30 Healthy and Simple Low Carb Recipes and Ideas

Last Updated on November 16, 2019 by Michael Joseph by

For those trying to follow a lower carbohydrate diet, it can often seem difficult knowing what kind of meals to make.

Don’t worry; if you are looking for some low carb meal plans, then you’re in the right place.

This article will provide a list of 30 tasty meal ideas, ranging from quick breakfasts to flavorful dinner recipes.

All recipes are suitable for low-carb diets, use healthy whole food ingredients and taste delicious.

Low Carb Breakfast Ideas

In this section, you will find some traditional breakfast meals and also some simple recipe ideas.

1. Cheese, Onion and Garlic Frittata

A frittata is so easy to make and it always tastes amazing.

The frittata is actually an Italian dish which shares a resemblance with another low carb meal; crustless quiche.

On the positive side, they are simple and convenient to make.

For this recipe, use the following ingredients;

6 large eggs

1 medium onion

8 cloves of garlic

3 oz (85 g) cheese

Salt

Pepper

Any veggies that you want for decoration

Although many people have their own special recipe, cooking a frittata with a cast iron pan in the oven is the simplest and most convenient way.

Instructions

First, cut the onions and garlic into small pieces and fry them in your choice of butter/oil for 5 minutes.

Next, pour the egg mixture into the pan, add salt and pepper (to taste) and then transfer to the oven at 175°C (347°F).

Cook for approximately 7 or 8 minutes until the egg mixture is starting to set and solidify. In the meantime, grate the cheese.

After the frittata mixture has set well, sprinkle the cheese across the surface to give the frittata a melted cheese coating.

Once it is ready, remove from heat and decorate with any vegetables or sides that you enjoy.

2. Breakfast Egg Wrap

A morning egg wrap makes a great healthy low carb recipe.

It is basically an omelet in all but name, and it’s an egg wrap that houses tasty low carb foods inside a thin layer of egg.

To make the it requires the following ingredients;

4 Large eggs

Meat/vegetables of your choice

Pat of butter

Salt

Pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) water

Instructions

Heat the butter in a cast-iron/frying pan

In the meantime, whisk the four eggs, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of water into a consistent mixture.

Add the egg mixture to the pan once the butter has fully melted and starts getting hot.

Cook for several minutes as if you are making an omelet, and take off the heat when finished.

Add your choice of meat/vegetables to the center of the omelet, and then roll the omelet around the ingredients to make a wrap.

3. Traditional Bacon and Eggs

One of the most traditional breakfast recipes and it is also one of the easiest to make.

Bacon and eggs is delicious and a meal that (almost) anyone would be happy to wake up to.

Instructions

There are two ways you can make them and both taste great.

The first way is by first cooking the bacon in a pan. Bacon is very fatty, so as the bacon cooks lots of fat will accumulate in the pan.

Once the bacon is ready, take it out and then fry the eggs in the leftover bacon fat.

A second tasty way to make bacon and eggs is by using the oven. For this method, line a baking tray with all the rashers of bacon and then cook at 200°C (390°F).

After about 20 minutes the bacon will be nearly done. At this point, remove from heat, and re-arrange the bacon to make some space to cook the eggs. Break the eggs into these spaces and then put the baking tray back in the oven for around 5 minutes until the eggs are done.

Serve with some mushrooms or just eat the bacon and eggs alone.

4. Greek Yogurt With Mixed Berries and Nuts

Looking for a breakfast idea without eggs?

This could be just the thing; a bowl of greek yogurt with berries and nuts.

If you are running short on time, then this one is a great option due to its simplicity.

All you need to do is pour the yogurt into a bowl and chuck a few berries on top!

If you want something a bit more flavorful, then adding some chopped nuts and dark chocolate shavings works well too.

5. Full English Breakfast

There are many different ideas over what a genuine ‘Full English’ breakfast should contain.

However, I think that most would agree with the main three ingredients; bacon, eggs, and sausages.

Personally, I’d say it tastes a lot better with a few decorative plant foods too – especially grilled tomatoes and mushrooms.

