22 Easy Ketogenic Recipes to Try This Fall

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

With all the meat and cheese your heart desires, the keto diet is pretty swell. But sometimes you want something that won’t leave you feeling weighed down. These “nests” are high in protein and fat, but go easy on the dairy. (Plus, they’re darn cute.)

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: low sugar, gluten free, crowd-pleaser

There’s nothing like a new finger food to make even the most boring football game completely fascinating.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly

PSA: Comfort food doesn’t have to be unhealthy or require a thousand dishes. This gorgeous meal requires one sheet pan and just 35 minutes.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

Whether you’re nursing yourself back from the inevitable sick day or just crave the soup equivalent of being curled up in front of a roaring fire, this keto-friendly wonder is your ticket.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, high protein

Almost as easy as ordering takeout, and so much more delicious. Use skirt steak, beef flap, flank or sirloin, make sure it’s sliced thinly on the bias and give it enough time to marinate for the best results.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, ready in <15 minutes, <500 calories

This unicorn does exist. Instead of pasta, you’ll find tender cauliflower florets, and instead of breadcrumbs, it’s crisp pork rinds. (They’re technically optional, but we wouldn’t skip ’em.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

The shells for these tacos might sound impossible to make (not to mention a little out there), that is until you realize they start with a bag of crushed up pork rind snacks.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: Instant Pot recipe, ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients

Use any type of sausage you prefer—kielbasa, chorizo and Italian sausage are all great—and depending on what you choose, you can really change the flavor profile of this soup. (The goes for the greens. Hate kale? Try spinach or Swiss chard.)

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, low sugar, high protein

The ketogenic diet may be all butter and heavy cream, but this dish is proof that you can eat plant based at the same time. (Thanks, creamy coconut milk.)

• Time Commitment: 4 hours, 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, low sugar, paleo

You can never have too many roast chicken recipes in your back pocket. This one is flavored with southeast African piri piri peppers for a kick, but if you can’t source them, use fruity, mild red finger or Anaheim chiles instead.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, no sugar

That game day staple is back on the menu. These bites are low-carb, keto-friendly and baked instead of fried. Read: They’re giving buffalo sauce a run for its money.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, high protein

It’s a weeknight and you really want pasta. Well, have you ever tried Japanese shirataki noodles? They’re made with konjac starch, so they have practically no calories and tons of fiber.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, Instant Pot recipe, gluten free, high protein

Behold, a butter chicken that has the same flavor as your takeout go-to, but far away from the bread basket. (We love you, naan.) Pair it with sautéed cauliflower rice and more cilantro to complete the experience.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, dairy free, gluten free, Whole30

Sure, it fits the bill for keto and paleo dieters, but you wouldn’t know it by taste alone. With chuck roast, ground beef and plenty of vegetables and spices, you won’t miss the beans one bit.

• Time Commitment: 29 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, Instant Pot recipe

Low carb? Check. Works as a main or a side? Check. Bonus points for gorgeous presentation? You already know we’re making this for dinner tonight.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, Instant Pot recipe, gluten free

Swapping the usual noodles for cauliflower ‘rice’ keeps this soup cozy, but lightens up the carb content.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: Instant Pot recipe, no sugar, ready in <30 minutes

Aside from the fact that it’s lightning fast and full of flavor, we love that this Instant Pot number isn’t designed to be diet food at all—a happy (keto) accident, friends.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian

Skip the canned stuff and make this jazzed up version of a childhood fave. The secret to getting a thick, velvety texture is adding zucchini, then blending it with the jammy, oven-roasted tomatoes.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: under 500 calories, <10 ingredients

When nothing will satisfy your craving but a creamy, rich casserole, look no further. This one comes together with ingredients you can count on your hands, and it only dirties one or two dishes in the process.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, gluten free

Yep, teenage snack time bliss is totally on your diet. Even better, these can be frozen and reheated for on-the-go breakfasts and last-minute meals.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, ready in <30 minutes, gluten free

Crumbled sausage is the star for easy flavor, and searing the gnocchi instead of boiling it yields an irresistibly crisp texture. Besides, fresh basil has a way of making everything taste like you spent way more time cooking than you really did.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, vegetarian

Think of these minis like cheater’s pizza: There’s no dough to make and they take less than an hour to prepare. But don’t worry, plenty of cheese is still involved.