This delicious Keto Chili Casserole has a spaghetti squash base and is loaded with cheese, ground beef chili, and sour cream. It’s a saucy chili masterpiece that the entire family will love! Low carb and gluten free too!
Note: there is a 1 minute video for this keto chili casserole recipe so be sure to watch it and see how quick and easy it really is!
Raise your hand if you love cheese! Just kidding, put it down….you know I can’t really see you right???
Don’t worry though, I know how you feel. I felt your fervent love of cheese from all the way over here. Because who doesn’t love cheese? Even people who can’t eat cheese WISH they could.
What’s not to like, really? Cheese makes everything better, and that’s a fact.
Recipes containing cheese practically write themselves because I can literally start with cheese, open my fridge and grab 5 other random things to add to that cheese and BAM! Delicious.
I put a little more effort into it than that for this keto chili casserole recipe, but not much (shhh, don’t tell anyone.)
My one caution about buying pre-shredded cheese for this keto chili casserole is that you should be aware that all shredded cheese has added starch to coat the shreds and keep them from sticking together in the package. That can add a gram or two of carbs per serving, so if you are on a very low carb diet like keto (20g or less) you may want to opt for the block and shred it yourself at home.
Another option is sliced cheese – I sometimes just layer the slices in a keto casserole recipe like this one, or the Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin, which uses slices of pepper jack cheese. Loaded with flavor and super easy to throw together, you definitely need to check that keto cauliflower recipe out if you haven’t already!
This cheesy keto chili casserole recipe has a spaghetti squash base, then a layer of cheese, a layer of sour cream, a layer of chili, and then more cheese (of course.) It’s hearty and satisfying, but not so heavy that it will weigh you down.
I like mine sprinkled with cilantro, but that’s completely optional. You can also serve this keto chili casserole alongside some salsa, additional sour cream, and guacamole or slices of avocado.
Whether you eat this tasty keto chili casserole as is, or garnish it with your favorite chili toppings, this one is going to be a hit with the whole family!
More family friendly keto dinner recipes:
Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
Keto Chili Casserole – Low Carb
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
A keto chili casserole recipe loaded with chili, sour cream, and cheese on a spaghetti squash base. Easy to make and family friendly!
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup prepared salsa
- salt and pepper to taste
For the casserole
- 4 cups cooked spaghetti squash
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped cilantro (optional)
- sour cream, salsa, avocado to serve (optional)
Instructions
For the chili:
- In a medium saucepan brown the ground meat seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Pour off any extra fat and discard.
- Add the rest of the chili ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes.
For the casserole:
- In a medium bowl combine the cooked spaghetti squash and melted butter, tossing to coat.
- Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the squash out in a 12 – 14 inch casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of shredded cheese.
- Spread the sour cream over the cheese layer.
- Spoon on the chili and spread it out, leaving a 1 inch border of spaghetti squash around the edge.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole or avocado slices as desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: keto dinners
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 284
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 6g net
- Protein: 23g
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Aise L says
2nd time to make this and oh my!! Sooo good!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Awesome to hear! That’s the true test for me, so if you made it twice I’ll take that as a huge compliment – thank you!
Sherrie says
LOVED it! So delicious and SO easy to make! Definitely a keeper that I will make over and over!
Augustin says
This is a great fall meal, nice and warming and using seasonal produce. Will be a regular in my rotation.
Dana Price says
I this similar to the recipe you used one sunday night in Orangeburg to stuff Acorn squash. It was off the chain.
Cant find it here.
Thanks Dana Price
Mellissa Sevigny says
I honestly can’t remember Dana, we had a lot of squash that year and many “creative” ideas for using it up!😅
Patti says
I consider myself a rather discriminatory keto cook. This is beyond excellent! A def yes for a weekly or monthly meal. Impressive and I’m not a huge spaghetti squash fan. Big thumbs up from both myself and husband!
Kathleen says
I am of fan of your recipes Melissa and this recipe is delicious! I wanted to eat the whole thing but luckily one serving was so filling. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy you liked it Kathleen!
