7 dinner ideas for a keto diet

Ruben Ballesteros

Graduado en Nutrición Humana y Dietética, Universidad de Valencia. Certificación ISAK nivel 1, The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry.

The keto diet is famous worldwide, but myths, confusion and controversy still surround it.

You know how much we enjoy talking about nutrition. Read on to learn about ketogenic diets and discover seven keto dinner ideas.

What is a keto diet?

A ketogenic or keto diet is a nutritional strategy intended to produce specific physiological adaptations. In terms of macros, protein stays at an appropriate level while carbohydrates are sharply reduced, often to around 50 g/day, and fat becomes the main macronutrient supplying energy.

With low carbohydrate intake and consequently less available glucose, the body mobilises fatty acids for use as energy by many tissues. However, increased fat oxidation does not necessarily mean burning more stored body fat: some of that fat comes directly from food.

The main metabolic adaptations relevant to sporting performance include increased fat oxidation and reduced muscle glycogen availability.

To explore this approach further, read our post on ketogenic diets and the article on their side effects and contraindications.

Is a keto diet right for me?

A ketogenic diet should be considered with a specific purpose in mind. To assess whether it suits you, consider the following three points:

• Check that it will not have harmful effects on your health. This approach can initially reduce performance in athletes unused to low carbohydrate availability. Beyond that, you need to establish whether it is compatible with your medical circumstances before starting. For an overview of important contraindications, read Keto Diet – Side Effects and Contraindications.
• Can you stick to it? Be realistic: a ketogenic diet requires substantial changes to your habits and how you feel day to day, especially if you currently eat plenty of carbohydrates. Consider whether the effort and restrictions suit your life.
• Does your specific objective have a clear rationale? This article considers keto as a targeted strategy rather than automatically recommending it as a long-term habit or lifestyle. The aim should be a defined adaptation with a clear purpose. For example, if your goal is to gain muscle, this may be possible on keto, but the diet has not been established as an optimal strategy or an extra performance boost. If you want to explore fat metabolism and metabolic flexibility in endurance sport, it may merit individual assessment during selected training phases; increased fat use alone does not prove better performance.

As with individual foods, a diet’s effects depend on its context, composition and suitability. A diet needs to be well planned to support health or performance. Keto, vegetarian, vegan, intermittent fasting, high-protein and low-carbohydrate approaches can all be suitable or unsuitable for a particular person. Nutrition should be planned and personalised.

Pumpkin noodles with walnuts, basil and mozzarella

• Pumpkin – 100g (one small portion)
• Mozzarella – 60 g (¾ of a ball)
• Walnuts – 10g (½ handful)
• Olive oil – 5g (one dessertspoon)
• Salt – 1g (one pinch)
• Fresh basil – 5g (one pinch)

1. Make pumpkin noodles using a vegetable spiraliser.
2. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes.
3. Transfer to a frying pan and sauté with olive oil and chopped walnuts.
4. Once tender, plate up and top with mozzarella.
5. Add fresh basil and adjust the salt to taste.

Kcal: 329kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 19% of calories
Carbohydrates: 12% of calories
Fat: 69% of calories

Pumpkin contains beta-carotene, which gives it its orange colour, and vitamin C. It adds volume with relatively few calories and carbohydrates. A keto diet involves more than simply removing carbohydrates.

Broad bean, spring garlic, asparagus and egg sauté

• Asparagus – 60 g (a small bunch)
• Young garlic – 80g (one small bunch)
• Eggs – 120 g (two eggs)
• Broad beans – 50 g (a cup)
• Olive oil – 5g (one dessertspoon)
• Salt – 1g (one pinch)
• Sweet paprika – 2 g (a pinch)

1. Clean and chop the asparagus and spring garlic. Sauté in a frying pan with a little olive oil.
2. Once lightly browned, add the cooked broad beans.
3. Add a little more olive oil, increase the heat, crack in the egg or eggs and cover.
4. Once the egg begins to set, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook until fully set in a layer over the vegetables.
5. Turn off the heat and leave to rest briefly. Serve carefully to keep the yolk intact.

Kcal: 298kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 28% of calories
Carbohydrates: 17% of calories
Fat: 54% of calories

Broad beans provide fibre and can fit into an eating plan for fat loss. No individual food causes body-fat loss independently of the overall diet and energy balance.

Lettuce ravioli with minced chicken and yoghurt sauce

• Minced chicken – 70 g (½ serving)
• Onion – 50g (half)
• Garlic – 5g (one piece)
• Iceberg lettuce – 60g (two leaves)
• Yoghurt sauce – 20 g (two tablespoons)
• Olive oil – 8g (one spoonful)
• Salt – 1g (one pinch)
• Cumin – 1g (one pinch)
• Black pepper – 1g (one pinch)

1. Wash the large lettuce leaves thoroughly and drain.
2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and lightly brown in a frying pan.
3. Add the minced chicken and sauté until cooked through.
4. Add spices to taste and a pinch of salt.
5. Let the cooked filling rest briefly.
6. Open out a lettuce leaf and add a small ball of chicken filling.
7. Spoon a little yoghurt sauce over it and close the ravioli.
8. For serving, secure with food-safe kitchen string and remove it before eating. Alternatively, roll the leaves up like wraps.

Kcal: 325kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 17% of calories
Carbohydrates: 14% of calories
Fat: 69% of calories

A little creativity lets you replace the pasta in a recipe and create a delicious dish with fewer carbohydrates.

