41 Cheap Keto Dinner Recipes - Quick and Easy Keto Recipes You'll Love (2024)

I have a confession: Jerry and I are serial dieters.

We have actually dabbled in just about every sort of diet or eating plan there is. Some we saw on TV, others we read articles about, and a couple came recommended by friends.

Seems like everyone and their mom is trying the keto diet to lose weight these days. So of course we tried it.

Based on our experience, I would say that the keto diet produced the best results in terms of pounds lost. The weight came off quick too. I haven’t stuck with it the way Jerry has, but as long as he stays with it, we’ll keep finding new recipes and making keto friendly dinners.

While keto is effective for weight loss, one complaint I’ve heard often from people who have tried it: keto is not cheap.

Keto Meals Can Be Cheap and Easy

Making cheap and easy keto meals can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. If you eat out often, rely on convenient snack foods like low carb protein bars and beef jerky, or buy a lot of prepared keto foods instead of making your own keto meals, then going keto on a tight budget will be hard.

Dinner is usually the biggest meal of the day and often the most expensive. So that’s where I look when I’m trying to stay under our food budget or cut our grocery expenses.

I used to run out of keto dinner ideas, but over time I’ve amassed a great collection of cheap keto dinner recipes to share with you. But first here are some tips for making great tasting easy keto meals for your family.

6 Tips For Making Easy and Cheap Keto Dinners

Keeping our food budget under control is something we’ve had to work at. Being on a diet that doesn’t allow foods you usually buy or eliminates entire food groups often makes controlling costs more difficult. Here’s what you can do to make cheap low carb dinners:

Keep It Simple – A Tasty Meal Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

We avoid recipes with long lists of ingredients or exotic ingredients we won’t use often. That doesn’t mean we look for bland recipes, but we try not to get anything unless we know we’ll use it all.

Who wants to end up with a cabinet full of expensive spices and fancy ingredients that we won’t actually use more than once? One thing many cheap keto recipes have in common is they’re not complicated.

Keto Meal Planning Tip: Plan Meals Around What’s On Sale

If there’s a fantastic deal on chuck roast at a nearby supermarket, guess what we’re having this week? You can really save a lot of money if you make your meal plans around what’s on sale rather than your cravings or some new recipes you’re determined to try. Saving on groceries is automatic when you’re not paying full price for anything.

Get a flyer or check out your supermarket’s website to see what’s on sale. Do your meal planning and make a shopping list based on the current sale items and what you already have in your pantry before you leave your house. When you get to the store, avoid putting anything in your cart that isn’t on sale.

Use Cheaper Ingredients in Your Keto Meals

Saving money by using cheap ingredients doesn’t mean you have to give up flavor or your favorite recipes.

Swap chicken thighs for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Replace expensive cuts of meat with cheaper cuts or ground beef, which you can buy in bulk. Since meat is typically the most expensive ingredient in your recipes, check out this article for more ideas to help you save money on meat.

Meat isn’t the only dinner ingredient you can save money on. There are cheaper alternatives for convenience items and other foods we often pay too much for. For example:

• Use dried herbs rather than fresh.
• Buy whole produce and cut it yourself instead of buying pre-cut.
• Buy a head of cauliflower and make your own cauliflower rice instead of buying the frozen kind.
• Get a block of cheese and grate or shred it yourself rather than buying the bagged stuff.
• Purchase a whole chicken instead of parts.
• Buy produce in season when it’s cheaper.

Making a great meal doesn’t have to involve using pricey ingredients.

Buy In Bulk, Prep Your Keto Meals In Bulk

Buying in bulk usually results in saving money. Just be sure nothing goes to waste if you’re going to buy in bulk. You’re not saving anything if some of what you buy ends up in the trash.

Look for deals at warehouse clubs. Take advantage of buy one get one free or other specials at the grocery store by buying enough for a month or two. Stockpile cheap non-perishable keto staples when you can get them in bulk and you have enough storage space.

For me, keto meal prep means I spend one day cooking large batches for the week. You can always freeze what you won’t eat right away as well. You’ll free up time during the week and you’ll be saving money when you buy and cook in bulk.