Laura says
This is delicious!! 😋 I cooked the meat the day before and cooked the squash the next day. Which made it even easier to put together. Looking forward to leftovers. Thank you Melissa!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Still one of our favorites Laura, so happy it was a hit!
Ruth Ogier says
I have made this a number of times. It is quick, easy and oh so good! Thanks Melissa for all your wonderful recipes.!
Marie says
I’ve made this recipe several times. It’s delicious and rather easy once you get your spaghetti squash cooked and scraped. I just read a comment that someone made it with zoodles; I thinks I’m going to try that. Thanks for fabulous recipes Melissa. In fact, I have found many recipes on your site. Keep up the good work!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I can’t wait to try this with zoodles either Marie!
Suzanne says
Delicious! Thank you!! I want to take some leftovers for lunch tomorrow, but we are going to finish it off for supper tomorrow night instead. I’ll be making this on the regular, so yummy, filling, and satisfying. <3
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Suzanne, this one is from way back in my early days of blogging but I’m so happy to hear it’s still making the rounds and that you enjoyed it!
April says
I just had a thought. This recipe does interest me and I have to get the ingredients for it. However, in my “high carb” days, I always made a dish of rice and put the chili on top of that. I think I’ll try a cauliflower rice in place of the squash!
Alicia Hodges says
100% LOVE this recipe! In fact, it’s a monthly go to in my menu calendar.
Elizabeth G says
I did a lot of searching for spaghetti squash keto recipes because we found them on-sale at the grocery store and bought 6 of them. I came across this one and was really on the fence about making it because it just sounded like a strange concept, with the sweetness of the squash. WOW OH WOW is this delicious! I added 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese to the sour cream for a little umph. I seasoned the spaghetti squash with oil, pink himalayan salt, pepper, smidge of garlic powder and cumin sprinkled on it before putting it in the oven! I love to layer with flavors. THANK YOU!!
Linda Welling says
This comment coming from someone who never tried spaghetti squash because I knew I wouldnt like it. It is absolutely delicious . I will definitely make this again and again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Austin says
made it, love it. thank you!! how much in weight uncooked spaghetti squash should i get to get 4 cups cooked?
E George says
2.75 to 3 pounds should do it.
Marilyn Wiechert says
This was awesome! I love spaghetti squash and I love chili so all together is was quite delish! Thank you for the recipe!
Kerri says
We are HUGE fans of this recipe. My husband said it has the flavor of a cheesy gordita crunch from taco Bell. I’ve made this with cauliflower florets, zoodles, and used it as a dip with pork rinds! Thank you so much for your fantastic recipes, and the cookbook which my husband got me for Christmas! Can’t go wrong with any recipes on this site!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Kerri! I never thought about the cheesy Gordita crunch angle! So happy you’re enjoying the book too, thanks for letting me know!
Sherry says
sorry not a great cook here, is a 12-14 inch pan a pie pan? or rectangle. i have 13×9 or 9×9 or 9.5 inch pie plate. not sure which one to use or none of the above. thanks for posting the recipe. i know it will be good!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Whatever pan you have that can fit all of the ingredients will work fine!
Lea says
WOW! My family scarfed this down. This is definitely going into my regular rotation. I roasted the squash in rings to keep it from being as watery. Next time I’ll prep this step earlier to save time at dinner, since it will be reheated when casserole bakes.
Lavonne says
I made this for our super tonight. Awesome flavor!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. ?
Sarah says
This was one of the best dishes I’ve ever tasted! My husband and I devoured 2 portions for dinner and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today! We just started Keto and this dish really sold my husband on the food he can eat (and really enjoy!) without going hungry.
Deena Demanche says
I’ve been eating Keto for about 3 months and cooked this recently thinking my husband and daughter would have no interest. They ate every last bite and wanted more. Great meal and everyone was satisfied!
Becky says
Just wondering if leftovers can be frozen? I typically do a lot of cooking on the weekend and freeze portions, plus I love to cook but am single person, so takes me longer to get through some things. :) Just curious about the freeze-ability. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
It might get a little watery when you reheat it after freezing – but I’m not sure. In theory it should freeze just fine!
