14 easy low-carb meals: Filling & flavour-packed

These quick and easy low-carb meals are family-friendly and fuss-free to keep everyone at the table happy. We’re talking a low-carb twist on the classic spag bol, an ultra-flavourful chicken curry, an easy low-carb burger alternative and loads more tasty low-carb recipes to dig into.

Made with simple fresh ingredients, all 12 of these low-carb dinner ideas are packed with protein, healthy fats and fibre to leave you feeling nourished and satisfied for longer. With a prep time of 40 minutes or less, plus heaps of flavour and texture, they’re guaranteed to become a regular on your weeknight low-carb dinner rotation.

1. Low-carb Thai-style chicken curry

Enough for: 3 with leftovers | Takes: 10–15 minutes | Carbs per serving: 5g

Quick, simple and tasty? That’s exactly what you get with this low-carb Thai fakeaway dish! Perfect for those evenings when you’re craving something warm and comforting, this easy low-carb meal can be whipped up in under 20 minutes and works well for lunch-time leftovers too.

If you’re missing any of the key ingredients, you can make it with just chicken, prawns or butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Although this recipe is super quick to cook up, bear in mind that you will need to marinate your chicken for an hour or so beforehand for the best result.

2. Mediterranean salmon tray bake

Enough for: 4 | Takes: 40 minutes | Carbs per serving: 16g

Looking for a low-carb meal that you can prep in a few minutes and bung in the oven? You’ll love this simple Mediterranean salmon all-in-one traybake!

In fact, this crispy bake is so quick and easy that you barely even need a recipe. Once you’ve chopped the vegetables (you can use whatever’s in your fridge), all you need to do is toss them with olive oil, pop them in the oven to roast and chuck the salmon on top for the last 10 minutes.

Don’t like salmon? Swap it out for chicken breast or thighs – it tastes equally delicious.

3. Chicken in red pepper cream

Enough for: 2 | Takes: 15 minutes | Carbs per serving: 5.5g

Got some leftover chicken or other meat to use up, but not sure what to do with it? This creamy red pepper recipe will be your new go-to! Quick, delicious and made with store cupboard ingredients, this 15-minute dish is sure to become your new favourite easy low-carb meal.

If you don’t have any Ras El Hanout (a delicious Moroccan spice blend) in your cupboard, sub it out for a mix of paprika, coriander, ginger and a pinch of saffron or ground coriander. Serve this nourishing dish over your favourite low-carb base, such as cauliflower rice or courgetti.

This recipe is by Monya Kilian Palmer, author of the best-selling Keto Kitchen cookbook.

4. Low-carb chilli con carne

Enough for: 2 with leftovers | Takes: 30–40 minute | Carbs per serving: 12g (without beans)

Everyone loves a good chilli – it’s the perfect low-carb meal for weeknights and weekends alike! While this one does take a little more cooking time than some of the others, it’s a good one to add to your low-carb slow cooker repertoire. Prep it before work and have a quick and easy low-carb dinner waiting for you when you get home!

Depending on how low-carb you need to go, you can make this chilli recipe with or without kidney beans – and maybe even pair it with homemade guacamole on nights you have a little more time!

5. Smoky cauliflower taco bowls

Enough for: 2 | Takes: 30 minutes | Carbs per serving: 14g

With only 6 ingredients, this meat-free take on a taco bowl is the perfect easy low-carb meal. Packed with smokiness and crunch, these tasty bowls are a great way to enjoy taco flavour without the heavy carb content of tortillas and beans.

If you’d like a little more protein, add in some cooked chicken – or if you’d prefer to make it even lower on the carb front, just skip the nuts and go heavy on the avocado instead. Simple, versatile and packed with gut-healthy fibre!

This recipe is by Jules Clancy, author of the Stone Soup.

6. Courgetti Bolognese

Enough for: 3 | Takes: 30–40 minutes | Carbs per serving: 22g

You don’t need to miss out on spag bol on a low-carb diet. The mild taste and texture of courgette is such a great swap for spaghetti and makes for an easy way to get plenty of fibre onto your evening plate. Top it with this rich and satisfying beef bolognese recipe for an easy low-carb meal for the whole family.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, just use a julienne peeler to create thin spaghetti-like strands. For those super busy nights, you could even swap out the beef mince for a pack or two of ready-made supermarket meatballs – no one has to know!

7. Salmon & avocado salad with quick pickled onion

Enough for: 2 | Takes: 25 minutes | Carbs per serving: 5g

Creamy, fresh and colourful with a huge combination of textures and flavours, this salmon and avo salad is the perfect light low-carb dinner or healthy lunch. It’s packed with lean protein and essential omega 3 fatty acids and, thanks to the addition of ultra-creamy avocado, you won’t even miss the mayo.

You can adapt this recipe to suit whatever you’ve got in the cupboard – canned salmon, leftover cooked salmon or even a quick can of tuna if you’re really in a rush!

This recipe is by Monya Kilian Palmer, author of the best-selling Keto Kitchen cookbook.

