The keto diet is great, but sometimes it’s hard to decide on what to cook next. While it would be nice to live off bacon and string cheese, and you will lose weight if you stay in ketosis, it wouldn’t be a very healthy life.
Scroll to the bottom of this article to read more about ketosis and the ketogenic diet.
Some of the best keto diet cookbooks will include meal plans, grocery lists, and pro tips and tricks to stay in ketosis and get the most out of your new low-carb lifestyle. Many of them even offer support groups on Facebook! You can follow most of the authors on Instagram, too.
Read on for our favorite keto cookbooks and why we love them.
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1. Keto Comfort Foods: Family Favorite Recipes Made Low-Carb and Healthy by Maria Emmerich
Pros:- Every recipe has nutritional information, plus a meter that tells if the recipe is low, medium or high ketogenic.
- Really damn good food
- She includes keto recipes for simple condiments like ketchup, mayo, etc.
Cons:- Some may not have the time to throw these recipes together on-the-go.
- There may be some ingredients you don't have on hand, like keto-friendly sweetener or a keto breading substitute.
- Too many decisions on what to make next. Good luck!
If you ask around, this will be the favorite keto cookbook of many. Everyone loves comfort food, especially people going through uncomfortable situations — like transitioning into the keto diet!
Write the author: “Food is more than just nourishment; food is tradition, food is love, and most importantly, food is a celebration.”
Isn’t that the truest thing in the world?
Being on the keto diet isn’t about restriction – it’s about adaptation. This cookbook by Maria Emmerich is full of easy, simple and delicious recipes — you don’t even have to be keto to enjoy these recipes. They’re perfect for days when you need some comfort food while still sticking to your diet.
Some recipes include:
- Beef Stew
- Scalloped Fauxtatoes
- BBQ Chicken “lasagna”
- BBQ Pulled pork sandwiches
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Maple Bacon Ice Cream
- Sunday Pot Roast
- Schnitzel
- Grandma Suzie’s Kringle
Find more Keto Comfort Foods: Family Favorite Recipes information and reviews here.
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2. Simply Keto: A Practical Approach to Health & Weight Loss, with 100+ Easy Low-Carb Recipes by Suzanne Ryan
Pros:- Recipes are laid out in a simple and clean manner
- Index in the back
- Not just a cookbook - also a motivational success story
Cons:- Some ingredients may be hard to find in more rural areas
- Lots of dairy used
- Some people say it's "nothing new"
The author of this cookbook, Suzanne Ryan, shed more than 100 pounds in just one year on the keto diet. This is how she did it. Be like Suzanne Ryan.
It’s very beginner friendly; she gives you shopping list, recipes, a 30-day plan to get you started.
The recipes are reliably delicious and don’t take a long time to whip up.
She also has a solid Instagram and YouTube presence, so follow her there for motivation!
Some recipes include:
- Twice-baked Cauliflower
- Aioli
- Red Curry Chicken
- Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Chicken
- Tina’s Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Lox and Cream Cheese Sliders
- Alfredo Sauce
- Keto Chili
- Keto Honey Mustard
- Keto Hot Chocolate
Find more Simply Keto information and reviews here.
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3. Keto for Life: Look Better, Feel Better, and Watch the Weight Fall off with 160+ Delicious High-Fat Recipes
Pros:- Lots of tips to help reach & maintain your keto goals
- Fantastic recipes across the board; she has no "niche" because her recipes are ALL amazing
- Provides meal plans with grocery lists
Cons:- If you hate cooking, don't have low-carb ingredients in your house, or aren't willing to change your cooking style to keto, this book may not be for you.
- You need time management skills to prep for your meal prep (shredded chicken, salsa recipe, etc)
- Nearly $25 is a little pricey for one book, but this one will be worth it
Anyone ever read the I Breathe, I’m Hungry blog? Melissa has been a leader in ketogenic living for years by helping people achieve their health goals with yummy, low-carb recipes and beautiful food photography.
Keto for Life is a book for real people with busy lives, picky family members, and moderate budgets.
You can expect education about the keto diet and a complete roadmap for doing it successfully. Even those who aren’t new to the keto diet will probably learn something new, and that’s not counting the awesome new recipes.
Meal plans and prep/grocery lists are included. So is nutritional and allergen information.
