Staring down a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey leg in hand — I am forced to conclude that I am not, in fact, looking forward to the idea of eating my body weight in mashed potatoes.

I know what you’re thinking, that practically amounts to sacrilege.

Next you’ll be extolling the virtues of tofurkey or shilling weight loss teas like one of those dispiritingly slender Instagram models.

While I’d happily part with my pocket-fork to look like Bella Hadid, I’m not prepared to forsake enjoying food in favor of gimmicky diets and green juices.

But I do advocate for thinking before you eat; if only so you can better enjoy every mouthful.

Here are 25 of our favorite Keto thanksgiving recipes.

And they’re all delicious — because eating well shouldn’t make you bloody miserable.

Of course, we are just sharing the good news here. Check your measurements, servings and your own limitations before diving in.

1. Italian Keto Meatballs With Cheddar Cheese

Uncomplicated, comforting and versatile: there’s a million different ways to eat meatballs, and they’re all great — though unfortunately, they’re not all keto-friendly recipes.

You can eat them with pasta.

You can sling them in a soup.

You can stuff them with cheddar, smother them with spinach and enjoy them as part of a keto friendly thanksgiving like so.

The possibilities are endless. The world is your oyster — and the pearl is a meatball.

2. Instant Pot Low Carb Keto Beef Stew

Everyone should know how to make a stew — and this unfussy keto beef tagine is as good a place to start as any.

There’s only a few things you’ve got to be certain of: one, that you’ve got the right cut of meat and two, that you’re cooking it long enough.

Barring that, it’s nigh-impossible to mess up this keto thanksgiving dinner.

Serve with a side of cauliflower rice at your holiday meal.

3. Keto Mac And Cheese

We’ve peddled some seriously pimped-out mac and cheese on this website (and no, we’re not sorry) but this is a remarkably straight, indulgently simple version of what has always been an essentially domestic dish.

This low carb keto thanksgiving recipe is best enjoyed spooned out of the pot in hot, creamy mouthfuls right there on your stovetop.

In the name of novelty, you may add no more than a handful of leeks — but that’s it.

We’ve got to draw a line somewhere.

4. Keto Fried Chicken

Fried chicken: we love you and we don’t care who knows it.

Our singular quibble is that we could do without the greasy carb overload that results from eating one crispy batter-drenched tender too many.

This recipe is a quick fix. Your keto thanksgiving menu is ready.

5. Keto Taco Casserole

Some things you should never do with a taco:

Put fake cheese in it.
Turn it into a pizza.
Wrap it in a cheesesteak. Yes, really.

This taco casserole is beyond reproach, though.

Keto thanksgiving recipes don’t get a whole lot better than this.

Neither does a cheat meal, for that matter.

6. Garlicky Lemon Mahi Mahi

It pays not to mess too much with this fresh, summery fish.

Serve with grilled asparagus and a lashing of chopped parsley.

Remember, the trick is not to make a splash at your low carb thanksgiving.

7. Keto Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Danish

Crack an egg, stir in some zingy pumpkin puree and bake at 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes — and VY-OH-LAY.

Breakfast a la Thanksgiving keto recipes is served.

These also make for a delicious dessert.

8. Tuscan Butter Shrimp

Take a cue from the Tuscans: these herby, spicy shrimp require very little in the way of actual effort and are as light and delicate as a briny sea-breeze.

Enjoy this delicious keto recipe with a flute of chilled white wine.

9. Thai Peanut Salad

This fresh, crisp salad is a great way to make use of whatever neglected vegetables might ordinarily have been fated to end up in the garbage disposal.

The recipe calls for dressing these simple ingredients up with pungent fish sauce.

10. Keto Brown Butter And Almond Flour Pralines

There’s no greater joy than that of warm, toasty pralines.

These are what we enjoy before gearing up for a long, exhausting day of prepping low carb thanksgiving recipes and keto stuffing.

