Traditional breakfasts are carb-fests: cereal, toasted bread, pastries, pancakes... So low-carb breakfast is more of a challenge than other meals.
This mega round-up of the best low-carb breakfast recipes from around the web is all you need.
So that you are never out of ideas first thing in the morning.
The recipes are sorted into several groups: baked goodies, clever egg dishes, pancakes and fritters, mock granola and muesli, meaty treats, and no-cooking required options.
Baked treats are a staple of traditional high-carb breakfasts. The good news is that we can convert most of them into low-carb versions. The main substitutions we need to make are swapping wheat flour for a low-carb option - like almond flourcoconut flour
1. Low-carb bread
Low-carb bread opens up all sorts of breakfast possibilities. You can toast it, make a sandwich, or spread something nice on top of it.
I don't recommend using shop-bought low-carb bread, or bread baking mixes. Their carb counts can be misleading. And they tend to be packed full or chemical preservatives.
Let's make our own low-carb bread instead. It's simpler than traditional baking. You can make a batch of low-carb bread in advance - it stores and freezes quite well.
Ultimate Keto Buns | 4.2g net carbs | via KetoDietApp
Multi-Purpose Low Carb Bread | 2.4g net carbs | via All Day I Dream About Food
Golden Flax Focaccia Bread | 1g net carbs | via The Primitive Palate
Almond Flour Bread | 2g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
2. Low-carb muffins - sweet or savoury
We can use the same approach - using low-carb flours instead of traditional flours - to make low-carb breakfast muffins.
Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins | 2.6g net carbs | via Low Carb So Simple
Bacon, Egg and Cheese Muffins | 2g net carbs | via Low Carb Yum
3. Low-carb bagels
Bagels are another fantastic breakfast option. Perfect with all sorts of fillings.
What's your favourite bagel filling? Mine is cream cheese and salmon.
Savoury Low-Carb Bagels | 2g net carbs | via Sugar-Free Mum
Sweet Low-Carb Bagels | 1g net carbs | via Beauty and the Foodie
4. Cinnamon buns
Do you love the smell of cinnamon? Low-carb cinnamon buns are a real thing.
Cinnabons | 7g net carbs | via Maria Mind Body Health
5. Waffles
If you have a waffle maker
Crunchy Waffles | 3.5g net carbs | via Satisfying Eats
Cream Cheese Waffles | est. 1g net carbs | via Ketogenic Woman
Flax Waffles | 3g net carbs | via Forest and Fauna
6. Donuts
We can bake just about everything else the low-carb way, so why not try donuts? You will need a donut pan.
Keto Pancake Donuts | 0.7g net carbs | via Ruled.Me
Cinnamon Donuts | 3.2g net carbs | via All Day I Dream About Food
Eggs truly are a superfood.
Low in carbs, high in protein and fat, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Also cheap and simple to cook.
Dozens of variations to choose from: boiled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, baked eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes...
But if you are bored with the obvious egg dishes, try something more complex and exciting.
7. Frittata
Frittata is an Italian eggs-based dish. It is similar to an omelette, but is denser and usually finished in the oven.
Cheesy Chicken Pepper Broccoli Frittata | est. 5g net carbs | via Well Plated
Ham, Cheese & Mushroom Frittata | 1g net carbs | via I Breathe I Am Hungry
8. Low-carb quiche
Quiche filling is already low-carb - traditionally made from eggs, cream and cheese. You can make a low-carb crust with almond or coconut flour. Or just skip the crust - crustless quiches are delicious too.
Parma Ham and Goat Cheese Quiche | 2g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
Broccoli and Cream Cheese Quiche | est. 2g net carbs | via Anina's Recipes
9. Baked eggs
Baked eggs take a bit longer to prepare then traditional simple egg dishes, but they come out much nicer - and you can get more creative with garnishes.
Baked Eggs with Spinach and Prosciutto | est 1g et carbs | via Williams Sonoma
Baked Eggs with Smoked Salmon | est 1g net carbs | via Saveur
11. Egg cups
Egg cups are also baked eggs, but nested in a small edible "cup".
Ham and Egg Cups | 0.8g net carbs | via Ditch The Carbs
Cauliflower Hash Brown Egg Cups | 2.2g net carbs | via Cafe Delites
10. Egg casserole
Egg casseroles typically take longer to prepare - so perhaps more of a weekend treat.
Low-carb Sausage Egg Casserole | 5g net carbs | via The Low Carb Diet
Low-Carb Broccoli Bacon Egg Casserole | 5g net carbs | via Low Carb Yum
12. Mini omelettes
Mini-omelettes evolved from traditional omelette to make a perfect portable snack. Basically, just make a mix of veggies, meats and eggs as you would for an omelette, and bake in muffin tins.
Cheesy Mini-Omelettes | 2g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
13. Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a spicy Tunisian dish made of eggs, tomatoes and onions. Great if you want something really different for breakfast!
