Clean keto recipes are just like regular keto recipes, focusing on eating whole foods instead of heavily processed ones. Therefore, clean keto dishes don’t just focus on hitting the right macros but on the quality of the ingredients you use.
This makes clean keto recipes extremely desirable for those looking to shed a few pounds and those who want to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.
If you’re looking for some clean keto recipes to try out, then look no further. Here are 30 of the best clean keto recipes that you’ll love.
30 Best Clean Keto Meal Recipes
We’ve chosen the recipes below based on their nutrient density, lack of processed ingredients, and healthy fats. So without further ado, here are 30 clean keto meals to help you lose weight and improve your health:
1. Cauliflower rice
Cauliflower rice is a prime example of a staple dish that should be part of any clean keto diet.
You make cauliflower rice by grating cauliflower florets into small pieces resembling rice grains. It’s a fantastic low-carb alternative to regular rice, and you can use it in various recipes. Plus, it’s super easy to make.
One serving of cauliflower rice contains 53 calories and 3 grams of net carbs, which is a great improvement compared to regular cooked rice, which contains about 200 calories and around 65 grams of net carbs per serving.
2. Creamy mashed cauliflower potatoes
Mashed cauliflower potatoes are another great example of how cauliflower can help replace high-carb vegetables.
Unlike cauliflower rice which you grate or shred using a food processor, for mashed cauliflower potatoes, you’ll need to steam or boil the vegetable before mashing it, just like with regular potatoes.
One serving of cauliflower mash contains 139 calories and 4 grams of net carbs. In contrast, a serving of regular mashed potatoes with butter contains about 160 calories and around 40 grams of net carbs.
3. Creamy keto cauliflower soup
This creamy keto cauliflower soup uses an ingredient you’d never thought you’d see in a weight loss diet: bacon.
To make this creamy keto cauliflower soup, simply follow your typical cream soup recipe where you cook the cauliflower, add some cream and chicken broth, then purée the soup using an immersion blender.
A bowl of this delicious soup contains around 289 calories and 8 grams of net carbs, making it a fantastic meal choice for those on the clean keto diet.
To add extra texture to the dish, you can use any leftover keto bread to make croutons.
4. Roasted asparagus
Oven-roasted asparagus is undoubtedly one of the easiest and healthiest side dishes you can make. Asparagus is a nutrient-dense vegetable that’s low in calories but high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You can fill your stomach with it without adding too many calories to your diet.
A single serving of this dish (about 10 asparagus spears) contains only 85 calories and 2 grams of net carbs, making it the perfect side dish or snack for those on a clean keto diet (or any diet).
Note: We’ve included similar recipes for Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli, so check them out if you want to add roasted veggies to your diet.
5. Keto cornbread
Our keto cornbread looks, tastes, and even feels like regular cornbread, but it only contains a fraction of the carbs. For example, one serving of cornbread contains 157 calories and 1 gram of carbs. By contrast, the same amount of traditional cornbread contains about 173 calories and 28 grams of carbs.
This keto cornbread is highly nutritious and very filling, and you can use it in other dishes where cornbread would be required, such as cornbread with sausage stuffing.
6. Almond flour tortillas
These almond flour tortillas will turn a typical Mexican-themed meal into a clean keto dish.
Tortillas usually contain wheat flour, which is off-limits on the keto diet.
The secret behind making these tortillas healthy is the almond flour, a low-carb, high-fat, and gluten-free alternative to wheat and corn flour and one of the best keto flour substitutes you can use. The only drawback is that, since it’s gluten-free, you’ll need to use some extra ingredients to act as binders; in this case, xanthan gum and eggs.
A single tortilla contains about 93 calories and 2 grams of net carbs, and all ingredients are easily accessible and inexpensive.
7. Keto chaffles
Keto chaffles are the answer to your prayer if you’re looking for a low-carb, high-fat waffle alternative since you make them using cheese and eggs instead of typical waffle batter.
A single chaffle contains around 170 calories and 2 grams of net carbs.
They’re a very versatile dish as they can be eaten on their own or used as ingredients in various chaffle-based recipes.