Waste Nothing

The average American family of four throws out a quarter of the food they buy costing them $1,365 to $2,275 per year, according to the National Resources Defense Council. That’s like buying four bags of groceries and throwing one in the trash right when you get home. As crazy as that sounds, that’s actually what families do over time.

Store your food properly to avoid waste. Eat, cook, or freeze your most perishable items first. Repurpose leftovers for lunch or have leftovers night once a week.

Get Cash Back On Your Keto Ingredients and Other Grocery Purchases

Grocery rebate apps like Ibotta and Checkout 51 offer cash back on groceries. You just download the app, purchase any products with a rebate available, then scan your receipts or hook up your store loyalty card to get cash back sent to your PayPal account. It’s free money for stuff you would buy anyway.

👉 Sign Up for Ibotta Here and Get Your $10 Bonus then don’t forget to Sign Up for Checkout 51 Here and Get Your $5 in Bonuses

41 Must Try Cheap Keto Dinner Recipes

I’ve tried or am planning to try each of the cheap keto recipes on my list. Your tastes are probably not the same as mine and my family’s, but I’m confident you’ll find something you and your family will enjoy. Here we go:

Low Carb Keto Soup Recipes

Soup is not just an appetizer! It can be an easy meal, especially when you choose hearty soups that incorporate a rich base with meat and non-starchy veg like cauliflower. The keto soups on my list are all tasty, filling, cheap, and qualify as a keto meal.

Low Carb Keto Sausage Kale Soup With Mushroom – Sausage, kale, mushrooms, and chicken broth combine for a nutritious keto friendly bowl of deliciousness. I love kale and could eat the whole pot.

Keto Chili – There’s much debate around whether beans belong in chili. If it’s keto chili, there’s no place for them. You won’t miss them anyway with this delish recipe. I make a double batch to have something hearty and quick on hand for lunch.

Beef Cabbage Soup – Tasty and super filling. Substitute chuck steak for the ribeye and use dried parsley instead of fresh make this recipe cheap.

Keto Broccoli Cheddar Soup – The keto version of one of my favorites! It’s not as thick as you’re used to, but it’s just as satisfying.

Buffalo Chicken Soup – Very flavorful with lots of protein and only four grams of carbs. It’s pretty cheap as is or you can sub thighs for the chicken breast to get the cost down even more.

Easy Casserole Recipes for Keto Dieters

Casseroles are budget friendly, simple to put together, and you usually get plenty left for lunch or leftover night. Great for weeknight dinners or those low energy times when you just don’t feel like making anything that takes a lot of effort or prep work.

There are plenty of casseroles among the articles listing easy keto recipes you find online, but I wanted to share my favorites.

Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole – A kid friendly keto meal and so cheesy, this cheeseburger casserole could become a regular part of your rotation. Easy keto recipes like this one take the hassle out of sticking to the diet.

Low Carb Deconstructed Pizza Casserole – Doing keto and giving up carbs can sometimes mean giving up favorites or other foods you’ve eaten your whole life. Like traditional pizza. This fantastic casserole is a great dish for when you get those pizza cravings. Yum!

Easy Taco Casserole – Just five ingredients and five minutes of meal prep is all it takes to get this taco casserole into the oven. You can get it from fridge to plate in about 45 minutes. Great meal when you’re in a rush.

Cheddar Chicken and Broccoli Casserole – You can use leftover chicken and fresh or frozen broccoli for this dish. Broccoli is not my family’s favorite veg, but I get no complaints with this dish. Pork rinds make for a great low-carb crunchy topping.

Chili Verde Keto Chicken Casserole – This flavorful low carb casserole recipe is cheap, easy to cook, and takes less than half an hour to make including cook time.

Low Carb Crack Chicken Casserole – Another easy keto recipe the whole family will enjoy. Chicken, cheddar, bacon, ranch, eggs, and heavy cream. That’s it! So addictive you might want to get a second or third helping of this dish.

Keto Beef Dishes

Beef can easily put you over your grocery budget if you’re not careful. It’s more expensive per pound than chicken or pork and a lot of recipes call for popular cuts which are very costly.