Kelly says
How is 6 net carbs in half a cup Keto or low carb? Half a cup, FOUR OUNCES, is not a serving anyone eats.
So many of your recipes are very high in carbs making it impossible for anyone to reach or maintain Ketosis. Since no one is going to eat half a cup, just this one serving is 12+ carbs and there are still several other meals each day for the Keto follower.
I think you should be fair and honest and inform those who visit your site that you have yummy recipes but that they are far from low in carbs.
Mellissa Sevigny says
The serving size is NOT ONE HALF CUP it is 1 1/2 cups. That translates to one and one half cups. One full cup. Plus one half cup. Perhaps before you took the time to dress me down here on my website where I provide free keto recipes that are, in fact, low carb – you should have made sure you were accurate.
Oops.
Pauline says
This recipe is amazing. Thank you
Jeremy says
Love your response. People are so stupid and rude! Thanks for a great recipe :)
Melody says
I just love you Mellissa!!! Your recipes are easy and yummy…you’re a hoot too!
Thanks for all that you do and may God continue tobkess you and yours!!
Deborah says
I know this rude response from Kelly was some time ago, but seriously, she was in fact the rudest person I have ever seen from a reply, and I am so happy, happy, happy, you bulldozed her down. Good for you and I definitely applaud you! You are absolutely one of my favs!! God bless you Mellissa!!
Pauline says
I think perhaps you should re read her recipe. 1 and 1/2 cups filled me. Delicious
Dede Petty says
Hi Mellissa,
I am just starting on my Keto journey. Have finished my 3 Day Kickstart. Now I am advancing on to the next step… My question… This CHEESY CHILI SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE looks DELISH and I want to try it. My problem…I am allergic to any squash that is not orange. Many recipes I have run across use squash in them. What can I substitute that would not ruin the flavor of your dish?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Try it with zucchini noodles!
Dede says
Oops! Zucchini is also a squash. I am highly allergic to. Have you tried to make noodles from Butternut or Acorn that have orange flesh? I don’t see any recipes using these squashes.
Looks like it is time for me to do some experimenting! (;
Mellissa Sevigny says
You could but but of those are high in carbs and wouldn’t be suitable for a keto or low carb diet. If you aren’t concerned with carbs then those squashes would be fine.
Kathy says
If you can’t use summer squashes, it would seem that shredded cabbage would be a good sub.
Melissa says
What about using cauliflower, minced, with butter? Like the cauliflower rice? That could probably form to the pan to sort.
greg k says
This recipe was so good, I did use a hot salsa to amp up the spiciness. Definitely a new staple in my house. The only hard part is sticking to a 1.5 cup serving.
Stephanie says
My whole fam is obsessed w/ this one. thank you so so so much!
Mellissa Sevigny says
We are too, thanks Stephanie!
Michele says
I can’t believe it took me until I was 50 to try spaghetti squash. This recipe is absolutely delicious. I’m keeping this one for myself, but the next time I make it I’ll have to double it so I’ll have some left over for me. My son and husband will gobble it down:)
amy says
Easy! Delish! My kids ate it right up too. I put black olives on top of mind and figured them into my macros. Otherwise made as written. Yum. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Lindsay says
Hi Mellisa! I am wanting to try this tonight however I’m wondering if you used a pie dish to bake this in? It looks so pretty in the pictures…
Jvcl888 says
I’ve made this several times and my family loves it! I have a little trouble with it being runny though. Should I do something different to the spaghetti squash to make it less moist? When I cook the squash should it be pretty mushy or still have some crunch?
Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
You want it to be tender, not mushy because it will continue to cook when you bake it. Make sure you are draining the squash thoroughly before putting it in the casserole pan!
Jvcl888 says
Thanks!
Nina says
Hi! Could this be done in crock pot?! Thanks so much!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Theoretically yes, but I worry that the squash would turn to mush – let us know if you try it!
