Keto Breakfast 2024: Recipes To Start Your Day Right

If someone told you that eating bacon every day could help you lose weight, would you believe them? Surprisingly, the ketogenic diet does support moderate consumption of protein and a high intake of high-fat foods like bacon. What’s the catch? The catch is a very low intake of carbohydrate foods. The ketogenic diet is based on the principles surrounding ketosis. 

Ketosis is the production of ketones within the human body that use alternative energy sources like stored body fat in humans rather than the usual glucose which is derived from carbohydrates. The idea is to avoid eating carbohydrates and only consume protein and healthy fats to cause your body to enter a state of ketosis more easily leading to weight loss. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials found that ketogenic diets were associated with a significant decrease in body weight and body mass index compared with control diets. However, this data looked at the short-term effects of the diet not the long-term effects.

As we have all heard before “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” so we’ve come up with a comprehensive list of low-carb keto breakfast recipes to start your mornings or even your whole family off on the right foot.

Best Keto Breakfast Ideas Easy To Make

Keto Cereal

You can buy pre-made cereal from a list of the best keto cereal here. Or you can be ambitious and make your keto-friendly granola cereal.

Below you will find the ingredients and steps for making a homemade keto cereal.

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• Cooking spray
• 1 c. almonds, chopped
• 1 c. walnuts, chopped
• 1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 c. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. flax seeds
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp. ground clove
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 large egg white
• 1/4 c. melted coconut oil

Directions: 

•  Preheat oven to 350° and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix walnuts, almonds, coconut flakes, flax seeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds all together in a large bowl. Stir in cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.
• After beating the egg whites until they are foamy, stir them into granola and add coconut oil. Stir again continually until all the ingredients are mixed well. Place the mixture in an even layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake between 20 and 25 minutes or until the mixture becomes golden. Be sure to gently stir the mixture halfway through the cooking time. Let it cool completely before serving.

Keto Chia Pudding

Another alternative to keto cereal is keto chia pudding like Strawberries and Cream Chia Pudding.

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• 1/2 c. heavy cream or nut milk
• 1/2 c water
• 1/2 c sliced strawberries
• 1/4 c chia seeds
• 1/4 c sugar-free sweetener
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• squeeze of lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Directions:

• Place nut milk or heavy cream in a blender with chia seeds, sweetener, water, strawberries, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
• Blend until smooth. Enjoy right away with whipped cream and coconut flakes or store in the refrigerator for later.

Keto Frittata

A keto ham frittata is a wonderful option for brunch to impress.

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• 12 eggs
• 1 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 4 oz ham, cubed or sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix eggs, cream cheese, salt and pepper.
• Add cheddar cheese. Set aside.
• Heat a medium skillet to medium heat and add avocado oil.
• Add ham and green onions and saute for 2 – 3 minutes or until ham starts to brown.
• Add egg mixture to skillet and cook. Stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a spatula until the mixture forms large curds. The spatula should also start to leave wakes in the mixture but with some wet egg remaining. Shake the skillet to evenly distribute the eggs. Cook for another 30 seconds without stirring the mixture, which will allow it to set on the bottom.
• Broil the entire skillet until the frittata becomes puffy and slightly brown on top, which should take between 3 and 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it stand for an additional 5 minutes so that it can finish cooking. Use a spatula to gently remove the frittata from the skillet before cutting it into wedges to serve.

Keto Cheddar Cheese And Bacon Balls

These delectable keto breakfast balls are sure to be a favorite around the house.

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• 5 oz. bacon
• 5 oz. (²⁄3 cup) cream cheese
• 5 oz. (1¼ cups) cheddar cheese
• 2 oz. butter, at room temperature
• ½ tsp pepper (optional)
• ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)

Directions:

• Fry the bacon until it becomes golden brown. Take it out of the pan and place it on paper towels until it cools completely.
• Chop the bacon or turn it into small crumbles, then place them in a medium-sized bowl.
• Use a larger bowl to mix the leftover grease with all other ingredients. You can do this by hand or use an electric hand mixer.
• Place the big bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.
• Make 24 walnut-sized balls, using two spoons. Roll them in the crumbled bacon and serve.

Keto Egg Recipes

What’s breakfast without a morning egg? There are many ways to incorporate eggs into your low-carb breakfast. Besides making your typical bacon and eggs, scrambled eggs and cheese, avocado, and eggs are all very keto-friendly. Here is a simple keto breakfast bowl recipe that is easy to meal prep for the whole week. 

