Top low-carb recipes of all time (2024)

Cauliflower, zucchini, and spaghetti squash. Three staples to a low-carb kitchen as these ingredients are typical substitutes in otherwise heavy carb recipes. But what if you simply don't have the time to deal with substitutions but still want to enjoy your favorite recipes in a low-carb way?

Cooktop Cove is here to help. No matter if you are a strict or more liberal low-carb eater, the low-carb recipe list below has something for you. All of these recipes are also taste-tested in our test kitchen, so you never need to worry about tossing out a failed recipe again. These recipes taste so good, you'll soon forget you are even eating low-carb.

1. Low-carb rutabaga fries

For this recipe, duck fat is your friend. Toss the sliced rutabagas in a liberal amount of duck fat, and set them in a hot oven. They'll crisp up and caramelize, becoming even sweeter and more tender. Serve them with a side of homemade mayonnaise for an unusual low-carb side.

In France, rutabaga is known as a "forgotten vegetable" because the hardy root veggie fell out of fashion following World War II, when locals consumed far too much of it. Today, however, it's coming back into vogue, and it's not hard to see why. For this rutabaga fries recipe and others, be sure to check out these top low-carb rutabaga recipe ideas.

2. Jalapeno bacon cheddar soup

It's hard to imagine that a gently simmered combination of cheese, cream, jalapeños, bacon and a few select spices could taste anything but amazing. This dish does not disappoint. Rich and hearty, this is low-carb eating at its most delicious.

Low-carb eating is an increasingly popular means of reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Low-carb means that you can still enjoy a lot of the rich, delicious foods that are "banned" because they are on traditional, calorie-counting diets. Soups are a great way to do this. For the cheddar soup recipe and others, be sure to check out our top low-carb soup recipes.

3. Low-carb breakfast burrito

Start by mixing one whole egg and 3 egg whites, and then combine the eggs with milk. This egg mixture acts as your tortilla. All you need is a medium- to large-sized nonstick pan to make the egg tortilla. It's important you use a nonstick pan, or the recipe won't work.

The health benefits of a low-carb breakfast go beyond just the waistline. Researchers have discovered that eating more protein and fewer carbs at the start of your day can make you a more tolerant person. Whether you're trying to lose weight, improve your diet or change your attitude, eating the same egg scramble every morning is a drag. For the breakfast burrito and other ideas, be sure to check out our top low-carb breakfast recipes.

4. Low-carb carrot cake mug cake

Single-serving mug cakes may be the best things ever to come out of a microwave. They can be mixed, cooked, and served all in one coffee mug and take less than two minutes to cook. Perhaps best of all, you can even make them low-carb and outrageously delicious.

Eating dessert is a double-edged sword. The taste of gooey sweetness on the tongue and throat brings a surprising amount of pleasure. But the "moment on the lips, forever on the hips" guilt feels equally as bad. Fortunately, a few crafty bakers have developed guilt-free mug cakes. For this carrot cake mug cake and other ideas, be sure to check out our favorite low-carb mug cake recipes.

5. Best spaghetti squash pepperoni boats

This recipe has no carbs – just a whole lot of delicious flavor. You'll love that you can enjoy the bold taste of pepperoni with the mild flavor of spaghetti squash. The combination is absolutely perfect.

There's no denying that pepperoni is absolutely delicious. When you're trying to stick to a low-carb diet, however, it can be difficult to think of ways you can still have this yummy topping without guilt. Fortunately, many ways exist to enjoy pepperoni and stay true to healthy eating habits. For this spaghetti squash pepperoni boat recipe and others, be sure to check out our top low-carb pepperoni recipes.

6. Cheesy zucchini bake

After eating risotto for three weeks in a row, it was time to switch it up. I also wanted to keep it grain-free, if possible, so I used zucchini from the garden and turned it into “lasagna” noodles. The recipe above is the perfect way to celebrate a meat-free, gluten-free meal.

Zucchini is so incredibly versatile. You can add it to almost any dish, and it will simply blend in and enhance the dish. For the cheesy zucchini bake recipe and other ways to incorporate zucchini in your diet, be sure to read these killer low-carb zucchini recipes.

7. Low carb mac and cheese

Guess what? You can have low carb mac and cheese, and you don't even need to make a cheese sauce to do it. In this recipe, you'll see that all you really have to do is melt cheese and mix it with some steamed cauliflower before topping it with low-carb bread crumbs and popping it in the oven.

When it comes to eating low-carb food, cauliflower should be the one vegetable that you always have on hand. It's a great substitute for so many things. It's healthy and nutritious and will make your low-carb diet actually quite enjoyable. For the mac and cheese recipe and others, be sure to check out our top low-carb cauliflower recipes.

8. Low-carb avocado spaghetti

If you’re like me, sometimes there’s just nothing that will satisfy your appetite besides a big bowl of “pasta” in a creamy sauce. This recipe is made for such people. Use a spiralizer or a julienne peeler to make the “zoodles.”

Avocado, like kale, is a "superfood": The massive quantity of nutrients found inside is enough to completely turn your day around, whether you're having the fleshy green fruit itself or a smoothie containing it. For this low-carb avocado spaghetti recipe and others, be sure to check out our top low-carb avocado recipes.

9. Low-carb tuna casserole

When you think of tuna casserole, you probably think about pairing the delicious fish with noodles. But if you're looking for a low-carb version of this classic, noodles will not do. Check out the recipe below, which combines tuna with loads of scrumptious veggies and a touch of cheese to make a version of this casserole the whole family can enjoy.

Packed with protein and Omega-3s, tuna is healthy and affordable. In fact, the only problem is figuring out how to use it more often. Luckily, the Cooktop Cove has once again come to the what's-for-dinner rescue. For this low-carb tuna casserole recipe and others, be sure to check out our best low-carb tuna recipes.

10. Low-carb 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies

It's tough to find a cookie that tastes great, falls on the healthier side of the dessert list and doesn't take an hour to prep and cook. This 3-ingredient cookie recipe is quite likely the easiest one around. Short of opening a package of cookies, you'll be hard-pressed to find a faster route to tasty, peanut buttery goodness.

Peanut butter is a staple food in most households. This is good news for low-carb foodies because peanut butter is actually not a dietary restriction. In fact, peanut butter is a main ingredient of some of the most favored low-carb recipes on the internet. For this 3-ingredient recipe and others, be sure to check out our top low-carb peanut butter recipes.

11. Keto bread

I’ve tried a lot of low-carb keto bread recipes and more often than not, I end up disappointed. But the recipes below are different. They yield light and fluffy loaves that are perfect for toasting, making sandwiches, or turning into French toast. Check out the top keto bread recipes.