Delicious & Healthy Protein Diet Recipes with Zero Carbs to Transform Your Body!

For those seeking a healthier lifestyle, incorporating more low-carb, high-protein meals can be a game-changer. If you're struggling to find new and exciting recipes that align with this way of eating, this guide offers a variety of tasty and easy-to-make options.

Why Choose a Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet?

Eating more low-carb and high-protein meals is a great way to nourish your body and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Pairing a high-protein diet with lower-carb consumption may improve insulin sensitivity. One observational study performed on over 300 participants with obesity found that eating a high-protein diet low in carbs over nine months reduced insulin resistance.

Tips for Starting a Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet

Starting small can make a big difference when trying to eat lower in carbs and higher in protein. Here are some helpful tips:

Read food labels: Being conscientious about what you're eating is essential when trying to eat a lower-carb diet.
Stock your kitchen: Fill your pantry and fridge with nonstarchy fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and shellfish, lean meats and poultry, dairy products, and nuts or seeds.
Watch your condiments: Be mindful of condiments like relish, ketchup, and barbecue sauce, as they can have a surprising amount of carbohydrates. For example, there are about 7 grams of carbs in just 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce!

What Foods Are Low in Carbs but Filling?

You will find foods with plenty of protein and some healthy fats to be low carb, yet still very satisfying. Some of our favorite options are lean meats, seafood like salmon or shrimp, eggs, nuts and seeds including nut butter, unsweetened dairy products like whole milk and plain Greek yogurt.

Excellent Options for High-Protein Meals

Excellent sources of high-quality protein as well as other important nutrients include lean beef, chicken, salmon and eggs. Pair any one of these options with leafy greens and/or other vegetables and you will have yourself a balanced high protein meal.

Read also: Protein Coffee Smoothie Recipe

Delicious Low-Carb, High-Protein Recipes

Here are some tried and true, mostly keto-friendly recipes that you’re sure to love!

Chicken Dishes

Low-carb/ Keto-friendly Asparagus Stuffed Chicken: This isn’t your ordinary chicken recipe, it’s extraordinary! This dish is juicy, cheesy, and positively delicious.
30-Minute Mozzarella Chicken: An insanely delicious cheesy weeknight dinner recipe that’s also high protein and low-carb/keto-friendly at just 4g net carbs per serving!
Marry Me Chicken: One of the best ways to cook chicken breasts! Tender and juicy chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce - the perfect combination for an easy weeknight dinner.
Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken with Asparagus: It takes less than 30 minutes and just one pan to make this healthy dish. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and is super flavorful and just 7g net carbs!
Cheesy Garlic Chicken Bites: Cooked in one pan with broccoli and spinach in under 15 minutes.
Cajun Chicken and Veggies: Quick 30-minute chicken and veggies flavored with Cajun seasoning, garlic, and olive oil. Healthy and flavorful.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts: Chicken breasts stuffed with a creamy spinach, parmesan, mozzarella, and cream cheese filling and pan seared to perfection.
Grilled Chicken With Coconut-Lime Slaw: Zest up your weeknight chicken cutlet with a limey, coconutty slaw. This dinner will be on the table in just 20 minutes and packs a ton of flavor and protein with very few carbs.
High-Protein Marry Me Chicken: This one-pan wonder has it all: plenty of luscious creamy sauce, tender chicken, and flavor for days.
Peanut Butter Chicken: Two high-protein ingredients combine to make this peanut butter and chicken dish. It's super easy to make and any leftovers freeze well and make a handy lunch.11g carbs, 33g protein
Creamy spinach chicken: Enjoy our creamy spinach chicken with plenty of sauce and rice or potatoes on the side. Serving four, it's an ideal midweek dinner for a family.2g carbs, 43g protein
Citrusy Grilled Chicken Salad: Divide the orange-lime dressing to use for both the salad and the chicken. Half the work, double the flavor!Nutrition per serving: 414 calories, 20 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 94 mg cholesterol, 156 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 7.5 g sugar (0 g added sugar), 38 g protein
Chicken With Fried Cauliflower Rice: This dish has just 18 grams of carbs with a solid 34 grams of protein. Plus, it packs tons of veggies: peppers, carrots, onion, garlic, scallions, peas, and cauliflower.
Chicken Stir Fry: A stir fry is our go-to weeknight dinner when we just don’t have the energy to spend a long time in the kitchen-this recipe is no exception.

Instructions for Grilled Chicken

Combine all the dry seasoning in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken with the dry seasoning mix.
Heat a heavy duty grill pan to high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-high and add the oil to the pan and make sure the entire pan is coated with oil.
Add the chicken breasts to pan and cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side without moving, until the undersides develop dark grill marks.
Flip the chicken breasts using a pair of tongs or a fork and cook the other side for 5-6 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow chicken breasts to rest in pan for at least 5 minutes before cutting.
- Optional: pound chicken breasts to even thickness using a meat tenderizer or a rolling-pin.

