11 Delicious Keto Recipes for Christmas Dinner 2022
Christmas Dinner AND a diet? How you can have the best of both worlds!
FOOD
Christmas is coming quickly, and as they say, "Christmas time is no time to diet." However, some of us don't have a choice about our diet for various health reasons, or maybe we are just not willing to ruin our health goals for a few moments of fun in the holiday season.
If your diet and health goals are centered around the Keto diet, maybe you can "have your cake and eat it too," as they say. There are ways to make the Christmas feast delicious AND Keto friendly. If staying on a diet but not feeling like you're staying on a diet is a goal of yours for this Christmas, keep reading. Here are 11 of our favorite Keto friendly Christmas recipes, from the main dish to dessert!
Table of Contents:
Main Courses
Glazed Caramel Ham
Slow Cooker Keto Pot RoastSide Dishes
Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
Baked Zucchini Casserole With Cheese
Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Zucchini, Squash and Tomatoes
Low-Carb Cauliflower Creamed Spinach
Keto StuffingDesserts
Sugar-Free Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake
Keto Pumpkin PieConclusion
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Preheat crockpot on low. When it is sufficiently warmed, place the ham into the cooker.
Carefully separate the pieces of ham so that when the glaze is applied, it will find its way down into and in-between the slices.
Place the lid on the crockpot.
7-8lb bone-in spiral sliced pre-cooked ham
Instructions:
Ingredients:
This recipe centers around a pre-cooked, spiral sliced ham that we prepare in a crockpot. These hams do come with seasoning, but for this recipe we're going to skip theirs and make our own sugar free glaze. Using the pre-cooked ham is so easy because most of the work is done for you, yet, it tastes as good as any of the more involved recipes you can think of. Everyone is sure to love it. Well let's get to the ingredients and instructions!
Glazed Caramel Ham
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Sugar Free Ham Glaze
4 T butter
1 T cider vinegar
1 T Dijon
1/4 salt
1/4 cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3 T sweetener (Brown sugar, honey or erythritol brown sugar substitute)
Preparing the Ham
Making the Sugar-Free Glaze
Melt the butter on medium-low heat in a small saucepan.
Add 2 tablespoons of your preferred sweetener (honey, brown sugar, etc), slowly simmer to the point where it’s just starting to bubble. This will take about three minutes.
Now add the apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, cloves, salt, and cinnamon. Simmer on medium-low for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken. If it starts to bubble up, turn down the heat to low.
Periodically stir the low-carb ham glaze. When the glaze has sufficiently thickened, pour it over the top of the ham that you've already placed in the crock pot.
Put the lid back in place and leave the ham in for 4-5 hours on low heat until it is heated throughout and reaches 145℉.
Let the ham sit for a few minutes and then move the spiral ham from the crockpot to a serving platter.
Drizzle some of the slow cooker ham pan glaze on the individual ham slices after the ham is finished cooking.
Instructions:
Ingredients:
Pot roast as a main dish is another delicious and easy idea for this Christmas dinner. This version is very Keto friendly as we will be leaving out the potatoes and carrots. But never fear, this recipe is going to taste so good that you won't even miss them!
Some Things to Consider:
Slow Cooker Keto Pot Roast
3 to 4 lb boneless beef roast
1 stick butter (use unsalted if you are sensitive to sodium)
1 pack dry Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup mild pepperoncini peppers
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 onion sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
garnish with parsley to taste
Place roast in the slow cooker.
Add all other ingredients. If you prefer not to use a store-bought ranch seasoning packet, you can make a homemade version.
Cook on low 8-9 hours or high 4-5 hours. Low is preferred as it will be more tender
Shred with a fork and serve.
For this meal, we recommend using a Chuck Roast as it will be the most tender and flavor-filled option.
Sear the pot roast before it goes to the pressure cooker
Consider using beef broth intest of water for added flavor
When it is almost ready, check to see if it is sufficiently tender. If it seems tough, it probably needs to slow cook a little longer. Let it go for another hour with the lid on, then check again.
Shred the pot roast while leaving it in the crockpot by tearing it with two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat as desired.
Thicken the gravy in the crockpot in a keto-friendly way with Xanthan Gum. It only takes a little bit, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to start and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, giving it time to thicken. Be careful not to over-do as it will make the roast slimy in texture.
Free Keto Nutrition Chart
Side Dishes
Side dishes are, of course, a huge part of any Christmas dinner. It can be a challenge to make Keto-friendly side dishes—especially if you're just starting out on your Keto journey. Never fear, we have some great recipes here to help you along. These will set you on the path to a successful Keto Christmas dinner!
