Home » Side Dishes » Keto Ham and Cauliflower Casserole

Published: Apr 4, 2021 · Modified: Aug 19, 2021 by Carolyn

Keto Ham and Cauliflower Casserole

Name: Ham and Cauliflower Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 24 ounces cauliflower florets; 2 cups diced ham; 8 ounces cheddar cheese (grated, divided); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp salt; 3/4 tsp pepper; 1/2 tsp glucomannan ((optional) ); 1 cup full fat sour cream

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Ham and cauliflower casserole is the perfect way to use up that leftover ham! It’s creamy and rich, and so easy to make. It’s a crowd pleaser too.

Titled image of keto ham and cauliflower casserole in a small dish, in front of the larger casserole

This keto cauliflower casserole is the perfect answer to that age old question: what do I do with all this leftover ham???

If you cook ham for Easter or Thanksgiving, or any other holiday meal, bookmark this recipe now and don’t lose sight of it. You will be so glad you did!

Ham always makes so much. Even a “small” ham feeds a veritable army. And I am sure I am not alone when I say that the leftovers can be overwhelming.

So we need any and all recipes to use it up! Be sure to also check out keto ham and cheese scones, and keto baked asparagus for more tasty ideas.

Close up shot of keto cauliflower casserole in a white dish with a serving spoon.

Is ham keto?

So let’s first discuss ham, and whether or not it’s appropriate for the keto diet. The truth is that it depends.

Ham is a cut of pork from the thigh, and it’s usually cured for longer shelf life and preservation. It may or may not be smoked as well. So it really depends on how your ham is treated before you purchase it.

Many commercial hams are cured with a brine of salt and sugar, amongst other additives. Which means that some hams can have up to 4 or 5 grams of carbs per serving, even without the sugary glazes.

It’s important to be a label reader and choose ham with the least amount of carbs. Some can even have 0g, if they are cured with salt brine or simply smoked.

A spoonful of ham and cauliflower casserole being lifted out of the casserole dish.

Ham and Cauliflower Casserole Inspiration

My husband’s brother sent us a gorgeous heritage breed ham from Zingerman’s for Easter. Of course, the very first thing I did was flip it over to look at the nutritional information. Phew, only 1g carbs per serving!

I am not a huge ham lover, but this was among the best I’ve ever had. Rich and flavorful, and no sugary sweetness. But as always with ham, it was far too much for one dinner.

We’ve all been picking at it daily, often eating it for breakfast with an egg on top. But I wanted to do something else more interesting with the leftovers. I saw this Ham and Hashbrown casserole on Salty Side Dish, and thought I could do something similar with cauliflower.

A photo collage showing how to make keto cauliflower casserole.

How to make Keto Ham Cauliflower Casserole

This is a super easy keto side dish that takes only 6 ingredients. It’s full of flavor and even my kids loved it. Big win!

Shred or coarsely chop the cauliflower

You could make this keto cauliflower casserole with cauliflower rice. But I wanted more texture than that. So I popped the florets in my food processor and pulsed it until coarsely chopped.

You could also use the shredding blade of a food processor. Or you could simply use a sharp knife and chop them by hand.

Dice the ham

You want to get bits of ham in every bite so dicing it works best. The pieces should be no more than ¼ inch to ½ inch in size (small dice).

Grate the cheese

You can use pre-shredded cheese but grating an 8 ounce block of cheddar is easy. And this way, you can be sure that there are no added starches or fillers.

Use a thickener

Unlike hashbrowns, cauliflower releases a lot of water during baking. So I recommend sprinkling in some glucomannan powder before baking. The liquids will thicken up more as the casserole begins to cool.

It’s the same trick I use for Keto Rhubarb Crisp!

If you can’t find glucomannan, xanthan gum may also work. Neither is required, but the casserole will be a little watery when it comes out of the oven.

Bake until bubbly

The casserole is done when the filling is bubbly, the cheese is browned, and the cauliflower is fork tender.

Let stand

This casserole is super hot straight out of the oven. I recommend letting it sit for 10 or 15 minutes before serving. This also gives the filling a chance to thicken up a bit.

A serving of keto ham and cauliflower casserole in a small white dish.

That’s it, friends! This keto cauliflower casserole was a surprise hit in my house, with my middle child even coming back for seconds. That says a lot!

More delicious keto casserole recipes

Ham and Cauliflower Casserole

Ham and cauliflower casserole is the perfect way to use up that leftover ham! It's creamy and rich, and so easy to make. It's a crowd pleaser too.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ham and cauliflower casserole, ham casserole, keto cauliflower casserole

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: servings

Calories: 244kcal

Ingredients

24 ounces cauliflower florets
2 cups diced ham
8 ounces cheddar cheese grated, divided
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon glucomannan (optional)
1 cup full fat sour cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9×13 pan or other large casserole dish.
Place half of the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse a few times on high until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining cauliflower. (It's okay to have some bigger pieces in there…)
Add the ham, half of the cheese, and the garlic. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and glucomannan and toss to combine. Fold in the sour cream until well coated.
Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Ham and Cauliflower Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 serving = ⅛th of recipe)

Calories 244 Calories from Fat 140

% Daily Value*

Fat 15.5g24%

Carbohydrates 6.5g2%

Fiber 1.8g7%

Protein 16.4g33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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Keto Ham and Cauliflower Casserole

Is ham keto?

Ham and Cauliflower Casserole Inspiration