53 Easy Keto Recipes Perfect For Dinner

The keto diet has become one of the most popular diets and it is clear to understand why once aware of the benefits that come with following it.

53 Easy Keto Recipes Perfect For Dinner

There has been research done into this diet which has found that it can help prevent heart disease.

It can also help fight against other health issues such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and alzheimer’s.

The keto diet works by consuming high amounts of fat, a moderate amount of protein, and a very limited amount of carbs.

After you follow the diet for a few days, your body enters what is referred to as ketosis, which means it has started to use fat for energy.

This results in your body burning the fat that you have stored in your body, instead of the carbohydrates.

This aids in weight loss and removes your body’s reliance on sugar.

If you think that the keto diet is right for you but are a bit lost on what recipes to have for dinner that fit into the requirements, then you should definitely read through this list.

1. Keto Stuffed Cabbage

Just because you are eating keto, does not mean that you have to finish a meal while still feeling hungry.

This stuffed cabbage recipe will leave you feeling very satisfied.

What makes this recipe especially keto friendly is that you use cauliflower rice instead of normal rice.

2. Keto Southern Fried Cabbage

This is a great dish to have as a main for dinner or as a side. You can add bacon to add an interesting (keto friendly) twist if you prefer.

Garlic, onions, and paprika are also added to give the tender cabbage a burst of flavor that goes a long way.

You can cook the cabbage for as long as you want as it depends on how soft you would like it. 

3. Keto Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

You may be surprised at how much goodness you are able to stuff inside of a bell pepper.

The filling is buttery, and protein packed and is finished off with a sprinkling of cheese on top which melts perfectly.

This cheese also makes it nice and crispy if you sprinkle it on just before you take the peppers out of the oven. 

4. Keto Bacon Wrapped Cauliflower

If you are hosting a dinner party for some keto enthusiasts (see also ‘23 Simple Vegetarian Keto Recipes You Need To Try!‘), then you will definitely impress them with this bacon wrapped cauliflower.

It looks excellent when you take it out of the oven, but once you cut into it you expose the colorful filling of eggs and spinach.

5. Keto Tuna Melts Zucchini Boats

These are not just quick and easy, but they are also delicious and low in carbs. It only calls for 10 ingredients which are most likely already in your kitchen cupboards.

This recipe calls for cheddar cheese but most other cheeses will compliment the rest of the flavors in the same way, especially Colby jack and Monterey jack.

6. Keto Taco Stuffed Avocados

If you are not a fan of zucchini or bell peppers, then you may want to try these avocado boats instead.

They are great as a starter or as a side and can be made as spicy as you like.

The only thing that may put you off this recipe is that they can be quite tricky to eat if the avocado is not ripe enough.

7. Keto Mac And Cheese

When you take this mac and cheese out of the oven, it will look like the traditional, hearty mac and cheese that we all know and love.

However, the secret is that the pasta is traded for cauliflower which cuts out a substantial amount of carbohydrates.

8. Keto Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a classic American dish which is very easy to make. This keto variation is also easy but also very juicy and packed with flavor.

A very important part of making this keto meatloaf is not handling it too rough as this will make it end up like a brick instead of a tender loaf.

9. Keto Oven-Baked Ribs

Other than the tender, juicy meat, the barbeque sauce used in this recipe is what makes these ribs so delicious.

The best thing about this dish though is that you can have peace of mind as you bite into it knowing that there are about four grams of carbohydrates per serving.

  1. Keto Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

This dish will leave you wanting more as it melts in your mouth and tingles your taste buds. The great thing about this meal is that you can have as much as you like without worrying about the amount of carbohydrates you’re having. It is also super easy to make as you just put all of the ingredients into a slow cooker and leave it to do all of the work.

  1. Keto Beef Tenderloin

There is nothing like a big, beautiful hunk of meat that has been cooked with care and seasoned to perfection. The secret to this recipe is putting the meat in the refrigerator for at least four hours before it is time to cook it. This meat tastes luxurious and only has one gram of carbohydrate per serving.

  1. Keto Lamb Sliders

These sliders are an excellent option for a starter to get the taste buds warmed up for the main course. You can also serve these as part of a buffet at any family event as they are very easy to make and are small enough to pop into your mouth without the need for cutlery. 

  1. Keto BLT Burgers

If you would like a burger that packs a bit more of a filling punch, then you can try these keto BLT burgers instead. They take just over half an hour to make and have just four grams of carbohydrates. However, they are quite high in calories as they are 980 per serving. So if you are needing to be careful of your intake you should keep this in mind. 

  1. Keto Burger Buns

Even if you are eating a keto diet, you are able to make these fluffy burger buns to complete the whole burger experience. They are extremely low in carbohydrates, and this is because they are made with almond flour instead of white flour. There is also shredded mozzarella cheese in these rolls which not only makes them taste even better but helps to hold the whole thing together.