Prepare the cauliflower. In a microwave safe bowl, add your chopped florets and microwave for 5 minutes, until tender and crisp. Move your cauliflower into a large baking dish (9 x 13 inches).
Prepare your cheesy sauce. In a small saucepan, add yogurt and cream cheese and heat on medium.
When the outer edges of the pan begin to bubble, whisk very well, until everything is mixed.
Add shredded cheese, spices, and Dijon mustard and whisk until combined.
Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, ensuring it is coating all the cauliflower completely.
Sprinkle extra shredded cheese on top.
Bake the cauliflower mac n cheese for 15 minutes, or until bubbling and the cheese on top has melted.
Cauliflower– It is important to chop the cauliflower into bite sized pieces so that they will all cook evenly. The more florets, the better the flavor- so choose cauliflower with the most florets available.
Plain Yogurt– Yogurt is a great substitute for the often-used heavy cream ingredient because it gives the creaminess without the fat and calories. Use plain yogurt of choice.
Cream cheese– Either dairy free or traditional cream cheese is a good choice. This gives a very rich flavor, so be judicious- only a small amount is needed.
Shredded cheese– Use tasty cheese or another full-bodied flavored cheese. You can also mix and match cheeses (e.g. half cheddar, half tasty).
Dijon mustard– Adds an nice tanginess to the recipe.
Garlic and Onion powder– Adds some flavor, without the need for adding any garlic or onion. Don't overdo here as garlic and onion can overpower if you're not careful.
Salt and Pepper– to preference
Instructions:
Ingredients:
Cauliflower is a low-carb vegetable which is a great substitute for things like pasta noodles in Keto recipes. Cauliflower is super-healthy, low in calories and carbs, and packed with vitamins. If you're not familiar with Keto recipes yet, you'll begin to notice cauliflower as an ingredient in many. Now on to our recipe!
Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
For Stovetop- If you prefer to make it stove top instead of microwave, boil the cauliflower instead of steaming it in the microwave. When it has softened, drain the water. Pour the cheese sauce (described above) over the top and heat on medium heat. When the outer edges begin to bubble, add remaining cheese and it's ready to serve!
Stir fry cauliflower rice in 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat, until soft and lightly browned, with no moisture left in the pan.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg in a large bowl. Mix in the mozzarella, garlic, and sea salt.
When the cauliflower rice is done, stir it into the bowl right away while it's hot. It will melt the cheese in the bowl and make the mixture sticky.
Use a small cookie scoop to pick up balls of the "dough". Form small tater tot sized patties and flatten slightly. (Make sure they are not too thick so that they'll cook through.)
Wipe the pan lightly with a paper towel to get rid of any cauliflower rice pieces.
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) avocado oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the tater tots in a single layer, trying not to have them touch, and fry for about 2 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Flip and repeat until golden on the other side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Repeat with all tater tots. (You may need to add more oil between batches.)
1 1/2 lb Cauliflower (riced, measured after ricing, about 1 head)
1/4 cup Avocado oil (or any oil; divided)
1 large Egg
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
2 cloves Garlic (minced, optional)
3/4 tsp Sea salt
Instructions:
Ingredients:
This recipe for cheesy cauliflower tots is perfect for you if you like low-carb comfort food and sneaking vegetables into meals for your children (or significant other!). They're quick to make, have a soft interior, and a crunchy exterior. Even your vegetarian friends will adore this dish because it is the ideal comfort food. These tots are super simple as there are only 4 main ingredients required to make them.
Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
Ketchup is the condiment of choice for these delicious and healthy tots. But make sure the ketchup you purchase has no added sugar if you want to keep it low carb.
You'll need a food processor to prepare these tots and you'll need a cookie scoop if you want your tots to be in perfect form.
Cook the Cauliflower rice correctly- doing it the wrong way will make the rice either too crunchy or too watery. To make it turn out correctly, stir fry the cauliflower rice over medium-high heat and check often to ensure that it is both soft and dry before mixing it with the other ingredients. If necessary, you can pat it with a dry paper towel to remove extra moisture.
You'll want to flatten the tots before frying to make sure that they cook evenly throughout.
Be sure and use enough oil because they rely on the oil to get crispy. Be sure and use an oil that is suitable for high-heat cooking like avacado oil. Extra virgin olive oil is not appropriate as it has a low smoke point. So be sure and check this on the oil that you plan to use.
Make sure you experiment with the temperature a little as too high a heat will make the outside too crispy and too low heat will make the overcook it throughout. You want to find the balance of cooking the cauliflower throughout while keeping it lightly crispy on the outside without burning. Each stovetop and pan combo is different so you need to experiment a little with your particular set-up.
