Welcome to my kitchen! If you’ve been looking for recipes that are healthy, flavorful, and easy to make, you’re in the right place. I’ve gathered some of my favorite low-carb meals that I cook for myself and my family—dishes that prove you don’t need bread, pasta, or heavy carbs to enjoy something truly satisfying.
These recipes aren’t just healthy—they’re practical. They use everyday ingredients, come together quickly, and are flexible enough to make your own. Whether you’re cooking for your family, meal-prepping for the week, or just craving something delicious and guilt-free, there’s something here for you.
So grab your skillet, preheat that oven, and let’s dive into this collection of wholesome, low-carb recipes that I know you’ll love as much as I do.
#1 Keto Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients:
- Fresh parsley and lemon slices (for garnish)
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter (divided)
- Pink Himalayan salt (to taste)
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- Juice of 1 fresh lemon
- 1 tsp sriracha (optional, for heat)
- 3 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
Step-by-Step Recipe
I started with a hot skillet and a little olive oil—though, honestly, I forgot to add the butter. (You’ll see me throw it in late…silly me! Told you I wasn’t feeling great that day.) Normally, you’ll want both the olive oil and butter in there before the shrimp goes down.
I tossed in my shrimp and seasoned with pink Himalayan salt and some red pepper flakes. Once the shrimp started to brown and get all nice and caramelized on one side, I flipped them over. That’s the look we’re going for—golden, a little crusty, and full of flavor. When they were done, I moved them out into a bowl.
Now, check out the pan—see all those browned bits at the bottom? That’s flavor gold! Don’t you dare wipe that out. We’re going to build our sauce right on top of that.
Into the pan went two tablespoons of butter, 1/4 cup of chicken stock, some fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and a squirt of sriracha. I stirred it all up, scraping those bits off the bottom of the pan. Oh my goodness, that’s nothing but flavor right there. I let that simmer just a bit to marry everything together.
Once the sauce was ready, it was time for the zucchini noodles. Now, here’s the deal with zoodles: they hold a lot of water. As soon as they hit the pan, that water starts coming out. So I let them simmer until most of the water reduced down. And honestly? I kind of like a little char on my noodles, so I let them cook until they had that perfect bit of browning.
After the noodles cooked down and got coated in that buttery lemon garlic sauce, I tossed the shrimp back in. Let them get a little more color without overcooking just enough so they soak up all that flavor. At this point, the smell in the kitchen was amazing.
Finally, I plated everything up, sprinkled on some parsley flakes, and added lemon wedges for garnish. And of course, I gave mine an extra squeeze of lemon juice before digging in because more lemon is always better.
#2 Cauliflower Fried Rice (No Actual Rice Needed!)
Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 ½ tsp chopped ginger
- 2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 whole chili, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp spring onion whites
- 2 tbsp finely chopped French beans
- 2 tbsp finely chopped carrots
- 1 tbsp green garlic chives (optional)
- 1 handful spring onion greens
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp mushroom sauce (optional)
Step-by-Step Recipe
I started with one whole head of cauliflower. First, I trimmed off the leaves and cut it into smaller florets. Then I pulsed them in a food processor until the texture looked like rice. (The great thing about a food processor is that it won’t turn your cauliflower into a puree, which can happen in a mixer. Don’t have a processor? A hand grater works fine, too.)
Next, I heated a pan on high flame and added two tablespoons of oil. In went 1 ½ teaspoons of chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic, and one finely chopped chili. The smell already—so good! High heat is important here because it gives that signature smoky flavor you want in fried rice.
After that, I tossed in the spring onion whites, some finely chopped French beans, and red carrots. Stir quickly—you want them lightly cooked, not soft. A little crunch is perfect. Then I added a tablespoon of green garlic chives (totally optional if they’re not in season) and a handful of spring onion greens.
Time for the “rice”! I added the cauliflower rice and tossed everything together. Pretty soon, it started releasing steam as the moisture came out. You’ll notice the cauliflower turning slightly translucent—that’s how you know it’s cooking properly. Keep tossing so nothing sticks and so the veggies catch just a little color.
Now it was time to season. I added salt at this stage, because if you add it too early, it pulls out too much moisture. Then I mixed in 1 teaspoon of vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoons of light soy sauce, and just a touch of mushroom sauce. (That last one is optional but adds a nice depth if you use mushrooms.)
One final toss to coat everything evenly, and the cauliflower fried rice was done. Super quick, no leftover rice needed, and packed with flavor.
#3 Bunless Avocado Turkey Burgers (Healthy & Delicious)
Ingredients (makes 4 burgers):
- Mayo (optional, for topping)
- 1 lb ground turkey (85/15 works best; see tips for leaner meat)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- Lettuce leaves (for wrapping)
Step-by-Step Recipe
I started with a large mixing bowl and added 1 pound of ground turkey. I used 85/15, which has enough fat to keep the burgers juicy. If you’re using leaner ground turkey (like 93/7), I recommend chilling the patties for 20 minutes before cooking—or mixing in an egg to help hold everything together.
