21 Low-Carb, High-Protein Recipes for Winter

By

Danielle DeAngelis

Published on November 27, 2022

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

a recipe photo of Baked Garlicky Salmon Balls — Photo: Ali Redmond

From filling dinners to comforting breakfasts, these cozy and nourishing recipes will warm you up this winter. Each dish is high in protein with at least 15 grams per serving and has 14 grams of carbohydrates or less per serving, so you can meet your nutritional goals in a delicious way. Recipes like our Baked Garlicky Salmon Balls and Cauliflower & Kale Frittata are so tasty, you'll be enjoying them all season long.

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Baked Garlicky Salmon Balls

a recipe photo of Baked Garlicky Salmon Balls — Ali Redmond

These garlic-forward salmon balls are tender and flavorful. Add them to a salad or grain bowl for a boost of protein. Or, serve them with your favorite starch and vegetables for a healthy dinner.

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Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms

Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms — Photographer: Dera Burreson, Food stylist: Josh Hake

This healthy and nourishing chicken and vegetable soup is the perfect winter meal.

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Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips

The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe--cinnamon, allspice and cloves--may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.

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Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Feta cheese, roasted peppers, spinach and more flavors common to regions around the Mediterranean inspired this quick and easy stuffed chicken breast recipe. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color, and finishing it in the oven ensures that this healthy baked chicken recipe cooks evenly throughout.

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Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs

Now here's a healthy beef short ribs recipe you can serve to company—even on a holiday. Serve with mashed celeriac or mashed potatoes, steamed green beans and a bold Italian red wine that has a touch of sweetness (think amarone or brunello).

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Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

This healthy vegetarian quiche recipe is as simple as it gets. It's a quiche without the fussy crust! It's filled with sweet wild mushrooms and savory Gruyère cheese. Enjoy it for breakfast or brunch, or serve it with a light salad for lunch.

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Chicken Kurma (Traditional Chicken Curry)

Chicken Kurma (Traditional Chicken Curry)

Naseema Kashefi prepares this richly flavored chicken curry on the milder side for New Arrival Supper Club events in Los Angeles. Add more serrano if you like it hot.

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Slow-Cooker Herb & Mushroom Braised Beef

With its comforting flavors contributed by savory meat, mushrooms, onions, carrots and fresh herbs, this slow-cooker braised beef is a wonderful supper on cold-weather days. Consider freezing it into portions for busy weeknight meals. You could also shred the meat and serve it on sandwiches.

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Cauliflower & Kale Frittata

Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner.

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Low-Carb Bacon & Broccoli Egg Burrito

Instead of wrapping up eggs in a tortilla for a classic breakfast burrito, we're wrapping up veggies and bacon in a tortilla made out of eggs. Just whip up an easy omelet and nestle your cooked veggies inside to slash the carbs in this healthy, gluten-free burrito.

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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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Crustless Broccoli-Cheddar Quiche

Crustless Broccoli-Cheddar Quiche — Dera Burreson

This simple quiche is as easy to make as it is delicious! The egg mixture gets poured directly into the pie pan so you still get the distinctive edges, but skip the hassle of rolling out a crust. Serve for brunch or dinner with a side salad.

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Bacon & Kale Sheet-Pan Eggs

Bacon & Kale Sheet-Pan Eggs — Casey Barber

Our trick for making a big batch of eggs? Get out your sheet pan. With this simple recipe, you can easily meal-prep breakfast for the week. Serve them as is or in a sandwich. A sprinkling of za'atar—a Middle Eastern spice blend that's a mix of thyme, sumac, salt, sesame seeds and sometimes other herbs—adds big, bold flavor to these frittata-like squares.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff

This slow-cooker Beef Stroganoff recipe brings together tender beef and fresh mushrooms served over hot noodles with a creamy sauce.

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Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower — Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

This high-protein chicken casserole clocks in right around 400 calories to help you end your day feeling satisfied—not starved or overly full.

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Garlic Roasted Salmon & Brussels Sprouts

Roasting salmon on top of Brussels sprouts and garlic, flavored with wine and fresh oregano, is simple enough for a weeknight meal yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. Serve with whole-wheat couscous.

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Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Sheet-Pan Eggs

Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Sheet-Pan Eggs — Casey Barber

Meal-prep breakfast for the week with these easy sheet-pan eggs, which can be served as is or in a sandwich. Smoky salmon, briny capers and creamy goat cheese load these frittata-like slices with flavor.

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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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Spicy Tomato-Braised Pot Roast

Spicy Tomato-Braised Pot Roast — Jacob Fox

This tomato sauce gets its heat from Calabrian chiles. Find them whole or chopped packed in jars near the pickles in well-stocked grocery stores. If you don't have any, just a bit of crushed red pepper will do the trick. Serve over polenta, mashed potatoes or pasta.

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Muffin-Tin Spinach & Mushroom Mini Quiches

Switch up your morning routine with these easy vegetarian mini quiches. Earthy mushrooms and spinach pair nicely with rich and creamy Gruyère cheese. Serve them on a platter with a fresh fruit salad for a simple weekend brunch.

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Low-Carb Beef Stew

Low-Carb Beef Stew

Turnips lend an earthy flavor and a texture that is similar to potatoes--but with fewer carbs--to this rich and flavorful beef stew.

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