Delicious & Easy Keto Dinner Recipes
Are you starting the keto diet and looking for easy keto dinner recipes that won’t take too long to make but also will satisfy your taste buds?
One of the top questions I repeatedly hear from followers and clients is, “I know keto and low-carb will help me lose weight, but I don’t know what to eat! Can you share some recipes or meal ideas?“
I’ve got you covered. In this blog post I will be sharing some easy mix-and-match keto dinner recipes and a several tasty recipes that will tempt your tummy. I’ve been eating keto/low-carb for close to 2 1/2 years now and it really can be very satisfying once you understand the options and how to get creative.
That said, let’s keep it real in here. Life is a rollercoaster and we are ALL looking for extra time, so finding the margin to cook up some healthy keto goodness while juggling work, family, and everything else can be a serious challenge.
But guess what? If you’re a fierce woman in your 30s or 40s, looking to drop some pounds and own that fit life, I’ve got your back!
Welcome to the fabulous lineup of “Easy Keto Dinner Recipes Under 30 Minutes.” I get that you want to savor mouthwatering low-carb delights that not only keep you in line with your weight loss goals but also let you reclaim those precious minutes previously spent slaving away in the kitchen.
In this blog post, I’m sharing keto recipes that’ll tickle your taste buds and have you crushing your fitness goals like the boss that you are.
What Are the Benefits of the KETO Diet?
You might be hesitant to go keto. I get it, so was I, before I ended up losing 36 inches and 34LBS and doing it easier than I’d ever done before, when it came to losing weight. A LOT of women I speak with have had bad experiences previously with keto where they tell me “I was doing keto but not losing weight”– if that sounds l like you, I encourage you to read THIS POST where I talk about “this is why you aren’t losing weight on keto”. I think it will provide some great insight.
For NOW, let’s talk about keto, shall we? This is most definitely not your ordinary diet – it’s a game-changer for us over 30 females and once you hit those perimenopause and menopause years, it can be even more impactful. The keto diet flips the script by pushing your body into ketosis, where it torches fat for energy instead of carbs. And the perks? Aside from shedding stubborn pounds, you’ll be strutting around with an extra pep in your step, laser-sharp focus, and those blood sugar levels? They’ll be singing your praises.
It’s something I’ll be talking a lot about more in future posts, the link between insulin resistance and weight loss and how the keto/low-carb approach works so well to help with fat loss for those of us suffering from insulin resistance.
Our swift and easy keto dinners are here to serve up these benefits on a silver platter, minus the fuss. Get ready to slay those fitness goals without breaking a sweat!
Your Keto Grocery List
In the first part of this post, I’m going to share what I consider to be super-basic easy “mix and match” recipes– meaning these are salads, bowls and plates with interchangeable parts that all will work on my version of the keto diet. (If you are wondering what I mean by my version, I’m a bit more flexible on keto than a lot of others and yet I also don’t “allow” for some truly dumb keto STUFF like the rigid keto-ers out there do…..this is all what I teach in my online 5-Day Keto Bootcamp course-– because I found that most people really don’t GET how to DO keto and they get wrapped up in rules that don’t matter and give up too soon because they think they aren’t “allowed” to have this or that. My way of keto works- it did for me and for countless other women I’ve coached who have lost weight.) If you keep most of these staple products in your home and watch your portion sizes on the carbs (DUH) and ideally, practice intermittent fasting with this way of eating….you should be able to enjoy a healthy weight loss like I did and others. (Please note this is not a medical guarantee or claim)
Staple Grocery Store Items to Buy For Low-Carb Cooking:
- Ground Beef, Ground Turkey, Ground Lamb
- Pastured Eggs
- Bacon
- Salmon
- Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Wings
- Turkey Burgers
- Breakfast Sausage
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Gluten Free Tortillas
- Cucumber, Red Onion, Red/Green Peppers, Green Onion, Jalapeno, Your fav lettuce, grape tomatoes, avocado
- Feta Cheese, Mexican Cheese Mix (shredded)
- Black Olives (sliced, in can)
- Jasmine Rice (yes rice!)
- Cauliflower Rice
- Cilantro
So, here is where the Mix & Match part comes in and this is the more informal part of this post. I’m sharing with you this Mix & Match Bowls and Plates concept so you can find it even EASIER and more stress-free to make DELICIOUS TASTING low-carb keto friendly meals– fast and delightfully easy. When I say “Bowl” I’m talking about creating a fantastic flavorful combination of layers in a – wait for it- bowl, where you typically layer the bottom with rice/cauliflower rice (depending on where your macros/carbs are for that day, hopefully you have left yourself a good amount so you can enjoy some rice etc.) then start adding things like cooked or raw veggies, cheese, protein and other toppings like cilantro or olives or sour cream etc. With a PLATE, I’m referring to something where you are combining maybe more simple versions of foods– say for example, some great cooked chicken thighs with cauliflower rice and a big side of grilled vegetables topped with parmesan cheese served with a side salad. (Hungry yet?) That’s a PLATE for me. When I make a BOWL I intend to chop it all up and mix all the ingredients up together whereas with a plate it’s eaten more like a regular dinner serving. NO rules though.
Some ideas and combos to consider:
- Greek Lamb Bowl: Cauliflower Rice in the bottom of a bowl, topped with seasoned cooked ground lamb and spinach, topped with feta cheese, olives, diced mint, oregano, diced grape tomatoes and tzatziki sauce.
- Greek Chicken Bowl: Same as above but make with cooked chicken thighs- see how that works? Bam.
