Many people think the keto diet is all bacon and butter, but that’s far from the truth. You can enjoy fresh keto salad, roasted veggies, and all kinds of summer berries on the keto diet. You would be surprised how many meals are already keto-friendly without even realizing it, like Megha’s favorite –the Cobb Salad! (Find her recipe at the end of this post!)
If you enjoy a big salad for lunch or a side salad with dinner, then don’t let the keto diet stand in your way. We’ve got EIGHT Keto Salad Recipes you and your family are going to love.
How to Make a Keto Salad
Before we get into the recipes, let’s talk about crafting your own salad from scratch. Here are a few ways you can ensure your salad is going to fill you up and taste delicious.
1. Pick Your Protein
If you’re having salad as a meal, it’s important the salad contains some protein. Not only will this help to keep you fuller for longer, but protein is also essential for so many bodily functions and repairs. Here are a few great options!
- Chicken
- Pan-Fried or Grilled shrimp
- Canned tuna or sardines
- Salmon
- Ground beef
- Hardboiled eggs
- Steak or lamb
- Bacon or ham
2. What Salad Vegetables are Keto Friendly?
You might only have lettuce on-hand and that’s fine, but don’t be afraid to get adventurous with your veggies. Roasted brussels sprouts or chopped up chives can take your keto salad from average to stellar.
- Lettuce
- Avocado
- Spinach
- Tomato
- Onion
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Kale
- Carrot
3. Add Fat to Your Salad
Fattening up your keto salad can be as easy as drizzling it with high fat salad dressing, but why not spice things up? There are countless salad toppers that help increase the fat content of your salad while also adding all kinds of flavor.
- Salad Dressing
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – How to Buy GOOD Olive Oil
- Bacon bits
- Olives
- Shredded Cheese
- Goat Cheese & Feta Cheese
- Pumpkin Seeds & Sunflower Seeds
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Cello Whisps or Moon Cheese
4. Dressing Your Keto Salad
While most salad dressings are “keto-friendly”, they’re not all necessarily healthy. Most brands make their dressings with refined vegetable oils like canola and soybean oil, which increase inflammation in the body.
Look for brands that list only olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil in the ingredients, such as Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods.
Your next best option is to just make your own keto salad dressing at home using olive oil and vinegar or our Ceasar salad dressing, blue cheese dressing, thousand island dressing or ranch dressing recipe.
Top 10 Keto Salad Recipes
Enjoy these keto salads at your next family dinner or take them to work for lunch. Add whatever mix-ins you like and get creative with what’s in season.
1. Broccoli Salad – 5g net carbs
This Broccoli salad is perfect for potlucks and parties. Topped with bacon, sunflower seeds, and a creamy mayo dressing, it pairs perfectly with any keto meal. Add some grilled chicken or ham to make it a meal.
2. Low-Carb Chicken Salad – 2g net carbs
Chicken Salad is one of the perfect keto lunch ideas to keep you going all day long. It’s packed with protein, high in fat, and is irresistible when you make it right. We like to add chives, pecans, and celery to our mixture for different levels of texture and flavor.
3. Summertime Cauliflower Salad – 2.5g net carbs
If you love potato salad, then you need to try this Cauliflower salad. It’s our keto take on a classic potato side dish complete with red onion, chives, and bacon. Add some protein like ham or chicken to complete the meal.
4. Healthy Egg Salad – 4g net carbs
We love to include eggs in our diet every day. They’re budget-friendly and packed with essential nutrients, making them a go-to option for breakfast or lunch. We have two tasty ways to make Keto Egg Salad that will be sure to please everyone in the family.
5. Chicken Fajita Salad – 3g net carbs
Chicken salad is great, but when you toss in some Mexican flavors, there’s no going back. Try this Chicken Fajita Salad for tomorrow’s lunch at work or make it for the kids’ lunchboxes this week.
6. Keto Caesar Salad – 0g net carbs
Thanks to our healthy homemade keto dressing and handy dandy Parmesan crisps, you can enjoy a Caesar Salad without any of the carbs.
7. Keto Big Mac Salad – 5g net carbs
If you’re making an effort to choose healthier food options, making the jump from fast food to salads can be difficult. After all, Big Macs and salads are pretty much on opposite sides of the health spectrum – and how could a salad possibly satisfy a craving for a juicy, cheesy Big Mac? That’s where our keto big mac salad comes in!
8. Poke Salad
After traveling to Hawaii, we have become obsessed with poke salad bowls. They are the perfect way to get your sushi fix, but in a salad with a bunch of other delicious ingredients! Try our Spicy Ahi Poke!
9. Easy Pesto Chicken Salad
Pesto is one of our favorite sauces, whether we use it on pizza or with chicken. It’s high fat, easy to make, and packed with flavor. Try this Pesto Chicken recipe and throw it onto a bed of greens for an easy keto lunch.
10. Keto Cobb Salad Recipe – 5g net carbs
As if crafted by the Greek goddess of fat herself, the Cobb salad is the perfect keto salad. It’s got it all. High-fat, relatively low-carb, tons of vitamins and nutrients, and a moderate amount of protein. When you get invited by your coworkers on a lunch date, opt for the Cobb Salad.
Find the ultimate Keto Cobb Salad recipe below and watch Megha make it in this video.
