Keto Dinner Recipes - MyRecipes (2024)

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Start here to plan your keto meal plan. These keto dinners will help you meet your low-carb, high-fat diet goals while also leaving you satisfied.

Spicy Sausage and Portobello ‘Pizzas'

Spicy Sausage and Portobello ‘Pizzas' Recipe

Pizza is one of the first casualties of a keto diet. The carb-loaded crust is a no-go for ultra-low-carb eaters, but any keto meal plan that doesn’t include these baked portobello mushrooms topped with onions, tomatoes, mozzarella, and hot Italian sausage is sorely lacking. With just six net carbs, these tasty pizza alternatives offer a more natural option to some of the “keto-approved” chicken and cauliflower crusts.

Chicken and Prosciutto Salad with Arugula and Asiago

Chicken and Prosciutto Salad with Arugula and Asiago Recipe

Salad may seem like an obvious low-carb meal for keto eaters, but you’ll struggle to get enough fat unless you’re intentional with your toppings. This salad piles up on protein with chicken and rounds out with salty, savory prosciutto for a dish that ends up with just over seven net carbs. Need more calories? Double your chicken.

Steak With Scallion-Ginger Sauce

Steak with Scallion-Ginger Sauce Recipe

Grilled steak is one of the easiest keto meals, but when you’re looking for a flavor boost, turn to this umami-rich scallion and ginger sauce. Fresh ginger adds a bit of zip and bite to the creamy pan sauce. Oyster sauce is loaded with salty, funky umami notes. This dish only has two net carbs, so that leaves plenty of room for a side of loaded mashed cauliflower.

Photo: Jennifer Causey

Caesar Brussels Sprouts Salad with Almonds Recipe

Brussels sprouts are a keto eater’s best (green) friend. These low-carb vegetables cook up beautifully in ghee or roasted in flavorful oils. They also happen to make a hearty salad when shredded raw like we did for this Caesar variety. One serving yields six net carbs, so finish off the plate with grilled chicken, lamb, or fish.

Pan-Grilled Chicken with Chorizo Confetti

Pan-Grilled Chicken with Chorizo Confetti Recipe

When you’re looking to boost your fat numbers, one of the easiest ways is to add meaty crumbles to meals. Chorizo, a type of fatty Mexican sausage, is an especially great option for chicken, pork, fish, and more. Here, it’s cooked down with onions, carrots, and bell peppers for a tantalizing topper for a basic grilled chicken breast. The complete dish has only 2.4 net carbs, so make up a spinach salad with bacon dressing or roasted Brussels sprouts for a side.

Salmon with Red Pepper Pesto

Salmon with Red Pepper Pesto Recipe

Keep a bottle of roasted red peppers in your fridge so you can whir together a simple pesto or romesco sauce for any protein you’re planning. Here, this zippy sauce cuts the fatty salmon with bright notes of garlic and tomato paste. With just under two net carbs per serving, use up your remaining carbs for the meal with some grilled or roasted asparagus.

Tuscan Steak Salad

Tuscan Steak Salad Recipe

A great option for a busy weekday or a relaxing date night, this steak salad comes together easily thanks to quick-cooking strip steak. While the steak is soaking up the mashed garlic coating, toss broccoli with oil and roast it for an easy side. Grilled green beans would also be a welcome addition to round out this keto meal. Grill them until crisp-tender while the steak is resting.

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Recipe

An easy way to boost flavor and improve your macros for any meal is to add cheese. In this simple chicken recipe, herby goat cheese adds fat and flavor while keeping carbs low. With just one gram of carbohydrates, this easy keto recipe leaves room for a side of roasted cauliflower, spinach salad, or riced cauliflower sauteed with ghee and garlic.

Lemony Grilled Shrimp Salad

Lemony Grilled Shrimp Salad Recipe

This zesty salad will be a welcome break from many of the fat-rich foods you eat in a day of keto meal plans. Large shrimp provide a healthy dose of good-for-you fats and protein, but feel free to boost that number with some chopped avocado. This dish has five net carbs and almost 20 grams of fat. If the quarter teaspoon of sugar is a step outside your keto comfort zone, substitute with stevia or erythritol.

