food
By Stephanie Cain
•
Published Oct 18, 2022
When the air gets chilly and sweaters make a comeback, we’re ready to dive into a big bowl of something warm and cozy. And the best news? Plenty of keto-friendly dishes fit the bill (and many also involve bacon). We’ll prove it with 22 easy ketogenic recipes to try this fall.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. Ketogenic Baked Eggs and Zoodles with Avocado
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
With all the meat and cheese your heart desires, the keto diet is pretty swell. But sometimes you want something that won’t leave you feeling weighed down. These “nests” are high in protein and fat, but go easy on the dairy. (Plus, they’re darn cute.)
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
2. Keto Guacamole Burger Bites
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: low sugar, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
There’s nothing like a new finger food to make even the most boring football game completely fascinating.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
3. Sheet Pan Chicken and Rainbow Vegetables
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly
PSA: Comfort food doesn’t have to be unhealthy or require a thousand dishes. This gorgeous meal requires one sheet pan and just 35 minutes.
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- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
Whether you’re nursing yourself back from the inevitable sick day or just crave the soup equivalent of being curled up in front of a roaring fire, this keto-friendly wonder is your ticket.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, high protein
Almost as easy as ordering takeout, and so much more delicious. Use skirt steak, beef flap, flank or sirloin, make sure it’s sliced thinly on the bias and give it enough time to marinate for the best results.
6. Keto Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, ready in <15 minutes, <500 calories
This unicorn does exist. Instead of pasta, you’ll find tender cauliflower florets, and instead of breadcrumbs, it’s crisp pork rinds. (They’re technically optional, but we wouldn’t skip ’em.)
7. Keto Steak Tacos on Pork Rind Tortillas
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
The shells for these tacos might sound impossible to make (not to mention a little out there), that is until you realize they start with a bag of crushed up pork rind snacks.
Leslie Grow/Keto In an Instant
8. Keto Instant Pot Sausage-Kale Soup
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: Instant Pot recipe, ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients
Use any type of sausage you prefer—kielbasa, chorizo and Italian sausage are all great—and depending on what you choose, you can really change the flavor profile of this soup. (The goes for the greens. Hate kale? Try spinach or Swiss chard.)
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Helene DuJardin/The Essential Vegan Keto Cookbook
9. Vegan Keto Coconut Curry
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, low sugar, high protein
The ketogenic diet may be all butter and heavy cream, but this dish is proof that you can eat plant based at the same time. (Thanks, creamy coconut milk.)
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Donna Griffith/The Primal Gourmet Cookbook
10. Piri Piri Chicken
- Time Commitment: 4 hours, 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, low sugar, paleo
You can never have too many roast chicken recipes in your back pocket. This one is flavored with southeast African piri piri peppers for a kick, but if you can’t source them, use fruity, mild red finger or Anaheim chiles instead.
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Mellissa Sevigny/Squeaky Clean Keto
11. Everything Chicken Wings
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, no sugar
That game day staple is back on the menu. These bites are low-carb, keto-friendly and baked instead of fried. Read: They’re giving buffalo sauce a run for its money.
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Dana Carpender/Keto for One
12. Keto Pasta with Lemon-Kale Chicken
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, high protein
It’s a weeknight and youreallywant pasta.Well, have you ever tried Japanese shirataki noodles? They’re made with konjac starch, so they have practically no calories and tons of fiber.
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Leslie Grow/Keto in an Instant
13. Instant Pot Keto Indian Butter Chicken
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, Instant Pot recipe, gluten free, high protein
Behold, a butter chicken that has the same flavor as your takeout go-to, but far away from the bread basket. (We love you, naan.) Pair it with sautéed cauliflower rice and more cilantro to complete the experience.
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- Time Commitment: 4 hours
- Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, dairy free, gluten free, Whole30
Sure, it fits the bill for keto and paleo dieters, but you wouldn’t know it by taste alone. With chuck roast, ground beef and plenty of vegetables and spices, you won’t miss the beans one bit.
15. Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
- Time Commitment: 29 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, Instant Pot recipe
Low carb? Check. Works as a main or a side? Check. Bonus points for gorgeous presentation? You already know we’re making this for dinner tonight.
16. Instant Pot Chicken and ‘Rice’ Soup
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, Instant Pot recipe, gluten free
Swapping the usual noodles for cauliflower ‘rice’ keeps this soup cozy, but lightens up the carb content.
Christopher Testani/Instant Family Meals
17. Instant Pot Coconut Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lime
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: Instant Pot recipe, no sugar, ready in <30 minutes
Aside from the fact that it’s lightning fast and full of flavor, we love that this Instant Pot number isn’t designed to be diet food at all—a happy (keto) accident, friends.
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- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Skip the canned stuff and make this jazzed up version of a childhood fave. The secret to getting a thick, velvety texture is adding zucchini, then blending it with the jammy, oven-roasted tomatoes.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: under 500 calories, <10 ingredients
When nothing will satisfy your craving but a creamy, rich casserole, look no further. This one comes together with ingredients you can count on your hands, and it only dirties one or two dishes in the process.
20. Keto Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, gluten free
Yep, teenage snack time bliss is totally on your diet. Even better, these can be frozen and reheated for on-the-go breakfasts and last-minute meals.
21. Easy Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi Skillet
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, ready in <30 minutes, gluten free
Crumbled sausage is the star for easy flavor, and searing the gnocchi instead of boiling it yields an irresistibly crisp texture. Besides, fresh basil has a way of making everything taste like you spent way more time cooking than you really did.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
22. Mini Eggplant Pizzas
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, vegetarian
Think of these minis like cheater’s pizza: There’s no dough to make and they take less than an hour to prepare. But don’t worry, plenty of cheese is still involved.
Get the recipe
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Stephanie Cain
Freelance PureWow Editor
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