Next, I seasoned the turkey with about ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon each of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Once everything was mixed together, I divided the mixture into four portions, shaped them into patties, and pressed a small dimple in the center of each. (That little trick keeps the patties from puffing up in the middle while cooking.)
I heated a skillet on medium and sprayed it with non-stick cooking spray. The patties cooked for about 5–8 minutes per side until they were browned and fully cooked through. If you’re cooking multiple patties and your pan has a lid, cover it—it speeds things up and keeps the burgers moist.
While the patties cooked, I prepped the toppings. I sliced a tomato, peeled and sliced some onion, and cut open an avocado for those creamy slices we’re going to pile on later.
Now, since this is a bunless version, I swapped the bread for crisp lettuce leaves. To assemble, I spread a little mayo on the lettuce, placed the turkey patty on top, then layered on the onion, tomato, avocado, and another lettuce leaf to hold everything together.
And there you go—a juicy, flavorful avocado turkey burger without the carbs from the bun.
#4 Veggie-Loaded Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (use 1–2 depending on heat preference)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1 small zucchini, grated and drained of excess moisture
- ½ cup tomato puree
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp chili oil (optional, for extra heat)
- Fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Lettuce leaves (romaine or butter lettuce, for wraps)
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado slices
Step-by-Step Recipe
I started by browning one pound of ground turkey in a hot skillet, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooked. Once it was nice and golden, I transferred it to a plate.
Back to the pan—I added a little avocado oil to coat the bottom. Then in went one diced onion, the diced jalapeño pepper (I used one, but hey, you can totally use two if you’re feeling brave), and my spices: cumin and chili powder. I stirred everything together until the kitchen smelled amazing.
Next came the veggies. These tacos are special because they’re loaded with them! I grated a carrot and a zucchini, but before adding the zucchini, I pressed out the extra moisture so the tacos wouldn’t get watery. Both went into the pan, along with a little tomato puree, and I gave everything a good stir.
Time to bring the turkey back! I added the cooked ground turkey to the veggie mixture, seasoned with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and let everything simmer together for a few minutes. For an extra kick, I stirred in about a teaspoon of homemade chili oil—but if you’re cooking for kids or prefer mild tacos, you can skip this or save it for a finishing drizzle.
To finish, I sprinkled some fresh cilantro over the top. That’s it—our filling was done, colorful, and smelling delicious.
Now for the fun part: building the tacos. Instead of tortillas, I used crisp lettuce leaves as the “shells.” I spooned in the turkey-veggie filling, then added my favorite toppings—some sour cream, shredded cheese, and a little avocado.
And there you go: veggie-loaded turkey taco lettuce wraps that are fresh, light, and full of flavor.
#5 Roasted Salmon with Vegetables
Ingredients:
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
- 2–3 salmon fillets
- 2 zucchinis, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 medium red onion, cut into chunks
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 (16 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ tsp paprika (divided)
- 1 tsp coriander powder (divided)
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin (divided)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp oregano (optional)
- ½–1 tsp sea salt (or table salt), divided
- 1 tsp black pepper (divided)
- Cooking spray (Pam or any oil spray)
Step-by-Step Recipe
To start, I lined a baking pan with foil and laid out my veggies: zucchini rounds (about ½-inch thick), baby carrots, and chunks of red onion. Then I added my spices—paprika, coriander powder, ground cumin, a sprinkle of sea salt, and some black pepper. I sprayed a little cooking spray on top and mixed everything with my clean hands to make sure all the veggies were coated.
Because I love chickpeas, I threw in one whole can of rinsed and drained chickpeas, too. If you’re not a fan, you can leave them out, but I promise they add great texture and flavor. Once everything was mixed, I popped the pan into a preheated 450°F oven for 20 minutes.
While the veggies roasted, I prepped the salmon. I seasoned the fillets with garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and a little oregano (optional, but nice). Another quick spray of cooking spray helped the spices rub in and stick to the fish. I let the salmon marinate while the vegetables cooked.
After 20 minutes, I pulled the tray out. The veggies were just about half-cooked, which is exactly what I wanted. I laid the salmon fillets right on top of the vegetables, then slid the tray back into the oven for another 10 minutes at the same temperature.
When the timer went off, everything was ready. The salmon was tender and flaky, the vegetables were perfectly roasted, and the chickpeas added a lovely bite.
I served myself a plate with a wedge of lemon, squeezed it over the top, and oh my every bite was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The mix of Indian and American spices made my kitchen smell incredible.
I hope you enjoyed this little roundup of low-carb favorites! Try one tonight, mix and match them through the week, and don’t forget to make them your own.