That doesn’t mean you have to skip beef to save money while doing a keto diet. Here are a few of my favorite easy keto recipes featuring beef as the main ingredient:

Low Carb Steakhouse Burgers – Bunless and with only 3 ingredients excluding salt, pepper, and fixings you’ll be amazed at how much flavor these keto friendly burgers pack. We buy ground beef in bulk so we make these burgers fairly often.

Easy Marinated Grilled Steak Tacos – Flank steak and a simple blend of lime juice and spices. I choose lettuce wraps over low carb tortillas, but you can go either way. One of several keto meals on this list our whole family enjoys.

Low Carb Shepherd’s Pie With Cauliflower Mash – Shepherd’s Pie was a winter comfort food growing up in the Northeast. This low carb version is keto friendly, cheap, and delicious. The mashed cauliflower subs in nicely for potatoes. Any leftovers work great for lunch the next day.

Keto Steak With Garlic Butter Mushrooms – I love garlic and mushrooms on steak. If you do too, give this dish a try. Uses top sirloin, a cheap yet flavorful cut.

Sriracha Lime Flank Steak – If Sriracha is a staple at your house like it is at ours, you’ll love the simple Sriracha based low carb sauce that complements the meat nicely. Flank steak used to be cheap, but you might have to shop around or wait to get a good deal as it’s become trendy among foodies and people doing the keto diet.

Keto Friendly Chicken

Not a week goes by where we don’t have chicken whether we’re doing the keto diet or not. Chicken is relatively inexpensive, it’s versatile, and I can always find new recipes to try so we don’t get bored of it. Here are some low carb friendly recipes for tasty chicken dinners:

Crispy Keto Chicken Thighs – I used to be afraid to eat the skin, but I don’t fear fat or poultry skin now. I love it as long as it’s crisp. This is a nice recipe for oven baked thighs with delightfully crispy skin.

Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders – Tenders wrapped in bacon with cheese! I had high hopes for this dish, and I’m happy to say it’s great. The whole family loves it.

Easy Baked Enchilada Chicken – This couldn’t get any simpler to make and it’s so good! Meal prep time was less than 5 minutes and half an hour later it’s done. One of my favorite cheap keto recipes.

Baked Garlic Butter Chicken – If you love garlic butter, you’ll love this recipe. I used full fat cheese and dried instead of fresh rosemary. Delish, gluten free, and one of my personal favorite recipes.

Best Ever Chicken Bake Recipe – Drumsticks plus a few simple ingredients you probably have on hand make for a quick weeknight or any time meal. Should only take you about 5 minutes of meal prep time to put this together and pop it in the oven.

Low-Carb Keto Friendly Pork Recipes

We don’t eat a ton of pork, but it is a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals so we don’t avoid it either. Pork fits into a low carb or keto diet well so we do buy it when it’s on sale. Here are a few cheap keto friendly dinner recipes featuring pork chops and other pork dishes we like:

Low-Carb Parmesan Dijon Pork Chops – In terms of meal prep, these are marinated overnight and worth the wait. You have to like Dijon mustard to like these keto pork chops as the flavor is strong. One of the recipes we make often.

4 Ingredient Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce – I make this for Jerry when he’s craving pasta or other high carb meals. It still tastes like squash, but you get the spaghetti experience. He enjoys this recipe, we make it regularly, and he doesn’t even miss pasta any more.

Ground Pork Tacos – Whip up a batch of this simple ground pork taco filling and serve keto style with lettuce wraps. Quick and easy recipes like this one are great when you come home to a hungry family after a long day at work.

Pan Fried Pork Tenderloin – With no carbs, very few ingredients, and 20 minutes or so from pan to plate, this recipe makes for an easy, keto friendly main dish. Min meal prep time, max flavor.

Pork Chops & Cabbage – Here’s a quick and easy recipe for keto pork chops that won’t break the bank. The recipe serves two as written, but can easily be doubled if needed.

Cheap Keto Meals with Seafood

Seafood is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and protein for those on a keto diet. But eating fish on a budget can be difficult.

Frozen and canned are usually your best bets if you’re looking to get the best value. If you opt for fresh, bone in skin on options are usually cheaper.

