This Dairy Free Paleo Casserole is made of layers of fresh veggies, bright herbs and chicken! Naturally gluten free, whole30 and so delicious!
PIN Dairy Free Paleo Casserole
Is it just me or is a casserole on a winter night just the best meal ever?
I grew up eating healthy chicken noodle casserole and I think that set the stage for my “winter night casserole” love because now I’m all about a one pan Mexican quinoa casserole, Cheesy Instant Pot chicken and rice casserole OR this little number when I’m feeling like I need more veggies in my life.
Which, after all the paleo ginger snaps and gluten dairy free vegan sugar cookies I had (without ANY GUILT, I might add ????) over the Holiday’s, it’s probably not a bad idea to get some veggies in!
Dairy Free Paleo Casserole with Chicken Ingredients
It’s casserole season people which means I figured you needed some new keto casseroles! Nothing screams COZY more than a hot, loaded casserole on a cold winter day. I love a good casserole because you can throw together a bunch of different ingredients for an easy meal, and they taste DELISH.
This is not only a whole30 casserole, but it’s also gluten free, dairy free, and a paleo friendly meal that the whole family will enjoy! Meals that are paleo and whole30 are nourishing for your body, they make you feel great after eating them, and they can also be so delicious! A few of my favorite paleo recipes are No Bean Whole30 Keto Chili in the Instant Pot and Easy Low Carb Paleo Meatloaf. Now, let’s gather our ingredients for the casserole we’re making today. You will need:
- Olive Oil
- Lean Ground Turkey or Chicken
- Onion
- Tomato Paste
- Pepper
- Large Zucchini
- Garlic
- Salt
- Cumin powder
- Cardamom powder
- Oregano flakes
- Chili powder
- Fresh tarragon, minced
- Tomato
- Orange Bell Pepper, diced
- Olive Oil
- Almond Meal
- Coconut Flour
- Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Salt and Pepper
How to make Dairy Free Paleo Casserole with Chicken
You’re not going to miss the dairy in this paleo chicken casserole, I can guarantee it. The sauce is so rich and adds all that creamy, comforting flavor and texture you’re looking for, without the cheese! The spices work together to bring the perfect amount of flavor to this casserole, and the best part is that it’s picky eater approved! Kids will even love this casserole- it’s a great family weeknight meal in the winter time, and here’s how to put it together:
Preheat
Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and brush an 8 x 8 pan with olive oil.
Cook
In a large pan, heat some olive oil and add in the ground turkey once it’s heated up. Cook it until it’s no longer pink and then add in the onion, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Mix
Add the chopped zucchini to a large bowl and toss it with the remaining olive oil and the garlic. In a separate, small bowl, add the spices and stir them together. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the zucchini and toss until it’s evenly coated.
Arrange and Bake
Place the zucchini in the bottom of your prepared pan (it’s ok if a few of them overlap) and sprinkle them with the fresh tarragon. Spread the turkey on top of the zucchini and push it down so that it’s packed well. Lay the sliced tomato over top of the turkey mixture. Spread the diced bell pepper on top of the tomato evenly. Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes.
Make the Sauce
While the casserole is baking, heat a large pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add in the almond meal and coconut flour and let it cook until it absorbs into the oil and turns dark brown. Pour in the almond milk and let it come to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for 10-11 minutes at a low boil, stirring often until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake
Pour the sauce evenly over the casserole and let it bake another 45 minutes or so, uncovered. Let it cool for 10 minutes once you pull it from the oven, then slice and garnish with more fresh tarragon. Time to DEVOUR!
Side Dish Ideas
Of all my paleo casserole recipes, this one is one of my faves! I just love it, and it can be paired with so may different delicious sides as well! A few that I recommend are:
- Vegan Paleo Broccoli Cashew Salad
- Superfood Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Cumin Roasted Carrots
Make Ahead Friendly
Another plus about casseroles like this one is that you don’t have to prepare and cook it all at once- there’s no rush or time crunch on this meal. In fact, you can easily assemble it the morning or even day before you want to bake it. If you’ve got a busy day at work but still need a hot meal to feed your family, assemble this casserole the night before and pop it into the oven after work! It is so convenient for those busy days with no time to spare!
