For those embracing the ketogenic lifestyle, maintaining a diet high in fats, moderate in protein, and minimal in carbs is essential. However, this doesn't mean meals have to be monotonous or time-consuming. One-pan keto meals offer a convenient and efficient way to enjoy diverse and flavorful dishes without spending hours in the kitchen. These recipes are perfect for busy weeknights, ensuring you stay on track with your keto goals while enjoying delicious, home-cooked meals.
Understanding the Keto Diet
A good keto dinner has the right proportion of fats, proteins, and carbs. People following the keto diet aim to get 70% of daily calories from fat, 20% from protein, and 5% from carbohydrates. Most people following the keto diet aim to limit their carb intake to less than 50 grams per day. This will vary depending on your individual health and calorie needs. It can be a challenge for new keto dieters to get enough fat at each meal. Choose cuts of meat that provide more fat. Top your meal with a hefty spoonful of mashed avocado. Incorporate nuts by using them as a salad topper.
The Allure of One-Pan Meals
One-pot meals are glorious recipes that can all be cooked in the same pot from start to finish. These are perfect for busy nights or just avoiding a ton of dishwashing. Really when we refer to “one pot” recipes it could be meals that were cooked in one pot, a skillet meal, Instant Pot, Crockpot, or on a sheet pan. Oh and I mean the whole meal in one pot too, just the main protein. I reserve the title “one pot meal’ for a recipe that has both the main protein and the sides all in that one pot. There is some wiggle room there of course, but for this post and the list of recipes today I wanted to keep it simple and truly one pot.
Featured Keto One-Pan Recipes
Seafood Delights
Pan-Seared Salmon
Pan-seared salmon is an elegant, wholesome entree that requires little time or effort.
Pesto Parmesan Tilapia
This is a delicious fish dinner that requires just three ingredients! Prepared pesto sauce flavors mild tilapia fillets to make a gourmet dinner any night of the week. Use homemade pesto sauce if you prefer. This also works well on any firm-textured white fish.
Read also: Delicious low-carb cooking
Rosemary Salmon
This rosemary salmon is a favorite, thanks to the savory herb that adds unbelievable flavor to the fish as it bakes.
Lemon-Parsley Tilapia
I like to include seafood in our weekly dinner rotation but don't want to bother with anything complicated (and it had better taste good or the family will riot). This herbed fish does the trick.
Orange Pomegranate Salmon
A colorful, festive salmon dish makes an impressive addition to your holiday table-and it is as delicious as it is beautiful. What will no one guess? How easy it is to cook. I serve this with roasted baby potatoes and asparagus for a showstopping meal that is wonderful for special occasions.
Parmesan-Broiled Tilapia
I love that simple Parmesan cheese brings such richness to an otherwise mild-tasting fish. It's one dish where leftovers are never a problem!
Herb Salmon
Looking for a healthy and delicious dinner that is truly ready in less than 30 minutes? Herb salmon should be your go-to meal for any busy weeknight, but it is elegant enough for guests.
Read also: Sausage Recipes for Keto Diet
Miso Salmon
If you’re looking for a quick and nutritious dinner, give this miso salmon recipe a try.
Champagne Cajun Tilapia
We think the champagne dressing in this recipe is yummy on almost anything, but it’s excellent with this lovely fish. The tilapia is perfect in tacos, too!
Mediterranean Tilapia
I recently became a fan of tilapia. The mild taste makes it easy to top with our favorite ingredients. And it’s low in calories and fat. What’s not to love?
Lobster Tail
Learn how to cook lobster tail at home with this simple recipe.
Poultry Perfection
Tandoori Chicken
A hand-mixed spice rub makes ordinary chicken worthy of a special occasion. Plus, it takes awhile to marinate, so you can do other things while the spicy yogurt sauce works its magic.
Read also: Costco Keto Essentials
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
It doesn’t take a lot to get the most tender, juicy, crispy baked chicken thighs.
Cheddar Bacon Chicken
It's tempting to seek out new flavors when baking chicken, but then again, with bacon, barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese so easy to grab from the fridge, why linger in doubt? Pull out this combination the next time you get the "what's for dinner" text.
Lime-Ginger Chicken Tenders
We cook a lot of boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they're low in fat, high in protein, and almost always a smart buy at the grocery store. To keep things exciting, I add a few of our favorites to the mix like jalapenos, lime and fresh ginger.
Ranch-Marinated Chicken Breasts
The pub favorite pairing of ranch dressing and chicken comes home to your kitchen. With just a little prep time the night before, you can have these savory breasts ready in about half an hour!
Turkey Wings
If you’ve never made a baked turkey wings recipe, this version is the perfect way to start.
Hot & Spicy Roasted Turkey Legs
Who doesn’t love turkey legs at a street fair? Why wait for the next fair when you can make incredible turkey legs at home? Grab the seasonings and begin!
Pork and Beef Dishes
Ranch Pork Chops
This easy pork chop recipe will soon be a family favorite. Ranch mix is used to add a lot of flavor without having to add a lot of ingredients, it takes just minutes to get the pork ready and into the oven.
Sheet-Pan Steak Dinner
Asparagus and steak form a classic combination for a delicious dinner. Cooking them together makes for easy prep and cleanup. In our house, any meal that can be put in the oven while we get a few more things done for the day is a win!
Southwest Pork Tenderloin
When living in Europe, I missed classic Southwestern flavors. Using what I had, I made spicy pork tenderloin and it's been a staple ever since.
Keto Meatballs
Going keto doesn't mean giving up the recipes you love, and these Keto Meatballs are a great example.
Other Keto One-Pan Recipes
Zesty Baked Catfish
This catfish combines common pantry seasonings for a taste that's anything but basic.
