50 Low-Carb Lunch Ideas You’ll Actually Be Excited to Eat

Following a low-carb diet can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes. It’s no wonder you’ve decided to give it a go. (We salute you!) But you still want to eat meals that are quick and easy, not to mention delicious…and we have just the ticket. Presenting 50 low-carb lunch ideas to make your healthy meal plan a breeze.

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Adding store-bought baked tofu not only makes this recipe the easiest, but adds some extra protein to keep you full until dinnertime.

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Why bother with breading when your chicken is crispy all by itself? The secret lies in making sure your skillet is hot enough to get everything well browned.

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Nothing against traditional spaghetti and meatballs, but this low-carb lunch might be even better. The meatballs are juicy, tender and flavorful, but won’t put you in a carb coma by 3 p.m.

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Skip the croutons for a dish that clocks in at just 8 grams of carbs per serving. With garlic, olives and Worcestershire in the dressing, we promise you won’t miss a thing.

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You don’t have to follow a keto diet to enjoy its low-carb benefits. This salad is impossibly quick and simple when you use leftover steak from last night’s dinner.

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Between the sauce and the zoodles, you’re looking at just 14 grams of carbs in one meal. This might be a diet miracle (and a delicious one, at that).

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Thanks to Coterie member Monique Volz, you’re on your way to winning lunchtime. This modern, healthy take on turkey pinwheels will inspire all the envy from your coworkers.

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And you thought sticking to a healthy meal plan was going to be time-consuming. Want to make this dish even easier? Pick up some store-bought zucchini noodles and skip all that spiralizing at home.

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Sure, 28 grams of carbs per serving might seem like a lot (especially compared to others on this list), but think about how many carbs a bowl of angel hair would rack up.

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RELATED: The 50 Best Zucchini Recipes in the Whole Entire Universe

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that zucchini is a (nearly) carbless wonder vegetable. Think of this dish as ratatouille’s elegant Italian cousin.

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Not only does this salad feature grilled halloumi cheese (a major selling point for us), but it comes together in ten minutes. Swoon.

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We see your store-bought $15 kale salad and raise you this homemade version dressed in an irresistible lemon-sour cream dressing. And psst: It costs less than $3 per serving to make.

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This isn’t your mother’s chicken salad (no offense, Mom). We’re swapping the mayo for Greek yogurt and sandwich bread for crispy bell peppers. Lunch rut, be gone.

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When it comes to cutting carbs, everyone knows the trusty lettuce wrap trick. What they don’t know is that the spicy flavors of Thai cuisine are a genius way to take lunch from standard to exciting.

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If chicken tenders were a food group, they’d be our all-time favorite. So the fact that a diet-friendly version exists is music to our ears.

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If you can carve out 20 minutes on Sunday night for meal-prep, you’ll have healthy lunch prepared for the whole week.

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Coterie member Liz Falcigno knows that when it comes to tacos, it’s what’s inside that counts. With tasty cilantro cauliflower rice and all the fixings, you won’t even miss the tortillas.

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There’s something about a cobb salad that makes us feel fancy even when we’re eating at our desk. This one has strawberries, avocado and corn to boot.

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Brussels sprouts in a stir-fry? Why the heck not? They’re healthier than rice, plus the way they get all caramelized around the edges is *chef’s kiss.*

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Ditch the traditional crust and you’ve got yourself a low-carb slice of heaven. We’re filling our version with kale, but if you’re in the mood for a fridge cleanout, any green will work.

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RELATED: 19 Quiche Recipes You Can (and Should) Eat for Dinner

You’ve heard of cauliflower pizza crust…but what about eggplant pizza crust? You can easily make these babies the night before, then heat them up the next day for a satisfying low-carb lunch.

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Ever heard of shirataki noodles? They’re made from yams, high in fiber and low in calories. Win-win-win.

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This upgraded tuna salad is tossed in a light, red wine vinaigrette that will have your coworkers jealous that they didn’t bring tuna to the office.

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RELATED: 14 Easy Tuna Salad Recipes You’ve Never Tried

This takeout main uses a single skillet and only requires ten minutes of your time. (Though we’d gladly give this recipe more of ours.)

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Our motto, forever and always? Make it ahead. This 30-minute dish has minimal cleanup, too, so you won’t even mind a little weekend meal-prep.

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A hands-off dish that’s low-carb with just one pan? This one checks all the boxes. And because it makes six servings, you’ll have enough for the week and then some.

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Zucchini noodles come to the rescue yet again, and we’re not mad about it—especially since this versatile, light lunch comes together in only 25 minutes.

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Oh hey, lunch of our dreams. We’ll be eating you every day for the rest of forever.

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Why do we love stir-fries? Their versatility and lightning-fast cook time, for starters. Plus, this dish is packed with so many veggies, you won’t even miss the rice.

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If you thought watching your carbohydrate intake meant eating bland steamed veggies and plain chicken, we present this Middle Eastern-inspired bowl to change your mind.

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Oh, cauliflower. What would we do without you? Certainly not make this 15-minute meal-prep recipe…or show it off to everyone in the office.

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This healthy spin on a Thai favorite tosses wide zucchini noodles (instead of traditional rice noodles) in a gingery, garlicky sauce you’ll go gaga for.

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All of the eating and none of the assembly? Yes, please. If you’re not yet on the egg roll bowl train (it’s a thing), now’s the time.

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This simple sheet-pan recipe will convert you into a seafood-for-lunch person for sure. (The key is not to heat it up in the microwave.)

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This Indian staple is loaded with yummy spices, and the leftovers get better and more flavorful the longer they sit in the fridge.

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Plant-based? Check. Keto-friendly? Check. We knew there was a reason we liked this diet.

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This Sichuan-style dish is spicy, aromatic and surprisingly easy to make. All you need is a searing-hot wok (or skillet) and an appetite.

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Have you tried gochujang yet? The Korean chili paste is packed with funky flavor, and the key to this quick chicken dish.

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We’ve found the definition of “no bun, no problem,” and it’s these protein-packed burgers. Serve ’em on a bed of spinach and don’t forget the cheese.

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Give us a skillet and we’ll give you a reason to be excited for tomorrow’s lunch. This low-calorie dish takes less time to make than it does to order delivery.

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Not only does this low-carb recipe only require six ingredients, but it’s also ready in 25 minutes.

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If you miss the pasta, compensate by treating yourself to extra fresh mozz. You deserve it.

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Yup, we’ll definitely be whipping up those goat cheese grits for breakfast, too. (Aren’t you glad bacon and eggs are keto?)

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This dish boasts a little more than a quarter of your daily recommended fiber. (Subtract those 6 grams of fiber from the total carbs and you’re down to 29g net carbs per plate.)

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