If a recipe calls for any type of white fish, I’ll usually just get whatever cheap white fish I can find on sale. Most white fish is mild in flavor, takes to sauces and seasonings well, and is less expensive which is great.

Tuna Patties – These crispy tuna patties use pork rinds instead of bread crumbs for the coating. Quite tasty and easier than I thought to whip up.

Paleo Shrimp and Grits – Only five ingredients in this quick recipe. It uses cauliflower instead of regular grits so it’s low-carb and keto friendly.

Baked Salmon and Asparagus in Foil – I usually get the bags of frozen sockeye salmon at Costco that comes with each fillet individually wrapped. Defrosting it then baking it in a foil packet with a side veg is about as easy as it gets.

Easy Keto Lemon Garlic Mediterranean Tilapia – My family likes tilapia and I like easy so this recipe is great. There are instructions for cooking this dish in a skillet or baking it in the oven if you prefer.

Buttered Cod in Skillet – Here’s an easy recipe for cod that only takes about ten minutes to make. Start with the seasonings the recipe calls for and use your favorite dried herbs for additional flavor.

Great One Pot Keto Dinners with Your Slow Cooker

I can’t count the number of meals I’ve made in my crock pot. I love how easy meal prep and cleanup are for one pot meals, how moist and tender everything comes out, and the aromas that fill the house for hours while it’s doing its magic.

Here are some cheap keto dinner recipes to try with your slow cooker:

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Pie – This was a big hit with the family even though not everyone is doing the keto diet. Somewhere between a quiche and a bacon double cheeseburger. It came out great and you wouldn’t know this recipe was made in a crock pot.

Slow Cooker Chili Verde – Made with common ingredients and pork tenderloin, this spicy, fragrant dish is a perfect keto meal on a cold winter night. Good for lunch the day after as well.

Paleo Slow Cooker Pork Recipe – This low-carb diet friendly recipe is a perfect example of cooking in bulk using the slow cooker then getting three or four cheap keto meals out of it.

Easy Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe – Unlike most beef stew recipes, there’s not a ton of ingredients in this one. There’s no shortage of flavor either. If you like beef stew, this recipe won’t disappoint.

Keto Slow Cooker Turkey Stuffed Peppers – I always thought stuffed peppers would be a meal prep nightmare until I actually tried making stuffed peppers myself. Very simple to make, cheap recipe with no rice of course.

Quick and Easy Keto Instant Pot Recipes

I got an Instant Pot for Christmas two years ago. I had no idea what to make in it or how to use it. It took me a while to embrace it, but now that I get it and I found a bunch of recipes we like, the Instant Pot has earned a spot on my kitchen counter.

It hasn’t replaced my slow cooker and I don’t make every meal in it. I find it convenient and well suited to getting cheap keto meals on the table in a hurry, sometimes in 15 minutes. It’s also good for cheap keto meals like these:

Keto Beef Brisket In The Instant Pot – When you think brisket, you probably think all day low and slow in a smoker, not cooked in an Instant Pot. This recipe came out super tender and delish so have no fear.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore – This recipe is a great substitute if you miss carb heavy Italian meals while doing keto. At 9.5 grams of net carbs, you can serve this over cauliflower rice if you need to keep that number down.

Keto Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Mac and Cheese – This recipe calls for cooked chicken so it’s a great way to get an extra meal out of any leftovers. Cream cheese and ranch dressing make it creamy and your favorite low-carb buffalo sauce supplies the heat.

Low Carb Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff – A creamy and rich dish without a high carb count, this recipe is delish and easy to make. You will need a thickener, but if you’ve been cooking keto meals for a while, you probably have some xanthan gum or arrowroot powder on hand.

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken – Cooking a whole bird in an Instant Pot is something I never thought I’d do. I figured it would come out a bland, goopy mess. Nothing could be further from the truth! Try this recipe for moist, flavorful meat and nice crispy skin. It does call for using several spices, but nothing uncommon and you probably have all of them.

Making Keto Dinners

While it can be hard to make cheap keto meals, it can be done. If you want to start or stick to a keto diet, don’t let cost scare you off. As long as you shop smart and stick to easy recipes with simple ingredients, you’ll be fine.