Soup

Low carb and keto-friendly creamy taco soup: A warm and comforting option.
White Chicken Chili: When we're craving something hearty and healthy, this chicken chili immediately jumps to mind.

Steak

Keto-Friendly Steak Stuffed Peppers: These give you all the satisfaction of a Philly cheesesteak sandwich without the added carbs or guilt at less than 5g net carbs!
Pan Grilled Butterflied Flank Steak: Stuffed with spinach, garlic, and cheese.

Seafood

Tender Salmon with Cilantro, Lime, Avocado, and Tomato Salsa: This healthy and flavorful meal is bursting with flavor, color, and texture and is ready in under 20 minutes.
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles: Cooked in one pan in under 15 minutes.
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. Serve with a side of spinach for a good dose of iron.5g carbs, 32g protein
Curried cod: An easy-to-prepare one-pot with cod fillet, chickpeas, ginger and spices - it's low-calorie and packed with iron, too. Small amounts of pulses shouldn't stack up your carbs, but they do provide your body with good amounts of fibre.22g carbs, 34g protein
Prawn, avocado & cucumber salad: A simple prawn salad to make the most of your spiralizer. Slices of chunky avocado and ribbons of cucumber make a great mix of textures and flavours, as well as giving your body a hit of good fats and hydration.5g carbs, 18g protein
Salsa Verde-Poached Fish: Gently simmer cod fillets in homemade cilantro salsa verde for a tender, never-dry result. Plus, cilantro is full of folate and vitamin C.
Arctic Char With Golden Beet Slaw and Walnuts: The flaky, pink fish tastes like salmon and offers a similar nutrient profile: It’s packed with beneficial omega-3s, selenium, and vitamin D.
Sauteed Trout With Green Pumpkin Seed Salsa: Sauces are a great way to introduce flavor and extra nutrients when going low-carb. Pumpkin seeds pulsed with spices, fresh herbs, tomatillos, and lime juice fit the bill.
Spicy Salmon Nori Wraps: Nori sheets are filled with brown rice and seasoned canned salmon for a filling meal. Each serving features 21 g of protein and 18 g of carbohydrates, so you can be sure you’re hitting your macro goals.
Shrimp, Avocado, and Egg Chopped Salad: If you’re not into beef, pork, or chicken, shrimp is a great high-protein, low-calorie choice to throw on top of fiber-rich greens. Add healthy fat, more protein, and flavor with avocado and eggs and you’ve got yourself a very filling salad.
Curried Fish Jicama “Tacos”: Halibut, cabbage, and coconut flakes fill jicama wraps in this take on tacos, with 25 grams of protein and just 8 grams of net carbohydrates.
Grilled Ahi Tuna Over Mashed Cauliflower: Just three minutes of cook time for 40 grams of protein? Believe it. Start with sushi-grade tuna, which pairs perfectly with creamy mashed cauliflower and crunchy leafy greens.
Salmon Salad With Avocado and Sweet Grape Tomatoes: Not only is salmon high in protein, but it’s full of inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to boost heart health.
White Wine and Tomato Mussels: Serve up this hearty seafood stew with crusty bread for the ultimate party pleaser. Fresh herbs like basil and parsley bring a bed of mussels to life along with vibrant tomatoes and white wine for super-delicious flavor, protein, and just a few carbs.
Roasted Shrimp Parmesan: We’re not convinced there’s a better dinner than succulent shrimp and gooey cheese. This incredibly straightforward dinner comes together in minutes and uses fresh herbs and tomato to bring brightness to cheese-covered shrimp and crispy torn bread crumbs.
Lemon-Brown Butter Salmon
Miso Salmon & Farro Bowl: Take your Monday night dinner into a Tuesday afternoon grain bowl with this miso-glazed salmon and charred scallion farro bowl.
Salmon Quinoa Bowl: This recipe is not only a simple, quick dinner (ready in 20 minutes!), but it’s a texture lover’s paradise.