Crab-Stuffed Avocado
A crab-stuffed avocado recipe blends savory and spicy seafood with the creamy luxury of avocado.
Easy Sheet Pan Keto Beef and Broccoli
This Easy Sheet Pan Keto Beef and Broccoli takes a classic dish and makes it even easier. Cooked on one sheet pan it’s ready in about 15 minutes. Keto, paleo and whole30-friendly it’s a delicious, healthy weeknight meal that is worth adding to the meal plan every week!
This Sheet Pan Keto Beef and Broccoli uses high-quality grass-fed beef, surrounded by lots of colorful veggies and so much flavor. All you could ever need at a meal. This recipe is especially great for batch cooking and meal prepping.
Additional One-Pot Keto Recipes
Soups and Stews
- Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup: A creamy soup that is hearty enough to feed the whole family.
- Instant Pot Beef Fajita Soup: A hearty soup made in the Instant Pot that features all the traditional flavors of beef fajitas. Tender steak, peppers, onions, and a creamy broth.
- Salsa Verde Chicken Noodle Soup: This low-carb creamy chicken noodle soup is so delicious and filling.
Skillet Meals
- Shrimp Dirty Rice: A delicious dinner with a great combination of flavorful shrimp and smoky sausage.
- Ground Beef Stroganoff: An easy dinner recipe that is filling, simple to make, and will please the whole family.
- Ground Beef and Cabbage: This easy, budget friendly Ground Beef and Cabbage recipe, makes enough for leftovers too!
- Pork Stir Fry: This simple and easy Pork Stir Fry is a perfect throw-together meal great for a healthy lunch or dinner that only needs 25 minutes.
- Taco Skillet: This Taco Skillet is made with taco meat, bell peppers, and diced tomatoes. Top with plenty of cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.
Other One-Pot Dishes
- Pesto Chicken Meatballs: Enjoy these delicious, juicy Pesto Chicken Meatballs that are not only super flavorful but are also a great gluten-free dinner option.
- French Onion Soup: A delicious, deceptively simple and easy recipe for french onion soup, which can also be used to make french dips.
- Crockpot White Chicken Chili: A delicious white chili that is full of tender chicken, sweet corn, and black beans.
- Caprese Chicken: A simple recipe for Caprese Chicken, made with chicken breasts, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, fresh basil, topped with balsamic glaze.
- Corned Beef and Cabbage: This Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is perfect for St. Patrick's day! Enjoy the best corned beef with delicious cabbage wedges.
- Chicken Teriyaki: This is an easy one pan recipe for a healthy Chicken Teriyaki dish.
- Instant Pot Stroganoff: A delicious and filling one-pot meal made in the Instant Pot. This beef stroganoff features tender pieces of beef in a creamy sauce mixed with a heart of palm noodles.
- Quick Asian Lettuce Wraps: These quick and simple Asian Lettuce Wraps are filled with flavorful ground turkey, cabbage, water chestnuts, and a wide array of spices.
- Italian Sausage Skillet Meal: This easy one-pot meal is not only healthy but it is delicious and can be pulled together in less than 30 minutes, how great is that!
- Keto Chicken Lettuce Wraps: These gluten-free keto chicken lettuce wraps contain ground chicken, veggies, and a savory sauce served in cool, crisp lettuce cups.
- Turkey, Fennel, and Swiss Chard Hash: Packed with non-starchy veggies, this easy turkey, fennel, and swiss chard hash is simply seasoned with fresh garlic, salt, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Tips for Keto One-Pan Cooking
Maximizing Fat Intake
It can be a challenge for new keto dieters to get enough fat at each meal. Choose cuts of meat that provide more fat. Top your meal with a hefty spoonful of mashed avocado. Incorporate nuts by using them as a salad topper.
Ensuring Food Safety
According to The Spruce Eats: You might think that because a marinade has acid or alcohol in it that this will kill the germs. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Pour any marinade or sauce that you have used on raw meats into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. This needs to be a complete, rolling boil to ensure that all the bacteria is killed. Remember that foodborne bacteria die at 165ºF (75ºC). Once the marinade has reached a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool or serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
We enjoy this Sheetpan Beef and Broccoli over cauliflower rice. You can also serve over regular rice or just in a big ol bowl on it’s own. Add a handful of freshly chopped scallions, some sesame seeds and if you’d like a little heat, some red pepper flakes.
Variation Tips
Try adding 1 cup shiitake mushrooms to the broccoli for a fun variations.
Easy Sheet Pan Keto Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs flank steak, thinly sliced
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos for paleo)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade. Toss the meat with the marinade, make sure it’s all coated. Allow the meat to marinade 10 - 15 minutes while you prep the rest of the recipe, or refrigerate and marinate up to 8 hours (or overnight).
- In a small bowl, mix together the sauce. On a large rimmed sheet pan, add the broccoli, pour over the sauce and toss to mix and coat well. Arrange the broccoli in a single layer on the sheet pan.
- Using tongs, add the marinated beef to pan with broccoli. Leave room between everything, do not crowd the meat or the broccoli, use two sheet pans, if needed. You don’t want to steam the food.
- Place on the tray in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the steak is done to your liking and broccoli is just tender.
- If you wish to brown everything up a little bit more, give the pan 2 minutes under the broiler, on high, until the steak and broccoli begins to lightly char.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Add scallions and sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, if you’d like. Serve immediately right from the pan over bowls of cauliflower rice (or regular rice).
- Optional Step: If you'd like to thicken the sauce from the pan further, once the meal is done cooking drain the sauce from the sheet pan into a small pot ( you can also add the remaining marinade, but see above notes) and bring to a rolling boil.