The author also has a popular blog and Instagram presence, where you can participate in fun motivational events like Squeaky Clean Keto Diet, which marries the elimination diet (like Whole 30) with a very clean approach to the ketogenic diet. It’s more restrictive than the regular keto diet, but it’s only for 30 days and you’ll have the support of other people on the diet in her Facebook community. You can read more about this here.
Some recipes include:
- Cream Cheese Noodles
- Keto Breadcrumbs
- Easy Chicken Bone Broth
- Snickerdoodle Crepes
- Savory Chorizo Breakfast Bowl
- Korean BBQ Beef Wraps
- Pepperoni Pizza Meatloaf
- Creamy Lobster Risotto
- Cheesy Cauliflower Grits
- Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
- Keto Cocktails!
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4. The One Pot Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: 100+ Easy Weeknight Meals for Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Sheet Pan, and More by Liz Williams
Pros:- Simple to prep, simple to cook.
- Lots of easy skillet, slow cooker, and sheet pan recipes
- Easily can become your go-to cookbook
Cons:- There aren't any photos for the recipes
- Many recipes can be found online
- Some recipes are similar to others, just different meats or veggies. Same methods.
Are you busy? This is the cookbook for you! Kids or not, when you get home from work, chances are you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. Enter the beauty of One Pot Recipes.
All recipes in this book are 8 ingredients or less and can be completed, start to finish, in 45 minutes. Tops.
Minimal cleanup required.
Even non-ketoers will appreciate these recipes, but you may want to lay off on the fat a little if they’re eating carbs. Add an extra dollop of butter to your steak instead.
Plus, the price tag on this book is on point. It’s even better if you have Kindle Unlimited (freeee).
Find more The One Pot Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: 100+ Easy Meals information and reviews here.
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5. Keto Instant Pot: 130+ Healthy Low-Carb Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker
Pros:- Includes suggestions for Instant Pot extras to make keto cooking easier
- Use all the settings on your IP
- Instructions for high pressure AND slow cooker
Cons:- The book doesn't seem like it was edited very well. There are some typos and some nutrition information is off.
- Recipes aren't necessarily high in fat
- Some recipes are designed for 4 qt, some for 6 ct
The Instant Pot is this year’s “It” product. And last year’s. And even the year before that.
It’s POPULAR right now and with good reason: it’s so easy to make so many delicious things in record time! I use mine at least once a week to make soups, chilis, veggies, and tons of things that you can find in this well-liked cookbook.
Another book by Maria Emmerich, this one dives into recipes for your instant pot with high pressure and slow cooking options for each recipe. (Sometimes, you just want to set it and forget it. Speed not required. I’m looking at you, lazy Sundays.)
Think Asian pulled pork, Lemon Ricotta Torte, Crab-Stuffed mushrooms, Buffalo meatballs, homemade root beer. All keto friendly.
Not only is Maria a wellness expert in nutrition, she is also an expert in exercise physiology and the founder of keto-adapted.com. She specializes in the connection between food and how it makes us feel, inside and out. She applies this knowledge to her recipes.
Some recipes include:
- Crustless Quiche Lorraine
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Mexican Meatballs
- Ham and Cauliflower Au Gratin
- French Onion Casserole and Soup
- Reuben Soup
- Mocha Pot Roast
- Asian Orange Short Ribs
- Melt in Your Mouth Pork Belly
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Whitefish Poached in Garlic Cream Sauce
- Creme Brule
Find more Keto Instant Pot: 130+ Healthy Low-Carb Recipes information and reviews here.
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6. The 30-Day Ketogenic Cleanse: Reset Your Metabolism with 160 Tasty Whole-Food Recipes & Meal Plans by Maria Emmerich
Pros:- 30 day meal plans/Whole 30 meal plans to kick-start ketosis, plus shopping lists
- Lists of approved keto foods and foods that hold people back from ketosis
- Recommendations for supplements to help heal from poor eating habits
Cons:- Some may find the cleanse to have "too much cooking" -- it's time consuming.
- Requires special keto/paleo ingredients
- First recipes are heavy on the eggs
The first 30 days of keto are by far the most challenging. As your body transitions into burning fat (ketones), sugar cravings still exist and if you’re new to keto, you may get bored of eating the same foods over and over again. The 30-Day Ketogenic Cleanse exists to help you tackle the 30-day obstacle and keep you feeling great all the way through.
Just because you can be eating bacon, steak and cheese for every meal, doesn’t mean you should be. Learn how to have a heathy keto diet.
