If you’ve been following a ketogenic meal plan for any length of time, you may have already experienced favorite recipes that require not-so-common ingredients combined with lengthy instructions. This is not to say these foods aren’t worth the time and effort, as they most certainly are; however, they do require some patience and adherence to the specifics to ensure your end product turns out as good as possible.

But there are times when simple is simply better. And that’s why our master keto chef, Shelley Wells, has been at it again—to put together some super simple, amazing ketogenic recipes that require very little time or ingredients.

Each of these simple and tasty ketogenic recipes fit into the standard keto guidelines for macros and can be used as part of your healthy meal plan.

6 Quick-and-Easy Ketogenic Recipes

Cheesy Keto Sauce

Ingredients (choose organic, preferably grass-fed dairy whenever possible):

• 2 oz cream cheese
• 8.5 oz cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 5 Tbsps butter
• 8 Tbsps mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Place a medium-sized double boiler over medium-high heat, and add cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
2. As the cheese starts to melt, stir in the heavy cream.
3. Then stir in the butter.
4. And finally stir in mayonnaise.
5. Once all ingredients are incorporated, turn off the heat.

This cheese sauce is delicious on all types of vegetables as well as on meat and fish.

Keto Alfredo

Ingredients:

• ½ stick butter
• 1 Tbsp garlic
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 oz gruyere
• 1 cup parmesan
• 1 Tbsp refrigerated squeeze basil

Directions:

1. Sauté butter and garlic over medium-high heat.
2. Add heavy cream.
3. Slowly stir in cheeses in small batches.
4. Once all of the cheese has been incorporated, turn off the heat.

Pour over your favorite noodle alternative to pull off this ketogenic recipe—such as spaghetti squash, Zucchini pasta, or others. Enjoy!

Keto Country Gravy

Ingredients:

• 4 oz breakfast sausage
• 2 Tbsps butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp guar gum
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add sausage to a pan heated over medium heat, and let brown on all sides.
2. Remove sausage from the pan, but keep as much of the fat in the pan as possible.
3. Add 2 Tbsps butter to the pan and let it melt.
4. Once butter is completely melted, add heavy cream to the pan. Stir it as it bubbles.
5. Add the guar gum to the pan, and stir vigorously while the cream is bubbling. Let the mixture thicken to the point where you can run your spatula through it and it takes a moment to close the gap.
6. Add sausage back into the pan and stir together.
7. Serve and enjoy!

This is one of the ketogenic recipes that is absolutely perfect for breakfast (or anytime, for that matter).

Fire and Ice Pickles

Ingredients:

• 6 oz cucumber
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup erythritol
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp celery seeds
• 2 Tbsps chopped white onion
• 15 drops liquid stevia
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Using a vegetable mandolin or a knife, cut cucumbers into thin slices.
2. Add water, vinegar, and erythritol, then mix together well.
3. Add the rest of the spices, stevia, and onion.
4. Transfer all of the pickle ingredients to a sealed jar and refrigerate for at least 12 hours to let the flavors fully meld.

Tomato and Cucumber Keto Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup rice wine seasoned vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsps TheraSweet
• 1 tsp dill
• 1 pinch truffle salt
• Two medium seedless cucumbers, quartered and chopped three-eighths-inch thick
• ½ red onion, quartered and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions:

1. Mix cider vinegar, wine vinegar, water, TheraSweet, dill, and truffle salt, and bring the liquid mixture to a boil.
2. Carefully pour the mixture over chopped cucumber (so it doesn’t splash).
3. Refrigerate the cucumber mixture for 1 hour, flipping halfway through to allow everything to marinate.
4. In the meantime, soak the sliced onions in plain water.
5. After an hour, drain the liquid from the cucumber and the onion.
6. Place the pickled cucumbers into a serving bowl and add the onions and quartered tomatoes.
7. Salt to taste.
8. * Optional: drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.

This is such a refreshing and rich salad, it’s sure to become a family favorite (and a staple in your ketogenic recipes list)!

Snappy Ranch

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp dill (refrigerated fresh herbs)
• ½ tsp chunky garlic (refrigerated fresh herbs)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp smoked salt
• 1 – 3 Tbsp vinegar (less for the dip and more for a dressing)
• 4 – 10 dashes of hot sauce (depending on how spicy you like it!)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, stir, and enjoy! This adds just the right amount of zest to all of your favorite chilled vegetables and salads.

Supercharge Your Diet Results with IC-5