The base of this casserole is a crispy crust of sweet potato hash browns. I love sweet potatoes, not only because they taste so good, but also because they are packed with fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C, among other good stuff. Baking them for a bit before putting the filling in means they get a little crispy and at the same time stick together like a crust would. Of course, this is a double good crust because it’s not made out of wheat flour. Gluten-free followers rejoice!
Next comes the ground beef and onions. Of course ground beef is a perfect Paleo food, and onions give that extra flavor that combines with the meat for a super savory, yummy base. The sauce is basically a Tex-mex flavored tomato-based sauce. Remember that if you don’t like things too spicy, you can always use less (or no) jalapeño – or, if you’re like me and love spicy things, add twice as much!
The eggs add not only more protein, but a dash of simplicity to this dish that really brings it to the next level, in terms of flavor and looks. As the egg cooks, it will even out to a nice topping over the meat mixture and will brown ever so slightly.
With all this protein and all the savory flavors, you need a bit of acid to cut through it all. The lime in the avocado salad does just that and the avocado itself ties together the dish with the salad. I personally love cilantro but I hear some people could do without – don’t be afraid to skip the cilantro if you must. But this salad not only balances the flavors of the casserole by adding a bright lime to things, it also brings even more vitamin C to the party and a little crunch from the red pepper.
I started this post by saying this is the ultimate brunch dish – and it is! But I have to admit…I made it for dinner just last night and it was the perfect meal after a long day. Rich and spicy flavors, filling, complex, topped off with a bit of freshness….yum. So basically, whether it’s lunch or brunch or breakfast or dinner, you can’t go wrong with this Paleo casserole!
Ingredients
- 1 medium (1 pound) sweet potato, grated
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 4 eggs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp paprika
- For Enchilada sauce
- 1 large tomato
- ¼ cup water
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ jalapeño, deseeded
- 1 tbsp Paleo approved store-bought or homemade taco seasoning (https://paleogrubs.com/taco-seasoning-recipes)
- Avocado salsa (optional)
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 red pepper, diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- In a large bowl, mix shredded sweet potatoes, salt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and paprika. Add the sweet potato mixture into 9 inch round baking dish and press gently. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven.
- Meantime, make enchilada sauce. Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beef and stir for 10 minutes or until well browned and all liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from the heat, add the Enchilada sauce and mix. Spread enchilada sauce mixture evenly over potato mixture.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 15 minutes. Pour over the lightly beaten eggs with pinch of salt and bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, slice, top with avocado salsa if using and serve.
This looks right up my fam’s alley. Going to give it a go this weekend! Thanks!
My son is allergic to eggs. Do you think a gelatin egg replacer would work in this recipe?
This looks very tasty. Why do you add in the eggs after the baking has started? I’m trying to understand why this is better than mixing the eggs in with the meat and sauce when it first goes in the pan. Thanks!
Hi! I tied this for the first time, it was tasty, thanks!
I have a question though…I used the whole 3 tbs of olive oil in the crust by mistake, so I’m sure that’s why it wasn’t as crispy as it was supposed to be. But the sweet potato ‘hash browns’ taste very sweet. Would parsnips work better, do you think?
Thanks,
Linda