26 Ketotarian Recipes to Try That You'll Actually Be Excited to Eat
The ketogenic diet might help you shed a few pounds, but if you’re not a fan of eating bacon, chicken and cheese for every meal, you might find the diet limiting. Enter the ketotarian diet, a modification created by Dr. Will Cole that supplements lots of vegetables with meat, fish and cheese in moderation. We found 26 ketotarian recipes to get you started, but first, here are the basics.
RELATED: 17 Small Bites No One Will Know Are Keto
So, What Is the Ketotarian Diet?
This trending meal plan focuses on low-carb ingredients, plant-based fats and non-starchy vegetables. Meat, fish and cheese are all still on the menu, but they're meant to be eaten in moderation with a lot of low-carb veggies, like leafy greens. Healthy fats like avocado oil and nuts are great additions as well. It's sort of like the plant-based diet, minus the dependence on grains and high-carb foods. The ketotarian diet can help you lose weight, fight inflammation and incorporate more healthy foods into your meals.
How Is It Different from Keto?
While both diets are low-carb, the ketotarian diet prioritizes veggies and goes lighter on the meat and dairy than O.G. keto. Both plans can put your body in ketosis, meaning you'll start burning stores of fat for energy due to a lack of carbs. The biggest perk? You can still treat yourself to beef or pork once or twice a week without feeling like you're chained to bacon-wrapped cheese and grilled chicken for every meal. On that note, we have a few ideas...
1. Greek Healthy Meal Prep
Can we have this for lunch every day?
2. Tuna Salad and Chickpea Stuffed Avocado
This dish is packed with protein and healthy fats.
3. Healthy Egg Salad
Crunchy, creamy and refreshing.
4. Strawberry Keto Fat Bombs
Stash extras in your purse to nibble when hunger strikes.
5. Baked Sesame-Ginger Salmon in Parchment
Hate doing dishes? This one’s for you.
6. Shrimp with Cauliflower ‘Grits’ and Arugula
Comfort food at its finest (and healthiest).
7. Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Frittata
Set it, forget it, et voilà: Breakfast is served.
8. Low-Carb Zucchini Enchiladas
Skip the black beans and corn if you want to bring the carb count even lower. You won't miss the tortillas.
9. Portobello Pizza-Stuffed Mushrooms
We'll never say no to an ingredient list this short.
10. Watermelon Radish Tuna Tostadas
Pin this one for your next dinner party.
11. 20-Minute Shrimp Scampi Zoodles
All the butter, lemon and garlic of the original—minus (most of) the carbs. Skip the white wine to minimize them even more.
12. Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks
Instead of using garlic seasoning, try roasted garlic instead. It's so worth the wait.
13. 20-Minute Paleo Egg Roll Bowls
Starring savory ground pork, crunchy shredded cabbage, fresh ginger and sesame-soy sauce.
13. Green Shakshuka
A diet should never keep you from hosting brunch.
14. Spicy Lemon-Ginger Chicken Soup
Aka your secret weapon come cold and flu season.
15. Crispy Goat Cheese Salad
Toasted goat cheese medallions encrusted in pistachios? That's a salad after our own heart.
16. Brussels Sprout Sliders
Sure, you can serve these to a crowd. Or you can devour the entire platter yourself. The choice is yours.
17. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch
The dressing is loaded with tangy goat cheese (but don't worry—there are some crumbles on top, too).
18. Everything Chicken Wings
Nope, we're *not* sick of everything bagel seasoning. And we never will be.
19. Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa
And just like that, we’re on vacation.
20. Ketogenic Baked Eggs and Zoodles with Avocado
We've never been so psyched to have vegetables for breakfast.
21. Cauliflower Au Gratin
Doesn't it look delicious? It may look even better on your Thanksgiving table.
22. Instant Pot Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Unlike starchy sweet potato, pumpkin is a great way to get your fall fix on keto.
23. Paleo Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Easy Turmeric-Ghee Hollandaise
TBH, we could drink the ghee hollandaise with a straw.
24. Instant Pot Bone-In Pork Chops
Heavy cream, beef broth and lots of spices make this main worthy of your regular dinner rotation.
25. Broccoli Salad With Bacon and Sunflower Seeds
Try your hand at making your own sweet mayo—odds are you already have the ingredients you need.
26. Baked Balsamic Chicken Thighs
It doesn't get simpler than a 20-minute recipe with virtually no prep.
RELATED: A Plant-Based Diet Meal Plan That Isn't All Salads and Oatmeal
