Ground Beef And Kale Casserole

A deliciously cheesy oven-baked kale casserole. I bake two of these healthy, low-carb casseroles at a time, to make sure I have yummy leftovers!

This cheesy ground beef and kale casserole is amazing. It’s filling, healthy and delicious. It’s also quite easy to make!

I first published this recipe in March 2017. I am republishing it today, with some added tips, variations, and reader reviews.

Confession time: I’m not a huge fan of kale. I find it bitter. When it comes to eating green leafy veggies, I much prefer spinach and broccoli to kale. (Speaking of spinach, this low carb spinach lasagna is so good!)

But this yummy kale casserole is different. I really like it. It’s probably the pizza-like flavors and the cheesiness. Those make kale very palatable indeed. Even my youngest, The Picky Eater, likes this casserole.

The ingredients needed to make this recipe

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this tasty casserole. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.

1. Olive oil
2. Lean ground beef
3. Salt and pepper
4. Spices: garlic and onion powders, oregano
5. Fresh kale
6. Marinara sauce
7. Shredded mozzarella

How to make kale casserole

1. Start by cooking the beef in olive oil.
2. Stir in the spices.
3. In batches, stir the kale into the beef mixture, cooking just until it slightly wilts.
4. Next, stir in the marinara sauce. Cook until heated through.
5. Mix half the cheese into the mixture.
6. Transfer to a broiler-safe dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and broil until golden-brown.

Is this kale casserole healthy?

I believe it is. I don’t need to tell you that kale is healthy, though not everyone agrees that it deserves a “superfood” status. Fresh unprocessed beef is very nutritious. And luckily, new research says that for most healthy people, cheese is harmless.

How to serve this kale casserole?

This casserole is a complete meal. But to round up dinner and add some color to your plate, you can add a side. I like to add roasted cherry tomatoes or roasted carrots. Both add beautiful color and are very healthy.

Pinterest reviews of this kale casserole

I love seeing reviews of my recipes on Pinterest and Instagram! It’s always fun to see my readers’ beautiful creations.

On Pinterest, I found reviews of this casserole here and here. Look at those yummy pictures! And I love the interesting variations that people make. A few suggestions include:

1. Add mushrooms.
2. Use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder.
3. Add red pepper flakes.
4. Add Parmesan.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F instead of just broiling.
6. Double the recipe and bake in a 9 X13 -inch pan.

Instagram reviews of this casserole

On Instagram, Lauren posted this gorgeous photo and said:

This ground beef & kale casserole from @yumhealth is delish. Even if you’re not a huge kale fan, I recommend giving this a try. Peyton was less than thrilled when I told him this is what I was making last night, but he said it was “a lot better than he expected.” And Harper… Well, Harper ate two HUGE bowls of it. It’s low carb, healthy, packs in a lot of vitamin-rich leafy greens, and I’m guessing these leftovers are going to reheat beautifully for lunch. What’s not to love?

Can you keep the leftovers?

Yes! This is another big advantage of this ground beef kale casserole: leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container. Like most ground beef recipes, you can keep them for 3-4 days.

Reheat the leftovers gently, in the microwave on 50% power. You can also freeze leftovers, preferably in individual portions, for up to 3 months.

More kale recipes you might enjoy

While we’re on the subject of palatable kale, I also highly recommend these crispy, addictive kale chips!. And sauteed kale is a very easy side dish to make, that goes well with many main dishes.

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4.99 from 251 votes

Cheesy Kale Casserole

A deliciously cheesy oven baked kale casserole. I bake two of these healthy casseroles at a time, to make sure I have yummy leftovers!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Resting time5 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: casserole

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 471kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (10 oz bag) chopped fresh kale
• 2 cups marinara sauce, no sugar added (I like Rao’s)
• 4 oz shredded mozzarella

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat broiler on high.
• In an oven-and-broiler-safe deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes.
• Add the beef. Cook, stirring to break up and crumble the beef, until no longer raw, about 5-7 minutes.
• Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano.
• In batches, stir the kale into the beef mixture, cooking just until it slightly wilts.
• Stir in the marinara sauce. Cook until heated through, about 2 more minutes.
• Mix half the cheese into the mixture.
• If not using a broiler-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a broiler-safe dish. I used a nonstandard dish from Sur la Table that measures 9 X 7 inches. In standard sizes, I think the closest would be a square 8 inches baking dish.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Broil just until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Allow the kale casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Kale Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 471 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 35g 54%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Sodium 843mg 35%

Total Carbohydrates 8g 3%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 4g

Protein 30g 60%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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