It often feels like there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done! And when you add having to also prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, it is easy to understand why people reach for the takeout menu, or go to the nearest coffee shop, on their lunch break.
Unfortunately, most of these options tend to be high in carbs and sugar (and also a bit heavy on the wallet!). With a bit of preparation, it is possible to have healthy, easy-to-prepare lunches ready and waiting for you when hunger strikes. This holds especially true for people on the ketogenic diet trying to reach ketosis.
If you want to learn more about following a keto vegetarian diet, have a look at our Easy Keto Vegetarian Guide For Beginners.
Keto Vegetarian Lunch Recipes For The Work Week
I have put together a selection of keto vegetarian lunch recipes that either:
- Are quick to prepare the night before, or
- Can be made in a big batch and refrigerated or frozen
These recipes are all vegetarian, and some are even vegan (or can easily be made vegan).
Vegetarian Greek Collard Wraps
If you’re the type to eat at your desk, then wraps are a great option – easy to eat, and no extra utensils required.
I recommend keeping the filling and the collard leaves of these Vegetarian Greek Collard Wraps separate until you are ready to eat, otherwise the leaves may go soggy.
- Calories: 165.34
- Fats: 11.25g
- Proteins: 6.98g
- Net Carbs: 7.36g
View this recipe on ruled.me: Vegetarian Greek Collard Wraps
Curried Cauliflower Rice Kale Soup
Image credit goes to Cotter Crunch
This Curried Cauliflower Rice Kale Soup is one of those you’ll want to make a big batch of on a cold Sunday afternoon, and portion out for the whole week.
It takes a quite a bit of prep – including roasting the cauliflower in the over first – but the rich flavors will be worth it.
- Calories: 162
- Fats: 8.6g
- Proteins: 6.2g
- Net Carbs: 11.8g
View this recipe on Cotter Crunch: Curried Cauliflower Rice Kale Soup
Crustless Spinach Cheese Pie
Image credit goes to Low Carb Yum
This simple dish is a great introduction to low-carb recipes. It is simple to make – even for those who don’t have much experience cooking.
You can make the Crustless Spinach Cheese Pie, cut ut into portsions, and freeze for your weekly lunches.
Remember to properly squeeze and drain your spinach before adding it to the pie!
- Calories: 190
- Fats: 14.6g
- Proteins: 13.3g
- Net Carbs: 1.5g
View this recipe on Low Carb Yum: Crustless Spinach Cheese Pie
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Mug Cake
This savory Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Mug Cake is very filling, and will pair well with a tasty green salad. Or if you have some leftover chili even!
It ‘bakes’ in the microwave, so if you have one at work, you can have a hot, fresh meal in a few minutes.
- Calories: 429
- Fats: 40.45g
- Proteins: 12.34g
- Net Carbs: 5.32g
View this recipe on ruled.me: Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Mug Cake
Low Carb Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
Image credit goes to Wholesome Yum
5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time – the perfect recipe for lunch in a busy week!
Mac ‘n cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods – whether you are vegetarian or not! While the cauliflower in this Low Carb Cauliflower Mac And Cheese is not an exact pasta replacement, it does hit the spot in terms of delicious comfort food! (Because, really, it is that creamy, cheesy sauce that is the best part!)
Bonus tip – roast your cauliflower first! The flavor is better, and you have to deal with the unpleasant ‘steamed cauliflower’ smell.
- Calories: 294
- Fats: 23g
- Proteins: 11g
- Net Carbs: 7g
View this recipe on Wholesome Yum: Low Carb Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
Low Carb Indian Boiled Egg Curry
Image credit goes to My Keto Kitchen
The Low Carb Indian Boiled Egg Curryis made to be mild-medium in heat, but you can certainly dial up the heat if you prefer by adding more/hotter chilies.
This is a great recipe to make the night before because the flavors they have time to combine and develop (foods like curry tend to taste better the next day).
The curry is served with cauliflower rice to keep the carb count down.
- Calories: 511
- Fats: 46g
- Proteins: 17g
- Net Carbs: 6g
View this recipe on My Keto Kitchen: Low Carb Indian Boiled Egg Curry
Cauliflower Mushroom Bowls
Image credit goes to Food Faith Fitness
Mushrooms provide a rich flavour and ‘meaty’ texture to this vegetable-packed Text text text Cauliflower Mushroom Bowl.
The fresh mint adds a some lightness to the meal, but the best ingredient in this recipe is the almond pesto. A fun ingredient is pomegranate seeds, which provide some crunch.
- Calories: 208
- Fats: 13g
- Proteins: 4g
- Net Carbs: 11g
View this recipe on Food Faith Fitness: Cauliflower Mushroom Bowl
Zucchini Ricotta Tart
Image credit goes to A Sweet Life
Zucchini is such an incredible vegetable – it is low carb, tasty, and versatile enough to be turned into any from fritters, noodles, to even dessert.
This Zucchini Ricotta Tart is a refreshing meal for summer. The low-carb crust is made with a blend of almond and coconut flour.
- Calories: 302
- Fats: 25.23g
- Proteins: 12.41g
- Net Carbs: 4.82g
View this recipe on A Sweet Life: Zucchini Ricotta Tart
Low-Carb Vegetarian Greek Briam
Image credit goes to Keto Diet Blog
Based of the traditional Greek Briam recipe, this Low-Carb Vegetarian Greek Briam reaplces the carb-heavy potatoes with cauliflower.
It is packed to brim with a large selection of low-carb veggies and topped with crumbly feta. This is a great lunchtime meal, as it can be eaten hot or cold, so make a big batch to last a few days.
- Calories: 400
- Fats: 35.8g
- Proteins: 8.7g
- Net Carbs: 9.3g
View this recipe on Keto Diet Blog: Low-Carb Vegetarian Greek Briam
Low Carb Crustless Quiche Caprese
Image credit goes to Wholesome Yum
This Low Carb Crustless Quiche Caprese is packed with summer flavors.
Fresh tomato and basil, and loads of gooey mozzarella. It only uses 8 ingredients and has minimal prep time. The serving size is quite small, so you could easily double it, or eat a slice with a green salad on the side.
- Calories: 147
- Fats: 10g
- Proteins: 11g
- Net Carbs: 2g
View this recipe on Wholesome Yum: Low Carb Crustless Quiche Caprese
Grilled Halloumi Salad
Image credit goes to tasteaholics
I love adding grilled halloumi to salads and roast veg (or just eating on its own). When grilled, it gets a slightly crispy and crunchy crust on the outside and is soft and warm on the inside.
You could eat this Grilled Halloumi Salad as is, or also add olives, capers or mint.
- Calories: 560
- Fats: 47g
- Proteins: 21g
- Net Carbs: 7g
View this recipe on Grilled Halloumi Salad: tasteaholics
Vegetarians Have Options Too
If you’re a vegetarian, then after going through these keto vegetarian lunch recipes, you can see that there are plenty of options out there for you.
Keeping up with your macros may be harder because your options are even more limited than before, but you can easily be successful with the ketogenic diet and stick to your vegetarian ways.
For some, you may not still be convinced about your options. Joining Keto Bootstrap can help you see that the keto lifestyle can be done and give you the body that you want. You will also see that there are other people out there that are going through exactly what you are and having success like you will eventually have.
