15 Low-Carb, High-Protein 5-Ingredient Dinners
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Make a delicious and nutritious dinner any night of the week with one of these easy recipes. Light yet satisfying, these dishes have no more than 14 grams of carbohydrates and at least 15 grams of protein per serving. And you only need five ingredients or fewer—excluding pantry staples like salt, pepper and oil—to recreate these filling and flavorful meals. Recipes like our Honey-Paprika-Glazed Steak & Onions and Herb & Lemon Roasted Striped Bass are tasty choices that can help you meet your nutritional goals.
Honey-Paprika-Glazed Steak & Onions
We love the flavor of grilled onions with the steak in this healthy 5-ingredient recipe (not including oil, salt and pepper) but skewer up any veggies in your fridge--zucchini, cherry tomatoes and eggplant are all good choices. Just adjust the cooking time as necessary. Serve with a baked potato or brown rice pilaf flecked with herbs.
Seared Salmon with Green Peppercorn Sauce
A simple sauce of piquant green peppercorns, lemon juice and butter tops this seared salmon recipe. Green peppercorns come from the same plant as black ones, but are harvested before they mature. Typically packed in vinegar, they have a refreshingly sharp flavor. Look for them near the capers in most supermarkets. Serve with smashed red potatoes and sautéed kale.
Herb & Lemon Roasted Striped Bass
Fresh herbs give mild-tasting bass vibrant flavor. Pair this easy recipe with a green salad and a side of rice.
Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms
Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Lemon-Garlic Steak & Green Beans
For a steak that's deliciously tender, flavorful and not too fatty, we reach for strip (also known as New York strip or shell steak). It has less than half the saturated fat of a rib-eye but is more tender than leaner sirloin. Here, we cook green beans in the same pan used to sear the spiced steak. All those delicious drippings add richness to the beans—plus there's one less pan to wash!
Lemon-Sopressata Chicken
You'll only need 5 ingredients and 30 minutes for this healthy chicken recipe. Serve with mashed potatoes and a mixed green salad with red-wine vinaigrette to round out dinner.
Teriyaki-Glazed Cod with Cauliflower Rice
This healthy fish recipe comes together fast with just three ingredients you can always have on hand in your freezer and fridge. Store-bought teriyaki glaze makes a great marinade for cod that doubles as a sauce for the cauliflower rice.
Baked Lemon-Pepper Chicken
Looking for a quick, easy dinner to add to your go-to chicken recipes collection? This baked lemon-pepper chicken recipe is it. Chicken breasts are cooked in a skillet, then finished in the oven with lemon slices that soften and become part of the sauce, with a touch of maple syrup and butter to carry the flavor. It's so simple and delicious, you'll be making this healthy dinner again and again.
Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon
Tilapia, a relatively plentiful fish, has the unfortunate reputation of being dull. All it needs is a spice rub, a familiar barbecuing technique that works just as well indoors. You could also use this rub on chicken breasts or toss it with lightly oiled shrimp before cooking.
Balsamic-Dijon Chicken
Experiment with various flavored mustards to add a different spin to this simple marinade recipe. It's low in fat and carbs because it's oil- and sugar-free.
Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes & Basil
This recipe is so beautiful and yet so simple to prepare--it's perfect for entertaining. You just spread a side of salmon with minced garlic, sprinkle with fresh basil, then layer sliced tomatoes on top. Put it on the grill for 10 minutes and you're done!
Chicken & Cabbage Salad Bowls with Sesame Dressing
Everything you need (just 4 ingredients!) to prepare a week's worth of healthy, low-carb lunches can be found at your neighborhood grocery store. A bag of prechopped red and green cabbage serves as the crunchy low-carb base in these chicken salad bowls, which only require 10 minutes to assemble. Top with sesame-flavored almonds and a sesame dressing and you have one irresistible lunch you'll look forward to all week. Shopping at Trader Joe's? See Tip (below) for our product recommendations.
Lemon and Parmesan Fish
Crispy lemon fish with parmesan cheese in under 30 minutes!
3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve this rotisserie chicken salad recipe with whole-grain crackers.
Air-Fryer Salmon with Horseradish Rub
A crust of fresh horseradish, parsley and capers turns delicately crispy on this air-fried salmon. It's an impressive dinner that's also super simple to make. If you can't find fresh horseradish, use a high-quality prepared product. Be sure to drain and squeeze it to remove as much moisture as possible.