Debi says
This was so delicious!! I made it this week and ny husband loved it so much that I’m making it again this week!! We both started your week one plan last week, and we both love it!! Looks like we’ll be repeating week one since my husband wants this casserole again :). Thank you for all your hard work in laying everything out for us. You’ve made it so very easy!!
Gail says
This is the first one of your recipes I have tried, and it was delicious! Even my husband, who is “meat and potatoes”, liked it. Thank you. Looking forward to trying more!
sara sample says
This is one of my FAVORITE low carb meals. It is also my husband’s most requested….
Thank you
Sarah
Julie says
This was fun to make, easy and most delicious! Thank you!!!!!!
Frances says
I track all of my macros – I was plugging this into my meal plan for the week and the nutritional information seems to be off a bit. Can you verify?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m confident in my numbers, but feel free to use your own.
tiffany says
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this one, but I was so wrong! It was delicious! It tastes so much like tacos!! TACOS!!!
Amber says
This was so delicious! I’ve really been embracing spaghetti squash lately and looking for more recipes. This one is a keeper. Thanks!
Pat says
Made this for the first time last night and WOW! my new favorite fall dish. Looks complex but so easy to put together and comes out just as gorgeous as your photo. I actually used frozen spaghetti squash that I had cooked and shredded 3 weeks ago. I defrosted it completely, then squeezed it very dry with my ricer gadget. Worked perfectly. Baking a squash and having it on hand in the freezer is a time saver. Also used a Hot Salsa that added some extra kick.
I normally don’t like leftovers, but this will be a treat to eat again today. Am also going to try freezing a slice to see if that works well. Hope so.
And next week, I’m doing the Egg Fast again with the follow-up Egg fast the following week. The holidays are coming and I want to feel in control.
Thanks so much. I pretty much eat exclusively your recipes as they are the best, yours and All Day I Dream About Food.
nicole says
Hi there :) wonder if you froze this and was successful? :)
Thanks
Janelle says
You cannot get spaghetti squash where I live. I could use zucchini strips or something?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I don’t see why not Janelle!
stacey webb says
Yup- I can’t get spaghetti squash in the UK. It is a RARE Find. I went ahead and used butternut spaghetti strips. I know its not the best squash to have but it worked. I think I could use courgettes too- I just wonder how much water that would create.
Emerlou says
Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Also from U.K. where it’s literally impossible to get spaghetti squash. I have just made this with courgette (zucchini), and replaced the chipotles in adobo (no chance of getting them here whatsoever) with chopped jalapeños and a little tomato paste. Stacey you’re right, the courgettes created a lot of liquid but once drained it was delicious!
Need to work out what the nutritional difference would be but hopefully still fairly low carb.
Love your site and have made lot some of your recipes :)
Rachel says
I just put this together for week one menu plan (I found you through reddit, just started keto for the second time yesterday.)
I had a thought. It may have just been me, but trying to spread the sour cream over the cheese was a little…interesting? I got it to work, but, well, next time, I’m going to mix the 3/4 cup of sour cream with the first half of the cheese and then spread it. I think it might make it easier going!
I’m so excited to try this tomorrow!!! It looks amaaaaazing.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Glad you liked it Rachel and your idea of mixing the sour cream and cheese will probably work great! Hope you’re having good success with the plan too, keep us posted on your weight loss!
Amber says
You’ve inspired me to try spaghetti squash and we loved it. My husband loved this recipe and wants to know when we are having it again. After avoiding pasta for so many years, it will be on my weekly grocery list for awhile. I’ve got lots of time to make up for. Thank you for sharing such tasty healthy meals. I always look forward to seeing what your latest creation is.
Andrea says
Another definite winner, Mellissa!! Loved it! My family ordered pizza while I ate this and I wasn’t one bit jealous! But I’m certain they’re going to love it too! Seems like it will be great leftovers!