8. Coconut flour pancakes
These keto-friendly coconut flour pancakes have the same inherent fluffiness as regular pancakes, but they have a much more exotic taste thanks to the added coconut flower.
Besides swapping out the high-carb ingredients, preparing these pancakes is just as easy as making regular pancakes. Simply mix all the ingredients, cook them on a grill or in a frying pan, and enjoy.
One pancake (without toppings) contains around 106 calories and 1 gram of net carbs, so feel free to pile on the butter, sugar-free syrup, and other keto-friendly toppings.
9. Keto breakfast bagel
A keto breakfast bagel is something that you can enjoy while on the go, especially if you don’t have time to sit down for a real breakfast.
This bagel is so special because it uses cheese and low-carb flour commonly found in the clean keto diet. These bagels taste just as good as the real thing, but without all the carbs, and the mozzarella helps flavor them without adding high-sodium seasonings.
One bagel contains around 163 calories and 7 grams of net carbs.
10. Keto French toast
Keto French toast might seem impossible to make, given that regular French toast requires bread and because you need to deep fry it in oil.
However, our original recipe uses keto bread, zero-carb sweeteners instead of sugar and syrups, and you need to bake it instead of frying it. Because of the unconventional cooking method, this French toast will look more like a dump cake than actual French toast, but it still tastes delicious.
One serving of this dish contains around 278 calories and 11 grams of net carbs.
11. Keto coconut curry chicken
Our coconut curry chicken recipe will make our fans of Asian cooking extremely happy.
Chicken is one of the best and most inexpensive sources of protein you can eat, so it’s no wonder it’s an important part of most healthy diets. However, different cuts of chicken have different nutritional values, and the fatty ones are the best ones to eat on a keto diet since they help increase your fat intake, hence the use of chicken thighs.
One serving of keto coconut curry chicken contains around 586 calories and 7 grams of net carbs.
12. Keto butter chicken
This keto butter chicken is another fine example of an Asian dish adapted to the keto lifestyle.
You’ll need to be handy with a skillet for this recipe since you’ll need it to cook the chicken and prepare the butter-curry sauce, but other than that, it’s a pretty simple dish to make.
If you’re not a big fan of spicy foods, you can dial back the cayenne pepper, but we recommend that you at least give it a try as written.
One serving of this butter chicken contains around 420 calories and 6 grams of net carbs.
13. Sheet pan chicken fajitas
Sheet pan chicken fajitas are some of the most popular Mexican dishes you can try at home, and we managed to make the original recipe completely keto.
You only need two main ingredients: chicken thighs and bell peppers, although a selection of high-quality spices will also help give your dish that trademark spicy flavor everyone loves.
The best thing about this dish is that you can use it as an excuse to use any leftover chicken you may have from the day before, and it’s also a great way to use up any peppers that are starting to go bad.
One serving of this Mexican dish contains 310 calories and 6 grams of net carbs.
14. Creamy keto Tuscan chicken
A serving of creamy keto Tuscan chicken will sate the appetite of any fan of Italian cuisine.
You’ll need chicken breast for this dish, and while the chicken breast is notorious for being inherently tasteless when you cook it, that won’t happen thanks to this recipe’s creamy Tuscan sauce. The sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and chicken broth all work together to give the chicken breasts a ton of flavor, while the heavy cream and olive oil help to keep them moist.
One serving of this dish contains around 441 calories and 5 grams of net carbs.
15. Parmesan-crusted chicken breasts
Some Parmesan-crusted chicken breasts will remind you that there are plenty of ways to keep chicken breast moist when you cook it.
For example, the secret behind this Parmesan-crusted chicken breasts lies in the crust. Normally, a crust would keep the chicken breast moist, but since most crusts contain flour, that poses a bit of a problem on a keto diet. However, this recipe’s crust uses cheese, so it’s almost entirely devoid of carbs.
16. Dutch oven roasted chicken
Here’s a recipe for a Dutch oven roasted chicken that’s delicious and very simple to prepare since all you need is a Dutch oven, a whole chicken, and seasoning. If you can’t decide whether you want to eat chicken breasts or thighs, you might as well cook the whole chicken and have a little bit of each.
A good Dutch oven is a key to making this dish, as it allows the chicken to cook evenly and prevents it from drying.