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Chicken Sausage Patties

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Chicken Sausage Patties Recipe

Chicken patties, like crab cakes, seem more difficult than they are, and they’re a great vessel for smearing on lots of extra fat—a spicy mayo or flavored sour cream would be delicious with these patties. With just one gram of carbohydrate and fewer than 200 calories, you could easily double this recipe for a filling dinner or lunch. Serve with a spinach salad to round out the meal.

Broiled Salmon and Asparagus with Crème Fraîche

Broiled Salmon and Asparagus with Crème Fraîche Recipe

This sheet-pan keto meal may find its way into rotation before you know it. Salmon is one of the most fat-rich fish you can eat, but keep boosting your macros with a luscious dip of creme fraiche, a type of rich, thick cream. (Imagine heavy whipping cream, but in a dippable or spreadable version.) Keep a lemon wedge nearby if you need a bit of fat-busting zing.

Pan-Grilled Flank Steak with Soy-Mustard Sauce

Pan-Grilled Flank Steak with Soy-Mustard Sauce Recipe

Flank steak is a tremendous weeknight option for keto eaters on the go. The ultra-thin slice of beef cooks in just minutes to a perfect medium or medium-rare. Keep the protein simple but go a bit extra with the dipping sauces or glazes, like this soy and mustard combination, which has just two grams of net carbs. Heavy whipping cream cuts the tang of the condiments; double the sauce if you want plenty for serving over a starchy side, like cauliflower rice, as well.

Crab-Stuffed Avocados

Crab-Stuffed Avocados Recipe

A tangy lemon and tarragon mayonnaise is the perfect dressing for sweet crabmeat. Paired with seared avocados, this keto meal is a wonderful carb bargain (one stuffed half of an avocado has just two net carbs). If you’ve got the carbs and calories to spare, there’s no shame in eating a second serving of this decadent combination.

Blackened Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Blackened Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Recipe

When you’re tired of basic chicken salads, shake things up with this blackened version and funky blue cheese vinaigrette. The secret to success in this dish, which has just over six net carbs, is the spice combination. No pre-mixed option will do; you need to make your own for maximum flavor satisfaction. A scant quarter-cup of blue cheese is used for four servings of this easy salad, but you can add more to boost your fat total.

Tandoori Grilled Chicken with Mint Raita

Tandoori Grilled Chicken with Mint Raita Recipe

The potent combination of Indian spice and tangy yogurt infuses chicken with flavor during a lengthy marinade. Mix it up before you go to work, or let it sit overnight if you’re planning to grill for lunch. The pack of spice punch is cooled off by an herby raita sauce. Calorie conscious eaters prefer fat-free yogurt, but keto eaters should swap that for full-fat yogurt to keep carbs down. (As is, the chicken and sauce have just over four net carbs.) Serve with a cauliflower rice patty or mashed cauli.

Spice-Rubbed New York Strip with Avocado-Lime Salsa

Spice-Rubbed New York Strip with Avocado-Lime Salsa Recipe

If you’re prone to add guacamole or smashed avocado to just about every dish you eat to get your fat numbers higher, this dish will please your palate. An avocado salsa, complete with kicky serrano chiles, potent red onion, and zesty lime juice is the perfect complement to grilled lean New York strip steaks. Together, the whole meal has just 2.6 net carbs. Mix the salsa up early so the flavors can mingle while you mix the spice rub and get the steak on the grill. Serve with roasted asparagus tossed in toasty ghee.

Balsamic Hanger Steak with Greens and Parmesan

Balsamic Hanger Steak with Greens and Parmesan Recipe

Hanger steak is often overlooked for its more popular cousin, flank steak, but with a bit of extra fat, this tender cut has a supreme flavor and texture. Don’t hide the beefy flavor under fatty dressings and toppings. Instead, keep it simple with a bed of greens, a sprinkle of salty Parm, and a simple oil-and-lemon dressing for just two net carbs.