Beef fillet with griddled courgette, pepper and tomato

• Beef fillet – 150 g (one steak)
• Courgette – 70g (⅓)
• Yellow pepper – 70g (half piece)
• Red pepper – 70g (half piece)
• Cherry tomatoes – 60g (six pieces)
• Olive oil – 5g (one dessertspoon)
• Salt – 1g (one pinch)
• Cayenne pepper – 1g (one pinch)
• Fresh rosemary – 1g (one pinch)

1. Wash the vegetables and cut into small pieces.
2. Cook over a medium heat on a large griddle or frying pan with a little oil until lightly browned.
3. When almost ready, cook the beef fillet to an appropriate degree of doneness and add a little pepper.
4. Serve the vegetables with the beef and salt to taste.
5. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.

Kcal: 287kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 46% of calories
Carbohydrates: 20% of calories
Fat: 34% of calories

Beef fillet is a relatively lean cut. Choosing it over fattier cuts can help provide protein while managing the dish’s energy content; portion size still matters.

Radish, mussel, quail egg and cucumber salad with mustard

• Radish – 40g (one piece)
• Romaine lettuce – 50g (two leaves)
• Cucumber – 80g (half)
• Mustard – 5g (one dessertspoon)
• Quail eggs – 60 g (five eggs)
• Red onion – 50g (a third)
• Fresh coriander – 5 g (a pinch)
• Olive oil – 8g (one spoonful)
• Mussels – 50 g (one tin)

1. Wash and chop the lettuce, cucumber, radish and red onion, then place in a bowl.
2. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and cook the quail eggs for 6–7 minutes.
3. Open and drain the tinned mussels.
4. Add the peeled, halved eggs, mussels, mustard, olive oil and coriander to the salad and mix well.

Kcal: 299kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 33% of calories
Carbohydrates: 16% of calories
Fat: 51% of calories

Mussels provide iron, are easy to add to salads and can offer plenty of nutrients for relatively few calories.

Almond-crusted salmon with baked courgette

• Salmon – 180g (one small fillet)
• Courgette – 150g (half)
• Lime juice – 30 g (three tablespoons)
• Butter – 10g (one spoonful)
• Wheat flour – 10g (one spoonful)
• Almonds – 5 g (five almonds)
• Salt – 1g (one pinch)
• Black pepper – 1g (one pinch)

1. In a small bowl, mix the chopped almonds, pepper, a little lime zest, lime juice and softened butter.
2. Refrigerate while preheating the oven to 180°C.
3. Wash and slice the courgette into rounds and arrange on a baking tray.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Take the almond mixture out of the fridge.
6. Lightly coat the salmon fillets in flour and shake off the excess.
7. Sear the side intended for the crust in a hot frying pan for a minute.
8. Remove from the pan and press the almond mixture onto the fish.
9. Take out the courgette tray, add the salmon and cook under the oven grill for around 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
10. Plate up and enjoy.

Kcal: 422kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 38% of calories
Carbohydrates: 15% of calories
Fat: 47% of calories

Almonds add texture while supplying fewer carbohydrates than many cereal-based coatings. The total carbohydrate content still depends on every ingredient and its quantity.

Baked chicken thighs with carrots and pine nuts

• Chicken thigh – 150 g (one thigh)
• Carrot – 100g (one large piece)
• Pine nuts – 5 g (one tablespoon)
• Olive oil – 5g (one dessertspoon)
• Salt – 1g (one pinch)
• Thyme – 1g (one pinch)
• Black pepper – 1g (one pinch)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C with top and bottom heat.
2. Brush an ovenproof dish with a little olive oil.
3. Place the chicken thighs in the dish.
4. Add the peeled, chopped carrot and pine nuts. Season and add thyme.
5. Put the dish in the oven, reduce to 180°C and bake for around 30–40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. You can also use a large air fryer, such as this 6-litre Cecotec model, at the same temperature for around 30–40 minutes; adjust to the appliance and the size of the thighs.
6. Remove and rest for 5–10 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Kcal: 297kcal (with these quantities)
Protein: 44% of calories
Carbohydrates: 16% of calories
Fat: 39% of calories

Like pumpkin, carrots owe their orange colour to beta-carotene, which the body can convert to vitamin A. They also contribute other nutrients as part of a varied diet.

How can you follow a healthy keto diet?

Following a healthy ketogenic diet requires care: the nutrient intake needed for ketosis must be balanced with a diet that is varied, nutritionally adequate and based on good-quality foods.

It takes a period of time to develop keto-adaptation, although its timing is not precisely defined. Keto-adaptation describes adaptations in the use of ketone bodies when glucose availability is low. These changes may take several weeks and do not automatically translate into better sporting performance.

During the first days or weeks, some people experience difficulty adjusting to the change in fuel availability, including low energy or headaches. Do not assume persistent symptoms are harmless or simply something to push through: the plan may need reviewing.

A common mistake is prioritising ketosis while neglecting nutritious food groups, including fruit and vegetables. Advice from a nutrition professional can help you build a suitable plan.

If you want to take these recommendations further and adapt them to your goals, training and individual needs, at INDYA you can work with a sports nutritionist who will design and adjust a personalised nutrition plan for you.

If you also want in-person support, INDYA offers a sports nutritionist in Valencia, with a plan tailored to your sport, goals and everyday life.