Low Carb Mexican Casserole

This Low Carb Mexican Casserole features chorizo, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and cauliflower rice in a spicy chipotle sauce. Top with cheese, sour cream, and salsa for a delicious low carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly meal.

Few things in life trump Mexican food, especially when you combine all those flavors into one cheese-smothered casserole. This version is a bit of an unorthodox departure from your traditional ground beef taco-style casseroles. This dish is a rift on Rick Bayless's Zucchini Mushroom Tacos from his Mexican Everyday cookbook. I utterly adore those tacos. I first tried the recipe when my vegetarian sister was in town. It's not easy to find a recipe that satisfies both of us and fits our dietary needs. One bite and we were hooked.

Since corn or flour tortillas are definitely not low carb, we hardly eat these tacos anymore. I've thought about doing lettuce wraps, but the soft texture of the veggies does not necessarily work in a piece of romaine. Soft on soft just turns me off. It seemed only natural to take the original recipe and turn it into a casserole version featuring cauliflower rice and loads of cheese. Rick Bayless, you constantly inspire me.

The best part about this recipe is not only its ease, but the fact that you'll have leftovers. Two or three meals for the price of 45 minutes in the kitchen? Count me in. We like to top our finished casserole with green tomatillo salsa, sour cream, more shredded Mexican-style cheese, and a dash or two of hot sauce. Smokey, spicy, and veggie-packed but without the extra carbs from the taco shell. Yummy. Yum. Yum.

Looking for more Mexican-inspired dishes?

• Spicy Chicken & Chorizo Tinga Tacos

Yield: 8 servings

Mexican Chorizo Casserole

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

A hearty and simple weeknight low carb dinner featuring cauliflower rice, chorizo, zucchini, mushrooms, and a spicy chipotle sauce.

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 12 ounces chorizo, crumbled
• 6 cups cauliflower rice
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup zucchini, chopped
• 14.5 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo
• 2 tbsp adobo sauce
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
• salt
• pepper
• Optional toppings: sour cream, additional cheese, salsa, hot sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease/oil a 13 X 9 casserole dish.
2. Heat a large saute pan on medium low heat and add 1 tbsp oil. Add 1/2 of the onion and cook until soft. Add garlic, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower rice. Cook until soft but still firm, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. 
3. While cauil rice cooks, in a second large heavy saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil on medium low heat. Add 1/2 of the chopped onion and cook until soft. Add chorizo and cook until no longer pink. About 5-8 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Cook 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
4. In a small food processor or blender, dump in tomatoes, chipotle pepper(s), and adobo sauce. *see note
5. Blend/process until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Combine cauli rice mixture, chorizo mixture, and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Stir and pour mixture into baking dish. Top with reserved cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and cheese has browned.
7. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream, salsa, additional cheese, and hot sauce (if desired).

Notes

*Chipolte peppers in adobo can be quite spicy. Adjust per your own desired level of spiciness. I personally do the full amount of each item and add additional hot sauce at the end to boot. We like spicy food in this house.