  1. Keto Iceburgers

If you are not taken by the idea of making your own keto burger buns or happen to be in a bit of a rush, you can make these iceburgers instead. The idea is pretty simple as what makes this recipe special is that you use lettuce in place of a burger bun. This removes the risk of having any carbs and also adds a satisfying, refreshing crunch. 

  1. Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Wraps

This is another recipe that calls for lettuce leaves to hold the wonderful filling altogether. These bacon cheeseburger wraps consist of crispy bacon, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, and juicy tomatoes. If you want to make this recipe even healthier, you can substitute the ground beef for ground turkey instead. 

  1. Keto Air Fryer Lemon Chicken

On a hot summer day, there is nothing quite like some lemon chicken. Since this chicken is made in the air fryer, it is crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. You only need to get all of the ingredients together for five minutes before letting the air fryer do the rest of the work.

  1. Keto Chicken Pot Pie

Carbohydrates are the staple for a lot of comfort foods, and the chicken pot pie is one of these examples. For this pot pie, you use flathead dough which is not made using grain flours like traditional pastries. Even though the dough is not the typical kind, you would hardly know the difference when you bite into it. 

  1. Keto Bacon Burger Casserole

If you are familiar with hamburger pie, this dish will feel like a home from home. The main stars of this casserole is cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard which are all combined to enhance the burger flavor. What is so great about this casserole is that it is perfect for meal prepping so if you have a busy week ahead of you, you should definitely whack this in the oven on Sunday night.

  1. Keto Chicken Stir Fry

Stir frys are notoriously easy to make and take less than 10 minutes form prepping to serving. In a typical stir fry, noodles are added to make it more substantial. However, there are no noodles in this recipe and instead it is full of colorful vegetables as well as chicken. The chicken is marinated before it is cooked which turns this dish into a flavorful, healthy meal.

  1. Keto Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

All you need is one pan and 20 minutes to make this dinner. If you are not familiar with zucchini noodles, then you are about to learn a whole new way to replace normal noodles. In order to make the noodles, you will need a spiralizer for best efficiency. 

  1. Keto Shrimp with Cauliflower

If you have a hole in your stomach that you are looking to fill with some wholesome comfort food then you should make this keto shrimp with a cauliflower dish for dinner. The shrimp is healthy and seasoned to perfection. In place of grits, the cauliflower works perfectly with making it filling yet not starchy and stodgy. 

  1. Keto Tuscan Butter Shrimp

Just 10 ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need to make this delicious, creamy dinner. You don’t even need fresh shrimp to make this meal nutritious, you can use frozen shrimp instead and still yield the same results. It is also relatively low in calories when you think about how creamy it is which is an added bonus.

  1. Keto Tuscan Butter Salmon

This is one of the most popular keto recipes out there and once you try it, you will understand why. It is perfect for those who love salmon and are following a keto diet. The cream sauce is what really brings this whole dish together though and the parmesan makes it feel like you’re cheating on your diet when you’re not!

  1. Keto Chili Lime Salmon

This is another wonderful salmon dinner option which is a bit healthier than the previous one but also a little bit less exciting. If you love a bit of spice though then this salmon will be right up your street. This recipe also calls for a bit more time and attention, but the end result will be worth it in the end. You can serve it alongside any portion of vegetables you like. 

  1. Keto Salmon Sushi Bowl

You can make this delicious, healthy sushi bowl with just five ingredients. Instead of using normal sushi rice though, cauliflower is used to make it keto friendly. It only takes 15 minutes for it all to come together and you don’t even need a bamboo roller to achieve the sushi shape. 

  1. Keto Tuscan Garlic Chicken

This juicy chicken sits in a delicious creamy sauce that makes this dish hard to say no to. It is easy to make as you only need one skillet to put all of the ingredients in. You can also customize the recipe as much as you want by either adding or taking ingredients out to cater to your own tastes. 

  1. Keto Gluten-Free Cheese and Cauliflower Breadsticks

This may count as a meal on itself exactly, but they make for an excellent addition alongside the main event. Cauliflower once again comes to the rescue in order to make this keto friendly and a combination of parmesan and mozzarella cheese makes these breadsticks taste amazing and borderline addictive.

  1. Keto One-Pot Zucchini Alfredo

Alfredo is known to be heavy in the carbohydrate department, but this rendition does not follow the same route. This is because instead of pasta, zucchini is used by shaving it off to make thin, long strips that have a similar texture to the pasta traditionally used in alfredo.