Elissa says
This was SO GOOD! I haven’t made spaghetti squash in years because it’s so difficult to cut (and it was a lot of work cutting it for this recipe) but now that I see Melissa’s post on how she cooks her spaghetti squash, I will definitely try that way next time. My 12 year old said “I think the noodles are a little undercooked” tee hee. He didn’t even know it was squash until I told him. Will definitely be adding this to the rotation!
Tracy says
This was absolutely fantastic! Will be making this over and over again.
donna says
hi! Thanks so much for these recipes. They are fantastic. I have a question about serving sizes – although I’m following your recipes exactly, when I measure out the portions (I portion it out at once!) I am ending up with serving sizes that are smaller than what your recipes say – for this one, I got serving sizes of about 1 cup, not 1 1/2 cups. Do you have any advice for me?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Donna, not really sure why you’re getting less than I did when I measured it. Could be that mine had more moisture in it which bulked it up – it’s hard to say. If yours are a little different than mine even though you follow the recipe exactly, then just portion into the called for number of servings and that should be the right nutrition info per serving, even if it’s a little more or less than the serving size estimates. Thanks!!!
Ilyse says
OMG…yummo!! I am such a fan of all of your recipes, and this one is right up at the top of my list of faves!
Lisa says
My children do.not.like. squash of any kind. My husband likes squash but wanted me to do something different with the spaghetti squash I had instead of just the typical replacement for spaghetti noodles. This dish was SO good! Even my children liked it. I couldn’t believe it! I will definitely be adding this to our rotation. Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
YES! I’m always happy when my recipes can get sworn squash or cauliflower haters to convert – especially when it’s kids!!!! So glad they liked it, thanks for letting me know!
Stephanie says
You don’t even know how much I love this. The best spaghetti squash recipe I have ever had. Bravo!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Being that there are SO many spaghetti squash recipes out there – hooray!!!!! So glad you liked it and thanks for letting me know! :)
Valerie says
This Is Wonderful! Even My Hubby Loved It!!
Kim Beaulieu says
I need this in my life. Like right now. Like 10 minutes ago.
Mellissa Sevigny says
You DO! You really really do!!!!
Carol Carlton says
This sounds super yummy!
Just wanted to call your attention to the fact that I have not been able to ‘pin’ this or a couple of other of your blog recipes of late. They won’t ‘pin’ from your page pin links or my own.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Carol, I have found that they pin sometimes and then other times they won’t and it’s very frustrating because I can’t figure out why. My hosting company says it’s not on their end, it might be cloudflare, but it’s definitely hurting visibility and traffic on my newer posts. I’ll keep working on it – thanks!
Carol Carlton says
Success! Pinned this! :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for letting me know Carol – hopefully this issue is resolved for good!!!
Carlos Gato says
interesting recipe, can’t wait to try it out. Quick question. How do you cook the spaghetti squash?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Carlos I microwave mine whole (after piercing it a bunch of times) for about 20 minutes, then I let it cook for about 10 before I split it open, remove the seeds, and scoop out the squash. It’s easy and it works great! Enjoy!
Carlos Gato says
thanks Mellissa worked like a charm, recipe was delicious!
Tom says
ok im microwaving the squash for 20 minutes. Questions how do you cook it for the additional minutes? In stove? How? sorry
Mellissa Sevigny says
You mean after you make the casserole? Then you bake the whole thing. Otherwise not sure what you’re asking! 20 minutes in the microwave should be plenty to get it soft enough to scoop out, but if it isn’t just hit it for another 5 minutes in the microwave.
Vicki jackson says
I am a little confused by your explanation. You said you microwave for 20 minutes then cook 10 minutes. How are you cooking it the 10 minutes? I’ve never purchased spaghetti squash so how many do I need for this recipe? New to this way of eating but have heard lots of great things about your recipes. Thanks for your help.
Anon says
Your explanation is confusing. You stated that 20 minutes is sufficient enough, but to continue cooking it for an extra 10 minutes before you “split it open, remove the seeds, and scoop out the squash”.
Rachael says
I am reasonably certain the second “cook” was a typo for “cool.” Cook it for 20 minutes, then let it cool for 10.