stir in taco seasoning and the undrained can of tomatoes with green chiles. For the cheese sauce, melt butter in a skillet, add garlic, then whisk in almond milk, heavy cream, cream cheese and shredded cheddar until smooth.
In the same 9×13-inch pan you used for the zoodles, layer the dried zoodles, taco meat, cheese sauce, and top with remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella. Bake until the top is golden and bubbly — about 25–30 minutes. Let rest briefly before serving.
What to Serve with Keto Taco Casserole
This casserole pairs nicely with a simple side salad for a complete meal and reheats well as leftovers. Other low-carb side ideas include roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts, or seasoned green beans.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can spiralize the zucchini and prepare the taco meat ahead of time, but wait to pre-bake the zoodles until you’re ready to assemble and bake the casserole. Pre-baking is what removes moisture and ensures the best texture.
Tips for Success
- Use 90% lean ground beef to avoid excess grease that needs draining.
- If substituting milk, choose unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk to avoid added sugars.
- Watch the zoodles closely while pre-baking; times vary by zucchini. Remove them when reduced in size and dry but not browned.
Recipe Overview
Get the Recipe: Keto Taco Zoodle Casserole
Ingredients
For the Zoodles:
- 3 medium zucchini, spiralized
For the Taco Meat:
- 1 pound ground turkey or ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 10 ounce can tomatoes with green chiles (undrained)
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For the Top:
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Skillet for browning meat
- Skillet for cheese sauce
- Spiralizer or vegetable peeler for zoodles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread the spiralized zucchini in an even layer.
- Bake the zoodles in the dish at 10-minute intervals, stirring and checking each time, until moisture has evaporated and the zoodles have shrunk (about 10–20 minutes total).
- While zoodles are pre-baking, heat a greased skillet over medium heat, brown the ground meat and drain excess fat.
- Add taco seasoning and the undrained can of tomatoes with green chiles to the cooked meat; set aside.
- In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt butter, add garlic, then whisk in almond milk, heavy cream, cream cheese and 1 cup cheddar until smooth and fully melted. Remove from heat.
- Layer the dried zoodles, taco meat, cheese sauce, and top with the remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella in the same 9×13-inch pan.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly. Let rest briefly before serving.
Notes
Baking the zoodles: Depending on zucchini size and moisture, pre-baking may take 10–20 minutes. Remove when moisture has evaporated and they have noticeably shrunk, but before they brown or crisp.
Net carbs: Approximately 5.6 g net carbs per serving.