Salmon with Walnut-Avocado Guacamole

Salmon with Walnut-Avocado Guacamole Recipe

This guacamole, made with toasted walnuts and extra-virgin olive oil, serves up a serious dose of healthy fats. Layer that with salmon, and this dish adds over 32 grams of fat to your day for just two net carbs—and that includes a side salad. Keep this one pinned to your fridge. You’ll come back to it often.

ck-Broccoli-and-Bacon Muffin-Tin Frittatas

Broccoli-and-Bacon Muffin-Tin Frittatas Recipe

For this simple keto meal, have a little fun with muffin tins and the ubiquitous keto protein, the egg. Salty bacon pulls its flavor punches by turning the humble mini frittatas into flavor-packed bites you can eat at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (Just serve with a salad for the latter two meals.) Substitute heavy whipping cream for the reduced-fat milk to notch down the carb number. As is, two mini frittatas turn up just two net carbs.

Quick Chicken Piccata

Quick Chicken Piccata Recipe

Chicken thighs are a great option for keto eaters because the dark meat packs more flavor and fat than ultra-lean breasts. For these thighs, which have just three net carbs, a simple white-wine sauce gets a zingy kick from briny capers and lemon juice. Serve with broccoli or a massaged kale salad to round out the dish.

Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps

Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps Recipe

You can’t have Taco Tuesday, but you can have Wrap Wednesday, and once you try these Asian-inspired wraps, you’ll be reserving it on your calendar for weeks to come. Umami-rich fish sauce pulls the flavor weight for these wraps; it’s combined with garlic, ginger, serrano chile, and a bit of vinegar for mouth-tingling sauce for ground pork. Three plentiful wraps have just two net carbs. That’s a carb bargain!

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy Recipe

This is keto comfort food at its finest. With just over five net carbs, this Salisbury steak is draped in a luscious mushroom gravy that’s made with red wine, butter, and beef broth. The sauce also calls for one tablespoon of all-purpose flour, which is rarely in keto pantries, as a thickener. Never fear: If you don’t have it or don’t want to use it, substitute for almond flour.

Simply Flaky Crab Cakes

Simple Flaky Crab Cakes Recipe

Don’t overestimate the time it takes to make crab cakes. Keeping the mix simple and sticky will help the cakes come together easily and cook quickly. Two of these cakes are just five net carbs, so serve with a side salad doused in lemony dressing, and scoop up an Old Bay-flavored mayo for a coastal dinner that meets your keto needs.

Sauteed Halibut with Romesco Sauce

Sautéed Halibut with Romesco Sauce Recipe

Here’s another great reason to keep bottled roasted red peppers in your fridge. Romesco sauce is a creamy pepper sauce with almonds, oil, and vinegar, and whirred up in the blender. It adds bright, tangy flavor to any protein; here, for just seven net carbs, it’s served with sauteed halibut. Smoky ancho isn’t always used in romesco sauces, but it’s a welcome contrast in this fish dish.

Cucumber, Carrot, and Orange Salad image

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Satay Sauce Recipe

Whenever you can add a fat-rich sauce to lean protein, do. It’s one of the easiest ways for keto eaters to keep their macro counts in check. Here, basic grilled chicken breasts get a flavor and fat boost from satay, an Asian-inspired nut butter sauce with pops of flavor from vinegar and chili sauce. The final dish has just six net carbs. The spice rub for the chicken has a bit of brown sugar; you can look for a keto-friendly alternative or eliminate it entirely.

Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese Recipe

This stuffed pork loin dish belongs at a holiday dinner or special gathering, but it’s so decadent your guests won’t know it’s keto. As a bonus, it’s a slow cooker keto meal, so you can focus on making other sides and getting the house ready while this cooks. Apricot preserves are low in sugar, and the final dish has just six net carbs per serving, so don’t worry with a substitute here. Serve with grilled asparagus or roasted broccoli. (Your guests can have the mashed potatoes.)

Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Butter

Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Butter Recipe

If you’ve not discovered the secret of compound butters, now’s the time. Tangy horseradish kicks up simple flank steak in this fast dish, which has just one net carb. Make extra horseradish butter; you’ll surely find lots of ways to use it once you have your first taste. Serve with a side of sauteed or creamed spinach

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Though sugar is used here in the initial rub for the pork, the final dish has just four net carbs. Don’t bother substituting. A low-and-slow roast in the oven turns the often-tough pork shoulder fatty and tender. Finally, the pulled pork is tossed in a combination of sweet-spicy gochujang, soy sauce, and ginger. What’s more, leftovers just get better with time as the pork soaks up the sauce.

Chicken Larb

Chicken Larb Recipe

A food processor breaks down chicken breasts into tiny pieces, which soaks up the curry and chile flavors of this larb more quickly. Everything cooks in just 10 minutes, too, so you can make this keto meal in under 30 and for just under four net carbs.

Kale and Mushroom Frittata

Kale and Mushroom Frittata Recipe

For keto eaters, frittatas are a wonderful clean-out-the-fridge option. Toss leftover meat, vegetables, and cheese into a base of eggs and cream for a fast and efficient dinner. If you don’t have the leftovers and still want to try this versatile dish, kale and mushrooms, which both tenderize and become more sweet and toasty in the baking process, are ideal for a keto-friendly frittata. You can eat this at breakfast or with grilled veggies or salad for lunch or dinner.

Italian Chicken Sausage and Artichoke Soup

Italian Chicken Sausage and Artichoke Soup Recipe

With just over three grams of net carbs, this simple soup is a wonderful make-ahead keto meal option. Italian chicken sausage imbues the chicken broth with flavors of fennel and sage. Spinach turns silky in the soup’s heat, and artichoke hearts, an usual but entirely keto-friendly addition, are toothsome and chewy without being waxy. Skip the ciabatta bread and serve with keto crackers if you need a bit of crunch.

Sizzling Skirt Steak with Asparagus and Red Pepper

Sizzling Skirt Steak with Asparagus and Red Pepper Recipe

For just five ingredients and seven net carbs, this fast keto dinner is a great option for busy weeknights. Fish sauce is potent enough to add major flavor in a short period of time. Asparagus and onion both tenderize quickly in a faux stir-fry. Just don’t crowd the pan. Everything will steam or boil instead of fry if your pan is too small.

Greek-Style Chicken Breasts

Greek-Style Chicken Breasts Recipe

Briny olives and tangy feta cheese, both great sources of fat, form the flavorful base of this Greek-inspired topper for chicken breasts. Another quick-cooking keto meal, this dish has just six net carbs, so you’ve got room for a salad or side of grilled vegetables.

Instant Pot Keto Adobo Pork image

Instant Pot Keto Adobo Pork Recipe

When paired with the Instant Pot, pork shoulder is foolproof and feeds a group of people on a budget. The meat melts in your mouth, while the bright green veggies and fresh lime cut the richness, making a perfect partner for pork. The whole family would love this dish—for anyone who’s not on keto, serve it over rice. Serve any leftovers in a taco topped with fresh shredded cabbage and sriracha.

Instant Pot Keto Bolognese image

Instant Pot Keto Bolognese Recipe

This is the perfect recipe for when you want a comfort meal but don’t have all day to prepare one. The Instant Pot gives it that cooked-all-day feel, with tender, satisfying meats and rich, but not too thick sauce. Taking out the traditional sugar and carrots makes this keto-approved, but the tomatoes make up for the lack in natural sweetness.

Keto Alfredo With Grilled Chicken image

Keto Alfredo with Grilled Chicken Recipe

Gone are the days of missing out on Alfredo because it doesn't comply with the keto diet. Thanks to this vegetable pasta and the Alfredo sauce, which doesn't contain any flour, you can enjoy this Italian classic, all without the carbs.

