Keto Ground Beef, Feta and Spinach Skillet
This keto ground beef, feta and spinach skillet is a Greek-inspired one-pan dish that lands on the table in 15 minutes. Ground beef is browned crumbly with garlic and oregano, fresh baby spinach wilts down in the residual heat, and crumbled feta melts slightly on top. A straightforward keto dinner with just 3 g net carbs.
Key facts at a glance
- Prep and cook time: approx. 15 minutes — a quick everyday one-skillet meal.
- Approx. 3 g net carbs and 38 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: ground beef, baby spinach, feta cheese, olive oil, garlic, oregano.
- Works as a filling keto dinner or as a 2-day meal-prep dish.
Ingredients
One serving equals the entire skillet — a complete keto dinner.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef (20 % fat) | - | |||
| Baby spinach | - | |||
| Feta cheese | - | |||
| Olive oil | approx. 1 tbsp | |||
| approx. 1 tbsp | ||||
| Garlic clove | - | |||
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp | |||
| 1 tsp | ||||
| Salt | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
| Pepper | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
Preparation
Sweat garlic in olive oil, brown the ground beef until crumbly and season with oregano. Fold in the baby spinach until it wilts, then crumble feta on top and let it melt briefly.
Why ground beef, feta and spinach work well on keto
Ground beef (200 g, 20 % fat) provides about 26 g protein and 20 g fat — the fat in the beef is a natural energy source on a ketogenic diet. Feta (50 g) adds around 7 g protein and 10 g fat with less than 1 g carbs. Baby spinach (80 g) has only 0.8 g net carbs and delivers iron, magnesium and vitamin K. With 1 tbsp olive oil (approx. 8 g fat), you arrive at a macro profile of roughly 35 g protein, 38 g fat and only 3 g net carbs per serving — a classic keto ratio. Compared with a conventional ground beef skillet served with pasta or rice (50–60 g carbs), this dish cuts more than 90 % of the carbs.
Source: FDDB Nutrient Database — Baby spinach, fresh , Harvard T.H. Chan — Iron and leafy greens
Baby spinach: the ideal keto vegetable
Baby spinach contains only about 1 g net carbs per 100 g. At the same time, it delivers meaningful amounts of magnesium (approx. 79 mg/100 g) — a mineral often in short supply on a ketogenic diet. Add vitamin K, folate and plant-based iron. In the skillet, spinach shrinks dramatically: 80 g of fresh spinach barely looks like anything once cooked, but the nutrient content remains.
Feta as a keto cheese
Feta has around 1.5 g carbs per 100 g — less than most soft cheeses. Its intense flavor means that 50 g is enough to carry an entire dish. That's ideal for keto: small amount, lots of fat (approx. 21 g/100 g) and a bold aroma. Greek feta from sheep's milk also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
How to serve and vary the ground beef, feta and spinach skillet
Serve straight from the skillet — it stays warm and saves washing up. A small cucumber salad with olive oil and lemon pairs beautifully. From personal experience: a dollop of sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt (10 % fat) on the hot pan makes the dish even creamier and rounds out the Greek note.
Meal prep and taking it to go
Stored in an airtight container, the skillet keeps for 2 days in the fridge. To reheat: 2 minutes in the microwave or 4 minutes in a pan over medium heat. Crumble the feta fresh on top only after reheating — that preserves its texture.
Variation without ground beef
Swap the ground beef for 200 g ground chicken — it's a little leaner and brings the fat down to around 30 g per serving. For a vegetarian version: pan-fry 200 g of diced halloumi and combine with spinach, feta and toasted pine nuts. Halloumi delivers about 22 g protein per 100 g.
What tips help with the ground beef, feta and spinach skillet?
- Brown the ground beef over high heat and don't stir too often — that develops Maillard flavor instead of steaming it.
- Add the spinach only at the end and leave it in the pan for just 1–2 minutes — it wilts fast and turns mushy otherwise.
- Don't cook the feta along with everything else; crumble it over the finished dish and let it melt for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic to cold olive oil before the beef and warm it slowly — that draws out the aroma without burning it.
- For more heat: add a pinch of chili flakes together with the oregano.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 135 kcal | approx. 500 kcal | Filling main meal; energy mostly from fat and protein. |
| Filling main meal; energy mostly from fat and protein. | |||
| Fat | approx. 10 g | approx. 38 g | Fat from ground beef, feta and olive oil — natural keto fat sources. |
| Fat from ground beef, feta and olive oil — natural keto fat sources. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 0.8 g | approx. 3 g | Very low; carbs come almost entirely from spinach and garlic. |
| Very low; carbs come almost entirely from spinach and garlic. | |||
| Sugar | approx. 0.4 g | approx. 1.5 g | Natural sugar from the spinach; no added sugar. |
| Natural sugar from the spinach; no added sugar. | |||
| Protein | approx. 9.5 g | approx. 35 g | High protein from ground beef and feta — supports muscle maintenance. |
| High protein from ground beef and feta — supports muscle maintenance. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.5 g | approx. 1.8 g | Moderate; feta is naturally salty, so go easy on added salt. |
| Moderate; feta is naturally salty, so go easy on added salt. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Is ground beef suitable for keto?
Yes, ground beef (20 % fat) is one of the best keto staples: 0 g carbs, about 17 g protein and 20 g fat per 100 g (raw). The natural fat in the beef often makes extra cooking fat unnecessary. Lean ground beef (5 % fat) is less suitable for keto because the fat ratio is too low.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of baby spinach?
Yes, but frozen spinach must be thawed and squeezed dry beforehand — it holds a lot of water that would otherwise make the pan watery. Approx. 150 g of thawed frozen spinach equals about 80 g of fresh baby spinach. The nutrient values stay nearly identical.
Does this skillet fit a keto weight-loss plan?
With approx. 500 kcal and only 3 g net carbs per serving, the dish fits well into a keto calorie deficit. The combination of 35 g protein and 38 g fat keeps you full for a long time. To trim calories: use leaner ground beef (10 % fat) and reduce the olive oil — that saves about 80 kcal.
Which feta works best?
Greek feta from sheep's milk (or a sheep/goat milk blend) has the most intense flavor and the best fatty acid profile. Cow-milk feta imitations work flavor-wise too but have a different fatty acid profile. The ingredient list should show 'sheep's milk' in first position.