Have you ever found yourself with a busy schedule, no time to cook, and a hungry stomach? If you’re on a low-carb diet that leaves you few options for dinner.
Luckily, there are plenty of quick and easy low-carb meals you can make in 10 minutes or less.
9 Quick Low Carb Meals You Can Try At Home
Check out this list of 9 low-carb meals you can make in 10 minutes or less – and they taste great!
1. Chicken & Broccoli Egg Mug
This is a favorite take-out fake-out recipe. It comes together quickly and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s great for anyone following a low-carb diet, but it also works for ketogenic and Atkins diet followers.
You can make it with regular or reduced-fat milk, but do not use nonfat milk, which will curdle when heated and will make the recipe taste terrible.
This recipe is Atkins friendly, gluten-free, and South Beach Diet friendly, as well as Keto, if you use fat-free half-and-half in place of the full-fat milk.
Use a 1/2 cup serving for South Beach and Keto diets.
Ingredients (Serves 4 – 6)
- 6 large eggs 1 cup milk (full fat or reduced fat)
- 3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup (half of a 1 oz. package) sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes, then remove and drain.
- Put the drained broccoli in a bowl, toss with 1 tablespoon butter, and spread on one side of a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Put the empty pot back on the stove and reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining butter and let it melt. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk with a fork until the yolks and whites are combined.
- When the butter has stopped bubbling, remove the pot from the heat and add the milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the eggs, and whisk them together until the eggs are uniformly yellow with no white streaks.
- Divide the broccoli between 4 – 6 ramekins or bowls with oven-safe lids. Add the broccoli to the eggs, and stir for about a minute, until the broccoli is coated with the egg mixture. Add the broccoli-egg mixture to the ramekins.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the tops of the egg mugs are golden brown. Remove from the oven, garnish with the green onions, Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Beef and Broccoli with Soy Sauce
This recipe is ready in 10 minutes, so it’s a great choice for a busy week night. It’s also a good choice for Atkins, Keto, and low-carb diets. It’s tasty enough for company, but easy enough for a busy weeknight.
The trick to keeping the broccoli from getting too soggy is to quickly sprinkle it with a bit of salt while you’re preparing the beef.
This recipe is Atkins friendly, gluten-free, and South Beach Diet friendly, as well as Keto, if you use soy sauce instead of tamari.
Use a 1/2 cup serving for South Beach and Keto diets.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 tablespoon sesame or peanut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound lean beef, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Put the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the beef, and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the soy sauce and stir-fry for about 2 more minutes, until the beef is cooked through.
- Add the ginger and broccoli to the wok, and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until the broccoli is tender-crisp.
- Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
3. Shrimp, Roasted Cauliflower and Egg Stir-Fry
This super quick and easy low-carb shrimp stir-fry gets its flavor from a tangy sauce made with chili garlic sauce and sesame oil. It is a quick recipe that can be made in 10 minutes.
It is a good choice for Atkins, Keto, and low-carb diets. This recipe is Atkins friendly, gluten-free, and South Beach Diet friendly, as well as Keto, if you use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos.
Use a 1/2 cup serving for South Beach and Keto diets.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons water
- 3 eggs
- 1 head roasted cauliflower
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup stir-fry or rice, for serving
Instructions
- Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and water.
- Break the eggs into the sauce, reduce the heat to low and cook until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
- Put the roasted cauliflower on a plate and top with the egg, cilantro, green onion, and sesame oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Easy Taco Bowl
This easy taco bowl is naturally low-carb and high in fiber, thanks to the black beans, tomatoes and lettuce.
Serve with sour cream and salsa to make it even more authentic. This is a good choice for Atkins, South Beach, and Keto diets. It can also be Paleo if you use corn tortillas.
Use a 1/2 cup serving for South Beach and Keto diets.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced lettuce
- 3 cups baked tortilla chips
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add the water, black beans, tomatoes, and cilantro.
- Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the mixture has thickened slightly.
- Divide the mixture between 6 bowls and top with the lettuce and tortilla chips.
- Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.
5. Ground Beef and Broccoli
Ground beef and broccoli is a simple and quick meal that you can make in just 10 minutes. You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe, but it’s important to cook the broccoli just to the point of being tender.
You don’t want to cook it too much because that will make it lose a lot of its nutritional value. Ground beef and broccoli is a tasty dinner option for any low-carb diet.
Ingredients
- 3/4 pounds of ground beef
- 1/2 pound of broccoli
- 3 teaspoons of sesame seeds
- 3 teaspoons of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of dark sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Add the ground beef to a frying pan and cook until fully browned. Drain the fat and transfer the meat to a bowl.
- Next, cut the broccoli into small florets, add it to the frying pan, and cook until just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the broccoli to the bowl with the ground beef, then add the sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to combine and serve.
