food
By Stephanie Cain
•
Published Jan 13, 2021
When it comes to eating healthy, it seems like everyone's buzzing about two diets in particular. On one hand, you have the ketogenic (aka keto) diet: a pretty strict regimen that’s all about burning fat and losing weight by following a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet. On the other hand, you have the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes filling your plate with healthy whole grains, veggies, beans, low-fat dairy, nuts, fish, lean red meat and olive oil (it’s hardly a diet at all). The two eating plans might sound like they’re totally incompatible, but we can prove that’s not the case with these 23 Mediterranean keto recipes that are low on carbs and packed with flavor.
Foods You Can Eat On A Mediterranean Keto Diet
- Healthy fats: To fill the keto fat requirement, load up on Mediterranean staples like olive oil, seeds and nuts instead of butter.
- Seafood: Fish and seafood are staples on the Mediterranean diet, and they’re good sources of protein and fat.
- Vegetables: Focus on high-fiber, nutrient veggies like leafy greens and cruciferous veggies (you know, like Brussels sprouts and broccoli).
- Lean meat: While the Mediterranean diet is typically low in red meat, make a keto compromise by choosing lean, lower-fat varieties.
- Dairy: Eat dairy in moderation, and choose options like feta cheese, Greek yogurt and Parmesan.
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1. Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
A decadent sauce with lots of spinach and sun-dried tomatoes? This is amore.
2. Low-carb Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
It’s the ultimate comfort food with a keto-friendly twist.
3. Grilled Swordfish With Mediterranean Cumin Spice Rub
In case you’re wondering, we’re repurposing this spice rub for salmon too.
4. Israeli Salad
Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge all week.
6. Mediterranean Grilled Zucchini Tomato Feta Boats
Close your eyes and you’re in the Greek Isles.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
7. Pomegranate-maple Glazed Lamb Chops
Pomegranate molasses adds a tangy finish that will have you coming back for seconds.
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Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott/Nothing Fancy
8. Alison Roman’s Swordfish With Crushed Olives And Oregano
Even seafood skeptics will be won over by this dish. Swordfish is so mild, it almost tastes like chicken.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
9. 20-minute Shrimp Scampi Zoodles
A fresh, filling dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes? Don’t mind if we do.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
10. 15-minute Gazpacho With Cucumber, Red Pepper And Basil
With some ripe produce and a blender or food processor, you can make this chilled soup in no time.
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11. Cauliflower Soup
Bonus, this one also happens to be vegan.
Dana Carpender/The Keto for One Cookbook
12. Keto Steak And Blue Cheese Salad For One
It’s healthy without leaving us hungry in 15 minutes—aka exactly what we’re craving.
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Leslie Grow/Keto In an Instant
13. Keto Instant Pot Greek Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower rice doesn’t have a ton of flavor on its own, but adding a few classic Greek flavors (like olives and feta) is a genius update.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
14. Bacon-wrapped Black Cod With Spinach And Capers
We’re definitely not complaining about the level of bacon here.
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Donna Griffith/The Primal Gourmet Cookbook
15. Piri Piri Chicken
The flavors of this dish originate in southeast Africa. It’s fresh, easy, super low-carb (just five grams per serving) and too delicious to pass up.
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Dana Carpender/The Keto for One Cookbook
16. Keto Pasta With Lemon-kale Chicken
Yep, pasta is on your diet. This dish calls for tofu shirataki noodles to keep the whole thing low in carbohydrates.
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What's Gaby Cooking
17. Perfect Meatballs With Cherry Tomato Sauce
It’s the next best thing to having an actual Italian grandma.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Sarah Copeland
18. Baked Feta With Dill, Caper Berries And Citrus
Baked cheese as your dinner? You better believe it. (Just skip the pita bread to keep it keto.)
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
19. Bruschetta Chicken
This one tastes super indulgent (thanks to juicy pieces of tomato and a dusting of Parm) but is actually low cal, low carb and packed with protein.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
20. Shrimp With Cauliflower “grits” And Arugula
Is there anything cauliflower can’t do?
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Aubrie Pick/Great Tastes
21. Tomato Salad With Grilled Halloumi And Herbs
If you’ve never tried halloumi cheese, now’s your chance. When grilled, it gets melty on the inside but keeps its satisfyingly chewy bite.
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Helen Cathcart/Tuscany
22. Zucchini & Tomato Ragù
This would go great on a bed of spaghetti squash.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
23. New Caprese Salad
It’s a classic with a twist. We added grilled zucchini slices for a modern update.
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Stephanie Cain
Freelance PureWow Editor
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