Queso Chorizo Casserole (Paleo, Whole30)

This Queso Chorizo Casserole is an easy, fun breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Spicy chorizo sausage is mixed with colorful vegetables and store-bought dairy-free queso cheese sauce, then baked in the oven.

Plus this 6-ingredient casserole is gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, keto, Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

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Paleo Casserole with Chorizo

If you’re familiar with queso fundido, then you know that the Mexican melted cheese dip is incredibly irresistible.

And it’s often topped with spicy, tangy chorizo sausage, making it even better.

So I decided to combine those two ingredients into this easy low carb casserole.

Chorizo sausage is browned, then removed but with its fat left in the pan.

Then onion, peppers and cauliflower rice are cooked into those flavorful juices.

Meanwhile, eggs and store-bought dairy-free queso are whisked together.

(See the ingredient list below for suggestions of my favorite Paleo/Whole30 queso brands.)

Then the sausage, vegetables and egg/queso mixture are mixed together and baked!

What makes it so simple is the chorizo and queso do all the work – they’re packed with so much flavor you don’t need to add any extra seasonings.

And this gluten-free dairy-free casserole is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I love it topped with avocado, olives and cilantro (or parsley for us cilantro-haters), but the casserole is great on its own, too.

What you need for this Paleo Casserole with Chorizo

Ingredients:

• avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray, for greasing the pan
• 1 pound loose/bulk chorizo sausage – if you can only find it sold in links, remove the sausage meat from the casings
• olive oil or coconut oil, if necessary
• 1/2 red or yellow onion
• 1 bell pepper (any color) or poblano pepper
• 1 cup fresh or frozen (unthawed) cauliflower rice
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (10-12 oz.) jar dairy-free queso – I like the following brands as they’re not only dairy-free but Paleo and Whole30 friendly as well:
  • Sabor Mexicano Home Made Plant-Based Queso
  • Primal Kitchen No Dairy Plant Based Queso
  • Core and Rind Cheesy Cashew Sauce (especially the Bold & Spicy or Rich & Smoky flavors)
• topping ideas: sliced or diced avocado, sliced black olives, chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Equipment:

• a large skillet (12″) – regular or nonstick
• a silicone spatula to break up the chorizo as it cooks
• a medium mixing bowl
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• measuring spoons
• a slotted spoon
• a large mixing bowl
• a whisk
• an 8×8″ baking dish

How to make this Paleo Casserole with Chorizo and Queso

Heat the oven to 400°.

Grease the baking dish with avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray.

Heat the large skillet over medium heat. Then add the chorizo and break it up with the spatula as it browns.

While the chorizo cooks, peel and dice the onion and dice the pepper.

Stir and toss the chorizo occasionally until it’s browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a medium bowl, leaving its fat and juices in the pan.

Add the diced vegetables to the pan and stir occasionally until softened, about 5-8 minutes.

Add the cauliflower rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir occasionally until the cauliflower is warmed through and slightly tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the eggs and queso sauce in the large mixing bowl.

Add the chorizo and vegetables to the egg mixture and stir until everything is evenly distributed.

Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is set, the casserole is puffed and the edges are browned and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes, then slice and serve with any desired toppings.

Substitutions and variations

• Use any kind of loose/bulk chorizo you like, such as turkey or chicken.
• Use any bell pepper you like – green is the most sour, then red is a little sweeter, then orange, then yellow is the sweetest.
• Depending on how spicy your chorizo and queso are, you can make the casserole even spicier by adding ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the egg mixture.
• You can double the recipe by using a 9×13″ baking dish and baking it for 50-55 minutes.

Make ahead and storage

• You can store the cooked casserole in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven.
• You can freeze the casserole for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight and reheat in a low oven.

Other recipes you might like:

1. Chorizo Sweet Potato Hash (Paleo, Whole30)
2. Breakfast Casserole (Paleo, Whole30)
3. Taco Casserole (Paleo, Whole30)
4. Supreme Pizza Casserole (Paleo, Whole30)
5. Italian Egg Bake (Paleo, Whole30)

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Queso Chorizo Casserole (Paleo, Whole30)

This easy Paleo casserole combines chorizo sausage, colorful vegetables and creamy queso sauce for a fun breakfast, lunch or dinner! You only need 6 ingredients, plus it's gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, keto and Whole30 friendly!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

resting time15 mins

Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: breakfast casserole, healthy chorizo recipes, paleo casserole, whole30 casserole

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

• avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray
• 1 pound loose/bulk chorizo sausage (meat removed from casings if sold in links)
• ½ medium red or yellow onion
• 1 bell pepper (any color, see notes below) or poblano pepper
• 1 cup cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen (unthawed)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (10-12 oz.) jar dairy-free queso (see below for suggestions)
• topping ideas: sliced or diced avocado, sliced black olives, chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400°.
• Grease an 8x8" baking dish with avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and break it up with a heat-proof spatula as it browns.
• While the chorizo cooks, peel and dice the onion and dice the pepper.
• Stir and toss the chorizo occasionally until it's browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a medium bowl, leaving its fat and juices in the pan.
• Add the diced vegetables to the pan and stir occasionally until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
• Add the cauliflower rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir occasionally until the cauliflower is warmed through and slightly tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
• While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the eggs and queso sauce in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the chorizo and vegetables to the egg mixture and stir until everything is evenly distributed.
• Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is set, the casserole is puffed and the edges are browned and bubbly.
• Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes, then slice and serve with any desired toppings.

Notes

I like the following queso brands as they're not only dairy-free but Paleo and Whole30 friendly as well:

• • Sabor Mexicano Home Made Plant-Based Queso
  • Primal Kitchen No Dairy Plant Based Queso
  • Core and Rind Cheesy Cashew Sauce (especially the Bold & Spicy or Rich & Smoky flavors)

Substitutions and variations

Use any kind of loose/bulk chorizo you like, such as turkey or chicken.

Use any bell pepper you like - green is the most sour, then red is a little sweeter, then orange, then yellow is the sweetest.

Depending on how spicy your chorizo and queso are, you can make the casserole even spicier by adding ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the egg mixture.

You can double the recipe by using a 9x13" baking dish and baking it for 50-55 minutes.

Make ahead and storage

You can store the cooked casserole in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven.

You can freeze the casserole for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight and reheat in a low oven.

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