  1. Keto Fish and Chips

Instead of normal potato fries, jicama fries are used to cut the amount of carbohydrates down substantially. You may have not heard of jicama, but it is essentially a root vegetable similar to a radish. They are surprisingly effective at recreating the texture of potato fries but are much healthier so you can eat them without guilt. 

  1. Keto Lemon Haloumi with Fried Capers

This meal is a fantastic mixture of flavors that all complement each other, resulting in a healthy dish that is anything but boring. You can make it in 15 minutes and if you are familiar with haloumi, you will know how good it tastes and will leave you feeling satisfied.

  1. Keto Taco Cups

You can make these taco cups to serve as finger food at a social gathering or as a starter. You can eat them with just one bite and the taco cups are great for holding all of the filling in without causing a mess. You can customize them as much as you like and the if you have a muffin tin, you will be able to make this meal in no time.

  1. Keto Taco Soup

Now that you have the taste for tacos, we should mention this keto taco soup recipe. Just seven ingredients are needed to make this soup and you can make a big batch of it to eat throughout the week. Despite the fact that it is soup, it is still filling and creamy whilst remaining healthy. 

  1. Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl

This is another meal which is perfect for those who love Mexican food. You can make this in a slow cooker and the sauce is able to be prepared in advance which makes this a really good option for if you have a busy day ahead. Keep in mind that there are 10 carbohydrates per serving in this dish so be careful about going back for seconds.

  1. Keto Chili

Chili is universally loved, especially on cold nights. This chili may be keto friendly but will still give you that big warm hug that you are looking for from traditional chili. The reason why this chili is keto friendly is that it does not use beans, but when the flavors and textures all come together you wouldn’t even notice that there’s no beans.

  1. Keto Lasagne

One of the main parts of lasagne are the pasta sheets. However, this recipe has found a clever way to bypass these carbohydrates by using cheese dough instead. Cheese dough may sound odd but once they are combined with the cheese, meat, sauce, and seasonings, then you will hardly tell the difference.

  1. Keto Sheet Pan Fajitas

In under 30 minutes you can whip up this delicious meal that can be enjoyed by the family or at social events – because everyone loves fajitas! In order to make this meal taste good, you do not have to pile on lots of high calorie sauces which also make them quite messy. Instead, this dish relies on a perfect balance of seasonings which help to bring the natural flavors of the chicken and vegetables to life. 

  1. Keto Taquitos

For taquitos to be keto, the corn tortilla has to be traded for something else, and in this instance, it is replaced with cheese. You have to make sure that you roll them up whilst the cheese is still warm though because if not, it will fall apart and make a mess. But once you figure out this timing, it will be a breeze. 

  1. Keto Chicken Cheese Broccoli Casserole

For a casserole with a lot of cheese, this meal is surprisingly low in calories at just 416 calories per serving. It is absolutely delicious though so the last thing you will be thinking about is the calories anyway! You can even make this casserole the day or two ahead of time and it will taste even better. 

  1. Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

These meatballs can be made as a snack or as a main course, depending on what you eat them with or how hungry you are. If you feel like you are missing some texture on these meatballs, you can roll them in peanut, coconut, or almond flour instead of wheat flour to make it keto friendly. 

  1. Keto Chicken Meatballs with Cauliflower Rice

This is another meatball recipe (see also ‘25 Delicious Meatball Recipe Appetizers‘) which is keto friendly but also includes cauliflower rice that you can make to serve underneath them to create a filling, well rounded meal. The use of chicken also makes this a very healthy meal. You can decide to alter the amount of tomatoes used in this recipe if you are worried about the amount of carbohydrates. 

  1. Keto Prosciutto-Wrapped Cauliflower Bites

If you are looking for something a bit fancier than meatballs, then these keto prosciutto wrapped cauliflower bites are just for you. These little balls of goodness are essentially cauliflower that has been cooked so that it is nice and creamy which has been wrapped in thin prosciutto and cooked until nice and crisp. 

  1. Keto Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash

For this meal, you are sacrificing some carbohydrates in order to get some much-needed nutrients that the butternut squash provides. Having said this though, once you combine the butternut squash with the other ingredients, you do not need as much in order to get the right flavors. 

  1. Keto Cauliflower Potato Salad

As the title suggests, this recipe is inspired by a traditional potato salad but instead of potatoes, cauliflower is used so that it is low carb and keto friendly. It is very quick and easy to make and can be served as a side to almost anything. The recipe calls for 5 oz. of bacon but you can leave this out if you prefer. 

  1. Keto Wedge Salad

With just three grams of carbohydrates per serving with this wedge salad, you will be surprised at how creamy and flavorful it is. There is blue cheese dressing, boiled eggs, and bacon in this salad and can be made two days in advance if you are short on time. Make sure that when you add the mayonnaise though that it is a low carb variation.