8. Chicken & avocado burger stack

Enough for: 2 with leftovers | Takes: 25 minutes | Carbs per serving: 7g (without fries)

You’ll hardly even miss the bun with this tasty bunless chicken burger alternative! Quick, super simple and definitely one for the weekend, this recipe stacks up griddled chicken breast, avocado and tomato for a quick and easy low-carb meal.

This is a great recipe to cook for evenings with friends and family – you could always serve theirs up with a bun and even pop the chicken on the BBQ come summer. Try it for lunch paired with a side salad or for dinner with a serving of sweet potato fries. For an even lower carb option, opt for celeriac fries.

9. Smoked salmon spinach tart

Enough for: 3 | Takes: 30 minutes | Carbs per serving: 8g

Crave that melt-in-the-mouth pastry taste? Don’t we all! The good news is that this easy low-carb meal gives exactly that, but without all the carbs. This crumbly yet creamy tart is much easier to make than it looks, with only 6 ingredients in total. 

Serve it up with a simple side salad and we guarantee it’ll become one of your go-to spring and summer low-carb meals. Not so keen on salmon, or fish in general? Jules recommends subbing it out for ham or salami.

This recipe is by Jules Clancy, author of the Stone Soup.

10. Nearly Greek salad

Enough for: 2 with leftovers | Takes: 10 minutes | Carbs per serving: 16g

Salads don’t need to be boring. The combination of broccoli, onions, cucumber and feta bring some major nourishment and flavour to the table in this greek salad recipe. This texture-packed dish takes no more than 10 minutes to whip up for the ultimate quick and easy low-carb meal!

Try it with grilled meat or fish for dinner – our go-to’s are lamb burgers, koftas, steak, beef burgers or a whole roast chicken. For your meat-free days or for a quick lunch, a larger portion of this salad makes for a satisfying meal in itself.

11. Spicy low-carb cottage pie

Enough for: 4 | Takes: 40 minutes | Carbs per serving: 11g

Cottage pie is a true UK classic; and who says you can’t have cottage pie on a low-carb diet? This cauliflower-topped alternative is just as creamy and comforting as the traditional version and tastes amazing reheated for lunch the next day.

A teaspoon of cayenne pepper gives this dish a bit of a kick, but it’s totally optional. Don’t be put off by the 40-minute prep/cook time – only 10 of those will be spent prepping, then all you need to do is whack it in the oven.

This recipe is by Monya Kilian Palmer, author of the best-selling Keto Kitchen cookbook.

12. Low-carb sausage casserole

Enough for: 4 | Takes: 40 minutes | Carbs per serving: 9.2g (without beans)

Another simple one-pot low-carb meal to bung in the slow cooker! This hearty casserole is a nourishing dish for the whole family and is sure to win a place on your weekly meal rotation. Not only are casseroles a great way to use up leftovers (just bung in any extra veg or meat you need to use up), but they’re the ultimate in low-carb comfort food.

This recipe includes cannellini beans, but feel free to sub for extra sausages if you need to be stricter on your carb count. We love serving ours up with lots of green leafy vegetables and top with a generous serving of grated parmesan cheese – absolute heaven!

13. Beef, cashew & courgette stir-fry

Enough for: 2 | Takes: 20 minutes | Carbs per serving: 22g

Mouth-watering Asian flavours, simple ingredients and a load of protein to boot? That’s what you get with this easy low-carb beef stir-fry. This simple one-pan recipe makes for such a quick and easy low-carb meal on busy weeknights, without sacrificing taste or nutrition. 

Serve it up on its own or, if you fancy something more substantial, on a bed of spiralised noodles or cauliflower rice.

This recipe is by Jules Clancy, author of the Stone Soup.

14. Lebanese omelette with almond hummus

Enough for: 3 | Takes: 30 minutes | Carbs per serving: 14g

Looking for something super speedy yet uber-delicious? This Lebanese twist on a classic omelette is for you! The addition of low-carb almond hummus seriously takes the flavour up a notch and only takes a few minutes to prepare.

This meatless and protein-packed dish is super versatile; making for a flavoursome breakfast, lunch or dinner. If 14g carbs is a little too carb-heavy for your liking, Jules recommends halving the hummus and doubling up on the eggs.

This recipe is by Jules Clancy, author of the Stone Soup.

Easy low-carb meals with Purition

If easy low-carb meals are high on your agenda, you’ll love Purition. It takes just 30 seconds to make one of our 14 all-natural flavours, which provide a nutritious, small low-carb meal in an instant.

Having Purition for breakfast or lunch (or both!), paired with easy low-carb meals like the recipes above, is a healthy, enjoyable and satisfying way to drive a healthier weight. 

With Purition by your side, you’ll have more carbs to play with come dinner time and won’t need to spend as much time planning, prepping and cooking low-carb meals.

Providing over 16g protein, 12g healthy fats and 6g fibre at just 2-4g net carbohydrates per meal, Purition makes keeping your net carbs low easier than ever.