Instant Pot Keto Clam Chowder image

Instant Pot Keto Clam Chowder Recipe

This keto-approved chowder is rich and indulgent. The broth is creamy, yet light, and has a slight brininess.

Easy Keto Instant Pot Osso Buco image

Easy Keto Instant Pot Osso Buco Recipe

This tender and flavorful dish is proof that gourmet meals don’t have to take all day. Thanks to the Instant Pot, all you need is an hour and 25 minutes. The veal falls apart and melts in your mouth, while the fresh gremolata has a perfect bite and freshness. Fresh veal shanks are hard to come by, so plan ahead and call to order these from the butcher. Shred any leftover meat from the bone and combine it with remaining sauce—then freeze it for a great dinner later or to serve over pasta on a cheat day.

Keto Nachos image

Keto Nachos Recipe

We’ve got the perfect way to satisfy a high-carb craving without getting off your low-carbdiet. These nachos are hearty and slightly chewy with a little bit of lightness. Balance the rich meat and cheese with creamy chipotle sauce and pico topping. Distribute the toppings evenly and work them into the spaces and crevices. This way, each “chip” gets toppings and the center doesn’t end up a soggy mess.The best pork skins to use for this recipe are chicharrones, which are firmer and crispier. You can find them in large “sheets” at international markets or grocery stores.

Cauliflower Pizza Steaks image

Cauliflower Pizza Steaks Recipe

This pizza may not have any dough, but that doesn’t make it any less satisfying. The cheese, meat, and pepperoni come at the forefront, so you get the feeling that you’re eating pizza before you realize you’re eating cauliflower. The crisp, roasted, and slightly salty cauliflower is an easy alternative to a cauliflower-based crust that you can actually pick up with your hands. Plus, no extra equipment, like a food processor, is needed.

Cauliflower Piccata image

Cauliflower Piccata Recipe

These thick cauliflower steaks are cooked through yet firm enough for a meaty bite, making them the perfect keto or meat-freemeal. Topped with flavorful sauce, they’re pretty much effortless. To make this dish vegetarian-friendly, simply swap vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.

Vietnamese Steak and Sugar Snap Salad image

Vietnamese Steak and Sugar Snap Salad Recipe

The secret to this steak dish is the fish sauce in the marinade of the steak and in the vinaigrette for the salad, which gives the whole dish a salty,umami punch that'll have you going back for bite after bite. The flavors are based around the classic Vietnamese dipping sauce nuoc cham, which combines fish sauce with sugar and lime juice. The herb-packed salad gives a nice counterbalance to the richness of the meat, and the lime juice in both the marinade and vinaigrette gives a hit of acid to round everything else out.

Instant Pot Summer Ratatouille image

Instant Pot Ratatouille Recipe

Our Instant Pot Ratatouille certainly looks like it requires a lot of hard work to make, but the real beauty of this recipe is that it couldn’t be easier. Plus, this speedy take on the classic French dish just happens to be one of the most perfect ways we can imagine to enjoy late summer produce. The Instant Pot method yields vegetables that are tender, but maintain the right amount of body to keep the dish from feeling overcooked or soggy. Serve your Instant Pot Ratatouille with crusty baguette or cooked pasta for a veggie-forward main dish, or enjoy it as a comforting side dish for roasted chicken or grilled fish.

mr-Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and White Beans Image

Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and White Beans Recipe

This simple baked chicken packs a ton of flavor atop a nice, toasty mixture of beans, tomatoes, and herbs. Since the chicken cooks on top of the vegetables, its juice add to the sauciness of the burst, roasted tomatoes, the buttery olives, and the tender creamy beans. A little bit of lemon zest makes a lovely finish. The entire combination is just as satisfying as it is visually pleasing, especially faro or another grain. This dinner is easy but has a grown-up feel, and the combined ingredients are meant to be together. If you like, you can add in or substitute other olives or vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and onions—whatever fits your palate.

mr-Green Frittata Shoo Shoo image

Green Frittata With Spinach and Herbs Recipe

This vibrant, nutritiousfritatta from Manhattan Mediterranean bistro Shoo Shoois a great way to get greens into your brunch, or just to use up whatever spare herbs you have in your fridge. You can make it with whatever greens you have on hand, but make sure to keep the ratio at about 70 percent herbs and 30 percent eggs.

Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti Squash image

Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Recipe

This family friendly spaghetti squash dinner is a delicious (and low-carb) twist on an old favorite: chicken Parmesan. Loads of melty cheese will make this dish an easy sell for the kids, and the veggie vessel means you’re packing in plenty of nutrients too. Keep in mind that spaghetti squash can vary largely in size, so it’s best to grab a couple with roughly the same weight. You want to make sure both are cooked evenly and all the way through so that you end up with tender strands. If you grab squash that are larger than what’s called for below, you’ll likely need to bake them a bit longer.

mr-Pesto Chickpea Salad with Squash, Red Onions and Parmesan

Pesto Chickpea Salad with Summer Squash Recipe

Stop searching, because we’ve got the best 15-minute summer side dish right here. The fresh aroma of basil, the nutty flavors from raw squash and pungent red onion all combine for a taste that perfectly reflects the season. The chickpeas offer a little more substance, making it hearty enough to leave you satisfied, which the light, lemony dressing and Parmesan make your taste buds happy. Bonus points if you can pick your own basil and squash from your garden.

mr-Kung Pao Chicken Salad recipe

Kung Pao Chicken Salad Recipe

Creamy chicken salad gets a major punch of personality with this wow-worthy, kung pao makeover. Featuring all of the flavors you know and love about kung pao chicken, the incredible savory-sweet dressing only gets tastier as it sits, so feel free to prep your chicken salad in advance and allow it some time to chill in the refrigerator. Kewpie mayonnaise is a Japanese brand of mayo that’s slightly sweeter than the standard U.S. supermarket standbys (like Hellman’s or Duke’s) and has a distinct savory richness—and it’s definitely worth seeking out. That, and the spicy chile crisp (don’t worry, it’s not as spicy as it looks in the jar), can be found at most Asian markets or ordered online.

mr-Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Butternut Squash Image

Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Butternut Squash Recipe

This easy, flavorful supper brings great taste and texture to the humble sheet pan. The juicy roasted pork tenderloin has a nice herb coating, and its delicious creamy tarragon mustard sauce is great with the butternut squash and the roasted broccoli florets. The sweet roasted squash balances the savory roasted broccoli, and the meat is perfect with just a schmear of the sauce. Pork tenderloins typically come in packages of two, so freeze one for later or double the recipe for a larger crowd. Make sure to preheat the oven with the rimmed baking sheet inside—this way, the tenderloin gets a nice sear and color before the vegetables hit the baking sheet.

Instant Pot Korean BBQ Short Ribs image

Instant Pot Korean BBQ Recipe

The trusty Instant Pot shines yet again in this easy Korean BBQ recipe. Savory, meaty, and fall-off-the-bone tender, these incredible marinated short ribs are here to please. Serve your Instant Pot Korean BBQ short ribs with a side of rice to soak up all of the extra juices.

Keto Meatloaf Pie image

Keto Meatloaf Pie Recipe

What’s the secret to a quick, hearty dinner that isn’t overloaded with carbs? A pie plate. Baking a meat “pie” instead of a meatloaf will shave 20 minutes off cooking time, and the buttery cauliflower “mashed potatoes” have a nice tangy taste that cuts through the bitterness of the tender, moist meat. The ketchup glaze on top makes for the perfect bite.

Simple Sheet Pan Chicken And Veggies image

Simple Sheet Pan Chicken And Veggies Recipe

Comforting, savory, and satisfying, this sheet pan chicken dinner is perfect for weeknights. The chicken has a crispy, slightly salty skin with a juicy, tender interior. Meanwhile, the vegetables get lightly bathed in the chicken’s buttery juices. Feel free to cut up and use any leftover veggies you have—this recipe is all about technique. Line the baking sheet with foil for the fastest after-dinner cleanup ever.