27 Low-Carb High-Protein Dinners You’ll Make on Repeat

So you’re trying to cut carbs without losing your mind or your muscle mass. I feel you. The problem with most low-carb dinner ideas is they’re either boring as hell (hello, plain grilled chicken for the fifth night in a row) or they require seventeen specialty ingredients you’ll use once and then forget about in the back of your pantry.

I’ve been cooking low-carb, high-protein dinners for years now, and I’ve figured out what actually works. These aren’t just recipes you’ll tolerate—they’re meals you’ll genuinely want to eat again. Some have become weekly staples in my house because they’re that good.

The key is finding meals that don’t make you feel like you’re missing out. You want food that’s satisfying, flavorful, and doesn’t leave you staring into the fridge an hour later wondering why you’re still hungry. These 27 dinners check all those boxes while keeping carbs low and protein high.

Why Low-Carb and High-Protein Actually Works

Let’s talk about why this combination makes sense, especially for dinner. When you reduce carbs at night, you avoid that blood sugar spike and crash that leaves you feeling sluggish. Plus, you’re less likely to store excess energy as fat when you’re just going to sleep in a few hours anyway.

Protein, on the other hand, keeps you full and satisfied. It takes longer to digest than carbs, which means you won’t wake up at 2 AM raiding the pantry. Research on protein intake and satiety shows that higher protein meals significantly reduce late-night cravings and improve overall appetite control.

I aim for at least 30-40 grams of protein per dinner and keep net carbs under 15 grams. That sweet spot keeps me satisfied without feeling heavy or overly full. It’s enough to support muscle maintenance and recovery without the carb crash.

The other benefit? Most of these meals are pretty quick to make. When you’re not dealing with pasta, rice, or potatoes, dinner comes together faster. I can get most of these on the table in 30 minutes or less, which is clutch on busy weeknights.

Chicken Dinners That Don’t Suck

1. Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sear them skin-side down in this cast iron skillet until crispy, flip, add butter and fresh garlic, and finish in the oven.

Chicken thighs are way more forgiving than breast meat. They stay juicy even if you slightly overcook them, and the fat content keeps them flavorful. Each serving hits around 35 grams of protein with minimal carbs.

2. Greek Chicken Bowls

Marinate chicken in lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and garlic. Grill or bake, then serve over cauliflower rice with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta, and tzatziki.

The tzatziki adds creaminess without tons of carbs if you make it with Greek yogurt. This whole bowl has about 40 grams of protein and feels way more exciting than plain chicken and vegetables.

3. Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

Cook sliced chicken breast with bell peppers and onions in fajita seasoning. Serve in butter lettuce leaves with guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.

Skip the tortillas and you’ve got a low-carb dinner that still feels like actual food. Each wrap has around 30 grams of protein, and honestly, the lettuce adds a nice crunch that tortillas don’t.

4. Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Shred rotisserie chicken (because who has time?), mix with buffalo sauce and cream cheese, top with shredded cheese, and bake until bubbly.

This is stupid easy and reheats perfectly for leftovers. Serve it with celery sticks and ranch. About 38 grams of protein per serving and it tastes like buffalo wings without the hassle.

5. Chicken Alfredo with Zucchini Noodles

Make a simple Alfredo with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Toss with spiralized zucchini and grilled chicken.

I use this spiralizer for zucchini noodles—way easier than trying to do it with a vegetable peeler. The key is not overcooking the zucchini or it gets mushy. Around 35 grams of protein per serving.

6. Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken

Season a whole chicken with lemon, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Roast it with Brussels sprouts and asparagus on the same pan.

One pan, one hour, and you’ve got dinner plus leftovers. Each serving has about 40 grams of protein and the vegetables soak up all those delicious pan drippings.

If you’re looking for more complete dinner options, these 25 high-protein dinners for fat loss pair perfectly with a low-carb approach. Or check out this 7-day high-protein low-carb meal plan for a full week of ideas.

Beef Dishes That Hit Different

7. Bunless Burgers with All the Toppings

Make thick burger patties seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook them in this grill pan and top with cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomato.

