The ketogenic diet is the talk of the town right now, and rightfully so. It comes with a long list of proven health benefits and incredible transformation stories from people who have tried it. If you haven’t heard about it, the ketogenic diet is an extreme form of low-carb eating that boasts some of the best weight loss success when compared to other diets. It works by putting your body into a state of ketosis in which you use fat instead of glucose as fuel.
For many people, the most challenging part of the ketogenic diet is determining which foods are safe to eat. Unlike other low-carb diets, the ketogenic diet is genuinely a high-fat diet that asks you to limit your carbohydrate intake to less than five percent of your daily calories. Even overeating protein can kick you out of ketosis. Here are the best ketogenic diet recipes we found online to help make your transition as tasty as possible.
Best Ketogenic Diet Recipes
The ketogenic diet is no ordinary low-carb diet. It will require a good amount of self-control when it comes to limiting carbohydrates, but the results are so amazing that you’ll be inspired to continue. It takes a few weeks to get the hang of it, but once you’re in ketosis, many people claim that their sugar cravings go away. Then comes the weight loss and increased energy levels. Try these recipes to get started.
- Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole – This recipe is a great go-to breakfast meal during the week. It’s so simple to make that you might even want to have it on the weekends, too. The best part is that it incorporates some non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and red and peppers, which most people tend to overlook while eating a high-fat diet. Vegetables provide you with fiber and antioxidants to compliment your health goals. Substitute pork sausage if you need a meal with a higher fat content, but make sure it’s free of antibiotics, hormones, added sugar, and chemicals. Also, make sure the heavy cream is organic and full-fat, or use coconut cream if you’re sensitive to dairy.
- Keto Mini Stuffed Bell Peppers – Here’s another recipe that incorporates non-starchy vegetables into its ingredients. Bell peppers are an excellent source of the antioxidants vitamins A and C to support eye health, boost immunity, and fight off chronic diseases. This recipe is super easy to make and only consists of five ingredients. Opt for organic, grass-fed ground beef and organic cheese if possible. If you purchase a store-bought taco seasoning packet, make sure it doesn’t have added sugar, gluten, chemicals, or preservatives. You can also make your own seasoning at home by using your favorite organic herbs.
- Egg Salad Stuffed Avocado – It doesn’t get any more ‘keto’ than avocados and eggs. They’re the perfect high-fat foods. When you combine them, you get a delicious meal any time of the day. You can enjoy these for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack. The recipe contains some good tips for adding lots of flavor to the dish, such as mayo, cumin, hot sauce, and brown mustard. But be careful when picking up these items at the store as you may have to search for a sugar-free brand. If you’re in a hurry, all you really need are avocados and eggs. Crack an egg into the avocado hole, and you can improvise from there. Pasture-raised eggs are best as they ensure that the chicken has had room to roam and access to sunshine, which increases the nutrition of the egg.
- Pork, Sage & Bacon Holiday Stuffing – This perfect ketogenic dish is so tasty that you won’t want to wait until Thanksgiving to eat it. You can also eat it on its own for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It features thick slices of bacon, high-quality pork mince, macadamia nuts, and lots of tasty herbs. It even sneaks in some zucchini, onion, and sugar-free cranberries for added antioxidants, flavonoids, and fiber. The recipe calls for a keto bun or bread, which you should be able to find at a high-quality health food store. You can also order these online or make them at home (see the recipe below).
- The Ultimate Keto Buns – If you love bread but hate the carbs, then this recipe is for you. It goes great with the above-mentioned pork, sage & bacon holiday stuffing recipe or you can use them to create a low-carb take on the traditional burger. They are made of lard, eggs and almond flour with some spices thrown in to make them taste like the real thing. Spread on some homemade mayo, stack your favorite full-fat meats and a slice of cheese, add a bit of lettuce and tomato, and you have yourself an excellent keto lunch.