Shakshuka with Chorizo | est 6g net carbs | via From James to Jamie
14. Scotch eggs
Scotch eggs are boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat. Delicious, portable and full of protein!
Low-Carb Scotch Eggs | 1g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
Moving on to pan-fried breakfast dishes. Similar to traditional recipes - except for the flour.
15. Low-carb pancakes
Yes, pancakes are possible! We just need to use almond or coconut flour instead of standard wheat flour. Some recipes don't use flour at all.
Coconut Flour Pancakes | 3.5g net carbs | via All Day I Dream About Food
Cream Cheese Pancakes | 2.5g net carbs | via I Breathe I am Hungry
Almond Flour Pancakes | 3g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
16. Fritters
Fritters are pan-fried parcels of grated vegetables or meats, usually mixed with eggs and a little bit of almond or coconut flour.
Low-Carb Zucchini Fritters | 5g net carbs | via Low Carb Maven
Ham & Cheese Cauliflower Fritters | 2.7g net carbs | via All Day I Dream About Food
Breakfast Tuna Patties | 2g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
17. Hash browns
Traditional hash browns are fried grated potatoes. They go so well with eggs and other breakfast things. Potatoes are off limits, but we can make a low-carb version using cauliflower, celeriac or other lower-carb root vegetables.
Cauliflower Hash Browns | 3g net carbs | via Baking Outside the Box
Celeriac Hash Browns | est. 5g net carbs | via Greatist
18. Low-carb mock granola
Make your own low-carb granola from a mixture of nuts, seeds and sweetener. Once made, you can store it just like traditional granola. It only takes a minute to mix it with milk, so a super-fast breakfast after you've done your cooking in advance.
Low-Carb Granola with Cacao Nibs | 4g net carbs | via All Day I Dream About Food
Crockpot Low-Carb Granola | 5g net carbs | via Sugar-Free Mom
19. Low-carb muesli bar
Another variation of mock granola is granola bars (aka muesli bars). Nuts, seeds, sweetener and some egg whites to hold it altogether. Make a batch in advance and they will last for weeks.
Low-carb Breakfast Granola Bars | 2g net carbs | via Low Carb Support
20. Mock oatmeal
Mock low-carb oatmeal is real.
Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal | 3g net carbs | via Ruled.me
21. Yoghurt or cottage cheese granola
Full-fat yoghurt is reasonably low in carbs - about 3-4g carbs per 100g.
Mix 200g of yoghurt it berries, nuts and sweetener to make a lovely quick breakfast, with about 8-10g net carbs.
In this section, we have some obvious favourites like bacon and sausages. Here are some ways to jazz them up a bit.
23. BLT sandwich lettuce wrap
Bacon, lettuce and tomato were meant to be together. And they don't need any bread to keep them company!
BLT lettuce Wrap | est. 2g net carbs | via Jackie's Happy Plate
24. Cold meat rolls
Cold meats can pretend to be a tortilla wrap. So think of a nice spreadable filling, spread it on a slice of cold meat and roll it up. Cream cheese is a popular option, as it helps to hold the whole structure together.
Cream Cheese Ham Rolls | 2g net carbs | via Atkins.com
25. Bacon meat rolls
Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaves | 0g net carbs | via Healthy Recipes Blog
Are you tired after reading all those recipes?
Sometimes you just need a simple option. Here are some ideas for quick meals that don't require cooking.
26. Cold meats
Sliced cold meats are perfect for low-carb breakfast. Opt for whole smoked meats, rather than ground and processed varieties. Smoked or cooked ham, salt beef, roast chicken or turkey slices are all good options.
Continental Europe is a great source of exciting cold meats - Parma ham, breosola, chorizo, salami, prosciutto, jamon... They really do know how to do this.
Add some hard cheese slices, plus perhaps tomatoes, cucumbers and olives for a perfect breakfast platter.
27. Smoked fish
Smoked salmon and mackerel are full of healthy omega oils. Add some cream cheese or another soft cheese to complement the fish, plus some sliced veggies.
28. Protein shake or a smoothie
If you are not a breakfast person, get your nutrients from a protein shake or a low-carb smoothie. Use dairy or nut milk as base, add sugar-free protein powder.
Jazz it up with berries or sugar-free cocoa powderflaxseeds
29. Ready-made low-carb bars
It is always better to cook your food from scratch rather than having processed ready-made options. But let's face it, sometimes there is simply not enough time.
You can get ready-made low-carb breakfast bars. I would recommend Atkins Advantage
30. Ready-made low-carb cereal
Continuing with ready-made options, you can buy ready-made low-carb nut and seeds based cereal
So, this concludes my round-up of low-carb breakfast recipes.
Do you have a recipe to share that's not been mentioned on the list? Please share in the comments.
