The ketogenic diet, characterized by a very low carbohydrate, high-fat intake, has gained immense popularity for its potential health benefits. Sticking to a keto diet doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. This article provides a comprehensive guide to delicious and cheap keto recipes, covering various meal types and dietary preferences.
Understanding the Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet drastically reduces carbohydrate intake, typically to less than 20 grams per day, while increasing fat consumption. This metabolic shift forces the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it starts burning fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Achieving ketosis can take a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the individual.
Meal Prep Strategies for Keto on a Budget
Meal prepping is crucial for maintaining a keto diet, ensuring adherence to carb goals, and saving time and money. Two effective approaches to keto meal prep include:
- Batch Cooking: Preparing complete keto recipes in large quantities and dividing them into individual meals.
- Bulk Prepping: Cooking individual ingredients separately and portioning them out to create meals throughout the week.
Mastering mise en place, a French term meaning "everything in its place," is key to successful meal prep. This involves planning recipes, creating a grocery list, and organizing your kitchen before cooking.
Keto Breakfast Recipes
A quick and easy meal prep recipe for your breakfast that is both keto and easy to prepare.
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Keto Egg Bites
These pre-portioned egg bites are packed with protein. Say goodbye to store-bought egg bites after you've tasted these!
Keto Smoothie
Make this keto breakfast smoothie with spinach and fresh berries using any plant-based milk you like. You can also swap the hemp seeds for any nuts or seeds.
Keto Cloud Bread with Egg
This recipe combines keto cloud bread with keto egg bites.
Keto Pancakes
Make these low carb keto pancakes with almond flour instead of regular wheat flour, or blitz ground almonds until fine if you can't get hold of it. Serve with blueberries and keto-friendly syrup
Chia Seed Pudding
Prepare a simple chia seed pudding recipe and customize it to your taste!
Read also: Delicious Pasta on a Budget
Low-Carb Oatmeal
Preparing low-carb and gluten-free oatmeal is simple, swap out the starchy oats for keto-friendly nuts and seeds!
Keto Lunch and Dinner Recipes
Dinner recipes don’t have to be complicated.
Taco Skillet
This Taco Skillet is made with taco meat, bell peppers, and diced tomatoes. Top with plenty of cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. In large non-stick skillet, cook beef, bell peppers, and yellow onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until meat is thoroughly cooked and veggies are tender; drain. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Cook until water is absorbed.Add the tomatoes and cook until liquid is gone. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on and let it melt by covering with a lid.
Mediterranean Turkey-Stuffed Peppers
This low-calorie dinner is rich in vit C and folate. Filling the peppers with low-fat turkey breast mince keeps it lean.
Spanish Chicken Traybake with Chorizo & Peppers
Add this easy dinner recipe to your repertoire - simply pop herby chicken thighs into a roasting tin with colourful veg and spicy sausage. To make this keto-friendly, serve with keto bread.
Read also: Delicious and Affordable Meals
Baked Salmon & Leek Parcel
A simple salmon dish, parcelled up to seal in the flavours. With creamy mascarpone and fresh leeks, this keto-friendly fish supper is easy and rich in omega-3.
Peanut Butter Chicken
You'll love this new, budget chicken dish. Any leftovers freeze well and make a handy lunch.
Cod with Cucumber, Avocado & Mango Salsa Salad
If you're looking for a healthy lunch bursting with the colours and flavours of summer, this delicious cod, avocado and mango salad is low in fat and calories.
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken
Bacon and ranch is an absolute match made in heaven. If you’re as obsessed with this flavor combination as we are (how could you not be?), then this chicken dinner should be your new weeknight staple.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Fried rice is a classic and comforting recipe that everyone loves…except maybe those who are trying to eat less rice. Whether you’re skipping carbs, trying to eat more vegetables, or are just looking for a lighter side dish so you can eat more orange chicken (relatable!), this cauliflower fried rice is for you.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
A delicious and healthy alternative to the classic.
Keto Chicken Parmesan
A delicious classic crowd-pleasing recipe that is insanely easy to meal prep ahead of time. This keto diet-friendly recipe is no different.
Keto Beef Stew
Making beef stew keto-friendly only means a couple simple swaps. It's still silky and every bit as comforting as the original. In this keto recipe, we make up for the lack of thickener by ensuring that we really reduce the stew to create something rich and stick-to-your-ribs good.
Cowboy Butter Steak
This recipe calls for searing a bone-in ribeye, then basting it with a zesty, smoky butter until the outside has a perfectly brown crust, and the inside is tender and medium-rare.
