The Best Keto Cookbooks for Any Keto Dieter
It’s easy to end up searching through countless keto cookbooks looking for a new recipe to spruce up your day. Sometimes keeping it low-carb is easy, and other times it feels particularly challenging as the carby cravings creep in. That’s when you need to take action and whip up something so delicious that it’ll captivate your tastebuds and make you forget it’s low-carb. Remind yourself you don’t need a huge helping of sugar or carbs to feel full and satisfied. With the right low-carb ingredients, you can recreate nearly all of your carb-heavy favorites and stay away from the blood sugar rollercoaster.
Fortunately, there are loads of delectable, low-carb recipes out there, including right here on Ketogenic.com, where our talented recipe creators have been busy in their keto kitchens. But if you’re looking for a glossy-paged, flavor-packed cookbook to take center stage in your keto kitchen, check out our line-up of the best keto cookbooks.
Best Keto Cookbook for Beginners
The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners: Your Essential Guide to Living the Keto Lifestyle by Amy Ramos (2016)
Keto can feel daunting for beginners, so you’ll need a beginner- and user-friendly guide to get started. Amy Ramos’s book suits the purpose because it’s straightforward and to the point. Amy’s goal was to make this an all-in-one resource for keto beginners.
Pros:
This affordable, highly-rated cookbook includes 75 easier beginner-friendly keto recipes that take less than 30 minutes to make, from cauliflower cheddar soup to pesto zucchini noodles and unique, flavorful smoothies. It doesn’t stop there; you can also explore:
- Meal plans
- Tips
- Shopping lists
- Information about keto
- Information on staying keto at restaurants
- Nutritional charts
Cons:
- There may be a little too much cheese for some people, which isn’t ideal for those limiting or avoiding dairy or following dairy-free paleo
- Could use more recipe photos overall
- Some readers felt the book could have focused more on meal prep to make it a little easier for beginners and busy people
Simply Keto: A Practical Approach to Health & Weight Loss by Suzanne Ryan (2017)
Author Suzanne Ryan struggled with her weight, and going keto was the game changer that helped her lose over 100 pounds in one year! The title Simply Keto speaks for itself. This cookbook is designed to simplify keto and help you get started.
Pros:
Suzanne’s cookbook has well over 100 recipes, so you’ll have plenty to choose from. Suzanne’s story is inspiring! Thanks to the ketogenic lifestyle, she lost almost 40% of her total body weight and gained a healthier relationship with food. The book is packed with:
- Grocery shopping tips
- Keto and weight loss FAQs
- Useful advice for beginners
- A 30-day meal plan
- Options to reduce dairy or go dairy-free
- Tips for navigating coffee shops, restaurants, and convenience stores
Cons:
- Some people found there wasn’t enough information on ramping up the fat in the diet
- While the idea is simplicity, some people might prefer a broader range of different recipes with more options for seasonings and sauces
Best Keto Cookbook with Minimal Ingredients
The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Low-Carb, High-Fat, Recipes for Busy People on the Keto Diet by Jen Fisch (2018)
The easy 5-ingredient keto cookbook lives up to its name and contains a range of low-carb, high-fat recipes with only five ingredients.
Pros:
Jen’s cookbook is an excellent choice for busy people who may not have as much time and energy to dedicate to keto cooking. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or an experienced keto dieter, you’ll find no-frills, hassle-free, quick, and easy recipes with minimal ingredients. The cookbook contains:
- A brief overview of the ketogenic diet
- Helpful info on keto kitchen equipment and pantry essentials
- 125 easy recipes that require minimal inexpensive ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make, such as slow-cooker barbecue ribs or bacon and egg cauliflower hash
Cons:
- Could use more recipe photos overall
- Some recipes require more than five ingredients and don’t have a photo
Best Keto Cookbook for Meal Planning
Keto Meal Prep: Lose Weight, Save Time, and Feel Your Best on the Ketogenic Diet by Liz Williams (2018)
Meal prepping saves you time and energy and helps you stay keto throughout the week because you’ve got a plan laid out. You might be less likely to give in to cravings if you plan and prepare your meals in advance.
Pros:
The Keto Meal Prep cookbook by Liz Williams is an informative guide to meal prepping split into three major meal plan types: beginner, performance, and maintenance. Keto Meal Prep includes:
- Eight weeks of menu plans and recipes
- Meal prep and batch cooking tips for weeknight meals that are ready to serve
- Storage advice to keep food fresh
- Meal plans with higher protein content
- Useful info for tracking macros
Cons:
- Fewer recipes compared to other cookbooks (over 40 recipes)
- Many recipes may not work for those on a strict or therapeutic ketogenic diet aiming for less than 20 grams of net carbs per day
Best Keto Paleo Cookbook
The Keto Paleo Kitchen: 80 Delicious Low-Carb, Grain- and Dairy-Free Recipes by Vivica Menegaz (2017)
For those following a paleo ketogenic diet, this cookbook by Vivica Menegaz provides 80 grain- and dairy-free keto-friendly recipes. The idea of the paleo diet is to resemble the traditional diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors during the Paleolithic era. Paleo might also be called the Stoneage or caveman diet. People go paleo to avoid allergens, boost their health, and more.
Pros:
Vivica’s book is an understated gem for paleo keto dieters. Some of the positives include:
- Restaurant-worthy keto paleo meals like seared skirt steak and butter poached scallops
- Paleo keto versions of interesting dishes from various cuisines, such as the Jambalaya
- Unique recipes like a lard crust meat pie to ramp up your fat intake while keeping it low-carb
- Swaps for your favorite side dishes and comfort foods, such as sauces, sweets, bread, noodles, and snacks
Cons:
- Many of the recipes may be too fancy for some people
- Occasionally includes processed ingredients like erythritol, which some people don’t consider to be strictly paleo
Best Vegetarian Keto Cookbook
Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation by Dr. Will Cole (2018)
The Ketotarian cookbook by Dr. Will Cole is a perfect fit for keto vegetarians looking for plant-centric plates. The pescetarian and vegetarian recipes include eggs, ghee, wild-caught fish, and shellfish.
Pros:
Here are some of the many positives of Dr. Cole’s ketotarian cookbook:
- 75 ketotarian recipes
- Includes vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian recipes
- Expert tips, tricks, and advice for staying ketotarian
- Clearly and simply explains keto jargon
- Details benefits of a plant-based keto diet
Cons:
- Many recipes are too high in net carbs for those following a strict or therapeutic version of keto with a low total net carb count of 20 grams or less per day
- The intro is lengthy
- Some recipes require an Instapot
Best Keto Desserts Cookbook
The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking: Master All the Best Tricks for Low-Carb Baking Success by Carolyn Ketchum (2019)
Keto desserts can be just as delicious as sugar-loaded sweet treats. If you’re looking for a keto dessert cookbook to delight your palate, look no further than the Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking by Carolyn Ketchum.
Pros:
Here are some of the positives of Carolyn Ketchum’s keto dessert cookbook:
- Explains the details and nuances of baking
- Emphasizes why it’s important to closely follow keto baking directions
- Mouthwatering images
- Over 150 sweet and savory baked goods to replace many of your old carb-heavy favorites, including bread, rolls, crackers, and, of course, desserts!
- Info on choosing the best bakeware and accurately measuring ingredients
Cons:
- Frequent use of coconut flour
- Small font
- Recipe macros are not included
What’s your favorite keto cookbook?
