Let me guess…You’re thinking of trying the Ketogenic Diet, or you have just started it. Now you’re not sure what to cook to prevent yourself from eating the same thing every day. Well, I’ve gathered 16 Must-Have Keto Recipes just for you! These cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, including a few sweet options… because sometimes you want something sweet. Most ingredients are also simple and easy to find!
I can eat the exact same thing day in and day out if I allow myself. But the truth is that variety in our diets provides us with a much-needed diversity of nutrients. It’s absolutely necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
You are also more likely to maintain healthy eating habits if you have the right recipes. You know? The ones that are easy to put together. Those that are so delicious that you have problems preventing yourself from eating them again and again.
Now get ready to be successful on your new Keto lifestyle with these 16 Must-Have Keto Recipes!
MUST-HAVE KETO RECIPES: BREAKFAST
If you have read any of my other health and fitness posts, you probably know that I’ve been following an intermittent fasting regimen. I usually skip breakfast to complete a 16 hour fast. But here’s the deal, I LOVE breakfast foods. So, my first meal tends to look more like breakfast than lunch.
There was a time that eggs were considered to be unhealthy because they were thought to increase cholesterol. The same goes for bacon, which is very high in fat. The myth of eggs being unhealthy has lost popularity in the last few years. On the other hand, unless you went paleo, bacon was still considered to being DELICIOUS, but unhealthy.
In the ketogenic diet, both eggs and bacon are healthy foods. You’ll notice a few of these breakfast recipes include eggs and bacon, but I also have you covered with a couple of sweeter options.
1. AVOCADO BACON AND EGGS
Avocado is a superfood that provides a nice dose of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) for your keto diet. According to the American Heart Association, this type of fat can help reduce bad cholesterol. Aside from containing about 20 vitamins and minerals, eating this fruit also makes you feel full and satiated. This comes in handy when you’re starting a change in diet.
This avocado, bacon and eggs recipe by Lil’ Luna combines my favorite ingredients: avocado, eggs, bacon, and cheese. I really enjoyed this recipe!
My only recommendation is to add the pinch of Himalayan salt to the avocado before you add the egg. This will give the bottom layer of this meal a little more flavor. For me the cheese and bacon add enough flavor to the egg, assuming you put bacon pieces on top of the egg.
2. LOW CARB CREAM CHEESE PANCAKES
Sometimes you just want to start your day with something sweet. And these low carb cream cheese pancakes are a perfect sweet keto recipe.
You don’t even need to worry about your macro percentages because the couple at Keto Connect took that into account when they came up with this recipe. For the Keto world, it is perfectly proportioned to have 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs. It doesn’t get better than that!
TIP: If you want to make these pancakes fluffier, add a teaspoon of baking powder to the batter.
3. ASPARAGUS MUSHROOM EGG CUPS
Don’t you like to have some recipes that you can make ahead of time, freeze and then reheat throughout the week? These asparagus mushroom egg cups by Fit Foodie are perfect for that.
With all the egg cup recipes out there, I chose this one because of the high fiber content provided by the asparagus and shitake mushrooms.
There are many things I love about making egg cups. You can throw together a batch of egg cups for the week with just 5-10 minutes of prep time. It’s an easy way to use leftover meats and veggies.
Last but not least, you can make a different recipe just about every single time you make them. In fact, you can make a variety of egg cup flavors in one batch, changing up the ingredients as you fill the muffin pans.
4. KETO CINNAMON ROLLS
Did you ever make those cinnamon rolls that come right out of a can? Your entire home just smells of deliciousness. Or have you ever been tempted by the aroma of cinnamon permeating through the airport or the mall?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, this keto cinnamon roll recipe is perfect for you. While this recipe is not as quick to throw together as some of the other ones in this roundup, you can store them in the fridge and reheat before you eat them. A meal-prep recipe option!
MUST-HAVE KETO RECIPES: LUNCH
Lunch can sometimes be one of the most rushed meals because it’s in the middle of the day. I know there have been many times during work that I’ve barely had the opportunity to run, heat up my food, and come back to my desk to eat. I suspect I’m not the only one who has experienced this.
