30 Low-Carb Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes

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Updated on June 15, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles — Photo: Diana Chistruga

With recipes like these, you can have a healthy dinner on the table any night of the week. While carbs are certainly a healthy part of any eating pattern, each of these recipes is low in carbs with only 15 grams or fewer per serving for those times when you want to scale back. Recipes like our Cheesy Portobello Chicken Cutlets with Broccoli and Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles are tasty meals so simple, you'll be in and out of the kitchen in no time.

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Horseradish-Crusted Salmon with Crispy Leeks

Horseradish Salmon with Crispy Leeks — Jacob Fox

Here, we coat leeks in a bit of cornstarch then pan-fry for a crispy topping for the salmon. Spreading horseradish-spiked mayonnaise over the fish before baking keeps it moist and gives it a peppery bite.

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Cheesy Portobello Chicken Cutlets with Broccoli

Cheesy Portobello Chicken Cutlets with Broccoli — Jacob Fox

Adding nutty Gruyère atop the chicken at the very end and popping it under the broiler takes this dish from delicious to heavenly. If you can't find Gruyère, Jarlsberg or Emmentaler cheese makes a good substitute.

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Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles — Diana Chistruga

Enjoy classic shrimp scampi lightened up with a white wine butter sauce and zucchini noodles in place of pasta. The tomatoes add some sweetness and color, while the cheese contributes nuttiness and richness.

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Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Red Pepper & Arugula Relish

Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Red Pepper & Arugula Relish — Greg DuPree

Currants add a pop of sweetness to the roasted red pepper and arugula topping on this easy chicken cutlet recipe.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli — Photography: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Greg Luna

Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice.

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Chopped Power Salad with Chicken

Chopped Power Salad with Chicken — Jason Donnelly

Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor.

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Chicken Salad

a recipe photo of the Chicken Salad — Jason Donnelly

This chicken salad recipe combines Greek-style yogurt and mayonnaise for a creamy dressing. Sweet apple, toasty hazelnuts and crunchy celery balance the flavors and texture. Serve atop lightly dressed greens.

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20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet

20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet — Jamie Vespa

Salmon fillets cook quickly and are coated with a delicious creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This easy salmon dinner is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. The best news: You can get this meal on the table in 20 minutes flat.

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Pesto Salmon

Pesto Salmon — Will Dickey

Herby and bright pesto coats tender salmon fillets in this quick and healthy fish dish. Colorful cherry tomatoes burst and combine with shallots to complement the pesto in this fast and simple weeknight dinner.

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Arugula, Chicken & Melon Salad with Sumac Dressing

Arugula, Chicken & Melon Salad with Sumac Dressing — Jason Donnelly

Sweet and savory find harmony in this salad dotted with ripe melon and tossed in a lemony dressing. Melon balls are so adorable, but making them leaves some fruit behind—whir up those leftovers into a smoothie.

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Crispy Salmon Cakes with Creamy Cucumber Salad

Crispy Salmon Cakes with Creamy Cucumber Salad — Carolyn Hodges

In this easy dinner recipe, convenient canned salmon is transformed into satisfying pan-seared salmon patties that are flavored with Old Bay seasoning. To round out the meal, these tasty patties get served alongside a refreshing creamy cucumber and red onion salad.

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Broiled Cauliflower 'Mac' & Cheese

Broiled Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese — Jason Donnelly

We replaced pasta with cauliflower in this creamy low-carb "mac" and cheese. A sprinkle of Parmesan on top and a quick trip under the broiler gives this cheesy side dish a savory, crispy crust.

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Lemon-Garlic Steak & Green Beans

Lemon-Garlic Steak & Green Beans — Jason Donnelly

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!

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Blackened Chicken with Chopped Salad

Blackened Chicken with Chopped Salad — Jason Donnelly

In this spin, we coat this blackened chicken with spices common to Cajun cooking, like dried thyme and cayenne pepper. Then, instead of using the traditional method of searing in a cast-iron pan, we take advantage of the warmer weather by grilling outside.