After frying the tots, drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Some Tips:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare and assemble all ingredients. Spray a 1.5-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
In a 12" skillet, melt butter and saute onions and carrots until they are almost tender. Add zucchini and garlic to pan and saute until all vegetables are tender.
Turn stove off. Mix in sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Spoon mixture into the casserole dish and sprinkle with pork panko or breadcrumbs.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and panko/breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Serve and enjoy!
butter
zucchini
carrots
onion
garlic
sour cream
cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
pork rind panko (or seasoned breadcrumbs)
Instructions:
Ingredients:
Baked Zucchini Casserole With Cheese, carrots, Zucchini and a cheesy sourcream herb sauce... It's awesome and super easy to prepare! This is a recipe that everyone will love. Prepare in a nonstick skillet and you have a one-pot casserole! This recipe is keto and low carb, but don't worry- your guests will never know! Concerned about carrots? Even with carrots and onion this dish only has 7.4 g net carbs. However, if you prefer, you can substitute zucchini in place of the carrots. I don't recommend replacing the onion as that will affect the flavor of the overall dish.
Baked Zucchini Casserole With Cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil.
In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning (if possible let rest 5 - 10 minutes to allow flavors to infuse into oil). Place zucchini, squash and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Pour olive oil mixture over top and gently toss with hands to evenly coat.
Pour onto prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top of each. Roast in preheated oven 25 - 30 minutes until veggies are tender and Parmesan is golden brown. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve warm.
2 small zucchini (1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 small yellow squash (1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
14 oz Flavorino or small Campari tomatoes , sliced into halves
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic , minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
1 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (2.4 oz) finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh or dried parsley , for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Ingredients:
Your low carb Christmas side dishes doesn't have to be overly complicated. The olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and Italian herbs really bring out the flavor in these simple veggies. You’ll love what a good roasting and a fair amount of Parmesan can do for veggies. It will turn drab and dull into delicious and flavorful! Even kids love these veggies!
Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Zucchini, Squash and Tomatoes
Turn on your broiler.
Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to the boil. Once it boils, add the cauliflower florets and boil for approximately 10 minutes (or until soft).
While the cauliflower boils, caramelize the onion in a little bit of butter and oil [butter for flavor, oil to keep it from burning] until soft and translucent and and then add the spinach and nutmeg. Cook until the spinach is warmed through.
When the cauliflower is cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop the florets into a food processor. Add the cream and butter. Blitz the cauliflower until smooth. Taste and then season with salt and pepper.
Now mix the cauliflower, spinach/onion and cheese together, taste test and add more salt if needed, and scoop into a cast iron pan or small baking dish.
Slide under the broiler until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!
2 cups frozen spinach
4 cups cauliflower (we used a small head of cauliflower and cut it into small florets)
1 onion (diced)
1 garlic clove (minced)
½ cup mozzarella (shredded - plus a little extra for on top)
2 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon ground nutmegto taste salt and pepper
Instructions:
Ingredients:
This is an awesome low-carb keto recipe for creamed spinach that uses mashed cauliflower as a creamy base, making it 100% gluten-free. It is very simple as it only needs 8 ingredients to prepare and it only takes around 20 minutes to prepare. Without further adieu, here it the recipe!
Low-Carb Cauliflower Creamed Spinach
Crumble the keto bread, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.
Saute chopped veggies in olive oil & the seasonings for a minute or two to bring out flavors.
Mix egg together with melted butter and chicken broth.
Add veggies, mix.
Add all ingredients together , mix well.
Transfer to baking dish.Bake on 350 covered with foil for 10 minutes and uncovered for 5 minutes.
Serve!
4 Slices Keto Bread (or rolls), crumbled
3 tablespoon Butter, melted
1 egg
2 stalks Celery, chopped
¼ cup Leeks, chopped
½ teaspoon Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian Blend Seasoning, dried
¼ teaspoon Sage
½ teaspoon each Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Celery Seasoning , optional
½ Cup Chicken broth
Instructions:
Ingredients:
This Keto stuffing recipe is going to be a winner for all of your holiday meals. It is not difficult to prepare and has many traditional elements to it. If you are looking for a Keto Christmas recipe that everyone will eat whether someone is on a Keto diet or not, this is it! You won't even miss the regular version when you've had this low carb dish. This Keto dressing recipe is loaded with flavor, bits of vegetables, and maybe best of all, no guilt!
Keto Stuffing
Desserts
In a medium bowl, mix the crust ingredients together until crumbly. With your hands, press together and the oil and nuts should stick together.