Other Healthy Casseroles
Healthy Baked Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
Healthy BBQ Chicken Quinoa Casserole
Moroccan Healthy Gluten Free Paleo Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Olive oil divided
- 1 Lb 93% Lean Ground turkey OR chicken
- 1/2 Cup Onion diced (about half a small onion)
- 1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
- Pepper
- 1 Large zucchini sliced 1/4 thick
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/8 tsp Cardamom powder
- 1/8 tsp Oregano flakes
- 1/4 tsp Chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Tarragon minced + additional for garnish
- 1 Large tomato thinly sliced
- 1 Cup Orange bell pepper diced (about 1 large pepper)
For the sauce:
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Almond meal
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Coconut flour
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond milk
- Salt/pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and brush an8x8 inch panwith olive oil. Set aside
- In a large pan, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add in the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, and the outside is nice and browned. Stir in the diced onion, tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place the sliced zucchini into a large bowl and toss with remaining tsp of olive oil and garlic. In a separate, small bowl, mix together the salt, cumin, cardamom, oregano and chili powder. Add into the zucchini and toss, making sure the spices are evenly coated.
- Spread the zucchini onto the bottom of the prepared pan (it's ok if you have overlap on a few pieces) and sprinkle the fresh tarragon over top.
- Spoon the turkey mixture on top of the zucchini and press down, so that the turkey is nice and packed. Lay the sliced tomato on top of the turkey in an even layer. Finish by sprinkling the diced bell pepper over top of the tomato evenly.
- Cover the casserole and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the casserole bakes, make the sauce by heating the olive oil in a large pan over medium/high heat.
- Add in the almond meal and coconut flour and cook until the flours begin to absorb into the oil and turn a dark brown, about 1 minute. Think dark peanut butter here.
- Pour in the almond milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium so that the sauce stays at a steady low boil. Stir often to ensure it does not burn.
- Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10-11 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the casserole bakes, pour the sauce over-top evenly and bake, uncovered, for another 45 minutes.
- Let stand for 10 minutes and then slice, garnish with additional tarragon and DEVOUR.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: POINTS+: 8 OLD POINTS: 7
(per 1/4 of the recipe)
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Kristen @ The Endless Meal says
It broke my heart reading your story about Ashley and her family. I can’t even begin to imagine. I live in a country where medical care is free and can’t even begin to imagine having to struggle financially when you’re struggling with your health. It’s so sad! I’m sending lots of positive thoughts to Ashley, her husband and their little one.
You’re casserole looks delicious! I think you did a great job of turning a pile of brown food into something that looks totally good. 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
It’s awful eh! I’m originally from Canada, where medical is free, so the cost still blows my mind!
And thank you so much!
margaret says
Hi, I was wondering if we can freeze this? if yes, should I freeze it after I pour the sauce over it or should cook it completely and then freeze it? You might have given these freezing tips in you description or comments but I really have no time right now to read through it;(
Taylor Kiser says
To be honest, I have not frozen it myself so I really can’t tell you 100% for sure either way! I’m sorry!
My gut tells me it would be best to cook it first but again, I can’t tell you for sure! Please let me know if you try it Margaret!
Donna says
My husband and I both thought this was a great recipe and loved the flavors. Thanks for sharing!
Taylor Kiser says
SO happy you both loved it! Thanks for letting me know!
Effy says
How can I make the sauce without nuts? I’m allergic. Substitute coconut milk? Use more coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Taylor Kiser says
Unfortunately, recipes are only tested as written so I really would have no way of knowing – I am sorry and hope you understand! If you try that, let me know how it goes!
Bee says
I made this for my family tonight. Pretty much followed the recipe.
OMG it was so good and my kids totally gobbled it up! This will be going into our regular dinner rotation!
Taylor Kiser says
YAY! I am so glad!
AJMitchie says
Amazing casserole! And so easy to double the recipe for a group or to freeze for meal prep. This is a little lengthy but here are my Substitutions/Tweaks: doubled all ingredients except for Turkey (3lb pkg), Zucchini (3 large) and Tomato Paste (6oz can). Added: 1/2 jar of mushrooms and sautéed first with onion and garlic; topped with vegan mozzarella cheese last 10 minutes of baking. Substituted: sliced tomatoes with 1/4 cup sliced Kalmata Olives; cardamom with Cinnamon, almond meal with Almond Flour. Left out: Tarragon – didn’t have this or the tomatoes. 🙂
I basically just did my best to use what I had on hand. It was incredible! I followed instructions for “sauce” to a T – and added some vegan cheese to help thicken. Everything firmed up great when baked. Delish! … And it looked great, too!
Taylor Kiser says
Yay!!! So glad you liked it! The tweaks sound great too! 🙂
MrsW says
This looks so yummo!! I cannot eat tomatoes or peppers though. Any ideas on what would make good substitutes? I am thinking zucchini. But what else? Thanks.
Taylor Kiser says
It already has zucchini! Honestly those are pretty key ingredients so this might not be the best recipe for you!
Sarah says
How long do you think this will keep in the fridge?
Taylor Kiser says
I’m thinking 4-5 days.