- Paleo Beef With Broccoli – Paleo and keto dishes seem to be intertwined with each other. The major difference between the two diets is that keto followers must adhere to a lower carb count. Both diets stay away from processed sugars, and this dish is ideal for just about everyone trying to eat low-carb or sugar-free. Be sure to pick up some grass-fed beef if possible with no added sugar or antibiotics.
- Ginger Sesame Glazed Salmon – Salmon is one of the best foods you can eat on the ketogenic diet. It’s high in omega three fatty acids to help reduce inflammation and keep your brain working properly. It’s also delicious and can be added to just about any dish. As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to stay away from any recipe that uses the word “glaze” in it as this refers to hidden processed sugar. But making your own glaze at home can be perfectly fine. This one calls for sugar-free ketchup, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. You may want to omit the white wine in this recipe as it’s not keto-friendly, but you might be fine as long as you’re counting your carbs. When in doubt, dress up a piece of wild-caught salmon with fresh lemon, ghee, and herbs, and you won’t be disappointed.
- Creamy Chicken with Garlicky Mushroom Sauce – This recipe sounds so good it might make your mouth water just reading the title. It’s paleo, keto and Whole-30 diet friendly, which means that all the ingredients are clean with no hidden preservatives or sugar. It’s also super easy to make. It calls for chicken thighs, which are higher in fat than chicken breast to support a high-fat diet, as well as one-half a can of full-fat coconut cream. Add in some mushrooms, garlic, and spices, and let it cook for 15 minutes. You’ll want to make this again and again.
- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup – If you thought soup was off-limits on the keto diet, think again. This recipe is truly all about the fat. It features bacon, ground beef, shredded cheese, cream cheese, and heavy cream. Throw in some sugar-free tomato paste (homemade, if you can) and spices, and you have the best part of any cheeseburger, minus the bun. One of the reasons why the keto diet is so effective is because fat is the only macronutrient that does not cause the body to release insulin. This keeps your blood sugar levels stable and allows the body to utilize fat as fuel. This recipe is a perfect example of how to get your good fats in and keep the glucose out.
- Spinach, Bacon and Artichoke Dip – The traditional spinach and artichoke dip recipes that most restaurants serve are full of unhealthy ingredients. Making this one at home ensures you know exactly what’s going in your dip. It’s made with fresh spinach, two cans of artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream, and parmesan cheese. It’s a cheese-lover’s dream. You can eat this without feeling guilty with keto bread, keto crackers, or vegetable sticks.
- Rack of Lamb With Low-Carb Mint Glaze – This recipe is a full-fat lover’s favorite. It calls for a grass-fed rack of lamb and lots of fresh herbs. The glaze is made with a granulated stevia/erythritol blend for a sugar-free way to jazz up any meat dish. Mint has numerous health benefits. It has been shown to soothe a troubled tummy, reduce chronic inflammation, boost the immune system, and protect you against harmful bacteria. Not to mention it will make your breath smell better, too. Serve this dish with a non-starchy vegetable of your choice.
- Low-Carb/Keto Chilli – Chilli is everyone’s favorite dish in the cold weather, but you can’t eat all those beans if you’re on the ketogenic diet. This recipe calls for basic ingredients, such as ground beef (grass-fed is best), crushed tomatoes, onions, beef broth, and lots of tasty spices minus the beans. The best part is that you get to top it with sour cream and cheese without feeling guilty about it. If you add hot sauce, look for a brand that is sugar-free.
- Tomato Sauce Chicken Wings – Unlike restaurant versions that are usually doused in sugary sauce, this chicken wings recipe is as clean as they come. It calls for eight or more chicken wings, one tomato, the cooking oil of your choice (stay away from vegetable or canola oil), broth, and lots of spices. It’s simple, quick to make, and won’t kick you out of ketosis. The best part is that it doesn’t call for canned tomatoes, which can be full of salt.
- Blueberry Galaxy Keto Smoothie – Lots of people don’t have time to make eggs and bacon for breakfast while on the ketogenic diet, so a smoothie is a great way around that. This recipe calls for a cup of coconut milk, MCT oil, vanilla, and blueberries. You can also add in some whey protein if you want. Blueberries are one of the only fruits allowed on the ketogenic diet. They are low in sugar and are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. They contain unique antioxidants called anthocyanins that have been shown to fight cancer, dementia, and help promote weight loss.