It’s a food pairing that tastes so good it never gets old, even though it actually is rather old.

After all, people in the UK have been eating it for one and a half centuries!

6. Steak and Eggs

If anything is capable of competing with bacon and eggs for simplicity, then it is probably this.

Steak and eggs is also a meal combination with a long tradition, it is extremely nutrient-dense and delicious.

Just cook up some steak and then fry a few eggs in the leftover beef fat for an extra tasty low carb breakfast.

Serving this with a few vegetables works well, and some popular options include asparagus, onions, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

Just pick and choose whatever you like best!

7. Bacon and Egg Avocado Boats

If you feel pure bacon and eggs is lacking a bit of green, then making avocado “boats” is a good way to get both.

This combination is incredibly nutrient-dense and offers a huge amount of vitamins and minerals.

This recipe is low in carbohydrate and it is rather tasty too!

Instructions

Use one avocado per person depending on how many you are serving.

Firstly, pre-heat the oven to 175°C (347°F) and then slice the avocados in half and place them on a baking tray.

Secondly, crack open one egg per avocado half and put the egg yolk (and as much of the egg whites as you can) on top of each avocado half.

Season the egg boats with salt, pepper, and any other seasoning you like (garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder etc).

Cook the avocado boats for 15-20 minutes until the egg is firm. Meanwhile, cook some chopped bacon in a frying pan and top the avocados with the bacon once they’re ready.

See these 38 low carb and keto snack ideas for more ideas.

8. Cheese, Bacon and Vegetable Muffins

Here are some breakfast muffins but there is no sugar to be seen – only meat and vegetables!

To make these, all you need are some eggs, bacon, a bit of cheese and some veggies.

The following recipe is for four people;

Ingredients

8 Large Eggs

8 Slices of bacon

2 Green onions

4.5 oz grated cheese (120 g)

1 tsp salt

Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

Firstly, pre-heat the oven to a temperature of 175°C (347°F).

Next, chop the bacon into small pieces and lightly fry it for a few minutes.

After this, mix the eggs, chopped bacon, chopped green onions, grated cheese, salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl.

Following this, grease a muffin tin with your choice of fat (butter, coconut oil and olive oil are all good choices) and spoon the mixture into eight spaces.

Cook for approximately 20 minutes until firm, and then you’ll have eight ready to eat low carb, high fat muffins!

9. Bacon and Cheese Omelet

It is hard to beat an omelet for simplicity; this tasty traditionalfood takes little more than 10 minutes to cook up.

In this case, a bacon and cheese omelet contains minimal carbohydrate but high amounts of satiating protein and fat.

To make it, use the following ingredients;

3 Eggs

3 Slices of Bacon

1 oz (30 g) Grated cheese

1 Small onion

Pepper

Instructions

Before you start on the omelet, first chop the bacon and onion into small pieces and cook until the bacon is slightly crispy and the onion has softened.

After this, crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whip them into a steady consistency.

Next, put a bit of butter or your choice of oil in a frying pan and heat until you can hear the oil start to get hot. Pour the egg mixture into the pan at this stage.

Wait until the eggs have started to become firmer, and after a few minutes flip the omelet over to ensure both sides cook.

When the omelet is relatively firm, sprinkle the grated cheese all around the surface and then put the bacon and onions on top. They should sink into the melted cheese.

Once it is ready, fold the omelet in half and serve.

10. Buttered Kippers and Egg

If you haven’t heard of a kipper before, then it is simply a salted and smoked herring.

Herring is one of the healthiest fish around; it provides a wealth of omega-3 fatty acids and contains minimal mercury levels.

Kippers have been a traditional breakfast going back to the early 19th century and this meal has lots of strong points too. It is healthy, cheap and tastes delicious.

When you buy a packet of kippers, it will often contain butter for cooking with.

If not, just use a pat of butter and gently pan-fry the fish and add an egg once it is nearly ready.

It is a simple meal that is packed with healthy fat and protein, and it is ready in less than ten minutes.

Low Carb Dinner Ideas

The following meals are more suited for an evening meal.

11. Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts can be a little boring on their own and this is mainly due to their low fat content.

However, add some butter and cheese to them and they taste a lot better!

Aside from the first 5 minutes, you can just relax and wait for this to cook in the oven.

As a result, it’s a very quick low carb meal that doesn’t require much preparation time.

Ingredients (per person)

1 Large chicken breast

1 tbsp Butter

1 oz (30 g) Cheese

1 cup (30 g) Spinach

Salt

Pepper

Instructions

Firstly, pre-heat the oven at 175°C (347°F).

After this, grate the cheese and combine it with the butter, spinach, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix everything together well.

Next, make four wide diagonal cuts across the width of the chicken breast.

Take a spoon of the cheese and spinach mixture and stuff it into each hole in the chicken breast.

Cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

12. Garlic Butter-Basted Chicken Leg

Chicken leg is one of the tastier chicken cuts, but it tastes even better when it’s basted in garlic butter.

Here is the recipe;

1 Chicken leg (with skin)

2 Cloves of garlic

1 tbsp of butter

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 175°C (347°F)

Firstly, mash the garlic cloves until they have a paste-like texture.

Following this, rub the mashed garlic and butter all over the outside of the chicken leg.

Evenly sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper on top of the butter chicken and then put it in the oven.

Cook for approximately 35-40 minutes until the skin has a crisp golden brown appearance. Add a side salad for decoration and serve/pack.

13. Creamy Cheese and Zucchini Casserole

Missing out on lasagna or potato-based casseroles?

No problem; although it doesn’t quite taste the same, a zucchini casserole is a delicious alternative.

This could be a low-carb meal for four / the whole family.

Ingredients

6 Zucchini

1 Cup of heavy cream

6 oz (180 g) cheese

2 Large onions

1.5 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven at 200°C (392°F).

First of all, cut three zucchinis into 1-cm wide slices and line the bottom of the baking dish with them.

Chop the onions into small pieces and grate the cheese, and put all the onion on top of the zucchini slices. Additionally, sprinkle half of the cheese around the baking dish. Following this, mix the heavy cream with the salt and pepper, and pour half of the cream into the dish.

Next, cut the remaining three zucchinis into 1-cm wide slices and fully cover the food inside the baking tray with them.

After this, pour the remaining half of heavy cream over the top of everything. Most of it should go through the zucchini slices, but a little may be left on top. Cover the top of the baking dish with the rest of the grated cheese.

Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes until the casserole has a firm texture, then slice and serve.

14. Kale and Ground Turkey Egg Muffins

Another set of egg muffins, but this time with a completely different flavor.

These muffins are perfect for any meal really, and offer a convenient low-carb meal that is healthy and quick.

To make these ones, you will need the following ingredients;

8 Large eggs

8.5 oz (240 g) Ground turkey

2 Cups (60 g) kale

1 Small onion

1 tsp salt

Instructions

As always, pre-heat the oven to 175°C (347°F)

Before mixing the ingredients, first chop the onion into small pieces and fry it with the ground turkey.

Next, cut the kale into lots of short strips.

After this, combine the cooked turkey and onions, eggs, salt and kale in a mixing bowl and stir until there is a good consistency.

Grease a muffin tray, and spoon the mixture into eight muffin spaces and then cook for about 20 minutes until the muffins are firm.

15. Cheese, Meat and Vegetables

No special instructions necessary here; it is just a plate full of your favorite cured meats, cheese and salad veggies.

Choose the quantities of each that suit you/your family, put them on a plate, and eat!

It is ready in minutes, and it’s a great lunchbox option for school/the office too.

For more pork recipes, see these low-carb pork ideas.

16. Bacon Wrapped Avocado Slices

Some salted slices of avocado are pretty tasty, but what makes them even better?

Wrapping them in rashers of crispy bacon, of course!

To make this one, you only need two ingredients;

Bacon (1 slice per piece of avocado)

Avocado

The number of avocados you need will depend on how many you’re serving and how many pieces you each want.

Just cut the avocado into your desired slice size, wrap each slice in bacon, and then put them in the oven for approximately 15 minutes at 175°C (347°F).

17. Avocado and Bacon Cloud Bread Sandwich

Cloud bread is a low carb bread substitute made from eggs and baking powder.

Despite tasting rather different, it works well as a sandwich and this particular one combines bacon and avocado, which is always a delicious combination.

Of course, you don’t have to use this filler, and you can use just about anything you want.

This one does taste nice though!

18. Feta Cheese and Olive Greek Salad

With summer approaching, a nice cheese and olive salad can be a great fit for a hot day.

It is perfect for a home meal and it can easily fit into a lunchbox for a portable meal too.

The only thing to watch out for with salad is to make sure you’re getting enough protein.

The ingredients for this simple low carb meal include;

Feta cheese

Olives

Cucumber

Red onion

Cherry/roma tomatoes

Olive oil

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Simply choose the amount of each food and the variety of olives that you prefer.

See these 15 keto side dish ideas for more.

19. Marinated Salmon and Zucchini Kebabs

Kebab skewers don’t always have to be about meat.

Traditional meat kebabs are delicious, but fish is a healthy and delicious option too.

For a great-tasting kebab, marinating the fish before cooking adds an extra depth of flavor.

Ingredients (makes 4 kebab sticks)

14 oz (400 g) Salmon

1 Zucchini cut into 1-cm thick slices

2 tbsp of tamari soy sauce

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

½ Lime juice (freshly squeezed)

½ tsp of black pepper

Instructions

First of all, cut the salmon into 1 oz (about 25 gram) chunks and slice the zucchini into twelve 1-cm thick slices.

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice and black pepper. Put all the pieces of salmon and zucchini in the bowl and make sure they’re fully covered in the marinade – leave for a few hours.

Next, take the kebab sticks and slide one piece of salmon onto the stick and then one slice of zucchini. Repeat this until you have three slices of zucchini inside four pieces of salmon.

You can then either cook this on the grill or if it’s a nice day and you have the equipment, a BBQ is a great way to cook them.

Cook for somewhere around 10 minutes and turn occasionally to make sure they are fully cooked.

These kebab sticks are great to eat straight away, or they can be packed up for an on-the-go bite to eat.

20. Steak and Salad Bowl

For a tasty low carb dish, try putting a steak salad together.

This meal is also a great way to make meat and veggies portable for a day out.

The following ingredients make a good combination;

6 oz (180 g) Beef/steak

1 oz (30 g) Cheese

8 Chopped cherry tomatoes

8 Kalamata olives

½ Red onion (sliced)

2 cups arugula leaves (or leafy greens of choice)

2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

½ Lemon (freshly squeezed)

1 tsp Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Firstly, cook the beef by your preferred method.

Prepare the right amount of cheese, tomatoes, olives and vegetables and put them in a bowl. Add the cooked beef to them.

Next, pour the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar into the bowl and mix everything together well.

Sprinkle with your desired amount of salt and pepper.

Lastly, either serve the salad or pack it up for a portable meal.

For more meat-based meals, check out some of the best low-carb meatloaf recipes.

21. Spicy Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

This spicy low carb stir-fry is easy to make, takes very little time, and it’s healthy and delicious.

For the ingredients, you will require the following (per person);

8 oz (240 g) Beef

1 cup (90 g) of broccoli

½ Medium onion (chopped)

½ Medium carrot (sliced)

3 Green chili peppers

½ Green onion

1 cup (75 g) of chopped mushrooms

1 tbsp Tamari soy sauce

3 Cloves of mashed garlic

1 tsp Sesame oil

Instructions

Before getting started, wash and prepare all the vegetables and cut them into their required sizes.

Secondly, cook the beef in a small amount of olive oil until it is about halfway cooked.

Add the vegetables, garlic, and tamari soy sauce and keep cooking until everything is done.

Once everything is ready, take the stir-fry off heat and then add the sesame oil. Stir it into the dish.

Serve.

22. Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry (With Cauliflower Rice)

A creamy chicken curry is a great low-carb, high-fat meal and it provides a wealth of protein too.

If you like something a little spicy, then this might be worth a try.

Ingredients (per person)

8 oz (240 g) Chicken meat

3 tbsp of tomato paste

1 Medium onion

3 tbsp Coconut cream

1 tsp Curry powder

1 tsp Cayenne pepper

3.5 oz (100 g) Cauliflower rice

5 Basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To start with, add a little cooking oil to the fry pan and gently cook the chicken and onion.

Once the chicken is no longer showing pink bits, add the tomato paste, coconut cream, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer. While it is cooking, add a little water if the amount of liquid gets too low.

Cooking for about 25-30 minutes will give chance for the flavors to infuse, and the food should be ready.

But first! Chop three basil leaves into small pieces and mix them into the curry. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.

In a separate pan, fry the cauliflower rice and the remaining two chopped basil leaves. Serve on a plate alongside the curry.

23. Feta, Parmesan and Prosciutto Salad

Cheese and cured meat always makes an excellent combination and it is no different here.

Combined with some arugula leaves and fresh fruit makes a tasty and refreshing low-carb plate that is perfect for summer.

Ingredients (per person)

2 oz (56 g) Prosciutto

2 oz (56 g) Feta cheese

1 cup Arugula leaves

½ cup Strawberries

Handful of cranberries

½ Lemon (freshly squeezed)

This one is very simple to make – all you need to do is mix everything together!

24. Keto Chicken Alfredo With Zoodles

For a creamy, low-carb Italian dish, chicken alfredo works well – just omit the pasta and replace it with zucchini noodles.

To serve 4 people, you will need;

17 oz (480 g) Chicken meat

2 cups (500 ml) Heavy cream

1 Egg yolk

4 Zucchinis

4 oz (120 g) Parmesan cheese

4 oz (120 g) Mozzarella cheese

3 Garlic cloves (mashed)

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1.5 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

First, pan fry the chicken in either butter or olive oil for several minutes.

After the chicken is no longer showing pink parts, add the heavy cream, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the pan.

Continue to cook on a low heat while continuously stirring. In a second pan, prepare some zoodles .

After 15-20 minutes, add the egg yolk, mozzarella and parmesan cheese and stir everything up until it has a smooth consistency.

Once the cheese has all nearly melted, take off the heat and serve alongside some zoodles.

See this guide to zoodles (with recipes) for more information.

25. Low Carb Cauliflower Crust Margherita Pizza

Pizza is popular with everybody and that includes low carb dieters, but the same isn’t true for bread.

But don’t worry; there are several alternate low-carb ways to make a pizza and using a cauliflower crust is just one of these.

For this recipe you will need;

1 Medium-size head of cauliflower

2 Eggs

1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

3 Cloves of garlic (mashed)

1 tbsp Cream cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

Extra mozzarella and basil leaves for toppings

Instructions

Preheat the oven to a temperature of 200 C (392 F)

Process the cauliflower head into small pieces. You could alternatively use cauliflower rice for the purpose of this recipe.

Mix the cauliflower with the eggs, mozzarella, parmesan, cream cheese, mashed garlic, Italian seasoning and salt.

Mix into a smooth consistency and make the mixture into a dough ball. Roll it out into a pizza-shaped base and transfer to the oven for about 10 minutes.

After the pizza base has been cooking for ten minutes, it should have started to lightly brown. Take the pizza base out of the oven, add the toppings, and return to the oven for cooking for 3-4 more minutes until the cheese melts.

Take the dish out of the oven and slice into the right-sized portions.

You could also try making a pizza using any of these low carb flours.

26. Pork Chop in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Pork chops make a great family meal and a flavorful sauce makes them even better.

This meal involves grilling a pork chop and making a simple sauce that is very straightforward.

For this meal, you will require the following ingredients per person;

Pork chop

Side vegetables of your choice

4 tbsp (60 ml) Heavy cream

1 cup of Mushrooms

1 tsp Butter

1 tsp Chopped/dried rosemary

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

First of all, pre-heat the oven at 200 C and place the pork chop and your choice of veggies on the grill.

While the pork chop is cooking, it is same to make the sauce. First of all, blend together the cream, half of the mushrooms, salt and pepper.

Transfer the blended creamy mushroom sauce to a pan and bring it to near boiling. Just before it starts bubbling, turn the heat down and then simmer on a low-heat.

Add the butter, rosemary and the remaining half of the mushrooms and stir continuously on a low heat.

When the pork chop is done, transfer to a plate and cover it with the mushroom sauce.

27. Sausage and Cauliflower Rice Broth

This dinner idea is low in carbs but very high in flavor and it’s easy to make too.

Ingredients (4 servings)

1.5 lbs (680 g) Spicy Italian sausage

1 lb (450 g) Cauliflower rice

3 tbsp Olive oil

2 cups of Chicken broth

1 cup Water

2 cups Kale

6 Cloves of garlic (mashed)

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

Start by chopping the Italian sausage into small bite-sized pieces.

After this, heat the olive oil in a fry pan and gently cook the sausages and kale.

Once the sausages no longer look almost cooked, transfer the sausages and kale into a pan. Add the chicken broth, 1 cup of water, garlic, salt and pepper.

Let the soup simmer on a low heat for about 40 minutes and then add the cauliflower rice.

Cook for a further 5-10 minutes and then remove from the heat and serve.

28. Shrimp Zoodles (Zucchini Noodle Dish)

Shrimp zoodles are a fitting choice for a light meal.

This meal is nutrient-dense, virtually carb-free, and full of flavor.

Furthermore, you only need several ingredients and this will serve about 4 people;

4 Zucchini

2 tbsp Olive oil

6 Cloves of garlic (mashed)

1 lb (450 g) Shrimp

2 tsp Tamari soy sauce

1/2 Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Spiralize each zucchini to turn them into ‘zoodles’.

Heat the olive oil on a low-medium heat in a frying pan. Once it starts getting hot, add the shrimp, garlic, salt, soy sauce and saute for 6-7 minutes.

Once everything looks done, add the zucchini noodles, lemon juice and black pepper and cook for 3-4 more minutes while stirring continuously.

Take the pan off the heat, transfer to plates and serve.

Don’t like zoodles? Then there is a wide range of low-carb pasta alternatives here.

29. Steak, Green Beans and Mushrooms

You won’t win any prizes for creativity with this meal, but it’s a tasty and simplistic low carb dinner and convenience can be helpful sometimes.

To make this in a tasty way requires only a handful of ingredients (in your preferred quantities);

Steak

Green beans

Mushrooms

1 tbsp Butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

First of all, season the steak with salt and pepper around 30 minutes before you plan to start cooking.

When it is time to cook, start by heating the butter in a cast-iron pan.

When the butter starts spitting, place the steak in the center of the pan.

Wait a few minutes – about 3 minutes for a medium-rare steak – and then turn over to cook the other side.

Once the steak is fully cooked, remove it from the pan and lay on a plate ready to cool for a few minutes. There should still be a fair amount of fat in the pan from the butter and meat juices.

Quickly saute the green beans and mushrooms in the leftover fat in the cast iron pan, and then serve next to the steak on the plate.

30. A Home Meat and Steak BBQ

No recipe is necessary for this one.

But what could be a better meal than a home barbecue?

Choose the best cuts of meat, invite your family/friends round, have a bit of wine and enjoy good company and great food.

It is possibly the easiest (but tastiest) option on this list!

Final Thoughts

If you were running out of ideas, then hopefully you were able to find a few enjoyable recipes from this collection.

As you can see in most of the recipes, the majority don’t require a lot of preparation time, and that just shows how good food doesn’t have to be complex.

And remember, should you ever run out of ideas then all you need is a quick Google search – there are literally thousands of low carb meals out there.