You won’t be starving yourself on this cleanse. You’ll just be eating whole food recipes – dairy, nut, and alcohol-free – that are filling, satisfying, and keep cravings at bay.
This more-than-a-cookbook is one of the best keto cookbooks out there. It’s a guide to healing the body from the inside out. Reset your metabolism, lose weight, regain health, and increase your energy. All through food.
Some recipes include:
- Eggs Florentine with Basil Hollandaise Sauce
- Reuben Pork Chops
- Greek Avgolemono
- Tom Ka Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken)
- Hot and Sour Pork Ball Soup
- Chicken Neapolitan
- Mushroom soup
- Rosti
Find more The 30-Day Ketogenic Cleanse: Reset Your Metabolism information and reviews here.
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7. Southern Keto: 100+ Traditional Food Favorites for a Low-Carb Lifestyle by Natasha Newton
Pros:- The drop biscuit recipe is out of this world. Hello, biscuits & gravy!
- If you ever want to dive into carbs for comfort, you need this book in your life. It will change it.
- Beautiful food photography that will have you craving a dish in no time
Cons:- Many recipes are dairy-heavy. Not the most health-conscious cookbook out there.
- You can find most of these recipes online, but this puts them all together neatly & organized.
- If you have nut or dairy allergies, you'll want to skip this one.
There’s no doubt about it: southern food is some of the most comforting — and carb-heavy — cuisines out there, and every bite is an explosion of flavor. Crispy fried chicken? Oh yes. Buttermilk biscuits? Be still, my heart. But carbs carbs carbs.
Luckily there are some southern dishes that are naturally keto-friendly, like gumbos, collard greens with bacon and pimento cheese. To get our fill of the others, there is the creativity within Southern Keto.
The author, Natasha Newton, went through her own obesity struggle all throughout her life and spent years yoyo dieting until she found her peace with keto. You will definitely enjoy her southern charm and distinct flair that encompasses those sought-after flavors of down-home southern comfort.
This book is a huge favorite in the keto community.
Find more Southern Keto: 100+ Traditional Food Favorites information and reviews here.
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8. The Dairy-Free Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Satisfying High-Fat Recipes to Fuel Your Health by Jessica Dukes
Pros:- You can follow her for more on Instagram @DailyKetosis
- Includes a grocery list
- Vegan and vegetarian options
Cons:- Great recipes, but no pictures.
- There are some pretty obvious "recipes" that seem like page fillers, like how to cook bacon or boil eggs.
- Dairy keeps you more full, and these recipes may not fill you up
Maintaining a keto diet is all about being as healthy as you can be. For some, that includes eliminating dairy. This cookbook makes it easy to maintain a dairy-free low carb lifestyle. Keto is often portrayed as a heavy-cream-and-cheese kind of diet, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Are you struggling to lose weight on keto? Or maybe feel like you’re missing out on some of the health benefits people seem to be experiencing, like cognitive enhancement and the banishment of tummy problems? Consider going without dairy for a month or two and see if anything changes.
The Dairy-Free Ketogenic Diet Cookbook transforms dairy-laden breakfasts like oatmeal and cappuccino into dairy-free alternatives, but it also includes plenty of naturally dairy-free meals, like black skillet chicken thighs with artichoke hearts, coconut shrimp, and a Philly cheesesteak bake. There are even vegetarian meals and desserts!
Bonus: It’s free to read with Kindle Unlimited!
Find more The Dairy-Free Ketogenic Diet Cookbook information and reviews here.
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9. The Wicked Good Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Easy, Whole Food Keto Recipes for Any Budget by Amanda C. Hughes
Pros:- Advice on how and where to shop to save money along with price points for every recipe
- Nice selection of keto-friendly condiment recipes
- A chef's take on keto recipes, so except unique foods like lemon lavender ricotta, Salmon Florentine, and rosemary mint lamb lollipops.
Cons:- Some recipes aren't quick & easy
- Meal plans contain too much protein
- Many recipes contain a lot of protein. In a balanced ketogenic diet, excess protein eventually becomes glucose. Be careful not to overdo it on the protein.
This ketogenic diet cookbook is focused around whole food recipes packed with flavor.
Processed foods are naturally filtered out of your day on a keto diet because many of them are packed with hidden carbs and sugars that we don’t want to eat.
Learning to cook with whole foods will help you sustain a low carb lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be expensive. And with this cookbook, that’s going to be easy.
