Keto Chile Relleno Casserole — Paleo, Gluten-free, Whole30

Name: Keto Chile Relleno Casserole (Paleo, Whole30, Egg-free, Gluten-free)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 14 ounces (or about 1-1/2 cups) red salsa (, fresh pico de gallo or jarred (homemade or store-bought)); 1 7-ounce jar tomato paste; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1/3 cup coconut flour (; for Paleo/fruit-free version: use 2/3 cup cassava flour, if preferred); 1 teaspoon baking soda (, sifted); 2 pounds ground beef; 3 small onions (, diced, or 1 large (OR less, for stricter Keto, depending on personal preference)); 1 cup water; 8 ounces diced green chilies (, canned (For GAPS, okay to dice green bell peppers.)); 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or 1 teaspoon cream of tartar); 1 Tablespoon dried oregano; 2 teaspoons sea salt; 8 ounces whole green chilies; 8 ounces cheese (, grated (aged cheddar or your favorite melting cheese); Omit for Paleo, Whole30 and dairy-free.); fresh cilantro (, minced, for garnish)

Updated Jun 30, 2024 · 72 Comments

I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. I am not a doctor; please consult your practitioner before changing your supplement or healthcare regimen. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Keto Chile Relleno Casserole takes just 15 minutes to assemble and 45 minutes to bake. This easy authentic tasting Mexican meal is a crowd pleaser and also perfect for Paleo, Whole30, Primal and Gluten-free diets.

Enjoy all the flavor of traditional chile rellenos, but with a lot less work.

Jump to Recipe

Authentic Mexican food

Growing up close to Mexico meant having authentic Mexican cooking in our home, as a way of life. It meant holding poblanos over the gas flame to char them, boiling nopalitos and mixing them with tomatoes, raw onion and cilantro; and it meant albondigas soup.

It meant chile rellenos on Friday nights.

Some were stuffed with meat, and some cheese. They were spicy and refined, silky and rich, surrounded by a bath of unadorned, smooth, hot tomato sauce.

Chile Rellenos were my dad’s favorite Mexican food. They felt at once mysterious/other and like home.

How to make Chile Relleno Casserole + Ingredients

I’ve taken a favorite childhood recipe and made it doable for our modern, somewhat busy life.

I love casseroles! They’re “down home”, yet special.

All the assembly happens first, and then it’s easy to relax while dinner bakes.

Ingredients

ground beef
onions
cheese — Omit for Paleo, Whole30 and dairy-free.
salsa + tomato paste — Combining pico de gallo with tomato paste is a secret quick step to making the lovely tomato base in this casserole.
flour — Choose between coconut flour (for Low Carb/Keto) and cassava flour for Paleo, or if preferred.
green chilies — Canned green chilies are one of the few prepared foods I still buy. For a busy mom who doesn’t usually at this stage in my life roast poblanos, their flavor brings me back to the comfort foods with which I grew up. (Roasting your own is also an option provided if you prefer.)
apple cider vinegar + baking soda — This magical combination (+ the small amount of flour listed above) gives a light texture to the meat in this recipe.
a few herbs and spices

Subs for other diets

If you’re on a Paleo or Whole30 diet, which are dairy-free, make only one change: Omit the garnish of cheese at the end of the recipe.

For GAPS or if preferred, it’s okay to use fresh green bell peppers in the chilies’ place: Dice one pepper, and roast (or blacken in a sauté pan), and then slice and splay for the whole chilies needed.

How to assemble

This recipe has just two main steps (more details in actual recipe):

Mix most of the ingredients in large mixing bowl.
Place into casserole dish, and top with salsa. Bake.

If using the optional cheese, top with cheese 10 minutes before the baking is done.

Serve!

NO SAUTÉING STAGE

In keeping with the convenience of canned green chilies, this recipe has no cooking up of ground beef or sautéing of onions before assembly!

We totally skip that step, making this a one-bowl dinner prep that gets transferred to a casserole dish for baking.

EASY PREP AND TIPS for Chile Relleno Casserole

Tips when you make Chile Relleno Casserole:

To make the “Meat Lovers” version of this recipe, choose a slightly smaller but deeper casserole dish than 9″x13″. This makes the meat layer of the recipe thicker when serving, and it’s what you see in some of the photos.
This casserole can be spicy, so: Purchase mild chilies and mild salsa if you don’t want heat.
The meat that goes into this casserole is raw (like meatloaf). The meat cooks as the casserole bakes. So don’t be confused by this.
Chile Relleno Casserole can be made ahead of time if that’s helpful; it has a quick kitchen clean-up; then pop it in the oven. To make ahead: Simply assemble in the casserole dish, then refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
Any cheese you love best for melting is recommended. I list cheddar in the recipe, but fine to choose another.

Other tips for success

Use freshly grated cheese for the freshest tasting casserole.
But use pre-grated for convenience if it reduces stress! Do what works best for you.

How to serve Keto Chile Relleno Casserole

Serve topped with sour cream, fresh cilantro and olives.

If you wish, add Herb Roasted Cauliflower on the side, made with the Latin spices option.

For non-Paleo: Consider beans as another fitting side dish. They are actually Low Carb in moderation (because they’re so high in fiber), and wonderful for Gluten-free and Anti-Inflammatory diets.

Add a green salad, cucumbers and/or fresh lime wedges if you’d like.

How to store and reheat

Let your leftovers cool completely. Cover well, and refrigerate up to 3 days.

To reheat, lightly grease an oven-safe plate.

Reheat single servings in a low temperature (300℉) oven.

Egg-free Mexican casserole

A lot of Chile Relleno Casseroles are heavy on the eggs. They’re basically brunch egg casseroles. This recipe is not that. 🙂

The goal here was to emulate that favorite dinner recipe I loved growing up. So there are no eggs in this recipe.

close-up view of chile relleno casserole being served

Print Recipe

4.81 from 26 votes

Keto Chile Relleno Casserole (Paleo, Whole30, Egg-free, Gluten-free)

Gluten-free Keto Chile Relleno Casserole is a cheesy comfort food casserole that's easy to assemble and delivers big on authentic Mexican flavor. Enjoy the dairy-free version, too, for Paleo and Whole30.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: casserole, chile relleno, gaps diet, gluten-free, keto, low carb, paleo, whole30

Servings: servings

Calories: 427kcal

Author: Megan

Cost: $15