Italian Ground Beef Skillet Recipe
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Get ready for a dinner upgrade with this easy Italian ground beef skillet meal! It’s an easy, cheesy one-dish dinner you can throw together in 25 minutes or less. The mixture of tender cauliflower rice, juicy ground beef, creamy tomato sauce, melty cheese, and flavorful herbs create a crave-worthy dinner that’s low-carb and family-friendly.
This Italian ground beef skillet is the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you want something hearty without spending hours in the kitchen. Ground beef is great in one-pan skillet meals because it’s just so easy, versatile, and affordable. I can’t think of a better protein option!
If you’ve been following this blog, you know I have shared plenty of ground beef skillet recipes and keto ground beef recipes throughout the years. Some of my favorites include cheesy beef taco skillet, cheeseburger skillet, Philly cheesesteak skillet, and vegetable and ground beef skillet.
Table of Contents (click to view)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy dinner option: Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe comes together in just one pan and under 30 minutes.
- Comforting dish: It’s cozy, satisfying, and perfect for any season.
- One-pan wonder: One skillet means less time washing dishes and more time enjoying your meal.
- Perfect for a crowd: This recipe allows you to whip up a generous portion in one go, making sure everyone gets a filling meal. Ideal for feeding a hungry family or entertaining guests with minimal effort.
- Meal prep-friendly: Makes great leftovers, so you can enjoy it throughout the week.
- Low-carb: Using cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice drastically reduces the number of carbohydrates per serving. 1 cup of cooked white rice has 44 grams net carb. Compare that to 1.6 grams net carb in the same amount of cauliflower rice. For a low-carb or keto diet, this is the choice to make!
How to Make Italian Ground Beef Skillet
Gather 13 ingredients (including salt and pepper), and you’re one step closer to making a healthy skillet dish in just 25 minutes! Italian ground beef skillet is a no-fuss, no-mess meal that’s a breeze to make.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter: I like butter because it tastes amazing, but you can use your preferred cooking fat.
- Cauliflower rice: Acts as a low-carb base that absorbs all the flavorful juices from the skillet. This is the best choice anytime you want a low-carb option for traditional white rice.
- Bone broth: Bone broth is exceptionally good for you and imparts such a great flavor to the dish! Make homemade beef broth or buy a high-quality bone broth.
- Onion and garlic: Because this is an Italian dish! These aromatics help enhance the dish’s overall flavor profile.
- Ground beef: 80/20 ground beef is perfect for this; it has a higher fat content that keeps recipes moist and delicious.
- Italian seasoning: All the classic flavors of Italy are added in a pinch. Italian seasoning contains basil, oregano, and rosemary.
- Tomato paste: Check the label to confirm you are purchasing a product without hidden sugar. Make homemade tomato paste if you want to avoid the situation altogether.
- Heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- Mozzarella cheese: Like all good Italian beef recipes, we cover this one with cheese! Mozzarella melts beautifully, adding a gooey, cheesy finish that ties the dish together.
- Parsley
Step-By-Step Instructions
You’re in for a treat. It’s super easy to make – follow the simple steps below and you can’t go wrong.
Step 1: Make cauliflower rice
First, we make cauliflower rice from scratch. Warm 1 tablespoon of butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté cauliflower rice for 2 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add broth, cover the skillet with a lid, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Cauliflower is completely cooked once you can easily pierce a piece with a fork. This is called “fork tender.” Remove from heat, drain any remaining liquid, and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the aromatics
Second, we start on the rest of the skillet meal. Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the second tablespoon of butter and sauté onion and garlic for 2 or so minutes until soft and fragrant.
Step 3: Add the ground beef
Next, raise the heat to medium-high and add the ground meat. Break it apart with a spatula as needed. Season with Italian seasoning. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 4: Make the sauce
Then, mix in the tomato paste, cream, ¼ cup of shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the cheese melts and a sauce forms.
Step 5: Return the cauliflower rice to the skillet
Now, add the cooked cauliflower rice back to the skillet. Mix well to combine. Remove from heat and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the skillet.
Step 6: Melt the cheese, garnish, and serve
Place the skillet under the oven broiler for 1 to 3 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
Finally, garnish with parsley. Serve warm as is or with a green salad and a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes.
Substitutions
This family-friendly weeknight meal requires quite a number of ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. In case you’re missing some or prefer to use alternatives, here are ingredient substitutions I recommend:
- Butter: Substitute with olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, or tallow.
- Cauliflower rice: You can use cooked rice, quinoa, or zucchini noodles in place of cauliflower rice if preferred.
- Bone broth: Don’t have bone broth? Use vegetable broth, or beef or chicken stock instead.
- Ground beef: Substitute with ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option. You can also try ground sausage.
- Italian seasoning: Use dried oregano or basil, Herbes de Provence, or fresh herbs like chopped basil or thyme in place of Italian seasoning.
- Tomato paste: No tomato paste on hand? Replace with canned tomato sauce or ketchup.
- Heavy cream: Use milk with an extra nob of butter.
- Mozzarella cheese: No mozzarella? Use Parmesan, Cheddar, or any melty cheese of your choice.
- Parsley: You can also substitute with dried parsley, fresh basil or cilantro, or chopped green onions.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh cauliflower rice: Fresh cauliflower rice has a better texture, but frozen cauliflower rice works well in a pinch – just make sure to cook off any excess moisture.
- Customize: Make this recipe your own by adding extra veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach.
- Don’t despair about not enjoying your favorite Italian dishes while eating low-carb. Many keto pasta alternatives are just as delicious, if not more so, as their traditional counterparts.
How to Store This Recipe
Cool completely and transfer Italian ground beef skillet into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, use a heavy bottomed skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warm and bubbly.
Due to the cheesy topping, I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. Freezing cheese has a negative impact on its overall texture and mouth feel.
What to Serve with Italian Ground Beef Skillet
There are so many ways to enjoy this Italian ground beef skillet! It’s a complete meal on its own but pairs well with side dishes like crusty bread, flatbread, soup, salad, steamed or roasted vegetables, or this alternative to mashed potatoes.
More Easy Dinner Recipes To Try
- Lemon pepper pork chops
- 30-minute ground beef and broccoli casserole
- Meat pie with coconut flour crust
- Beef heart tacos
- Chicken cordon bleu without breading
Italian Beef and Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 bag cauliflower rice 10-16 ounces
- 1 cup bone broth beef or chicken
- 1 small red onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste sugar-free
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Warm 1 tablespoon of butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté cauliflower rice for 2 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add broth, cover the skillet with a lid, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Cauliflower is done once it's fork tender. Remove from heat, drain any remaining liquid, and set aside.
- Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the second tablespoon of butter and sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes or so until soft and fragrant.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add ground beef. Break it apart with a spatula as needed. Season with Italian seasoning. Cook until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste, cream, ¼ cup of shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese melts and sauce forms.
- Add the cooked cauliflower rice to the skillet. Mix well to combine
- Place the skillet under the oven broiler for 1-3 minutes until the cheese melts completely. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Fresh cauliflower rice has a better texture, but frozen works well in a pinch – just make sure to cook off any excess moisture.
Nutrition & Macros
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