6. Instant Pot Tuscan Soup
This rich, creamy soup is filled with lots of hearty vegetables and is great for a low-carb dinner option. The best part is that you can make it in only 10 minutes.
You can use a stovetop version of this recipe, but the Instant Pot allows you to make it faster. This recipe just goes to show that healthy, homemade food doesn’t have to be difficult.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound of ground beef, browned
- 1/2 cup of chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup of chopped zucchini
- 1/2 cup of chopped yellow onion Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups of chicken stock
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
Preparation
- Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and set the heat to “sauté”. Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef to the pot and stir to break up the meat into small pieces.
- Cook the meat until fully browned, then add the chopped carrots, zucchini, yellow onion, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to combine and sauté for about two minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, ground nutmeg, and ground cayenne pepper.
- Stir to combine, then press “cancel” to turn off the “saute” setting.
- Close the lid and set the pressure valve to “seal”.
- Press “sauté” and set the timer to 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, carefully release the pressure by manually turning the valve to “venting”.
- Press “cancel” when the valve is fully open.
7. Salmon in a Blanket with Asparagus
This dinner option is a quick and simple dinner that’s sure to please. This salmon in a blanket with asparagus recipe is a low-carb dinner option that’s healthy and delicious.
It’s important to use a thick asparagus stalk so that it stays tender while being cooked to just the right amount. Serve this dinner with a side of rice or even a small salad.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of thick asparagus stalks
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons of chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons of chopped tarragon
- 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Rinse and dry the asparagus stalks.
- Use kitchen scissors to cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
- Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the butter.
- Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the asparagus to the pan.
- Season the asparagus with salt and pepper.
- Stir to coat the asparagus in butter.
- Cook the asparagus until just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the asparagus to a plate.
- Set a separate frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the butter. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the salmon fillets.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the salmon in butter.
- Cook the salmon just to the point of being done, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the salmon to a plate. Add the asparagus to one end of a large piece of parchment paper.
- Top the asparagus with a salmon fillet.
- Wrap the parchment paper into a “blanket” by folding the ends towards each other to seal the paper.
- Bake the salmon in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the salmon is fully cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Kale and Egg Breakfast Bowl
This delicious breakfast bowl is super simple and quick to make, yet it’s packed with all of your body-building nutrients. You can use either fresh or frozen kale for this recipe.
It’s important to use frozen kale because it’s already been blanched and can be used to make this recipe in just 10 minutes.
This breakfast bowl is a delicious way to start the day and is the perfect low-carb breakfast option for those who are on a body-building diet.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup of chopped kale
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon of chopped chives
Preparation
- Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped mushrooms and chopped kale.
- Stir frequently to cook the kale and mushrooms until they are tender, about 2 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the chopped kale and mushrooms to a bowl.
- Set a separate frying pan over medium heat.
- Once the pan is heated, add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, crack the eggs into the pan.
- Cook the eggs until they are just the way you like them, about 2 to 4 minutes.
- Add the cooked eggs to the chopped kale and mushrooms.
- Sprinkle the chopped chives over the top of the bowl to serve.
9. Spanish Eggs – Scrambled Eggs With Chorizo and Mashed Potatoes
Spanish eggs are a perfect low-carb meal you can make in 10 minutes. Simply scramble some eggs and sauté some chorizo together.
Mash some boiled or baked potatoes, and you have a delicious, low-carb meal.
Serve with some fresh avocado for a little extra fat and healthy fats.
For a different meal, you can break up some tomatoes and eggs and make a Spanish omelet.
You can also make some Spanish breakfast potatoes by mashing some potatoes and adding eggs and chorizo.
Where to Buy Quick Low Carb Meals
If you’re looking for quick and easy low-carb meals to buy, check out your local grocery store. You can find all sorts of low-carb meals, including TV dinners, frozen meals, and even some fresh foods.
For quick and easy low-carb meals to cook, you can check out the meat section of your grocery store. There are all sorts of quick and easy low-carb meals like meatloaf, meatballs, and other prepared meats.
You can also check out your local grocery store’s website to see if they have any low-carb meal options. Some grocery stores even have online shopping. It’s easy to search online for low-carb meal options and have them delivered straight to your door.
Things to Consider
When you’re looking for quick and easy low-carb meals to make, keep a few things in mind. Select a quick and easy recipe that relies on protein and fats for most of its calories.
Try to avoid recipes that use a lot of carbohydrates or rely on carbohydrates for flavor. If you’re looking for quick and easy low-carb meals to buy, try to avoid high-carb foods.
If a low-carb meal has a lot of carbs, you’ll need to limit the portion sizes to stay in your daily carb intake.
You may also want to consider pairing your low-carb meal with a low-carb beverage. Avoid adding extra carbohydrates to your low-carb meal by choosing a low-carb beverage.