Transfer the crust ingredients onto a 9 inch springform cheesecake pan with a loose bottom. With a spoon, evenly spread the crust onto the bottom to make a crust.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and sour cream with a hand mixer.Add the pumpkin puree, stevia, cinnamon and allspice. Mix together until there are no more bumps.
Add the heavy cream, a little at a time, and whisk for 2-3 minutes until thick and fluffy.
Mix the gelatin and hot water together in a small bowl. Stir with a spoon until all of the gelatin has melted. Pour the gelatin mixture, a little at a time, into the cheesecake batter and whisk again until all of the liquid has been incorporated.
Pour the completed cheesecake batter over the crust in your springform pan. Spread evenly.
OPTIONAL STEP: Add the lily's chocolate chips to a small bowl with the coconut oil. Microwave 40-50 seconds and start mixing with a fork or spoon until all of the chips have melted.Pour onto the cheesecake batter and with any utensil, spoon/knife/fork, make swirls, pushing the chocolate at the bottom.
Once the chocolate is all swirled up, cover the cheesecake pan with saran wrap and chill in the fridge for minimum 4 hours.
Once it's set, take it out of its mold and serve as is or with some whipped cream or caramel sauce.
456 g (16.08 oz) cream cheese (2 Philly blocks)
90 ml (0.39 cups) sour cream
¾ cup (0.75 cup) pumpkin puree (no sugar added)
1 tsp (1 tsp) cinnamon
½ tsp (½ tsp) allspice
¾ tsp (¾ tsp) stevia powder (or pure monk fruit extract)
240 ml (1.01 cups) heavy cream
15 g (0.53 oz) powdered gelatin (about 2.5 teaspoons)
150 ml (0.6 cups) boiling water
56 g (1.98 oz) lily's chocolate chips (about 240 chips (OPTIONAL TOPPING))
1 tbsp (1 tbsp) coconut oil (OPTIONAL (for chocolate))
Instructions:
Ingredients:
This is a delicious no-bake low-carb pumpkin cheesecake. It is completely sugar and gluten free. Made with a combination of cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream and a touch of gelatin, it's fluffy and creamy...you might even forget that it's sugar free!
Sugar-Free Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake
For the Crust:
80 g (2.82 oz) blanched almond flour (about ¾ cup)
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) coconut oil (or butter, ghee, shortening, lard)
¼ tsp (¼ tsp) stevia powder (or pure monk fruit extract)
½ tsp (½ tsp) cinnamon
In a bowl, combine the almond flour, lard, egg, cinnamon and salt together. Mix with a spatula until the batter starts to stick together and start kneading with your hands until a ball forms.
Place the dough over a piece of parchment paper and cover with another piece of paper. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough over the paper until it forms a circle that is about 10-11" for a 9’’ glass pie plate. Peel the top parchment paper and flip the dough onto the 9" pie plate making sure all sides are covered. Peel the parchment paper and fix any issues you may have with the extra dough that falls on the side.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, stevia powder, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, ginger and nutmeg. Mix with a whisk until combined.
Pour the coconut cream in and mix again. Add your eggs one at a time while mixing until all of the batter has been incorporated.Pour the batter into the pie plate and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let completely cool before serving.
280 g (9.88 oz) blanched almond flour (about 2 cups tightly packed)
1 (1 ) egg
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) lard (or beef tallow, coconut oil, shortening, ghee, butter)
1 tbsp (1 tbsp) cinnamon
¼ tsp (¼ tsp) Himalayan salt
Instructions:
Crust:
For those who enjoy traditional holiday desserts, pumpkin pie is a must. It can get a little trickier, however, if you are trying to enjoy this traditional treat within the bounds of a Keto diet. Never fear! We have a recipe for you here that will satisfy your cravings while keeping your promise to your waistline!
Low-Carb Sugar-Free Pumpkin Pie
Pie:
1.5 cups (1.5 cups) pumpkin puree (or mashed kabocha squash)
1 tsp (1 tsp) stevia powder (or 1 tsp monk fruit powder)
2 tsp (2 tsp) cinnamon
¼ tsp (¼ tsp) ground cloves
¼ tsp (¼ tsp) cardamon ground
¼ tsp (¼ tsp) nutmeg
1 tsp (1 tsp) ginger ground
3 (3 ) eggs240 ml (1 cups) coconut cream (or heavy cream for dairy version)
Conclusion
We hope that these recipes, tips and tricks for a successful Keto Christmas dinner menu will help you on Christmas planning and in the enjoyment of the season. Merry Christmas!