Keto Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 slice bacon
- 1/2 medium avocado
- 3.5 oz chicken breast
- 1 oz Cheddar Cheese
- 1 large hard boiled egg
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- salt/pepper
Instructions:
- Start by chopping the lettuce and placing into a salad bowl.
- Chop all remaining ingredients and place them into individual piles atop the lettuce.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Add oil and vinegar or your dressing of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
Written by
Matt Gaedke
Matt is a former college basketball player turned computer engineer who discovered his passion for health and nutrition after cutting sugar from his diet in 2016. That year he founded KetoConnect with Megha in order to share their ketogenic lifestyle through recipes, videos, and educational content. Matt is always seeking to grow and try new things, a passion he shares with his wife and two amazing sons.
Patricia D McNair says
Loved these recipes!!!!!
Kelsey Riedmiller says
there is no video for the Cobb salad showing up
Olivia Kendrick says
Thanks for letting us know!
Harrison says
Im on a keto stall 🙁 stayed same weight for months ive fasted and hopefully rebooted going to try your cobb salad to kick start losing weight. love your book btw
Daniel says
Hi so I looked up a head of romaine lettuce and it says that its 7-8g of net carbs but your whole recipe says 5.5 net carbs, how are u getting this macro? is it only half a head of lettuce you’re using?
Cass (KetoConnect) says
Hi! We used a whole head, we perhaps have a smaller head of lettuce. You can calculate your own macros using your own lettuce!
Ashley says
What is the net carb with out the oil and vinegar?
Cass (KetoConnect) says
Should be the same! Oil and vinegar don’t have carbs.
Navneet says
This is my go to salad when I’m not in the mood to cook. However , I’m allergic to avocados what can I substitute?
Cass (KetoConnect) says
Just omit!
Eden says
Help! When I click on the video I get Megha showing how to make eggnog. Don’t get me wrong — I LOVE eggnog! But right now I’m interested in Cobb salad.
BTW, I just recently started keto, and just recently found you guys. This 71-y.o. lady thinks the 2 of you are a delightful couple!
Carol says
Hi Eden. I just saw your post regarding the cob salad. I am so happy you were 71. That’s how old I am. I just started keto 2.5 weeks ago, and I am loving it and having a great time with my food. So far I’ve lost 7 pounds.
Alf says
Love your Cobb salad and all others. Love the keto diet. I understand it all better everyday. I did have the “keto-flu” for a week. Not nice at all but it resolved and I’m well on my way. Keep up the good work y’all.
Angie says
You both are so awesome!! I am just starting out on my Keto journey and am excited to see how I feel and what changes I notice. I have not experienced the “keto flu” but I did want to know if those symptoms do occur for me is it better to keep working out through that or should I allow myself some time off?? I am currently doing the Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 workouts.
Thanks!!
P.S. I love watching your videos!!! The information you provide is so much better than everything else I have seen! I love how you keep it real life and focus more on your experience and your knowledge of how things worked for you.
Cass (KetoConnect) says
Do whatever feels best for you.
Stef says
Total carbs – fiber = net carbs
Jo says
What is the difference between “carbs” and “net carbs”?
Michele says
Just found you 2 after searching for low carb recipes. Love your videos and Megha is so pretty! Going to keep watching….TY ❤
Megha Barot says
Thank you!! You’re so kind 🙂
Bekah says
The fat content needs to be higher, or the protein content lower to be considered a true keto option. This would be great for paleoists though!
Megha Barot says
This is definitely a great option for keto and paleo! You can always eat a higher fat meal earlier or later on in the day to make up for it. Each meal doesn’t have to have perfect keto macros, just you daily make up.
Megha Barot says
The salad is a great option for keto and paleo! You can always eat a higher fat meal earlier or later on in the day. You don’t have to have perfect keto macros for each meal, just for your total daily intake!
Paula W says
Bekah, If you need more fat, Add another T of oil. Or put the whole avocado on the salad instead of half. Add another slice of bacon. Add the bacon cooking grease to the salad. You can also lower the protein by eliminating half or all of the chicken. (not the egg, Cobb salad must have egg!)
Consider the recipe a starting point and adjust to YOUR likes and needs. Like any other recipe.
Derek says
You guys rock! I just finished the egg fast and lasted longer than you guys! Haha it sucked but I lost 9lbs. This Cobb salad is my first meal off of the fast. Thanks for the recipe and the YouTube vids.
Matt Gaedke says
Good job Derek! Congrats on beating us. We need to up out game next time. Props on the weight loss.
le ann says
how can I get more info on egg fast I’ve been researching glad there is a review
Matt Gaedke says
Hmm, I would just browse the internet and see what people are saying. We have 2 videos on our youtube channel on the topic!
Linda Holland says
Mat. Please let people know that people without a gallbladder should not go on the egg fast. It is dangerous. I’m speaking from experience.
Susan says
Your Cobb salad looks wonderful Are you going to have recipes for your other meals such as the chicken or ground beef and broccoli bowls? How often will you publish a meal plan? I am really looking forward to starting a keto diet with your meal plan! I am a single retired lady, so my income is fixed, and your shopping list makes this so affordable for me. I can’t wait to look at the recipes you have on your website also! You’re both doing a great job with this, keep it up!
Matt Gaedke says
Thanks so much Susan! We’re beginning to work on a bunch more meal prep / meal plans now! It might be a few weeks but we’ll have something for you soon. We do not have recipes up for the broccoli bowls unfortunately, but it was basically just throwing everything into a skillet and cooking it!