Creamy Italian Cheeseburger Skillet

This Keto Creamy Italian Cheeseburger Skillet is an upgrade to the usual casserolesmade with ground beef & cauliflower rice that you have probably heard of or tried before.

Although I’m basically a carnivore at this point (as it is the best option for my blood glucose levels and optimal health), I made this over the weekend just because I was wanting to try something new and was craving comfort.

I think I nailed it, and hope you love it as much as I did. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef
2 1/2 to 3 cups riced fresh cauliflower (frozen is fine, too)
1 fresh tomato
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Optional:

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Crushed red pepper
Bunch of scallions, thinly sliced (garnish)
Snipped leaves of flat-leaf Italian parsley (garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Brown the ground beef in a large oven-safe skillet, breaking up into bite-sized pieces as it cooks.

Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes and onions separately and set aside.

In the skillet, push the meat aside and stir in the diced onions. If using very lean beef, add the olive oil to cook the onions in (I didn’t need any oil, as the beef I used was pretty fatty). Sauté the onions until slightly translucent.

Place the riced cauliflower into a medium-large microwave-safe dish and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (if fresh, if using frozen, you only need a couple tablespoons of water). Cover loosely and place in the microwave, then cook on HIGH until it has absorbed most of the water (about 3-5 minutes). You may need to squeeze out the excess water (usually the case, if cooking from frozen). Fluff up with a fork and test for desired tenderness (I left a bit of bite to mine, as it will soften further while simmering later).

To the cauliflower rice, add beef broth, heavy cream, garlic powder, optional oregano and/or crushed red pepper, and salt/pepper. Gently stir in the diced tomatoes.

Next, add the cream cheese to the meat in the skillet, allowing to it melt, and stir until well-combined.

Add the cauliflower rice mixture to the skillet and fold it in to combine all.

Let it all cook on medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes or until most of liquid has absorbed. You may choose to add more liquid if it becomes dry (cauliflower will absorb as much as it can).

Add the shredded Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt/seasonings.

Reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer about 5 more minutes.

Cover the top generously with the shredded mozzarella, then cover the skillet and simmer until cheese is melted.

You can also choose to place the skillet, uncovered, in the oven on high for 5-10 minutes or under a broiler for a couple of minutes to cook the top until the cheese is golden brown & bubbly.

Garnish with fresh chopped scallions, parsley, or crushed red pepper and eat hot.

Makes 4 regular-sized servings, or 2 generous servings.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge up to 3 days. I have not tried freezing and re-heating this dish yet, but I would recommend thawing out in the fridge before reheating, as my experience with frozen cooked cauliflower dishes has proven.