Eat them with a fork and knife like a steak, or wrap them in lettuce. Either way, you’re getting 35-40 grams of protein without missing the bun. Add some pickles and sugar-free ketchup and you’re set.

8. Steak with Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Season a ribeye or sirloin with salt and pepper. Sear it in a hot pan, let it rest, and serve with mushrooms sautéed in butter and garlic.

The mushrooms add bulk and flavor without carbs. This dinner is simple but feels fancy enough for date night. Around 45 grams of protein depending on your steak size.

9. Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Slice flank steak thin, cook it hot and fast with broccoli, and toss with coconut aminos instead of teriyaki sauce to keep it low-carb.

This tastes better than takeout and you know exactly what’s in it. Serve over cauliflower rice if you want something to soak up the sauce. About 38 grams of protein per serving.

10. Taco Stuffed Peppers

Cut bell peppers in half, fill with seasoned ground beef, top with cheese, and bake.

All the taco flavor without the tortillas or shells. Each pepper half has around 20 grams of protein, so eat two and you’re at 40 grams. Top with sour cream and cilantro.

11. Meatball Marinara with Zoodles

Make meatballs with ground beef, egg, and Parmesan (skip the breadcrumbs). Bake them, then simmer in sugar-free marinara and serve over zucchini noodles.

The egg and Parmesan hold the meatballs together fine without breadcrumbs. Each serving has about 40 grams of protein and feels like actual Italian food.

12. Beef Cabbage Stir-Fry

Sauté ground beef with shredded cabbage, ginger, garlic, and coconut aminos.

Cabbage is crazy cheap and filling. It soaks up all the flavors and adds volume without many carbs. This whole meal has around 35 grams of protein and costs like five bucks to make.

Seafood Options for Variety

13. Lemon Garlic Salmon

Season salmon fillets with lemon, garlic, dill, and olive oil. Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes.

Salmon is loaded with protein and omega-3s. Each fillet has about 35 grams of protein. I serve it with roasted asparagus and cauliflower mash.

14. Blackened Shrimp Tacos in Lettuce Wraps

Season shrimp with Cajun spices, cook them hot and fast, and serve in butter lettuce with cabbage slaw and avocado crema.

Shrimp cook in like three minutes, which makes this perfect for busy nights. Each taco has around 8-10 grams of protein, so eat 3-4 and you’re good. Get Full Recipe for the exact spice blend I use.

15. Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa

Grill mahi mahi with lime and cilantro, top with a fresh salsa made from pineapple, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro.

The pineapple adds some carbs but it’s minimal—like 5 grams per serving. The fish has about 30 grams of protein and the tropical flavors make it feel special.

16. Garlic Butter Scallops

Season scallops with salt and pepper, sear them in this stainless steel pan with butter and garlic until they get that golden crust.

Scallops are pure protein—each one has about 3 grams. Eat 10-12 and you’ve got 30-35 grams of protein. Serve with sautéed spinach and you’ve got a restaurant-quality meal.

17. Tuna Poke Bowl

Cube sushi-grade tuna, marinate in coconut aminos and sesame oil, serve over cauliflower rice with cucumber, avocado, and sesame seeds.

This feels fresh and light but still hits 35-40 grams of protein. The healthy fats from avocado keep you satisfied without needing tons of carbs.

For more protein-packed meal ideas that work with any eating style, check out these 21 high-protein meals for weight loss or explore the 30-day high-protein transformation plan for a structured approach.

Pork Dishes Worth Making

18. Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Pan-sear pork chops, remove from pan, make a sauce with mushrooms, garlic, heavy cream, and thyme in the same pan.

The sauce takes this from basic to impressive. Each chop has about 30 grams of protein and the creamy sauce makes it feel indulgent without carb-loading.

19. Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Season pork tenderloin with herbs, wrap it in bacon, and roast until the bacon is crispy and the pork is cooked through.

Everything tastes better wrapped in bacon. This is a fact. Each serving has around 40 grams of protein and looks impressive enough for company.

20. Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps

Cook ground pork with ginger, garlic, and coconut aminos. Serve in butter lettuce with chopped water chestnuts and green onions.

These are addictive. The water chestnuts add crunch without many carbs, and each wrap has about 10 grams of protein. Eat 3-4 and call it dinner.

21. Italian Sausage with Peppers

Slice Italian sausage and bell peppers, cook everything together until the sausage is browned and the peppers are soft.

This is one of my laziest dinners and it’s still delicious. The sausage has tons of flavor so you don’t need much else. Around 35 grams of protein per serving.

Vegetarian High-Protein Options

22. Tofu Stir-Fry

Press extra-firm tofu to remove moisture, cube it, pan-fry until crispy, then toss with vegetables and your favorite low-carb stir-fry sauce.

The key to good tofu is getting it crispy. Don’t skip pressing it or it’ll be soggy and sad. Each serving has about 25-30 grams of protein depending on how much tofu you use.

23. Egg Roll in a Bowl

Sauté ground pork or turkey (or keep it vegetarian with extra mushrooms) with shredded cabbage, ginger, and garlic. Top with a drizzle of sesame oil.

All the flavor of egg rolls without the wrapper. This is ridiculously easy and costs almost nothing to make. Around 25-30 grams of protein if you use meat, 15-20 if you keep it vegetarian.

24. Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Make or buy a cauliflower crust, top with sugar-free pizza sauce, mozzarella, and your favorite toppings.

I’m not going to lie and say this tastes exactly like regular pizza, but it’s pretty damn good. Load it with protein toppings like sausage, chicken, or extra cheese. Each slice has about 10-12 grams of protein.

25. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Remove the stems from portobello caps, fill with a mixture of spinach, cream cheese, and mozzarella, and bake until the cheese is bubbly.

These feel like a complete meal even though they’re just mushrooms. Each cap has around 15 grams of protein, so eat two. They’re surprisingly filling.

Looking for more plant-based high-protein options? These 20 high-protein vegetarian meals even meat lovers eat have some seriously good recipes.

One-Pan Wonders for Easy Cleanup

26. Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables

Season chicken thighs with your favorite spices, arrange on a sheet pan with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower, drizzle everything with olive oil, and roast.

Minimal prep, minimal cleanup, maximum flavor. Each serving hits around 38 grams of protein and you get your vegetables without even trying.

27. Sausage and Vegetable Skillet

Slice smoked sausage, cook it with zucchini, bell peppers, and onions in this cast iron skillet until everything is tender and slightly charred.

This comes together in 20 minutes and tastes way better than the effort required. Around 30 grams of protein per serving and one pan to wash.

Tips for Actually Sticking With Low-Carb Dinners

Here’s what I’ve learned after years of low-carb eating: the key is variety and preparation.

Stock your kitchen with the right stuff. Keep cauliflower rice, zucchini, bell peppers, and leafy greens on hand. If you have low-carb vegetables ready, you’re less likely to fall back on pasta or rice when you’re tired.

Prep proteins on Sunday. Cook a few pounds of chicken, brown some ground beef, bake some salmon. Having protein ready makes throwing together a low-carb dinner way easier on busy nights.

Don’t fear fat. When you cut carbs, you need to replace those calories with something. Fat keeps you full and makes food taste good. Use butter, olive oil, avocado, and cheese generously.

Learn to love cauliflower. Cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, cauliflower pizza crust—it’s the MVP of low-carb cooking. I buy these frozen cauliflower rice bags and keep a dozen in the freezer at all times.

Season aggressively. Low-carb food can taste bland if you don’t season it properly. Invest in good spices, fresh herbs, and flavorful sauces. The difference between boring low-carb food and delicious low-carb food is usually just seasoning.

Plan for leftovers. Most of these recipes make 4-6 servings. Cook once, eat twice. FYI, this strategy alone has saved me from ordering takeout more times than I can count.

Common Low-Carb Mistakes That’ll Derail You

I’ve made all these mistakes so you don’t have to.

Not eating enough protein. When you cut carbs, you need to eat more protein to stay satisfied. Aim for at least 30 grams per meal, preferably 40. Otherwise you’ll be hungry an hour later.

