Being on a keto-based diet can make dinnertime a struggle. Many think that dinner favorites like pasta or soup are immediately off the table or that keto-friendly dinners have to be plain or tasteless. However, that is far from the truth.
From familiar favorites like pepperoni pizza and beef stroganoff to Asian influenced pastas and bowls, there are plenty of keto-friendly dinner options out there that taste great. Below are 14 keto-friendly dinner recipes that you can try, all with individual servings under 8g carbs.
Keto Chicken Noodle Soup – 5g Carbs
We’re kicking this list off with a timeless classic: chicken noodle soup. It’s a common misconception that chicken noodle soup can’t be keto-friendly due to the amount of carbs in the noodles. However, this issue can be easily solved by using keto-friendly noodles in the recipe.
That’s exactly what this recipe does. The noodles are made using mushrooms, so the recipe is also gluten-free on top of being low-carb. If you’re not a fan of noodles, this recipe will still taste just as good if you skip the noodles. You can easily make a classic comfort food in less than an hour, all while being keto-friendly, low-carb, and gluten-free.
Slow Cooker Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup – 6.4g Carbs
If you want a fancier soup, you can recreate this popular Italian soup at home using a slow cooker. This is one of the longer recipes when it comes to time but the result is well worth it. You get 8 servings of delicious soup, which you can serve to your entire family or friends or save it as leftovers to eat throughout the week.
A good majority of the ingredients you need for this soup are vegetables, plus you can add plenty of other vegetables to it like radishes or turnips. If you’re looking for a dairy-free version, you can use unflavored almond milk instead of cream.
Chicken Asparagus with Three Cheeses – 7.8g Carbs
Casserole is one of the most popular choices for keto-friendly dinners. This chicken and asparagus variation is equal parts delicious and filling, all while being low-carb. It’s also gluten-free and suitable for low glycemic diets and the South Beach diet.
This recipe is also quite flexible with its ingredients. Although it calls for goat cheese, you can easily use mozzarella or a 5 cheese-Mexican blend. The sour cream can be replaced with equal parts of cream cheese and heavy cream.
Keto Taco Salad – 3g Carbs
Keto-friendly dishes don’t have to be boring and neither do salads. With plenty of meat and veggies, this recipe is filling enough by itself that it can be served as dinner rather than just a side dish or appetizer.
This is one of the easiest dishes to make on this list and requires minimal amounts of cooking, making it perfect for a lazy night in. Plus, it includes a recipe for homemade taco seasoning so you get two recipes in one. Top your salad off with sour cream or any other desired condiment and you’re good to go.
Keto Tuscan Chicken Casserole – 3.1g Carbs
Here is yet another recipe for chicken casserole, complete with sun-dried tomato sauce and provolone cheese, that is keto-friendly and gluten-free. This casserole is delectably creamy with Tuscan-inspired flavors. The best part is, you only need 10 ingredients to make this.
This casserole takes an hour to make, although you can prep the casserole at any time. Once you’ve prepped the casserole, you can let it sit in the fridge until you want to serve it. Just be sure to increase the baking time to counteract the coldness of the fridge.
Keto Japanese Mushroom Pasta with Shirataki – 4g Carbs
Shirataki noodles are one of the most common ingredients in keto-friendly pasta dishes. This recipe combines these low-carb noodles with an assortment of Japanese mushrooms, which creates an amazing umami flavor all while remaining low in carbs.
The best part about this recipe is you can use whatever mushrooms you want! Create your own assortment or just use only your favorite mushroom. Regardless of which mushrooms you choose, they’re sure to taste great once cooked in the butter and garlic.
Low Carb Keto Beef Stroganoff Meatballs – 6g Carbs
Keto-friendly foods don’t necessarily mean you have to miss out on your favorite dishes. This recipe is a testament to that. Made with creamy cauliflower puree, caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, and tender beef meatballs, this is a great variation on the classic dish all while keeping the carb count low.
Not only is this dish keto-friendly but it’s also gluten-free! You can easily serve it over keto-friendly noodles such as low-carb egg noodles or cauliflower rice. Although the recipe calls for xanthan gum, you can easily substitute cornstarch into the recipe to get the same effect.
Easy Caprese Chicken Mozzarella – 7g Carbs
If you need a quick and easy Italian-inspired dinner, look no further. This caprese chicken mozzarella only takes 20 minutes to make. All you need is your skillet to cook the chicken. Once that’s cooked, top it with a marinara sauce and mozzarella and let it warm under cover for a few minutes.
Since this recipe can serve up to 4 people, this is a great option for a family dinner that requires minimal prep work and time cooking. The recipe does not call for a specific marinara sauce so feel free to use a keto-friendly commercially made sauce of your choosing.
Low Carb Creamy Cottage Pie – 7g Carbs
Inspired by the deliciously rich cottage pie, this recipe gives the United Kingdom classic a low-carb spin. The ingredients list looks long but most of it is spices that will give the ground beef filling its iconic flavor. This recipe swaps the traditional use of mashed potatoes for celeriac, which keeps the dish low-carb.
This dish is a great option for so many diets beyond keto. Atkins and Banting diets can also eat this dish and it’s good for diabetics too. Plus, the dish is gluten-free so anyone can enjoy this European classic without worrying about dietary needs.
Keto Salmon with Lemon Garlic Butter – 1g Carbs
For seafood, it doesn’t get much better than this salmon dish with lemon pepper-garlic butter sauce. Not only does it only require 4 ingredients but it only takes 20 minutes to make. The result is a tender and flavorful dinner that is simultaneously keto-friendly and rich in Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
Salmon is considered a zero-carb food, making it one of the best options for keto-friendly dishes. If you’re a beginner at cooking seafood, this simple and straightforward recipe is perfect for you!
Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl – 3g Carbs
This copycat recipe takes the great taste of egg rolls and transforms it into a keto-friendly bowl that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. It’s all the deliciousness of egg rolls without having to assemble them. This dish is also super easy to customize, from the type of meat used to how spicy the result is.
The best part is that this recipe takes less than a half hour to make. You only need a skillet to cook everything. Add sriracha to up the spiciness or top it with chopped peanuts or cashews to give it some extra crunchy texture.
Keto Low Carb Sesame Chicken – 4g Carbs
Here’s another keto-friendly dinner inspired by a take-out favorite. This Asian-inspired recipe replaces high-carb rice with a bed of green broccoli, bringing the focus of the dish more onto the chicken itself.
The recipe has pictures and video tutorials to help walk you through the entire process, down to how much space to leave between the chicken to cook it properly. You’ll also learn to make your own homemade sesame sauce, which you can later use on other Asian-inspired keto-friendly dinners of your choosing.
Keto Grilled Pork Chops – 1g Carbs
Much like salmon, pork chops are considered a zero-carb food. This means you can make amazing pork chops for dinner without having to worry about counting carbs. All you need are boneless pork chops, oil, and spices to make this mouthwatering dinner.
The only thing that might count for carbs here are side dishes that you serve with the pork chops. Some great keto-friendly options include salads, roasted vegetables, or keto-friendly french fries.
Keto Pepperoni Pizza – 4g Carbs
We’re ending this list with a familiar favorite that many are surprised to learn can easily be made keto-friendly: pepperoni pizza. Not only is this variation keto-friendly but it’ll also teach you to make homemade pizza, which you can then use to expand your pizza-making repertoire to your heart’s content while keeping the carb count low.
The recipe will walk you through each and every step, from making the dough to creating sauce at home. As complicated as it may look at first glance, this recipe only takes a total of 30 minutes to make. Before you know it, you’ll have a tasty pepperoni pizza ready in time for dinner, all while being low-carb.
