Whole30 Taco Casserole packs the flavors of a cheesy and spicy taco into one dish with Whole30 ingredients. You can prep this healthy casserole ahead of time and enjoy all week.
Make-ahead
Beginner-friendly
You’ll Learn: How to build deeper flavor with simple layering
Worth It: Simple method, great results, no fussy steps
Bonus: One-pan approach for easy cleanup
Forget Taco Tuesday, let’s have Taco Casserole Tuesday
If you’re on the Whole30, you know that lettuce wrap tacos can get boring pretty quickly. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still delicious, but I wanted something a little heartier to curb my taco craving.
This Whole30 Taco Casserole was just the thing I needed. It starts with a base layer of seasoned ground beef and onions, then you add a spicy cashew cheese layer and finally top with some cubed sweet potatoes. Once it is baked I like to top my casserole with all of my favorite taco items like shredded lettuce, guacamole, and salsa!
What kitchen tools do I need to make a Whole30 Taco Casserole?
- 6×9 baking dish – I find that it is better to use a smaller casserole dish for this recipe
- Frying pan
- Sharp knife
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons and measuring cups
- Spatula for serving
What ingredients do I need to make this Whole30 one pan meal?
- Raw cashews
- Water
- Lime juice
- Salt
- Cumin
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili powder
- Yellow onion
- Avocado oil
- Pepper
- Ground beef
- Sweet potato
- Optional: guacamole, salsa, and shredded lettuce for topping
Let’s make a Whole30 Taco Casserole!
Step 1: Make the creamy sauce!
A few hours before making this casserole you will need to soak your raw cashews in water. Then, you can drain and rinse the cashews. Next, blend the cashews in a high speed blender with spices to make a creamy sauce.
Step 2: Dice and saute
Then, dice the onion and saute in a frying pan in some oil. Next, add the ground beef to the pan and season with some salt and pepper. Cook until the ground beef is cooked into browned crumbles.
Step 3: Dice and Toss
Then, grab some sweet potatoes and dice into small 1/2″ cubes. Next, place the sweet potatoes in a bowl and toss with avocado oil.
Step 4: Assemble the casserole and bake
Finally, you are ready to assemble your casserole. Before you begin, drain and excess oil from the ground beef and onions.
Then, spray your 6×9 casserole dish with oil to grease. Next, spread all of your ground beef and onions into the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer.
Then, spread the cashew cheese layer on top. Finally, top with the cubed sweet potatoes and gently press them into the beef and cashew cheese.
Season the casserole with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place your casserole in the oven to bake uncovered at 350F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Step 5: Cool, cut, top, and enjoy!
Then, remove your casserole from the oven. Allow it to cool partially, cut into slices and top each slice with your favorite taco fixings!
How should I reheat this dish?
Once this Whole30 Taco Casserole is made I recommend topping each slice individually instead of how it is pictured here. I would do that so that you can reheat each slice individually in a microwave or toaster oven. Then, once it is reheated, you can top with any toppings you desire!
Keep reading to find the full instructions and ingredient list. If you make this recipe please rate and review it in the comments or let me know on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Whole30 Taco Casserole
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp chili powder
Other Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes
- Optional: guacamole salsa, and shredded lettuce for topping
Instructions
- Soak raw cashews in warm water for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight
- Drain and rinse cashews
- Place cashews and all other sauce into a high-speed blender
- Blend until a smooth, evenly mixed sauce remains
- Dice the yellow onion
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Pour 1 tbsp avocado oil into a frying pan and heat over medium-low heat
- Add the onions to the pan and cook over medium-low heat until soft and fragrant – about 4 mintues
- Add ground beef to the pan and increase the heat to medium
- Brown and break up ground with a wooden mixing spoon for about 4 minutes
- Add salt and pepper to the pan with the onions and ground beef
- Cook the ground beef for an additional 4 minutes until cooked into crumbles
- Remove the frying pan from the heat and drain the excess oil from the pan
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes into small 1/2″ cubes
- Toss cubed sweet potatoes in 1 tbsp avocado oil
- Assemble casserole in a small 6×9 baking dish
- Grease the casserole dish and press the ground beef into the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer
- Pour cashew sauce over the ground beef and smooth into an even layer with a spatula
- Place a layer of cube sweet potato over the top of the sauce and press the sweet potatoes into the sauce
- Season the top of the sweet potatoes with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- Place casserole into the oven and bake at 350F for 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to cool slightly before eating
- Serve with your favorite taco toppings like shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa, and jalapenos
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Leave a Reply