Going too lean. Fat isn’t the enemy. If you’re eating skinless chicken breast with steamed vegetables and nothing else, you’re going to be miserable. Add healthy fats to every meal.

Forgetting about vegetables. Just because you’re low-carb doesn’t mean you should skip vegetables. They provide fiber, vitamins, and volume. Load up on non-starchy vegetables with every dinner.

Not tracking carbs from sauces. Barbecue sauce, ketchup, teriyaki—these are loaded with sugar. Check labels and opt for sugar-free versions or make your own.

Expecting perfection. Some nights you’ll eat more carbs than planned. That’s life. Don’t let one high-carb meal turn into a week of giving up. Just get back on track with the next meal.

Ignoring electrolytes. When you cut carbs, you lose water weight fast. You also lose sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If you feel tired or get headaches, you might need more salt and electrolytes.

How to Make These Work for Your Goals

Not everyone doing low-carb has the same goals. Here’s how to adjust these dinners based on what you’re trying to accomplish.

For fat loss: Keep portions moderate, watch your fat intake (it’s easy to overdo it), and load up on non-starchy vegetables. Stick to leaner proteins like chicken breast, white fish, and shrimp a few times per week.

For muscle gain: Eat larger portions, don’t fear fattier cuts of meat, and consider adding a small amount of carbs post-workout (sweet potato or rice). According to research on low-carb diets and performance, strategic carb timing around workouts can help support muscle growth while keeping overall carb intake low.

For maintenance: Enjoy fattier cuts of meat, use generous amounts of healthy fats, and don’t stress if you go slightly over your carb limit occasionally. This is sustainable long-term eating, not a crash diet.

For keto specifically: Keep net carbs under 20-25 grams per day, increase fat intake significantly, and track everything religiously for the first few weeks until you get the hang of it.

Meal Prep Tips for These Dinners

Most of these meals prep well, which makes weeknight dinners stupid easy.

Marinate proteins in advance. On Sunday, put chicken, steak, or pork in marinade and freeze in bags. Pull out what you need the night before and it’s ready to cook.

Pre-chop vegetables. Wash, chop, and store vegetables in containers. When you’re ready to cook, everything is ready to go. I do this with bell peppers, onions, and broccoli every week.

Make sauces ahead. Alfredo sauce, marinara, stir-fry sauce—make big batches and store them. Having sauces ready makes throwing together a meal way faster.

Cook in batches. Double or triple recipes and freeze half. Future you will be grateful when you have a low-carb dinner ready to reheat on a busy night.

Use your slow cooker. Throw protein and seasonings in this slow cooker in the morning, come home to dinner ready. Works great for pulled pork, pot roast, or chicken thighs.

If you want a more structured approach to low-carb eating, this 7-day high-protein meal plan with 1500 calories gives you a complete framework. Or jump into the 14-day high-protein weight loss plan for detailed meal planning.

Related Recipes You’ll Love

Looking for more ways to keep your meals interesting? Here are some solid options that work perfectly alongside these dinners:

Complete Meal Plans:

More Meal Ideas:

Wrapping It Up

Low-carb, high-protein dinners don’t have to be boring or complicated. These 27 recipes prove you can eat well, stay satisfied, and hit your goals without feeling deprived.

The key is finding meals you actually enjoy eating. If you hate zucchini noodles, don’t force yourself to eat them just because they’re low-carb. Try cauliflower rice instead. If you can’t stand salmon, eat chicken or beef. The best diet is the one you can stick with long-term.

Start with 3-4 recipes from this list that sound good to you. Make them, see what you think, adjust as needed. Some people like their food spicier, some prefer milder flavors. Some want more vegetables, others want more meat. Make these recipes work for your preferences.

And remember, one high-carb dinner won’t ruin your progress. Life happens. You’ll have pizza at a birthday party or pasta at your mom’s house. Enjoy it, then get back to your regular meals the next day. Consistency over time matters way more than perfection.

Now stop reading and go make one of these dinners. Your taste buds and your abs will thank you.