The macros of this dish differ based on what part of the chicken you’re eating, but on average, expect around 313 calories and 3 grams of carbs per serving.
17. Keto beef and broccoli
This recipe for keto beef and broccoli combines one of the highest protein meats with one of the healthiest vegetables you could buy, so it’s perfect for the clean keto diet. Beef is high in protein and fats, and broccoli is high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, so the pairing of the two makes for a very nutrient-dense and filling meal.
As a general idea, it’s always good to pair beef with vegetables since the dietary fibers help you digest the beef better.
The macros for this dish are pretty impressive, too, as one serving contains around 326 calories and 7 grams of net carbs.
18. Keto shepherd’s pie
This keto shepherd’s pie recipe is just like regular shepherd’s pie, only instead of mashed potatoes, we’ll use mashed cauliflower potatoes, just like the one mentioned earlier in our guide.
The heavy cream and mozzarella help increase the fat per serving while providing the creamy topping with a slight crust, and the ground beef helps increase the amount of protein per serving. One serving of this savory dish contains 379 calories and 5 grams of net carbs.
19. Oven-baked zucchini fries
Oven-baked zucchini fries are the keto equivalent of regular French fries, but they’re much healthier, not just from a keto point of view. For starters, you make them using zucchini instead of potatoes. Secondly, you bake them in the oven with just some seasoning and a bit of cheese, so you don’t have to worry about fried oil. The parmesan crust gives these fries a nice cheesy flavor and helps them stay crunchy like real French fries.
On average, one serving of these oven-baked zucchini fries contains around 168 calories and 5 grams of net carbs.
20. Crispy zucchini fritters
These crispy zucchini fritters are easy to recognize thanks to their signature crunch. If you’ve never prepared fritters before, imagine that you’re making meatballs. Still, instead of ground meat, you’re using grated vegetables, almond flour, eggs, and cheese that help flavor and bind the entire mix together.
These crispy zucchini fritters are a great appetizer or snack, and they’re just as good when they’re cold as when they’re freshly made, especially if you accompany them with a nice dipping sauce.
21. Keto zucchini bread
Keto zucchini bread should be the de facto replacement for anyone trying to quit regular bread. It’s like regular keto bread that you make using low-carb flour, but you also include some grated zucchini into the dough mix.
This zucchini bread is moist and delicious, contains plenty of dietary fibers to maintain healthy digestion, and is perfect for breakfast or a snack. One slice contains around 171 calories and 1 gram of net carbs.
22. Spaghetti squash Alfredo
Everything about this spaghetti squash Alfredo is keto, even the pasta itself. Unlike regular paste recipes where you use wheat pasta, this recipe calls for a great keto alternative: shredded spaghetti squash. This vegetable gets its name because, after you bake it, you can tear up its insides with a fork to make strands resembling spaghetti noodles.
As for the Alfredo sauce, you’ll need cashews, nutritional yeast, almond milk, and a selection of herbs and seasonings.
23. Keto eggplant Parmesan
This recipe for keto eggplant Parmesan will quickly become a family favorite, especially if you have a soft spot for pizza.
The idea behind the keto eggplant Parmesan is to create mini-pizzas where eggplant slices act as mini-crusts. As for the rest of the ingredients, the tomato sauce is the only one that may pose a problem for the clean keto diet since store-bought tomato sauces often have added sugars. That’s why we recommend making your own tomato sauce or looking for a sugar-free version at the store.
An average-sized serving contains 137 calories and 11 grams of carbs.
24. Keto BBQ-style mushrooms
A big serving of keto BBQ-style mushrooms is a nice way to spruce up any Sunday afternoon barbecue gathering.
The most important part of this recipe is ensuring that the mushrooms’ seasoning mix is perfect. However, don’t be tempted to use store-bought grilling mixes since, besides herbs, they sometimes contain added sugars and potentially unhealthy additives.
A skewer with 4 grilled mushrooms is a serving containing around 204 calories and 20 grams of net carbs.
25. Keto broccoli salad
This keto broccoli salad is one of the tastiest salads you’ve ever tried. Unlike typical salads that contain nothing but vegetables, a bit of oil, and some seasoning, this keto broccoli salad also contains things like cheddar cheese, strips of bacon, and even mayonnaise.