  1. Keto Asparagus, Egg and Bacon Salad

This salad is amazing and just by looking at the pictures of it online, you will probably think the same. You can make the eggs as gooey as you like and the ingredients needed are all very easy to get a hold of if you don’t already have them in your pantry. It’s very healthy and only has 10 grams of carbohydrates per serving. 

  1. Keto Garlic Steak Bite Salad

To add a twist to a traditional salad, this recipe calls for small cuts of juicy steak (see also ‘36 Must-Try Steak Recipes For The Whole Family‘) which have been fried in garlic butter. Once you have also added the vegetables, you can make the dressing which really brings everything together. This dressing is also very versatile so you can use it on any other dishes you make in the future. 

  1. Keto Chicken with Rainbow Vegetables

Tray bakes are known to be very easy to make as all you have to do is chop and arrange the ingredients on a tray, seasoning it, then putting it in the oven to bake for about 25 minutes. Per serving is only 240 calories and not only is it low in carbohydrates, but it is also gluten free. 

  1. Keto Garlic Butter Steak and Scallops

This is a meal for those who love the finer things in life, and it is the perfect thing to make if you want to impress at your next dinner party. The whole dish is enhanced by the garlic butter sauce which is very easy to make and consists of common ingredients found in the everyday kitchen. 

  1. Keto Fathead Pizza

When we think of pizza, we tend to think of a big, greasy treat that leaves us feeling sluggish afterwards. This keto flathead pizza is changing the game though as it looks just like a normal pizza, but it has a lot less calories and carbohydrates. You can also get as creative as you want with the toppings. For the best balance if you’re doing keto though is to add some high protein toppings such as Italian sausage (see also ‘35 Amazingly Delicious Italian Sausage Recipes‘) or chicken.

  1. Keto Philly Cheesesteak Soup

This soup is very nutritious whilst still being low in carbohydrates. You can even add some slices of provolone for some extra oomph and to make it look extra pretty. You also won’t feel the need to have any bread on this side with this soup as is satisfying and filling enough on its own.

  1. Keto Harvest Pumpkin and Sausage Soup

This is another soup which feels like a full, well-rounded meal all in one little bowl. The use of pumpkin puree, heavy whipping cream, and sausages gives this soup a lot of thickness and will definitely fill the gap that carbohydrates used to fill. The key to making the soup full of flavor is to make sure that you properly brown the sausages and onions. 

  1. Keto Lasagne Spaghetti Squash Boats 

To finish off this list, we are going to add another vegetable stuffed full of goodness. This has made the beauty of spaghetti accessible to those who are following a keto diet. You can also make it in the best way that suits you – whether it be in the oven, microwave, or instant pot. The use of turkey also cuts the calories down instead of using beef. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dirty Keto?

The keto diet that you are likely most familiar with is known as ‘clean keto’ which consists of low carb meals that are very nutritious and organic. On the other hand, there is ‘dirty keto’ which essentially still follows the same rules of being low carb and high fat but involves foods that are not necessarily as nutritious. 

Dirty keto still achieves ketosis but the fact that you are missing out on some valuable nutrients then you will also miss out on added health benefits. 

Can You Drink Milk on Keto?

Milk is high in carbs and therefore not a good option for those following a keto diet. The lactose in cow’s milk is also high in sugar which is not the best for keto. Instead of having cow’s milk though, you can swap it for unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk instead. 

Can You Drink Alcohol on Keto?

Alcohol may not be very healthy, but balance is important and if you are drinking in moderation then you will still experience the health benefits from ketosis. In order to drink alcohol whilst still staying within your carbohydrate limits, you should lean towards light beer, wine, gin, and whiskey. If you are looking for a mixer that is low carb then you can use sugar-free tonic water and diet soda. 

How Long Should You Do Keto?

When you begin to follow a keto diet and begin to go into ketosis, it will only take about a month before you see your body change. Once you have shed those last few stubborn pounds of fat, you are probably thinking about going back to carbs so that you can eat like you used to and enjoy the foods that those around you do. 

Unfortunately, it is not that straightforward because if you go back to how you ate before, you will simply gain the weight back that you lost during ketosis. 

When going into keto, you should remind yourself that this is a lifestyle change and is not a diet. This is because a diet has an end goal which is to lose X amount of weight. But once you lose the weight, you have to keep eating healthy in order to keep it off. The same goes for keto, by going back to your old ways, you will gain the weight back. 

Summary

One of the best things about keto is that it is very popular and therefore has a great community of people who are always experimenting with new recipes which can then be added to the internet for you to try.

Just because you are following a keto lifestyle, it does not mean that you should live off of lettuce and cheese. In fact, once you start making these dishes and serve them to others, they will likely soon ask for cauliflower instead of potatoes!

Jenna
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