12 Low-Carb Breakfast Recipes That Are Packed with Nutrients

There are so many reasons to avoid carbs in the morning. Maybe you’re trying out a keto diet. Maybe you’ve found that if you have a high-protein breakfast, you have more energy later in the day — it’s true for a lot of people. Maybe you’ve been going all-out on some big, delicious, bread-heavy breakfasts, and want to switch it up (and avoid a carb coma by 10 am). No matter what your reasoning, some low carb breakfast ideas are always good to have on hand. Here are some of our favorite ways to get a good breakfast in without relying on carbs.

1. Keto Avocado Toast

Image credit: Healthy Recipes

Yes, toast can be had on the keto diet — just not, you know, regular bread. Here, classic wheat toast has been replaced with coconut flour-based low-carb bread. If you’re thinking, “Oh, come on — I’m not someone who has the time to make my own DIY keto bread. Who is?!” then guess again: this recipe revolves around  a 90-second keto bread. You mix it up in a bowl, then microwave for 90 seconds, and wham — you’ve got something that can take the place of bread pretty easily.

2. Almond Cream Cheese Pancakes

Image credit: Sugar Free Londoner

Wait, what? Pancakes can be a low-carb breakfast? As it turns out, the really important part of pancakes isn’t the flour — it’s the eggs and (what else!) butter. This recipe also uses almond flour and cream cheese to make it all come together. Once cooked, these pancakes also freeze great, so you can easily defrost for a quick breakfast on busy mornings. Top with fresh fruit and a little almond butter instead of maple syrup, and you’re on your way.

3. Steak and Egg Breakfast Bowl

Image source: Recipe for Perfection

Steak and eggs is such a classic diner breakfast, and this is the healthier keto version that relies on olive oil instead of whatever trans-fat-packed oils they’re using down at the local greasy spoon. We love the super-simple marinade in this recipe (great for dinner, too). Bonus points for serving it over some cauliflower rice and/or with a side of wilted garlic spinach for a boost of fresh vegetables (anytime you can add vegetables to your morning, you’re doing something right).

4. Low-Carb Breakfast Meal-Prep Bowls

Image credit: Sweet Peas and Saffron

If you love a savory breakfast, this one is for you. These vegetable and sausage bowls might seem more like lunch or dinner to some folks, but for those of us who crave low-carb breakfast ideas that are on the heartier side, this one is ideal. Other reasons to swear by it: this is a one-pan prep, so clean-up is easy, and you can make a bunch at once, so after one easy cooking session, you’re set for several days’ worth of easy, tasty mornings.

5. Low Carb Chocolate Smoothie

Image credit: Primavera Kitchen

A combination of coconut milk and avocado make this vegan, low-carb chocolate smoothie super creamy. The recipe calls for monk fruit sweetener, but you could easily skip it — or add a tiny bit of maple syrup instead. Another potential addition: a few tablespoons of canned pumpkin for a ton of vitamin A and an autumnal flair.

6. Almond Flour Waffles

Image credit: The Big Man’s World

It’s kind of scary how legit these waffles are. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, just like waffles are supposed to be, and yet… they’re an ideal keto breakfast. We like these slathered with butter or topped with a dollop of vanilla-spiked whipped cream. Make sure you grease the waffle iron first, and feel free to throw in some baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove for a little flavor boost.

7. Matcha-Lime Chia Seed Pudding

This recipe is great when made as directed, but it also calls for some harder-t0-source ingredients. If you don’t have ginseng powder or vanilla bean powder, don’t worry about it — a tiny bit of vanilla extract will do just as well. We like to make a few of these at once so that you’ve got breakfast and/or snacks on-hand. It’ll keep for about five days in the fridge.

8. Cheesy Vegetable Egg Muffins

Image credit: Spend with Pennies

Seriously, these egg muffins are probably our favorite of all the low-carb breakfast ideas. How do we love them? Let us count the ways: They’re make-ahead. They freeze beautifully. They’re quick and easy. They have vegetables, eggs, and cheese, so they’re low-carb, healthy, and delicious. They’re incredibly versatile and can work with basically whatever vegetables that are hanging out in your fridge. You can add some chicken or turkey sausage to them if you want to. They’re cute (yes, that matters). We like making these in silicone baking cups for the easiest clean-up.

9. Muesli Low-Carb Cereal

Image Credit: Low Carb Yum

If you’ve been doing the low-carb thing for a while and are just craving a big bowl of cereal — or you’re simply looking for a yummy mixture to sprinkle on your yogurt — this low-carb muesli recipe is ideal. It’s full of nutrient-dense nuts and seeds, and it’s easy to modify for what you have on hand. We love the cinnamon-vanilla flavor offered here, but you could go savory instead of sweet with a little cumin and curry powder instead.

10. Maple Blueberry Turkey Sausage Breakfast Patties

Photo Credit: Ambitious Kitchen

We know, we know: some people are not believers in the combining of sweet and savory. But for those of you who loved dragging your bacon through a puddle of maple syrup when you were a kid, this recipe is for you. It’s easy to think that this combination wouldn’t work, but trust us, it very definitely does. And if the idea of making your own sausage sounds really intimidating, don’t worry: it’s literally just mushing a bunch ingredients in a bowl together. You’ve got this.

11. Foolproof Shakshuka

Image credit: Cookie + Kate

Looking for a low-carb weekend breakfast option that’s snazzy enough for brunch guests? This breakfast shakshuka is it. A Maghrebi dish that originated in North Africa, shakshuka is spicy, fancy-looking, and phenomenally easy to make — basically, it’s a winner. You toss it in the oven for just about 10 minutes, then serve with keto-friendly bread (or you can offer guests who aren’t keto some traditional pita lightly pan-fried in butter, too).

12. Turmeric Scrambled Eggs

Image credit: Mark’s Daily Apple

You may already know how great turmeric is for you—its anti-inflammatory properties are beyond valuable. Here’s a fast, easy way to get some into your day: Keto expert Mark Sisson quickly toasts it in a skillet to boost the flavor, then adds beaten eggs. Throw in a few grinds of black pepper to help unlock all the benefits of turmeric — the two work together in a way that neither can on its own.

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