- Spicy Salmon Bowl: chunks of spicy salmon cooked in the air fryer served on top of jasmine rice or cauliflower rice (dealer’s choice!) with a vegetable “salsa” of: avocado/cucumber/jalapeno/feta/pickled onion topped with spicy sriracha mayo. We make this weekly.
- Fish Tacos: Get your favorite fish- we use Tilapia a lot for this, cook in pan- option to use blackening seasoning– this takes like 3-4 minutes to cook up 4-5 filets. Easy. Cook your gluten free tortillas and prep: pico de gallo (we buy pre-made from grocery) cilantro chopped and chopped lettuce or cabbage then spicy mayo (sriracha plus mayo). Create your tacos with simply: tortilla + spicy mayo inside then add fish, cabbage, option to add cheese, then add cilantro (a must) and lime juice. Absolutely divine. You can make with salmon too, 😉
- Start thinking how you can take these recipes and mix them up: you can make a fish taco BOWL. You can make a bowl out of anything. Just line the bowl with rice, add a ton of veggies, grilled or sauteed, then your favorite seasoned well protein, add some fresh herbs and maybe top with a dressing — drizzle with a spicy mayo or guac or hummus. The combos are endless. Do you see all the possibilities??
By the way, if you are reading this far and are like, “WAIT WHAT I am confused…how can I eat rice on keto? How can I eat tomatoes or cheese or sour cream? My friend said you “can’t eat that on keto”— well, here’s the deal.
Everything I’m sharing here is what I ate on keto to lose weight and it’s “my version” of keto that my doctor put me on (so higher carbs per day than that 20g per day that’s wayyyyy too hard for most people to stick to and not necessary for weight loss).
If you want to feel more comfortable understanding how to do keto, I have an online video taught course, my 5-day Keto Bootcamp (HINT: it won’t take you 5 days I promise!) – and it’s just $35.95. Snag it, watch the video tutorials and you’ll feel on top of the keto world. Happy to help.
More Easy Keto Dinner Recipes to Try
Quick Keto Chicken Stir Fry Dinner
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of broccoli, chopping off hard stalks
1 cup of bell pepper strips, pick your fav color
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a keto-friendly alternative) You can also buy gluten free soy sauce which is what we use regularly.
1 teaspoon of ginger paste
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro for garnish + Fresh chopped Peanuts (optional)
Cauliflower Rice or Jasmine Rice
Instructions:
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set to the side.
In the same skillet, add minced garlic, ginger paste, and sliced mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
Add the broccoli florets and bell pepper strips to the skillet and stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes until they become slightly tender.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, pour in the soy sauce (or coconut aminos), and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes, ensuring everything is well-coated and heated through.
Serve your quick keto chicken stir-fry hot, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired. Option to serve on top of cauliflower rice or jasmine rice, just watch your portion/carb count.
Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce.
It’s amazing to me how many people don’t realize that you can eat FISH on keto. We eat a ton of salmon and it’s sooo good for you!! Look at this easy as pie recipe…..I’d make a plate of this with cauliflower rice or jasmine rice and some steamed broccoli or asparagus topped with real butter. AMEN. Seconds please.
Ingredients:
2 salmon fillets
1 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, sliced
2 TBS of fresh dill, chopped
2 TBS of mayonnaise (keto-friendly)
1 clove of garlic, minced
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the fillets and season with salt and pepper.
Top each salmon fillet with lemon slices and half of the chopped fresh dill.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
While the salmon is baking, prepare the lemon-dill sauce by mixing mayonnaise, minced garlic, and the remaining dill in a small bowl.
Serve the cooked salmon hot, drizzled with the lemon-dill sauce.
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Feta & Spinach
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR try making this with chicken thighs
1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1 TBS of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Oregano, Garlic Salt
Toothpicks (for securing the chicken)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board. Carefully slice a pocket into each chicken breast horizontally, being careful not to cut through.
Season the inside of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, oregano, garlic salt (to taste).
Stuff each chicken breast with fresh spinach leaves and crumbled feta cheese.
Use toothpicks to secure the opening of the chicken breasts.
Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the toothpicks and serve your spinach and feta stuffed chicken breasts hot. Serve on a plate with a huge salad or with grilled veggies like zucchini or asparagus. Also can be served with a serving of rice- watch serving size.
Hopefully this post has convinced you of how easy it can be to whip up some delicious and diverse keto meals. I’m telling you- my husband and I cook at least 50-70% of the week and I’d estimate that no meals take longer than 30 minutes to prepare….maybe the longest was 40 minutes max!! And that might be the first time we made a new recipe. Once you get how great some of these flavors taste together, I’m certain you’ll find yourself like us, mixing and matching and coming up with new combos. I love the “bowl” concept. So easy and also great for making a portion for one person and for using up leftovers! Lastly- I’d be remiss here if I didn’t do a soft plug for my Keto Cookbook which includes well over 50 more low-carb keto-friendly recipes like this for breakfast lunch and dinner- it’s just $9.95 and you can snag it here. Like I said, there are recipes in this book my husband and I are still making every week- and then the new recipes we become obsessed with– well, when I decide they are worthy, we add new recipes on a quarterly basis– and you’ll get those all for FREE! 😉 GRAB YOURS TODAY my friend!
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
If you enjoyed this post, I’m guessing you’ll like checking out these blog posts, podcasts, videos and more: Blog: The Top 10 Keto Myths Debunked: CLICK HERE. VIDEO: What I Eat On Keto: CLICK HERE. Blog: My Keto Transformation Story: CLICK HERE. Podcast: How to Lose Weight After Age 40: CLICK HERE.
I hope you enjoyed this post– I’d love to hear what recipes and meal ideas you tried and of course, if you have any questions, leave them in the comments for me! I’m happy to help!
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