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• 2 pounds ground breakfast sausage or pork (can substitute or add avocado if you want)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 10 – 20 eggs

Directions:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage. Break up and crumble. Let cool until almost cooked through. Then add in seasonings – salt, onion powder, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook the sausage further until it becomes browned and is cooked evenly all the way through. Remove the sausage from the skillet and place into a large bowl. Set it aside and move on to the next step.
• Dice green and red bell peppers after removing all seeds and stems. Peel and dice onion. Set aside.
• Return the skillet that cooked the sausage back to the stovetop. Turn the stove to medium-high heat before adding all of the diced vegetables. Season with a pinch or two of salt and stir. Let cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.
• Return the cooked sausage to the skillet with the sautéed vegetables. Stir to combine. Remove from heat.
• Grab several meal prep containers or mason jars and add 1 to 1.5 cups of the sausage and vegetable mixture to each one. Evenly divide shredded cheddar cheese between all containers. Place the lid on each container before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.
• To the jar or container, crack in 1-2 eggs. Stir to combine. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to distribute the contents. Microwave for 45 more seconds or until the egg is cooked. Enjoy!

Keto Pancakes

Nothing screams a weekend morning like pancakes. Keto pancakes are a simple way to enjoy the weekend but stick to your keto diet.

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 4 eggs
• ½ c coconut flour
• ¼ c keto sweetener
• ½ c heavy cream, or keto-approved milk of choice
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat the non-stick skillet or griddle to low in preparation for this recipe. While it’s best to use a griddle for the pancakes, a non-stick skillet will also work.
• Add all ingredients in a blender.
• Blend until mixture is combined.
• Once the griddle or non-stick skillet is greased and pre-heated, pour the entire pancake mixture onto it. Pour enough to form a 3-inch in-diameter pancake. Larger pancakes are harder to flip.
• Continue to use low heat to cook the pancakes until the pancake bottom is golden brown and each of the edges starts to set. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and slightly less on the second side.
• Use a rubber spatula to flip the pancake so the other side can cook. This should take between 1 and 2 minutes.
• Slide a rubber spatula under the pancake and flip the pancake to cook the other side, for about 1-2 minutes.

Some toppings to consider to elevate these pancakes are keto syrup (which comes in a variety of flavors, such as sugar-free maple syrup), whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and melted chocolate.

What Is A Typical Keto Breakfast 

As mentioned, the basic foundation of a keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, moderate protein diet that typically supplies approximately 80% of calories from fat, 15% of calories from protein, and 5% of calories from net carbs per serving. For breakfast, think of foods like cream cheese, coconut milk, eggs, bacon, sausage, smoked salmon, ground beef, low-carb veggies (bell peppers, cremini mushrooms, spinach, avocados), keto-friendly syrup, keto pancakes, etc. We will provide specific recipes to get you started for a week-long trial of keto breakfast recipes.

Low Carb Drinks For Keto Diet Breakfast

Keto Coffee

• 8 oz freshly brewed coffee or expresso
• 2 tbsp  unsalted, grass-fed butter
• 1 tbsp MCT oil or coconut oil

Keto Smoothies

Smoothies can be an excellent on-the-go option that is packed with keto-friendly nutrition. Don’t forget to add some keto protein powder to your smoothies. You can start your morning with a delicious Chocolate Keto Protein Shake.

Ingredients: Blend all together

• 3/4 c. almond milk
• 1/2 c. ice
• 2 tbsp. almond butter
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 to 3 tbsp. keto-friendly sugar substitute to taste (such as Swerve)
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds, plus more for serving
• 2 tbsp. hemp seeds, plus more for serving
• 1/2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt

Keto Milk

Regular dairy milk may not always be the best option for you. Here is a list of dairy-free milk alternatives that are keto-friendly: 

• Almond
• Macadamia nut
• Coconut
• Cashew
• Walnut
• Flax

Other Tips For Keto Diet Breakfast Meal Prep

• Plan: Take some time to plan your keto breakfast meals for the week by preparing large batches of keto-friendly breakfast staples we have reviewed such as breakfast bowls, hard-boiled eggs, frittatas, chia seed pudding, and store in a mason jar or airtight container in the freezer or fridge for grab-and-go options.
• Stock Up on Staples: Keep your pantry stocked with keto essentials like almond flour, coconut flour, flaxseed, and high-quality oils. These ingredients can be used to create a variety of keto-friendly breakfast options.
• Prep Vegetables in Advance: Chop and pre-cook vegetables such as peppers, mushrooms, and spinach to have them ready to add to omelets or breakfast bowls. This saves you loads of time.

Conclusion

To conclude, we supplied you with a broad list of keto breakfast recipes ranging from savory to sweet and even keto coffee and smoothies. By incorporating these delicious and nutritious recipes into your morning routine, your body is more easily able to enter ketosis for weight loss. It’s important to be mindful of your body’s reactions to the keto diet to see if it is right for you as known side effects are known to occur with the keto diet. Keto breakfast can be an easy first step or a modified regimen in your weight loss journey. Your keto diet does not have to stop at just breakfast. Here are more ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for your keto diet plan.