Even though it’s called The Paleo Diet there are plenty of recipes that will make you feel like you’re cheating. Each of these recipes keeps within the guidelines for Paleo recipes, using fresh, high-quality ingredients in unique ways that will make your mouth water just reading about them. So whether you’re looking for breakfast, dinner, a snack, or just want to use a recipe that uses up the chicken or beef you have on hand, we’ve got you covered with this hand-picked list of amazing Paleo diet recipes.
Top 20 Paleo Recipes of 2018
Best Paleo Pancakes: Paleo Banana Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries
Best Paleo Bread: Easy Paleo Sandwich Bread
Best Paleo Fried Chicken: Crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Best Paleo Low Carb Meal: Easy Sheet Pan Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles
Best Paleo Energy Bites: Cinnamon Apple Pie Energy Balls
Best Paleo Brownies: Fudgy Paleo Brownies (Choclaty Goodness)
Best Paleo Muffins: Banana Nut Muffins (OMG!)
Best Paleo Breakfast: Easy Sweet Potato Hash
Best Paleo Casserole: Loaded Cauliflower Bake
Best Paleo Banana Bread: Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Best Paleo Soup: Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Best Paleo Chili: Family-Friendly Crockpot Chili
Best Paleo Cookies: Easy Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
Best Paleo Mayo: Homemade Herbed Paleo Mayonnaise
Best Paleo Salad Dressing: Homemade Ranch Dressing
Best Paleo Snack: Addictive and Healthy Paleo Nachos
Best Paleo Ice Cream: Easy Banana Ice Cream (3 Ways)
Best Paleo Cake: Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Best Paleo Pizza: Pepperoni Cauliflower Pizza Bites
Best Paleo Meatballs: Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Soups and Stews
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Get into the habit of buying a butternut squash whenever you’re at the store. They’re so versatile and able to be used in so many ways, that you’ll have no trouble finding a Paleo friendly recipe to use it in. Here she’ll show you exactly how to take that big bulky squash and tame it so it becomes a tasty soup. If you’ve always avoided these types of squash because you didn’t know how to prepare it, now’s your chance to learn how, and it will be a skill you can use again and again when eating on the Paleo plan.
Roasted Tomato Soup
Anytime you keep things simple you’ll be keeping them Paleo. Think about it: early man didn’t complicate things because they couldn’t complicate things. They had to use what was around them, whatever that would have been. They also didn’t have well-equipped kitchens like we have, so their cooking style would have been rudimentary, yet effective. This tomato soup only adds a few different items plus some seasonings to fresh, ripe tomatoes so it’s going to really pop in your mouth, and the tomato flavor will be front and center. Luckily we have things like immersion blenders to make quick work of the preparation process.
Curried Chicken Soup
If you love the taste of curry but don’t know how to make it, this soup can serve as a reliable way to get that flavor without having to memorize a difficult recipe or use curry from a jar. There are plenty of ingredients being used here, but you’ll see in the directions that it’s just a matter of combining them all together, so it’s not complicated. You end up with an amazing curry soup that has interesting things like almonds in it to give it a crunch you don’t usually get with curry. They’re also giving it healthy fat and additional protein which is very helpful.
Paleo Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is Paleo’s answer to the tortilla soup you used to love ordering in restaurants, but can’t have anymore because it likely contains beans. Beans are a no-no on Paleo, and this soup recipe deftly avoids them, but still delivers on the flavor you are wanting. This actually is very well-balanced for a Paleo dish, and if you eat enough of it, it can be a meal all by itself. If you just want a cup it can serve as a nice appetizer for a Mexican main dish. We love that this is topped with avocado, one food you should definitely start eating more of if you don’t already.
Sweet Potato Soup with Bell Peppers, Lemon & Thyme
Sweet potatoes will likely become one of the foods you find yourself using a lot of when eating Paleo. That’s because they can be cooked up in so many different ways, and they also serve as a great replacement to white potatoes. In this soup they’ll add a creamy texture, as well as lots of flavor. They go great with bell peppers, and their choice of lemon and thyme can’t be beat. The great part is that they used leftover mashed sweet potatoes for this soup, which takes out a lot of the prep work and lets you get to the cooking and the eating faster.
Butternut Squash & Kale Beef Stew
Butternut squash is great for you, kale is fantastic for you, so in this recipe you’re already starting off on the right foot. Next, add in some beef and you’re doing just dandy in regards to Paleo eating. That’s because you’re getting plenty of nutrition from the kale and squash, as well as the requisite protein from the beef, so you’ll feel satiated at the end of the bowl, and this is a stew that eats like a meal because it is a meal, it just happens to be in a bowl. You brown the meat in bacon fat, giving it wild amounts of flavor.