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Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole — Jason Donnelly

Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

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Caesar Salad with Grilled Steak

Caesar Salad with Grilled Steak — Jason Donnelly

Traditional Caesar salad dressing uses egg yolk to make it creamy. Here we use mayo instead for the same rich results without the raw egg.

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Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe

Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe

Cheese and pepper star in this simple Italian dish. While the combo is traditionally tossed with pasta, we toss Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper with zucchini noodles instead for a lower-carb dish that helps you get in an extra serving of veggies. To simplify the recipe, look for prepackaged zucchini noodles in the produce section of your supermarket.

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Tofu & Watercress Salad with Mango & Avocado

Tofu & Watercress Salad with Mango & Avocado — Eva Kolenko

This tofu-topped watercress salad is a fresh, plant-based meal perfect for when you want something hearty but are looking to eat less meat. Salad ingredients like mango and avocado add tangy flavor and creamy texture to bring the dish together and level up your green salad or vegetable salad repertoire.

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Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Peppers

Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Peppers — Jacob Fox

This vibrant, colorful dish is great for those who love a little heat. Adjust the amount of chile-garlic sauce according to your preferred heat level. To smash ginger, use the side of a chef's knife or the flat bottom of a sturdy mug. Serve with cauliflower rice, if desired.

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Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice

Amp up your veggie servings with this healthy cauliflower fried rice for a quick low-carb dinner.

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Spinach & Artichoke Chicken

Spinach & Artichoke Smothered Chicken — Dera Burreson

Inspired by artichoke dip, we made a creamy cheese topping to serve on quick-cooking chicken breast cutlets for an oh-so-satisfying meal.

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Spicy Coconut, Chicken & Mushroom Soup

Spicy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup image — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

Coconut milk tames the heat and combines deliciously with shredded chicken breast in this spicy Thai-inspired coconut chicken soup.

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15-Minute Sheet-Pan Chicken Tenders & Broccoli with Everything Bagel Seasoning

15-Minute Sheet-Pan Chicken Tenders & Broccoli with Everything Bagel Seasoning — Jacob Fox

Dinner is ready in only 15 minutes and cleanup is a breeze with these easy broiled chicken tenders coated in everything bagel seasoning with fresh broccoli on the side. The three-ingredient dipping sauce adds just a hint of sweetness and spice.

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Salmon & Avocado Salad

Salmon & Avocado Salad

Tender salmon tops a hearty salad of red cabbage, carrots and avocados tossed with a creamy dill vinaigrette in this quick, easy dinner.

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Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce

Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce

These pan-seared scallops come together in just 20 minutes for a delicious, easy dinner. You'll want some zucchini noodles or mashed cauliflower to sop up all the rich, briny sauce.

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Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Chicken

These healthy Greek-inspired cauliflower rice bowls topped with feta, olives, veggies and grilled chicken are impressive yet take just 30 minutes to make.

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Skillet Buffalo Chicken

Skillet Buffalo Chicken

If you like Buffalo wings, you'll love this quick skillet Buffalo chicken recipe. Chicken cutlets are sautéed, then smothered in a creamy-spicy sauce. A side-salad garnish of carrots, celery and blue cheese pulls it all together.

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Crispy Cod with Charred Snow Peas & Creamy Herb Sauce

This crispy cod recipe shows you how to make golden fish that's not deep-fried, to put a healthy twist on a classic. Pat it dry and dredge it with a bit of flour before sautéing in a hot pan.

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20-Minute Chicken Cutlets & Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Tomato Sauce

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets & Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Tomato Sauce

This low-carb chicken dinner whips up in only 20 minutes, thanks to thin-cut chicken breast and packaged zucchini noodles. If you have a spiralizer and want to make your own zucchini noodles, use two medium zucchini.

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Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time.

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