Keto Pork Chops
Cacio E Pepe Egg Noodles
This lightened-up version calls for making your pasta from scratch-the good news is it's SO much easier than it sounds. All you need is a good nonstick pan. It's so simple and yet so fun to make and, of course, absolutely delicious.
Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wraps
Keto Beef Stroganoff
Feta & Herb-Crusted Salmon
Keto Bacon Chicken Thighs With Garlic Cream Sauce
Keto Mac & Cheese
This version takes out all the trouble children (ahem, PASTA) without sacrificing flavor. The pork rind topping is totally optional, but we think it adds a pleasant crunch.
Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad with Salmon
Enjoy a tangy and hearty lemon parmesan kale salad topped with omega-3-packed salmon! This simple recipe is a must-make for your weekly keto meal prep, perfect for lunch or dinner.
Guacatillo Chicken Salad Wraps
Guacatillo is a bright creamy sauce that coats proteins incredibly well. These salad wraps are incredibly tasty and simple to make. Use this recipe as a base for a solid keto chicken salad, adding any extra toppings as desired!
Keto Ceviche
This is another recipe that is simple to make, and that takes its inspiration out of coastal Peruvian and Mexican ceviche dishes.
Keto Mac n' Cheese with Steak
This keto mac n' cheese recipe is absolutely excellent with its mix of cheeses made on a base of cauliflower that is perfect when paired with steak.
Salmon Cakes
These salmon cakes are incredibly simple to make and a great use of salmon.
Batch-Cooked Chicken
This recipe is a perfect option to be cooked in a 2 or 3x batch recipe to use throughout your week with various other vegetables and keto-approved foods.
Low-Carb Chili
Classic chili recipes are usually bean-heavy, and unfortunately, beans are starchy vegetables that are not so keto-friendly. To make a simple low-carb chili recipe, drop the beans and purchase more meat than you would normally.
Keto Beef Stew
Preparing a hearty and delicious keto beef stew is as simple as making a few minor swaps. This one-pot recipe is perfect for your slow cooker or instant pot.
Keto Taco Casserole
Cheesy, scoopable, and endlessly decadent; this keto taco casserole recipe will be your new favorite Tex-Mex recipe for meal prep.
Keto Burgers
A classic burger recipe made keto brings about tons of flavor by combining a delicious burger patty, bacon, and some incredibly well-done caramelized onions.
Keto Coconut Cashew Fried Chicken
This keto coconut cashew fried chicken recipe uses a unique blend of low-carb flours to make a delicious crust and give you another great recipe to meal prep in 2x or 3x batches to have them available for an easy meal any day of the week.
Keto Snacks
These Low Carb Snacks will take little to no prep time and keep your net carbs low between meals.
Keto Yogurt
This recipe can either be used as a keto snack or a keto breakfast.
Keto Fat Bombs
These fat bombs have to be some of the most popular keto snacks ever developed by our culinary team. Follow the recipe and feel free to make any version your heart desires.
Spiced Nuts
Even though you may see the recipe as a 'paleo' recipe, these spiced nuts qualify 100% as keto as well. Find a fun recipe that explains how to make any mixed nuts taste better all while making them tons more interesting. Adjust the spices to your own creativity if you so desire!
Keto Egg Salad
Whether you're just not a fan of mayo or looking for a healthy keto egg salad recipe to add to your meal prep, we've got you. This recipe is a combination as if the guacamole and egg salad had a baby, creating a delicious result.
Keto Chicken Salad
With little to no prep time and a ton of flavor, you'll never want to go back to boring traditional chicken salad ever again.
Keto Sauces
Romesco Sauce
Romesco is a popular is Spanish sauce that is typically made with bread. This smoky, and peppery sauce uses almonds instead making it great when following a keto diet.
Keto Zhoug Sauce
Pronounced like "zoog", this exotic-sounding sauce is easier to make than you'd think! It's highly flavorful, super simple, and a perfect pairing for just about any protein. Much like chimichurri, this sauce goes incredibly well with some flat iron steak and rice.
Classic Pesto
Another Herb based sauce that's delicious on just about everything!
Tabbouleh
This refreshing almond and walnut tabbouleh recipe is a vegan, keto, paleo, and clean-eating friendly twist on the classic Lebanese tabbouleh salad.
Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri sauce is one of those sauces that goes well with most proteins and dishes.
Keto Avocado Toast
This keto avocado toast recipe is going to be your new go-to low-carb breakfast or snack.
Keto Desserts
Keto Brownies
Bake these sumptuous keto brownies using nut butter, courgette, cacao and almond flour. They're moreish and perfectly moist - just how a brownie should be.
Keto Chocolate Cake
Try our keto version of a classic chocolate cake. To keep the carbohydrate levels low, the recipe uses xylitol, almond flour and cacao powder.