Skinny Taco Squash Casserole

Name: Skinny Taco Squash Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1.25 pounds lean ground beef; 2 cups low fat cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup water; 2 cups of yellow squash (diced); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1.5 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 cup water; Green onions diced (optional)

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Skinny Taco Squash Casserole is a healthy spin on a weeknight supper favorite. We fill in the carb gaps with healthy yellow squash and let the Taco protein shine.

So if you look around over here a lot, you will know that I love a casserole. I am a Southern woman who grew up in the kitchens of some of the finest southern cooks ever.

Casseroles are our love language. But let’s face it, they are not always the healthiest. So over the course of the last couple of years, I have been on a mission to make healthier swaps for foods that really weren’t serving me. This recipe was born out of this!

Healthy Choices Don’t Have to Be Boring

One of the common misconceptions about eating healthy is that it is boring. It sure doesn’t have to be. Eating healthy is so much more than eating boiled chicken and steamed broccoli. You can eat really, really well and I hope you take a look at our other recipes that show that like, LIGHT AND HEALTHY CHICKEN POT PIE and our SHEET PAN MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES. These are just a couple of really great options that show how you can eat so well and not miss a thing.

How to Make It

So, this one has a recipe within a recipe! You can take the seasonings and make your own taco seasoning at home to keep on hand. It goes so well with anything you want to add a little Mexican flair to. Other than that, we keep things very simple

Ingredients

1.25 pounds lean ground beef
2 cups low fat cheese
1/2 cup water
2 cups of yellow squash, diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1.5 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup water
Green onions diced, optional

Instructions

Taco night never looked better!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut and cube squash and place in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Set aside. Brown ground beef and drain. Return to skillet on medium heat. Add garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and chili powder. Mix well.

chopped squash in the bottom of casserole dish

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Add water and steam meat and seasonings on low to medium heat . Simmer for 3-5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

Spoon meat over prepared squash and top with 2 cups of low fat cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melty and brown.

pouring browned meat over squash in casserole dish

topping casserole with shredded mozzarella cheese

whole dish of casserole with green onions

Tips and Tricks

Can I use another kind of Protein ?

Yes! Ground Turkey or Chicken is a fabulous option to make this even healthier. Your cheese counts as a protein too so either low fat cheddar or mozzarella will work great!

What Can I substitute for Squash

You can use zucchini if you would rather. If the texture isn’t your favorite, try spiraling the squash. It is a low glycemic veggie choice and makes the perfect bed for the taco protein. You can also sub with a whole grain noodle or cooked brown rice.

Would it be better to use NON FAT ingredients?

I try to stay away from NON fat items. The fat is usually replaced with sugar or another form of carbs to give you what the fat provides. Reading your labels here make a huge difference.

taco casserole with green onions and cheese

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