Meltingly rich and wonderfully nutty — we’ll wolf them butter-soft and steaming straight from the pan.

11. Keto Pumpkin Pie With Coconut Flour

Thank you, diet-gods for blessing us with the finest of keto desserts, without which no keto thanksgiving feast is complete.

This boasts a rich, balanced taste that ensures you won’t miss your store-bought pie.

12. Spicy Haddock With Guacamole

All out of keto thanksgiving ideas?

Elegantly simple poached fish meets spicy guacamole in this succulent, nourishing feast.

Bring your appetite — and a wedge of lemon.

13. Portobello Pizzas

The earthy, wholesome appeal of a Portobello mushroom has always been hard to resist.

If you’re resistant to the idea of a pizza in a mushroom cap — relax.

The Portobello isn’t the main event here; that would be all the cheese.

14. Chicken Crust No Carb Pizza

It’s pizza. With a crispy chicken crust.

Even if you aren’t on a keto diet, I don’t think we’ve really got to sell you on this.

15. Ketogenic Diet Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Baked or chilled? Pastry shell or cookie base?

We find cheesecake to be intensely personal, but everyone will enjoy these creamy, no-fuss, no-faff chocolate-chip studded bars when it’s time for keto thanksgiving dessert.

Thank goodness for cream cheese.

16. Sheet Pan Turkey Breast

There’s nothing we like more than a delicious one-pot main course.

And this succulent, juicy turkey breast is a great example of the joys of a sheet-pan.

17. Garl icky Brussel Sprouts

Brussels sprouts have long been the pariahs of the Cooking Chew kitchen, summoned dutifully at holiday season and then ignored.

That was until we tried them laced with garlic and judiciously well-seasoned.

Next to no-net carbs and so good we could hardly believe it was sprouts we were eating.

Now they’re the uncontested king of side dishes.

18. Keto Alfredo Zoodles

Creamy, dreamy and absolutely perfect from one end of the zoodle to the other.

Nuts are the secret weapon in this ode to a classic.

19. Keto Carne Asada

We used to think steak was a tad overrated till we had it the Mexican way.

Finish with some fire-roasted salsa and creamy guacamole. Olé!

20. Breakfast Fried Cauliflower Rice

Fried-rice doesn’t have to be takeaway style to be good.

Case in point: this delicious, buttery breakfast of firm, spicy cauliflower and crispy bacon.

Throw in a handful of parsley for good measure. Because fresh herbs delicious!

21. Keto Big Mac Salad

You can’t beat the instant gratification of a warm, greasy big mac (or the carb count, for that matter) but this salad is the next best thing.

It sure wins out over the traditional thanksgiving meal side of creamed corn.

22. Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

These easy-peasy wraps put the pleasure back in snacking — no need to tear open a bag of potato chips (though we’re very partial to salt and vinegar and promise not to tell if you won’t).

23. Keto Salmon Patties

If you like salmon, you’ll dig these warm crumb patties.

If you don’t like salmon, these will convert you.

Toss them in a salad with some ranch dressing and ice-cold lettuce or sling them between some soft, pillow-y burger buns: your call.

24. Curried Green Beans

Green bean casserole, this isn’t — it’s better.

These delicately-spiced curried green beans conjure up sunny days spent in the garden.

Serve with rotis, parathas (or naan) or keto bread like Toufayan’s Smart Pockets.

25. Baked Jicama Fries

An elegant, low-carb twist on the humble chip.

We’ll never deep fry sweet potatoes again.

Serve with a light dusting of parmesan cheese and some olive oil.

The bottom line

You don’t have to train yourself to like healthy food when it’s this good.

From main dishes to fries, even keto thanksgiving desserts, we’re on a mission to eating well the easy way with the best keto thanksgiving recipes out there.

No willpower necessary.

Had all the low-carb you can take?

Check out our 28 Tasty Crockpot Thanksgiving Sides or our 28 Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas!