30+ Low Carb Dinner Ideas (+ Recipes) (2024)

What’s for dinner? When you’re looking for low carb dinner ideas, it can be overwhelming because there are so many great low carb dinner recipes online.

There are a lot of good reasons to eat a diet that’s lower in carbs, and weight loss is only one of them. Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, eating a low carb diet is healthy for you. If you do eat carbs, make sure they’re healthy carbs.

How do you know which recipes are challenging to make and which ones are easy low carb meals?

Well, worry no more. We’ve done the research for you and come up with an amazing list of nutritious and delicious low carb dinners.

As more people become conscious of their health and dietary choices, low carb dinner ideas have gained popularity for their potential benefits on weight management and overall health. Incorporating low carbohydrate meals into one’s diet may aid in reducing calorie intake, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and promoting fat burning.

Experimenting with low carb dinner options doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor or variety. There are numerous creative and delicious recipes that offer a satisfying dining experience while keeping carbohydrate counts in check. From protein-focused dishes to vegetable-based options, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in a low carb lifestyle.

Taking the time to explore these options can lead to the creation of a nutritious and diverse meal plan. As a result, individuals can maintain an enjoyable, healthy diet without feeling deprived or restricted. Incorporating low carb dinners into daily life has never been easier or more delicious.

Below, we have listed 30 of the best easy low carb dinners.

Maybe you’re craving steak and a salad. Or perhaps you want something full of spices like Tex-Mex food or lasagna. Whatever you want, this list has a healthy dinner idea that will meet your needs and fill you up. Enjoy!

Source: wholesomeyum.com

1. Oven Seared Sirloin Steak

One of the things people love about low carb recipes and living the keto life is being able to eat delicious foods like beef for dinner.

When it comes to beef, few cuts are more satisfying than steaks.

This dinner recipe shows you a fool-proof technique for cooking a juicy top sirloin steak in your oven.

To cook this steak, you start out on the stovetop with some butter. Then you move to the oven.

The marinade takes just a few minutes to prepare and it’s going to make your steak tender and flavorful.

Source: thatlowcarblife.com

2. Chicken Salad

Keto chicken salad is a great way to have brunch or lunch ready-made in the fridge.

It’s handy to pack up some chicken salad for workday lunches, and this tasty recipe also works well as a healthy weekend snack or weeknight dinner.

Instead of a chicken salad sandwich, you can use crisp lettuce leaves as a lettuce wrap to create a chicken salad wrap.

We love that this chicken salad recipe has pecans and boiled eggs. Also, you can use heart-healthy walnuts if you prefer those over pecans.

The fresh dill makes this delicious lunch entree or dinner selection super flavorful.

Source: delish.com

3. Baked Cheese and Bacon Butternut Squash

A delightful fall vegetable, butternut squash is a healthy dinner staple in keto diets. Butternut squash is remarkably flavorful and is super healthy.

This hearty dish can be served as a side dish to a savory steak dinner, or it can be served as a standalone meal by itself.

It’s filling enough to be a great option for Meatless Monday.

The squash is cut into bite-sized chunks and tossed with garlic, fresh thyme (or dried thyme), and olive oil.

Season the squash with salt and pepper, then crumble bacon on top and bake.

The Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese you add later make this dish ooey gooey goodness. You can also cook this low carb dinner recipe in the slow cooker.

Source: primaverakitchen.com

4. Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas

Zucchini is a beloved vegetable in part because it’s so versatile.

We aren’t strangers to excellent low carb meals that have zucchini as a key ingredient, but this recipe taught us that you can even use zucchini as a tortilla replacement.

If you need more reasons to love this enchiladas recipe, it’s also gluten-free.

To make a zucchini “tortilla,” you have to slice the zucchini very thin and lay it out so that it’s overlapping. Then, you just wrap up your delicious filling.

The spices in this dish are what make it so special. With cumin and chili powder, you have authentic Tex-Mex and Mexican flavors.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

5. Keto Pizza

To make a decent keto pizza for dinner, you need fathead dough. The problem is that sometimes, this “dough” is flavorless and limp.

This pizza crust is one of the best low carb dinner ideas.

The dough in this pizza has cheese baked into the crust, so it’s super crispy. In fact, the longer you cook this dough, the crispier it becomes.

Also, this pizza can be as thick or thin as you like.

This pizza crust is made from cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese (or cheddar cheese), butter, eggs, almond flour, salt, and garlic powder.

Source: jessicagavin.com

6. Broccoli Rice

While cauliflower rice is hugely popular, broccoli rice deserves some love as well.

One great thing about this recipe is that it uses the stalks from broccoli, too, so there is less food waste.

Broccoli rice is perfect for not just keto diets, but also for paleo and Whole30 eating plans.

You can serve this broccoli rice as a tasty dinner side dish or under a saucy meat dish. Either way, it’s a delicious way to serve up some green vegetables.

Source: dinneratthezoo.com

7. Stuffed Zucchini Boats

What happens when you cut a zucchini squash in half, remove the seeds and pulp, and stuff it with sausage and cheese?

Magic. That’s what happens.

For this recipe, you can use any type of sausage, including pork sausage, turkey sausage, Italian sausage (sweet or hot), and even ground beef or ground turkey.

Don’t have zucchini? You can make this exact same recipe with yellow squash or even eggplant.

The recipe calls for mozzarella cheese, but you can use fontina, Parmesan, or provolone.

For the marinara sauce, we like to recommend brands like Classico Riserva because it’s lower in sugar than other brands.

Source: dinneratthezoo.com

8. Asparagus and Chicken Stir Fry

Chicken breast is an amazing piece of meat for a special dinner.

Chicken is low-fat and low carb, making it a winner and the centerpiece of many eating styles.

This low carb recipe is cooked with chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. The flavor is explosive.

The recipe does call for some sugar and cornstarch, but you can just leave those two ingredients out. You won’t miss them.

You can serve this delicious low carb meal idea over cauliflower rice to serve up an Asian-inspired feast.

Source: skinnytaste.com

9. Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

If you love bruschetta but want to skip the bread, you’re going to adore this grilled bruschetta chicken.

The topping has all of the delicious ingredients you love with bruschetta, including garlic, red onion, basil, and Mozzarella cheese.

However, instead of bread, you’re going to spoon those delicious toppings over a juicy grilled chicken breast.

Balsamic vinegar adds tons of flavor and the Mozzarella cheese is diced on top so that you have decadent pockets of creamy cheesy goodness.

Serve this grilled chicken dish with a side salad for a complete Italian meal with plenty of flavor.

Source: gimmedelicious.com

10. Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Keto mashed potatoes (which is actually mashed cauliflower) can serve as a sort of gateway keto recipe for people who are considering a low carb diet.

When someone eats these buttery keto mashed potatoes for the first time, they realize that they actually can give up a lot of the carbs in their diet without sacrificing flavor.

This recipe is loaded with butter, garlic, cream cheese, and parmesan. It has everything that makes low carb life wonderful!

Mashed cauliflower is incredibly easy to make. You can steam, boil, or roast your cauliflower. You can even cook it in the slow cooker or instant pot.

Source: thebigmansworld.com

11. Low Carb “French Fries”

For many people, French fries are a guilty pleasure.

These crispy, salty snacks are delicious, and they’re also pretty addictive.

Unfortunately, there is nearly no healthy eating plan that has room for fried French fries. Even when baked, French fries are really high in carbs.

However, there is a vegetable with a similar texture that you can use to get the same tasty crunch of French fries: the rutabaga.

Unlike some of the other root veggies, rutabagas are low carb and have only three grams of net carbs for every serving.

Make a low carb dipping sauce to enjoy these fries.

Source: jessicainthekitchen.com

12. Bang Bang Cauliflower

Some keto folks enjoy a vegan or vegetarian meal now and again, and it’s fun to have Meatless Monday.

Besides being healthy, vegan meals tend to be light and delicious.

Finding good vegan recipes that also meet the needs of a keto diet can be a challenge.

Allow us to introduce you to the wonder that is Bang Bang Cauliflower.

The restaurant Bonefish Grill has a menu item called Bang Bang Shrimp, and this cauliflower dish is a vegan and low carb version of that.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

13. Egg Rolls in Bowls

Egg rolls are much-loved Asian-inspired treats.

However, what we love about egg rolls isn’t just the crispy crust. We also love the flavors and texture of an egg roll.

The good news is that you can enjoy the flavor and texture of a delicious egg roll even if you’re following a keto diet.

Bowl meals such as burrito bowls have become increasingly popular in recent years because you can customize your ingredients.

For this egg roll, you’re going to put all of the yummy ingredients in a bowl.

You can use ground pork or ground beef, and the shredded cabbage, garlic, ginger, and egg make this dish a work of art.

Serve this veggie stuffed easy dinner recipe with soy sauce or another Asian sauce. Feel free to add shredded chicken to make this the perfect meal.

Source: easyketodishes.com

14. Taco Stuffed Tomatoes

Are you looking for a keto-friendly Taco Tuesday option?

If you love dishes that have tomatoes, you’re going to love these taco-stuffed tomatoes.

To make this recipe, you can use store-bought taco seasoning, but be sure to check the ingredient list on the package. It may be simpler to just make your own.

This recipe calls for ground beef, but you can also use any type of ground meat, including ground chicken or ground turkey.

Serve this dish with green onions and cilantro for garnish, and don’t forget the avocado slices, hot sauce, and sour cream on the side.

Source: thatlowcarblife.com

15. Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad

You can still have one of the guilty pleasures of your childhood, but this Big Mac is served up as a delicious and healthy salad.

To make this salad, you can use ground beef or ground turkey.

The spices to use to season your ground beef are cracked black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

The ground meat is layered over crispy green lettuce leaves.

Then, the other ingredients, such as yellow onions, dill pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese, are layered on top of the meat.

This recipe even has instructions on how to make the special Big Mac sauce in a way that is keto-friendly.

Source: foolproofliving.com

16. Butternut Squash Noodles

Are you missing the occasional pasta dish?

There’s no need to feel deprived when you can feast on these delicious butternut squash noodles.

With butternut squash, toasted walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, this dish is full of heart-healthy food that also happens to be tasty.

To make this low carb pasta dish vegan, all you need to do is omit the Parmesan cheese.

You can roast these noodles in the oven, boil them as you do wheat pasta, or saute them.

These noodles are truly a meal that can satisfy nearly every dietary need.

Source: kitchenswagger.com

17. Parmesan Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Brussels sprouts have an undeserved bad reputation and that’s because most of us had to eat poorly-prepared Brussels sprouts when we were kids.

Usually, Brussels sprouts were mercilessly boiled back in the day.

Fortunately, the reputation of Brussels sprouts has been redeemed in recent years with new recipes and creative cooking ideas.

In this recipe, the Brussels sprouts are roasted after being tossed with garlic, olive oil, bacon, salt, and black pepper.

Then, when they’re finished baking, the Brussels sprouts are sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

Source: kaseytrenum.com

18. Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie

There are days when all of us want a little comfort food like mom and grandma used to make.

Fortunately, the flexibility of the keto diet allows for indulgences, and this low carb chicken pot pie is one of those indulgences.

The pie crust for this chicken pot pie is made from coconut flour, eggs, cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, butter, and full-fat sour cream.

For the filling, the creaminess comes from heavy whipping cream, while the flavor comes from the onions, poultry seasoning, rosemary, thyme, and garlic.

Source: acouplecooks.com

19. Zucchini Lasagna

It’s easy to find recipes online for zucchini lasagna.

However, the challenge is that this dish often comes out watery because zucchini is a vegetable that has a high water content.

Fortunately, we found a zucchini lasagna recipe that fixes that problem.

What’s the secret to cooking zucchini lasagna that comes out firm and not watery? Roasting the zucchini before layering it in your lasagna pan.

Also, using a little less tomato sauce helps, as does thickening your sauce with cornstarch.

Besides being low carb, this lasagna is also gluten-free.

Source: ketokarma.com

20. Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Two of the biggest joys of the keto diet are asparagus and bacon. Therefore, it only makes sense to combine these two delicious foods.

Bacon wrapped asparagus is an excellent side dish, but it can also be a light lunch, brunch, or dinner as a standalone meal.

This asparagus wrapped in bacon is salty, crunchy, and has a hint of sweetness at the same time.

For this recipe, you’re going to bake your asparagus on a wire rack in the oven to make it super crispy.

Source: busywifebusylife.com

21. Salmon Salad Wraps

Salmon is a staple in most healthy eating plans, and that includes the keto diet.

A heart-healthy fish with tons of flavor, salmon is delicious nearly any way you prepare it.

You can even serve salmon in a salad, and that’s always a great idea.

For this recipe, you are wrapping up roasted salmon filets.

Also, you can always use pre-cooked salmon or even salmon leftovers to make these wraps.

The salmon is wrapped with capers, celery, mayo, dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice. Wrap these ingredients in lettuce leaves and they’re divine.

Source: healthygffamily.com

22. Pesto Zucchini Noodle Caprese

A Caprese salad is a pure delight and this dish is the perfect low carb dinner recipe.

The fresh basil, tomato, cheese, and olives are just so perfect together.

As it turns out, this delightful mix of ingredients also lends itself well to a keto diet.

When you make a Caprese salad and pair it with zucchini noodles (zoodles), it’s absolutely magical. Throw in some pesto and you have a feast fit for a king.

Do you love spaghetti squash instead? No problem. You can definitely make this Caprese pesto recipe with spaghetti squash.

This recipe shows you how to make pesto from scratch using fresh basil leaves, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, almonds, garlic cloves, and rice wine vinegar.

Source: minimalistbaker.com

23. Cauliflower Rice

A mainstay of the keto diet is low carb ingredients like cauliflower rice.

Some of the delicious low carb dinners have an amazing sauce that would be great to serve over rice.

That’s where cauliflower rice comes in.

You can buy frozen cauliflower rice, but the good news is, it’s fairly simple to make if you want to try to make it yourself.

Although the texture may be just slightly different than regular white rice, the taste is nearly exactly the same.

You’re also getting tons of nutrition when you eat cauliflower rice.

Source: willcookforsmiles.com

24. Garlic Butter Parmesan Meatballs

Few foods are as universally pleasing as meatballs.

Meatballs are juicy, and they can be made from any type of ground meat, including ground beef, ground turkey, and ground pork.

This meatball recipe uses the perfect flavors of Parmesan cheese, herbs, and garlic.

The spices used in the meatballs are fresh parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. The six garlic cloves make this dish even yummier.

To make the garlic Parmesan sauce, you need chicken broth or chicken stock. Alternatively, you can also use beef stock or beef broth.

Source: eatwell101.com

25. Garlic Butter Asparagus and Salmon

The marriage of garlic, butter, and lemon is always a happy marriage.

These delicious flavors come together with heart-healthy salmon and delicious asparagus to make one of our favorite low carb dinner ideas.

The salmon is seasoned with salt and pepper and then pan-seared in olive oil in a cast-iron skillet.

Then, the garlic is cooked with some wine or vegetable broth (you can also use chicken broth).

The asparagus is blanched and tossed for two minutes, then you add your salmon back to the skillet.

This is heaven in a cast-iron skillet.

Source: justataste.com

26. Cauliflower Tots

Do you miss your fast-food tater tots? Well, we have amazing news for you: you can make your own tater tots at home.

These keto tater tots aren’t made with potatoes like the tots you get at fast-food restaurants, but they’re just as tasty.

To make these tater tots, you use grated cauliflower. Also, you bake them instead of frying them, so you’re saving yourself a big greasy cleanup, too.

Instead of ground breadcrumbs, you can use almond flour or coconut flour as a binding agent.

Send these tater tots to a whole new level by melting some American cheese or cheddar cheese on top of them.

Source: joyfoodsunshine.com

27. Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Who needs tortillas when you can wrap your healthy and easy low carb meals in crispy lettuce leaves?

The restaurant chain P.F. Chang’s has a hugely popular menu item that’s similar to these lettuce wraps.

Isn’t it fun to make copycat versions of our favorite restaurant meals at home?

As it is written, this recipe is also dairy-free and gluten-free.

You can use any type of leafy lettuce you like, including green leaf lettuce, butterhead lettuce, and romaine lettuce.

This recipe calls for peanut butter, which always brings loads of peanut flavor.

Source: simplystacie.net

28. Cauliflower Baked Ziti

So you think you can’t have pasta on the keto diet?

Well, that’s partly true. Wheat pasta has a lot of carbs.

However, as you know, cauliflower can be used to make just about anything, including ziti pasta.

The ziti in this recipe is made from cauliflower and it’s absolutely heavenly.

You will find that this recipe tastes similar to lasagna but without all of the nasty carbs.

For spices, use red pepper flakes, two cloves of garlic, and oregano.

The cheeses include ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

Source: iowagirleats.com

29. “Baked Potato” Cauliflower Soup (Low Carb)

Before starting your low carb lifestyle, you may have enjoyed a steaming bowl of creamy baked potato soup.

Cooked with loads of cheese and heavy cream, this delicious soup was sprinkled with real bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives.

You can still enjoy this indulgent pleasure with no carbs. All you need to do is make your soup with cauliflower instead of potatoes.

Here’s a bonus: this potato soup copycat recipe is gluten-free.

The secret ingredient in this soup is a few dashes of hot sauce.

We love it served with sharp cheddar cheese.

Source: amandascookin.com

30. Greek Salad Sushi

If you love the idea of sushi but aren’t fond of making it at home, this Greek salad sushi that is inspired by Mediterranean flavors will be right up your alley.

Cucumbers are sliced longwise and very thin to serve as the wrapping for your Greek salad.

The ingredients for the filling are made with a Greek yogurt base, and they include fresh lemon juice, garlic, fresh dill, bell pepper, and diced red onion.

Of course, don’t forget the crumbled feta cheese, which is what makes a Greek salad so very perfect.

For 10 more low carb dinner ideas, watch the Tasty video below.