This is a well-rounded salad that contains all the nutrients that your body needs except for carbs.
You have protein in the bacon, plenty of fat in the cheddar, sunflower seeds, mayo, and bacon, and the broccoli helps provide you with fiber and minerals while also acting as a filler.
One serving contains 350 calories and 8 grams of net carbs.
26. Keto taco salad
This keto taco salad brings the delicious taste of a real Mexican taco in salad form. It’s a deconstructed version of a taco, meaning you eat everything inside a taco without the carb-heavy tortilla shell.
As for taco seasoning, the article also provides you with what ingredients you need to make your mix, so you don’t have to buy any premade taco mixes.
One bowl of this hearty salad contains 486 calories and 6 grams of net carbs, and all that ground beef adds an extra 34 grams of protein.
27. Egg roll in a bowl
This egg roll in a bowl is another example of how deconstructed dishes can be just as delicious as their original versions. For example, imagine all the ingredients you’d use to fill up an egg roll, but instead of stuffing it in a wrapper and frying it, you mix everything in a bowl.
The result is a fairly simple dish that is very healthy and contains only 397 calories and 9 grams of net carbs per serving.
You can use a wide variety of keto dressings on this salad, although we recommend that you stick to Asian ones or at least sweet and savory ones.
28. Keto Italian meatballs
By tasting these keto Italian meatballs, you’ll realize that even recipes with a long tradition of being carb-heavy can turn into keto-friendly dishes without compromising on taste.
The main difference between regular and keto meatballs is that the keto version has no flour or breadcrumbs, and the meatball mixture also contains cheese.
One serving of meatballs contains approximately 412 calories and 7 grams of net carbs, tomato sauce included, and you can serve them on top of some fresh keto pasta.
29. Keto green smoothie
A keto green smoothie is just like your typical diet smoothies, except that it doesn’t contain any ingredients high in carbs, like fruit. Instead, this keto green smoothie relies on veggies such as spinach and avocadoes to give it its characteristic green color and the nutrients you need.
Spinach is very low in carbs and is a great source of vitamins A, C, K, and iron. Meanwhile, avocados are packed with healthy fats, giving this smoothie its creamy texture.
One serving contains 172 calories and just 2 grams of net carbs, so it’s a perfect snack in-between meals.
30. Almond flour scones with blueberries
A fresh batch of almond flour scones with blueberries is enough to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth without getting any actual sweets involved, thanks to ingredients like almond flour and sugar substitutes.
Most fruits are usually off-limits on the keto diet since they’re high in sugar, but blueberries are one fruit that you can still try, albeit in moderation. They’re relatively low in carbs, and they’re very rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
One scone contains 318 calories and 13 grams of net carbs, which by scone standards is incredibly low.
Frequently Asked Questions
The next section of our guide will deal with some of the most frequently asked questions about clean keto recipes.
Can you lose weight on clean keto?
The clean keto diet was proven to help with weight loss, and because of the consumption of whole foods, it also improves the general health of the people on it.
However, all that matters is that your daily caloric intake doesn’t exceed your body’s caloric expenditure (yes, you can get fat by eating spinach).
What fruits can you eat on clean keto?
While most fruits are too high in carbs to be considered safe for the keto diet, there are a few that you can eat in moderation, such as watermelon, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, avocados, peaches, and lemons.
What is dirty keto?
Dirty keto is less restrictive than clean keto and allows for more flexibility in your food choices. This approach doesn’t focus on food quality as much as on macronutrients.
For example, deep-fried parmesan-crusted chicken nuggets are ok on dirty keto since they’re technically nothing but protein (the chicken) and fat (the Parmesan and oil).
What is an example of dirty keto?
A good example of dirty keto is a diet high in processed meats, such as ham, hot dogs, sausages, fast food, fried foods, or highly processed cheese.
While these foods are technically low-carb, they’re also high in unhealthy fats and not exactly what we call whole foods.
Closing Thoughts
We hope this article has helped you understand the difference between clean and dirty keto and that you now know which one is right for you.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below, and we’ll be happy to answer them. Happy dieting!