The Wicked Good Ketogenic Diet Cookbook is written by a chef who experienced her own rapid weight loss on the keto diet. The goal? Balance waistline and budget.
Find more The Wicked Good Ketogenic Diet Cookbook information and reviews here.
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10. Journey to Health: A Journey Worth Taking: Cooking Keto with Kristie by Dr. Kristie H. Sullivan
Pros:- Many recipes can't be found online
- All recipes have 7 or fewer carbs TOTAL, not net.
- Supportive Facebook community
Cons:- Some ingredients may need to be purchased in specialty stores or online if your grocery store is not well-stocked.
- Lots of Erythritol in recipes, which may cause an upset stomach in some people. A lot of people are tolerant, though.
- Many recipes contain common allergens
This is another really famous book in the keto community. It comes with a different approach than a regular cookbook. It was written to help people make the commitment to a low carb lifestyle for the rest of their lives.
Says the author: “In fact, more than one medical professional has told me that this way of eating is too difficult to follow or too restrictive. One of the goals of this cookbook is to prove that notion wrong.”
Dr. Kristie H. Sullivan is another author who saw major success with weight loss on the keto diet. These recipes have helped sustained her lifestyle for over 5 years. Some standouts include low carb Brunswick stew, mussels in white wine sauce, “honey” mustard vinegarette, and Kristie’s southern style pimento cheese.
Kristie is also the author of other keto cookbooks like Keto Living Day by Day: An Inspirational Guide to the Ketogenic Diet, with 130 Deceptively Simple Recipes and Keto Gatherings: Festive Low Carb Recipes for Every Occasion.
You can find her YouTube channel, Cooking Keto with Kristie, with video recipes here.
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11. Easy Keto Desserts: 60+ Low-Carb, High-Fat Desserts for Any Occasion by Carolyn Ketchum
Pros:- Really fantastic introduction with substitutes to common non-keto dessert ingredients
- Makes the "diet" capable of being a "lifestyle"
- She goes into detail with sugar substitutions, and tells you how to adjust recipes based on your sweetener preference.
Cons:- Natural sweeteners tend to leave an almost minty aftertaste. If you haven't used a sweetener other than sugar before, you may be a little let down. Just have realistic expectations.
- Many of these recipes are high in fat. You can gain weight on a keto diet, so just make sure these desserts fit your macros.
- While there are dairy substitutes, if you can't eat dairy, it's probably best to steer clear and stick with berries (nature's candy!).
I am a very lucky owner of this book. Since I started writing about keto, I decided to jump on the wagon myself. I can personally tell you that you don’t even know how inflamed your whole body is until it’s not anymore.
And let me tell you, I love dessert. I love carbs too, by far more than any other food group (bread is my spirit animal, pasta is my favorite food), so if I can do this, you can too. Maybe not forever. But when you start to feel how good you feel, and you buy a few of the cookbooks on this list, you’ll realize that with the right recipes, this diet really can become a lifestyle.
Of course, no lifestyle is complete without dessert! In a world full of sugar, we don’t want to feel deprived. That’s how yo-yo dieting begins.
This collection of low carb, high-fat treats will satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising texture or flavor. Carolyn Ketchum, the brains behind the popular food blog All Day I Dream About Food, is a recipe genius. You are going to love the idea of all of them, and then love them EVEN MORE after making them.
If you’re like me, you may be tired of mixing butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract together and calling it cheesecake. Step it up a notch friend. I promise this book is worth it.
Find more Easy Keto Desserts: 60+ Low-Carb, High-Fat Desserts information and reviews here.
The ketogenic diet is an extremely carb restricted diet -- usually under 20 grams a day. Keto-ers get their fill from moderate amounts of protein and enough fat to keep them full. Not only is it an excellent way to lose weight quickly, but it's been scientifically proven to be profoundly helpful in the treatment of epilepsy, as well as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological diseases. It's even shown to help with skin diseases like acne and psoriasis.
Your body's preferred method of fuel is glucose. Glucose comes from carbohydrates. When you drastically limit your carb intake, your body is forced to feed off its second favorite method of fuel: fat. In this case, it's the fat that's stored on your body.
This is how people lose weight quickly on the keto diet. Your body essentially eats its own fat (ketones) for fuel.
Now that you know how it works, these keto cookbooks bring a whole and healthy approach to the diet... but don't worry, there's still bacon and heavy cream. Just in moderation!
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