Squash Cauliflower Rice Casserole is a low-carb and keto-diet friendly gluten-free recipe made with fresh yellow squash, onions, riced cauliflower, cheese, and ground pork rinds. This satisfying comfort food dish can easily fit into a healthy eating plan.
The original recipe that inspired this low-carb makeover came from the "Cooking Light Comfort Food" section of a local Georgia paper in 2011. We absolutely loved it. I wanted to reduce the carbs a bit since the original version was made with rice, so I swapped cauliflower rice for the white rice and ground pork rinds in place of the wheat bread crumbs. It came out just as delicious, if not better than the original recipe.
Low-carb casseroles, like this Squash Cauliflower Rice Casserole, are my jam. Definitely try this Gluten-Free Chicken Butternut Squash Casserole if you haven't already. We also love healthier "pasta" dishes like this lean & delicious Spaghetti Squash Meatball Casserole. So good!
Cauliflower Rice Casserole Ingredients
- Fresh yellow squash- sliced
- Onion- chopped
- Chicken broth
- Cauliflower rice- uncooked
- Sharp cheddar cheese- shredded from the block for best flavor
- Sour cream- I used low-fat, but if you're on a keto diet feel free to go for the regular
- Parmesan cheese- I highly recommend buying good quality Parmesan cheese in a block and freshly grating it for this recipe
- Pork Panko breadcrumbs- you can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour if you are going low-carb and not keto
- Eggs
- Salt and pepper
Recipe Tips
To shorten prep time when making this dish, assemble the casserole the day before you want to cook it. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. You can even bake it the day before you want to serve it and heat it back up in the oven before serving.
Honestly, Flynn and I both agreed that this Squash Cauliflower Rice Casserole is definitely better the second day. The flavors had plenty of time to mingle and the texture seemed even creamier reheated a second time around. It's now a new staple recipe in this house. I served it with a rotisserie chicken for a fast and delicious meal. Gotta love easy!
Keto-Friendly Tips
If you're on a keto diet, you can use full-fat versions of the cheese and sour cream to increase the fat content. It's really important to drain the squash thoroughly after cooking to avoid excess water in the dish. I add the cauliflower rice to the casserole raw to give it more texture. It will absorb the extra moisture from the squash and cook in the oven as it bakes. You can find raw riced cauliflower in a lot of grocery stores, but it's super easy to make your own in a food processor. Make sure that you pulse it enough to end up with small pieces, close to the size and texture of rice.
I also used pork panko (aka ground pork rinds) in this dish instead of regular bread crumbs. They are delicious and zero carbs, but you can easily substitute regular or gluten-free bread crumbs in this recipe.
This low-carb squash casserole is proof that you don't have to ditch delicious southern comfort food on a controlled carb diet. It's a winner in this house.
More Low-Carb Side Dish Recipes
Amazing Broccoli- roasted frozen broccoli florets (easy and delish!)
Baked Cabbage Casserole- sounds weird, but it's SO good!
Slow-Roasted Green Beans- a family favorite
Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans- these babies need no introduction...divine
Bacon-Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts- you can never go wrong with bacon
Squash Cauliflower Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups sliced yellow squash
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups cauliflower rice uncooked
- 1 cup shredded Cabot shredded cheddar cheese I used Cabot 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar
- 1 cup low-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- ½ cup pork panko *can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 lightly beaten eggs
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine squash, onion and broth in a Dutch oven over high heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.
- Drain; partially mash with a potato masher.
- To Dutch oven, add cauliflower rice, cheddar cheese, sour cream, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup pork panko or bread crumbs, salt, pepper and eggs; stir gently.
- Spoon mixture into a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and ¼ cup pork panko. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Broil 1 minute, or until lightly browned.
Notes
Nutrition
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The Better Baker
I'm sure it is wonderful and I will have to try it soon. Thanks -
Rivki Locker (Ordinary Blogger)
I've learned that if I add cheese to veggies / grains, my kids will eat just about ANYTHING. This looks great for a weeknight meal. Thanks for sharing.
Jacqueyln
This looks delicious! I made a similar rice dish last week but didn't put cheese on- GREAT idea! I'll have to use your recipe 🙂 Thanks for using Cabot cheese, the farm families who own Cabot appreciate your support!~Jacquelyn
Krista
Oh yum!!!
Kay Johnson
Just popped in from the zucchini blog hop!I love this idea for zucchini!
Kay Johnson
Just popped in from the zucchini blog hop!I love this idea for zucchini!
Angie {Successful2gether}
This looks AWESOME! 🙂
Vanessa Dobson
Haven't tried it yet but it looks delicious - can this recipe be frozen? Thanks in advance. Blessings Vanessa
Amee Livingston
Hi Vanessa! I hope that you give it a try! I haven't tried freezing this casserole, but I'm not sure how the texture would be frozen then reheated since cauliflower has a high water content. If you freeze it, I would thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.