These Keto lunch recipes are great to make ahead of time to eat throughout the week or they can be put together in just 5 minutes.
5. KETO WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Right now, in February we’re in the thick of winter and comfort soups can really warm up an otherwise cold day. Having lived in the Dominican Republic and Florida for more than half my life, I’m not crazy about the cold.
Now that I live in Seattle, soups like this keto white chicken chili by Hey Keto Mama keep me warm after walking around the city on a cold rainy day. Even in tropical weather, chili is a hearty meal that can be combined with delicious Keto bread.
Check out the #7!
6. KETO CHICKEN ENCHILADA BOWL
One general concern I have about the Ketogenic Diet is that there is such a high focus on eating fats, that people forget to eat veggies.
Leafy greens and other veggies are full of nutrients that our bodies require. The fiber content, plus all the vitamins and minerals in vegetables, ensure that you’re not undernourished when you’re on this diet.
This Chicken Enchilada Bowl, another Hey Keto Mama recipe, provides you with a vegetable filled option for lunch. The avocado delivers the high-fat content and extra nutrients in this meal.
7. KETO BREAD
Remember when I said you could put a lunch together in about 5 minutes? This Keto Bread by Low carb Spark has a 90 seconds cook time! Add mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar, and you have a Caprese sandwich. Fill it with bacon, lettuce, and tomato, and you have a BLT. Have it along with the white chicken chili and you might still be full when your next meal comes around.
TIP: Add a pinch of ground rosemary or sage to the mix for a savory option!
8. CAULIFLOWER GRILLED CHEESE
Who doesn’t love a grilled cheese sandwich? I can’t think of anybody, can you? Like the cauliflower pizza you might’ve heard of or already tried, the “bread” in this recipe is made with cauliflower.
Because this veggie has great texture without an overwhelming flavor, it’s used for many low carb recipes. In terms of the benefits of eating cauliflower, studies have found that regular consumption of this and other cruciferous vegetables aid in the prevention of cancer and promotes cardiovascular health.
The cauliflower grilled cheese sandwich by Kirbie’s Cravings is made with the nutritious vegetable and cheese, cheese, and more cheese. You just can’t go wrong with cheese in the “bread” and cheese as a filling!
MUST-HAVE KETO RECIPES: SNACK
When you need to balance your macros and increase your fat intake, a snack can come in very handy. I’ve included a couple of sweet and salty options in this section.
9. BACON JALAPENO DEVILED EGGS
Earlier I mentioned that eggs got a bad reputation years ago but have recently been considered healthy again. The reason they initially became unpopular was due to the high amount of cholesterol found in the yolk.
Recent studies have found that most people are not significantly affected by the consumption of cholesterol. However, up to 30% of the population is sensitive to cholesterol. These people show a spike in cholesterol levels after consumption. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t eat eggs if you’re one of these people. Just limit daily intake to one or two per day.
Eggs are full of nutrients and one egg a day has even been found to improve cognitive function. You can read more about the research on egg consumption in this article.
These bacon jalapeno deviled eggs are delicious and easy must-have keto recipe. I love deviled eggs with bacon!
10. ZUCCHINI CHIPS
Zucchini is a great vegetable that helps regulate blood sugar and is abundant in anti-oxidants. This veggie contains vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, B-complex vitamins, calcium, and a whole lot of fiber.
Are you one of those people who can mindlessly eat a bag of chips? If you are, you know what I mean. I’m definitely a mindless snack eater. Don’t fret or feel guilty about it, there’s a solution! Make this zucchini chips recipe by The Fit Housewife.
Imagine not feeling guilty because you ate zucchini instead of tortilla chips. I’m not suggesting you continue to eat mindlessly. But it is nice to be able to eat chips when you crave them. You can add different seasonings to these and pair them with guacamole for your healthy fat.
11. FUDGE FAT BOMBS
This post would not be complete without something for the chocolate lovers out there. These fudge fat bombs by Real Balanced are perfect for a chocolate craving. You can also store them in the freezer until just a few minutes before eating them.
How big a batch can you make???