- Bacon and Egg Fat Bombs – This recipe will be your favorite snack food while on the keto diet. One bomb has 185 calories, 18 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 0.2 grams of carbohydrates for the perfect keto combo. You’ll need two pasture-raised eggs, a quarter cup of ghee, a few tablespoons of mayo, and four slices of bacon. Make these ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator when you need something to tide you over until dinner.
- Crockpot Ghee – Many keto recipes call for ghee. Making your own can help save you money from buying expensive store brands. This recipe can be made right on your crockpot in a true set-it-and-go manner, although you might want to keep an eye on it if you leave it uncovered. To make it, add two pounds of frozen, organic grass-fed butter to your crockpot and cook uncovered on high for five hours. Check out the recipe for more details.
- Keto Pecan Fudge Fat Bombs – Think you can’t have dessert on the keto diet? Think again! This recipe will satisfy any sweet tooth without kicking you out of ketosis as long as you don’t eat too many. It calls for unsweetened cocoa powder, but use raw cacao powder for more antioxidants and fiber. You’ll also need food-grade cocoa butter, coconut oil, heavy cream, pecans, and erythritol. Plus, you can make these any shape you want if you use a silicone mold to appeal to kids in place of a candy bar.
- Real Mayonnaise – Mayo is the perfect keto food. It’s high in fat and low in carbs. But most store-bought brands use highly refined vegetable oils that are full of inflammatory omega six fatty acids. Making your own mayo at home is the best way to make sure you stick to your keto roots when using it in recipes. You’ll need avocado oil, an egg, white vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard. This recipe calls for gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, but you can skip it and add more lemon juice.
- Cheesy Garlic Creamed Spinach – This recipe would make an excellent side dish to a meat-based meal, but you can also add it to an omelet or eat it as is. It calls for three different types of cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, and goat cheese), fresh spinach, garlic, butter, and heavy cream.
- High-Fat, Low-Carb Pancakes – Eating pancakes on the keto diet might seem like a fantasy, but this recipe makes it a reality. It calls for almond flour, grass-fed cream cheese, eggs, cinnamon, and butter or avocado oil. Plus, you can top them with more butter and cinnamon or even some berries for a delicious low-carb alternative to maple syrup. Almond flour makes a good substitute for flours that contain gluten, but macadamia nuts are the most keto-friendly nut around.
- Guacamole – This one seems like a no-brainer, but you need to know how to make guacamole if you’re on the keto diet. Making it is simple. You’ll need some ripe avocados, lemon juice, tomatoes, and a few key spices. This recipe also incorporates mayo for a higher fat content. Use it on eggs, in salads, or as a dip for vegetable sticks.
- Cauliflower Crusted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches – If you (or your child) miss eating a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch every day, then you need to try this recipe. It uses cauliflower in place of bread, which might sound crazy but it works. It even looks like bread. Plus, you get to use a lot of cheese, and that makes everything taste better. You can even use this cauliflower base to make pizza.
- Keto Instant Pot Short Ribs – This recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners. If you’re using an instant pot, this recipe will take less than an hour to cook. You’ll need beef bone-in short ribs, tallow, red wine, and garlic. Pair it with a side salad or sauteed kale.
- Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggie Dinner – You can’t use time as a reason not to eat keto anymore. This recipe is as easy as it comes. It uses sausage, which is higher in fat compared to other forms of meat. Chop up some non-starchy vegetables, add to a sheet pan, top with olive oil and spices, and let the oven do the rest of the work.
- Low Carb Ikea Meatballs – If you love the meatballs at Ikea, then you’ll love this recipe. It calls for ground beef, eggs, heavy cream, turmeric, and other tasty herbs. If you aren’t sure about using Swerve or another sugar option, then leave it out as the recipe will still taste good.