Keto Beef Cheese Layers (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
10 ounces frozen cut spinach
02 -
1 tablespoon olive oil, with extra for coating dish
03 -
1 pound ground beef (85/15 blend)
04 -
1 small diced onion (about 4 ounces)
05 -
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, split (or ½ teaspoon any regular salt)
06 -
1 tablespoon freshly chopped garlic
07 -
½ cup tomato sauce (we like Rao's best)
08 -
8 ounces cream cheese
09 -
1 large egg
10 -
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
11 -
¾ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (3 ounces)
# Instructions:
01 -
Warm your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a square 8-inch dish or any 2-quart baking container with olive oil.
02 -
Thaw the spinach in your microwave following package instructions. Squeeze out all water by putting the thawed spinach in a strainer and pushing down many times with a big spoon until it's dry. Put aside.
03 -
Put the olive oil in a big pan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Throw in the beef, onion, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking the beef into little bits, until onions get soft and meat turns brown, around 5-7 minutes.
04 -
Pour off extra fat from the beef mix and put it back in the pan. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then mix in the tomato sauce. Turn off the stove.
05 -
Warm the cream cheese in a medium bowl for 40 seconds to soften it. Stir with a fork until it's smooth. Mix in the egg, black pepper, and the other ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Keep mixing until totally smooth. Add the dried spinach and blend everything together well.
06 -
Smooth the spinach mix across the bottom of your oiled dish. Cover with the meat mix, then sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
07 -
Pop it in the oven until the cheese gets bubbly and slightly golden, about 30 minutes.
08 -
Let it sit for ten minutes before you cut and serve it.
# Notes:
01 -
Getting all the water out of the spinach stops your dish from turning watery. Press it many times in a strainer with a spoon until it's dry.
02 -
Try swapping mozzarella with provolone or another cheese that melts well.
03 -
Don't go for super lean beef or your dish might end up dry. The 85/15 mix gives better taste and juiciness.
04 -
You can make twice as much in a 9×13-inch dish if you need to feed more people.
05 -
If you want to use fresh spinach instead, you'll need about a pound to match 10 ounces of frozen. Steam it first and squeeze out all the water.
06 -
You can keep leftovers in the fridge in a closed container for 3-4 days. Warm them up slowly at half power in the microwave.
07 -
You can freeze single portions in freezer bags for up to three months.