Paleo Spinach and Artichoke Ground Beef Casserole

This Paleo Spinach and Artichoke Ground Beef Casserole is the ultimate healthy comfort food. With its rich and creamy sauce  this casserole is the ultimate crowd pleaser. This paleo casserole is perfect for meal prep and you will love that it’s dairy free gluten free, and Whole30 compliant too. 

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE:

• This spinach and artichoke ground beef casserole is so delicious! It has a rich and creamy sauce that will have you coming back for seconds or even thirds!
• Serving a crowd? This is the perfect recipe for you. This dish allows you to fill maximum bellies with minimum effort.  
• Not only is this casserole delicious, but it’s healthy, paleo, Whole30, dairy free and gluten free!
• It’s quick and easy to make.
• This casserole makes great leftovers and freezes really well!
• You can prepare this casserole the day before. Just cover and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake your casserole.

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS:

• Ground beef: I went with ground beef in this recipe because its flavour and texture work perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. I prefer to use grass fed and pasture raised ground beef. 
• Raw cashews: to make the sauce extra creamy and luscious while keeping it dairy free. 
• Coconut milk: paired with the raw cashews, coconut milk is the perfect addition to give the sauce even more creamy texture.
• Lemon juice: to give the sauce some acidity and balance out the flavour profile.
• Onion and garlic: to deliver a deep, well rounded aroma and flavour to the dish.
• Nutritional yeast: a great dairy free option for achieving a cheesy texture.
• Artichoke hearts: the star of the show! Artichokes have a unique flavour and are super rich in antioxidants.
• Spinach: spinach artichoke is an iconic duo! They make a beautiful pair, especially when submerged in luscious cream sauce. Plus spinach is a healthy, dark green vegetable. 

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

Step one: 

First you will preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step two: 

Next you will place a pan on the stove on medium heat. Then add the oil and ground beef and cook the beef until it’s browned, stirring frequently to break it apart. Once the beef is cooked, transfer it to a 9″ x 13″ dish and set aside.

Step three:

While the beef is cooking, make the cream sauce by placing the ingredients in a high speed blender and blending until they are smooth. Then set the sauce aside.

Step four:

Using the same pan that you did to cook the beef, add the oil and chopped onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes until it’s translucent.

Step five:

Add the chopped artichoke hearts and spinach to the pan with the cooked onion. And cook these until the spinach is wilted or no longer frozen.

Step six:

Add the sauce to the pan with the veggies and stir everything well to combine.

Step seven:

Transfer the sauce to the casserole dish with the cooked ground beef and stir everything together to combine. Bake uncovered in the oven for 10-15 minutes and then enjoy!

VARIATIONS AND ADD INS:

• You can easily add more vegetables to this recipe, I recommend mushrooms or green beans. 
• If you don’t want meat in your casserole, simply omit the ground beef or add more vegetables.
• You could also substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. 

SERVING IDEAS:

• This dish is great served alone. No need to serve it with anything else if you don’t want to.
• You could serve it over cooked noodles or rice to make the dish even more filling.
• If you are on a paleo diet: serve it over cooked cassava noodles, spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, other vegetable noodles or cauliflower rice.
• If you are on a Whole30 diet: serve it over cooked spaghetti squash, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles or other vegetable noodles.
• You could also serve this dish with a side of crackers for dipping!

HOW TO STORE: 

Store any leftover casserole in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What can I use instead of cashews?

While cashews are the best option for this recipe, macadamia nuts or pine nuts could be a good substitute for cashews.

Can I use fresh artichokes for this casserole?

You could definitely use fresh artichokes for this recipe, just be sure to steam them first.

Can I make this casserole vegan?

For sure! Just omit the beef and/or substitute for something like mushrooms. Also be sure to check out my Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip recipe!

Can I freeze this casserole? 

Yes! This paleo ground beef casserole freezes really well. 

5 from 1 vote

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Paleo Spinach and Artichoke Ground Beef Casserole

This paleo spinach and artichoke ground beef casserole is the perfect comfort food. Rich and creamy this healthy dinner will be a hit with the whole family.

Course Main Course, Meat

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy comfort food, paleo casserole, whole30 casserole

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 705 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil of choice)
• 2 lbs ground beef

Cream Sauce Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper (more or less to taste)

Spinach and Artichoke Ingredients

• 3 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil of choice)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (24 ounces)
• 300 grams fresh or frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F

2. Place a large pan on the stove on medium heat, add the avocado oil and ground beef and cook the beef until browned, stirring frequently to break up the beef. Once the beef is done cooking, transfer it to a 9" x 13" casserole or baking dish and set it aside.

   

3. While the beef is cooking, make the cream sauce by placing all the ingredients into your high speed blender and blending until smooth. Set the sauce aside.

   

4. Using the same pan that you used to cook the beef, add the avocado oil and onion, and cook the onion for a few minutes on medium heat until it's translucent.

   

5. Add the chopped artichoke hearts and spinach to the pan with the onion and cook for a few more minutes, until the spinach is wilted or no longer frozen (depending on if you are using fresh or frozen spinach).

   

6. Add the sauce to the pan and stir all the ingredients well to combine.

   

7. Transfer the sauce to the casserole dish with the ground beef and stir everything well to combine. Bake the dish in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until warmed throughout.

   

Recipe Notes

1. Nutritional information is calculated using an online calculator and is an estimate. The values will vary depending on the specific ingredients you use and your serving size.
2. Store this casserole in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Paleo Spinach and Artichoke Ground Beef Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 705 Calories from Fat 540

% Daily Value*

Fat 60g92%

Saturated Fat 20g125%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 29g

Cholesterol 81mg27%

Sodium 662mg29%

Potassium 876mg25%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 3518IU70%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 82mg8%

Iron 7mg39%

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

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