TIP: If you replace the coconut flour with almond flour, remember that it’s not a 1:1 ratio as their absorption levels varies. Get the FREE Fit and Healthy Conversions Cheat Sheet for this and many other substitutions and conversions.
12. SUGAR-FREE PECAN SNOWBALL COOKIES
Ooooh, how I’ve always loved pecan sandies! I can’t wait to make this recipe, by Sugar-Free Momma. She uses ghee, but you can also use butter. She also uses Swerve sugar-free confectioner’s “sugar.” Keep in mind that there are other options, including Lakanto Classic Powder Monk Fruit Sweetener.
There you go, delicious, sugar-free, low carb…perfect for your keto lifestyle.
MUST-HAVE KETO RECIPES: DINNER
Dinner is a moment when the family comes together and making meals that you know will delight your family makes it even more special.
My mother is incredibly gifted in the kitchen and she has always told us that her secret ingredient is love. When I was younger, I used to think this was really cheesy. Oh no, not anymore! Now I cherish every moment I can eat my mom’s food. And funny as it sounds, I completely get what she means when she says she adds love to everything she cooks.
The following recipes will give you a nice range of meals to cook for yourself, for family, and for guests. There’s no reason to cook a meal that you can’t eat while everybody else enjoys it.
13. ZUCCHINI PASTA LASAGNA
Having a recipe that the whole family enjoys and that you can cook when you have extra guests for dinner is very helpful. This zucchini lasagna, found at Skinny Taste, will not disappoint.
I just made my own version of this recipe for my parents a few days ago and they loved it. My father asked me to make it again less than a week later, and he was eating leftovers throughout!
If you want a recipe that you can meal prep for the week, this is one of them. I don’t recommend that you leave it in the fridge for the entire week. Just freeze and reheat it throughout the week.
Zucchini does well when reheated after frozen. I recently started buying frozen zoodles at Trader Joe’s. Now I don’t have to worry about them going bad in the fridge.
14. CILANTRO LIME CAULIFLOWER RICE
One of the things I like the most about cauliflower, aside from the health benefits, is that it’s so versatile. This is another vegetable that I always have available due to a large number of low carb meals in which it can be incorporated. I buy frozen riced cauliflower and add it to smoothies and omelets.
For dinner, I’ve made cauliflower pizza and frequently use it a “rice.” A Saucy Kitchen posted this flavorful cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe. If you like food with a little bit of a kick, this “rice” has jalapenos in it. If you don’t, just leave them out. This rice can be a side dish for the next recipe. Check it out!
15. FAJITA FLANK STEAK
Mmmmm, flank steak! My husband makes an amazing chimichurri sauce that we add to flank steak and just about anything else I can find. But I will leave that recipe for a different post.
This fajita flank steak by All Day I Dream About Food is an all-in-one meal. The steak is grilled and filled with cheese and veggies. Of course, more veggies on the side is always a good idea. So delish! If you’re not into riced cauliflower, feel free to pair it with the next zoodle recipe.
16. ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO
This last recipe is another one that can be used as a side, or on its own. It also combines the health benefits of avocado and zucchini.
Add basil, olive oil, and pine nuts, and you have a rich and mouthwatering dish! Take a look at the zucchini noodles with creamy avocado pesto recipe by Eat Yourself Skinny.
ENJOY THE FLAVORS AND VARIETY!
Now it’s time to enjoy all the flavors and varieties of these 16 Must-Have Keto Recipes. They’re easy to put together and so delicious that the rest of the family will want to eat them too.
There are breakfast, lunch and dinner options to make you successful in accomplishing your weight loss goals. And who can pass up the low-carb snack recipes? Don’t you love following and eating regiment that doesn’t feel like you’re restricted?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this keto recipe round-up. Comment below and let me know which of these recipes you’ve tried and your favorite low-carb recipe. Before you go…
Download the FREE Fit and Healthy Conversions Cheat Sheet for a handy tool full of healthy ingredient substitutions and baking conversion charts!
16-Must-Have-Keto-Recipes-for-Every-Meal-of-the-Day
16-Must-Have-Keto-Recipes-for-Every-Meal-of-the-Day
LEAVE A REPLY