Vegetarian Dishes

Tarragon, mushroom & sausage frittata: Serve up this filling frittata in just 20 minutes. With tarragon and mustard to boost the flavour and asparagus to top up your greens, it's also rich in folate. It packs up well, making it a great one for weekly meal prep.8g carbs, 25g protein
Keto pizza: Make a keto version of pizza with a crust made using cauliflower rice, coconut flour and flaxseed. Top with parmesan, tomatoes, rocket and olives for a flavourful meal. We've kept this one veggie but you could add cooked chicken or ham for extra protein.8g carbs, 18g protein
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 for a protein-packed start to the day.7g carbs, 38g protein
Tofu curry: If you're vegetarian or vegan, make sure you're getting enough protein with this fragrant tofu and spinach curry. It's quick to make and even the tofu-haters will be asking for the recipe. Serve with lime wedges and wholemeal chapatis.8g carbs, 22g protein
Saag paneer: This lighter take on an Indian favourite is rich in calcium and folate, thanks to the spinach. Plus, it's packed with meat-free protein.4g carbs, 22g protein
Grilled courgette & halloumi salad with caper & lemon dressing: For a light low-carb lunch, enjoy this courgette and halloumi salad. Dressing while everything is still fairly warm means the courgettes soak up the delicious lemony, caper dressing.4g carbs, 16g protein
Soft Scrambled Eggs With Spinach on Sweet Potatoes: Whisk cottage cheese into scrambled eggs for a creamy, delicious, protein-packed boost. Low-carb breakfast for dinner, anyone?
Portobellos With Cannellini and Chimichurri: Make salads infinitely more interesting with roasted or grilled veggies. Baked portobello mushrooms add a ton of satisfying flavor to every bite.
Spinach Tomato Frittata: This veggie-packed frittata is quick (15 minutes, tops) and offers 23 grams of protein. Bonus: It’s great for meal prep and it’ll taste just as good for breakfast the next morning!
Indian Butter Chickpeas:
Sesame Tofu & Broccoli: In this vegetarian version of a Chinese-American favorite, oven-baked tofu gets tossed in a savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce along with crisp-tender broccoli, then topped with toasty sesame seeds and scallions.

Other Dishes

Lettuce wraps filled with spicy taco-spiced chicken, avocado, tomato, and drizzled with a zesty cilantro lime sauce.
Sausage, sweet potato, broccoli, and bell peppers seasoned with olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and roasted to perfection.
Peanut Chickpea Protein Bowls
Cottage Cheese Baked Ziti: It has a tangier flavor and packs more protein, making it a great upgrade to classic recipes.
White Bean & Smoked Sausage Skillet: This white bean and sausage skillet is guaranteed to have you scraping your bowl clean and coming back for seconds.
Sweet & Sour Tofu: Because it’s mild in flavor, the sweet and sour sauce truly shines (even the tofu haters in your household will ask for seconds).
Beef & Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers: Poblanos really hold up to big flavors and rich foods. So we updated the typical beef and rice stuffing a bit by using fire-roasted tomatoes and spicing the sauce with chipotle chiles, ground cumin, and oregano.
Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls: With a homemade peanut dressing, sliced chicken, sweet potato, spinach, and avocado, this healthy dinner is one we love to prep at the beginning of the week, then assemble and feast on all week long.
Greek Salad Cottage Cheese Bowls
Egg Roll Bowls: When we’re craving crispy egg rolls but need a more filling lunch option, we turn to these bowls.
Vegan Meatballs
Low-Carb Turkey Gyro Bowls: With tender spiced meat, crunchy fresh veggies, tzatziki, and chewy pita, it's not hard to see why gyros are so globally beloved.
Pizza Frittata: Turn to this pizza frittata if you're craving pizza for breakfast but want a substantial meal.

Important Considerations

Restrictive diets are not proven to be conducive to long-term health and should be discussed with your GP or health professional before you start.
Though the amount of protein you need depends on several factors-like sex, age, and activity level-the general daily recommendation is to eat between 0.8 and 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That translates to about 54 to 88 grams per day for a 150-pound person.
Low-carb eating regimens can vary; many allow no more than 40 grams of carbs daily or roughly 10 grams per meal.
Consuming more protein regularly doesn’t translate to a bland diet of steamed chicken breasts.
Animal sources are “complete proteins,” meaning that they contain all 9 essential amino acids (protein building blocks) that your body needs but can’t make itself. Although some plant-based foods, such as tofu, hemp, and chia seeds, are complete proteins, many are missing one or more essential amino acids. However, you can easily supplement any amino acids missing from one plant-based protein source by pairing it with another. In general, try to eat a variety of whole foods-both protein-rich and not-to meet your nutritional needs.
The best way to meet the recommended daily intake is to ensure you get protein with every meal

Tips and Tricks

Things like raw nuts, shelled edamame, and hardboiled eggs deliver satisfaction and a better blood glucose response than the usual refined-carb, high-sodium snack-time go-to’s, like chips and popcorn.
Protein powder and hemp seeds can help you add 10 to 20 grams of protein to foods without affecting flavor. Similarly, swapping traditional soup and salad toppings, like croutons and crispy wonton noodles, for nuts and seeds and even legumes, like crispy baked chickpeas and edamame, will add a crunch without the blood sugar spike. Adding just 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds to a smoothie gives you an extra 10 grams of protein.

tags: #protein #diet #recipes #no #carbs