Salads
Balsamic Green Bean Salad
This is a wonderful green bean salad that will be bursting with flavor. Go with organic green beans and you’ll be able to tell the difference in how they taste. The additional ingredients are all Paleo inspired, with walnuts as a source of healthy fat, something that you’re supposed to get enough of each day you’re on Paleo. She’s also using a red onion, and olive oil. Olive oil is additional healthy fat, and the Paleo diet is one of the few diets out there that places such a primary importance on getting healthy fats into your body.
Cauliflower Tabbouleh
You wouldn’t be able to eat traditional tabbouleh while following the Paleo diet because it’s made from bulgur, but you can have as much of this cauliflower tabbouleh as you want. Cauliflower is a very versatile food and is used in Paleo recipes to replace everything from rice, to pizza crusts. Here it works perfectly when mixed with other ingredients and spices that are usually found in tabbouleh. It has cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, and tomatoes. The tomatoes will give it plenty of flavor as well as lycopene, vitamins, and minerals making this a healthy item to serve up alongside any meat dish.
Roasted Pumpkin Salad with a Za’atar Dressing
The dressing steals the show on this salad, but you don’t want to overlook the roasted pumpkin. Pumpkin is an often overlooked vegetable that only gets popular in the fall, but is full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that makes it a healthy part of any meal all year long. Roasting it softens it up properly so it is pleasing to the tooth, and the dressing that accompanies it on this recipe is pretty special. The peculiar thing is that it’s very simple, consisting of just five ingredients: olive oil, orange juice, herbs, and salt and pepper. Be sure to use sea salt and not refined salt.
Herbed Calamari Salad
Calamari is definitely something our ancestors would have eaten if they lived near a shore. Knowing how to catch fish and other sea creatures is what helped us beat out the Neanderthals, so we’ve known a thing or two about seafood for a long time now. This recipe walks you through the steps needed to take calamari and turn it into a delicious salad that works as a starter to a meal, or as a light meal all by itself. If you’re not used to eating things like squid you may have to broaden your palate and try new foods. It’s what Paleo is all about.
Breakfast
Coconut Flour Pancakes
These coconut flour pancakes cook up just like traditional pancakes, except they are missing one ingredient found in almost every single pancake recipe: all-purpose flour. All the taste that you’d expect is there, and on Paleo you can use pure maple syrup to make this taste incredible. Also, you are free to have bacon as a side, which helps to complete a most delicious start to the day, and keeps this right in line with something you’d get as a breakfast at a restaurant or diner.Get used to using coconut flour, as it will become your new best friend on Paleo.
Bacon and Tomato Quiche
Quiche is usually fair game on the Paleo diet because it’s primarily made with eggs, and eggs are definitely a Paleo approved food. This particular quiche recipe includes plenty of delicious ingredients, and she’s topped it off with a zucchini hash crust so it’s crunchy on the top, and full of eggs and yummy vegetables on the bottom. All of the ingredients that are not Paleo in a traditional quiche have been removed and replaced with Paleo perfect items. Flax meal is used as an optional ingredient, and we’d suggest it since it adds beneficial omega-3s to the mix.
Paleo Pumpkin Granola
If you like to start your day with granola, most other versions you see on store shelves will not be approved on the Paleo diet. You’ll need construct your own granola recipe using Paleo foods such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and spices like cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. This gives you the ability to customize the granola according to your own taste as well as make sure you are only using high quality ingredients. You’ll want to avoid eating it with yogurt as well, as that’s a dairy product. Try it with almond milk as a delicious and nutritious substitute that’s dairy free.
Mile High Power Breakfast Burger
This is a great way to start your day and feel like you really ate a full meal. Eating Paleo means eating until you feel content, not starving yourself or depriving yourself of a full-sized meal. This breakfast burger is packed with wonderful breakfast foods that will not only keep you satisfied but will also make sure you aren’t cheating on your diet. You’re getting super foods like avocado, eggs, and fresh kale, which work nicely together and provide a good mix of protein, vitamins, and minerals. The avocados have potassium, the eggs have protein and minerals, and the kale has plenty of fiber and other good things for your body.
Dinner
Simple Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme
Salmon tastes great and it is one of the top recommended foods you can eat while following the Paleo diet. This is because it is loaded with plenty of omega 3’s, as well as healthy fats that your body needs to function at its best. In this recipe she has made things very simple, which only serves to bring out the natural flavor of the salmon. She has it topped with slices of lemon, and also capers are used for subtle flavoring. All that’s needed is a vegetable dish to go with it to make it just right so you don’t get the munchies late at night before bedtime.
Paleo Mini Meatloaves
Meatloaf is one food you don’t have to give up while following the Paleo diet. The great thing about meatloaf is everyone usually likes it enough to make it a regular menu item. In this version it has been miniaturized so that you don’t end up making one big loaf, but rather individual-sized portions so that everyone gets a nice outer crust, and it avoids the problem of soggy or crustless middle section pieces. You’ll notice that the breadcrumbs have been done away with as they aren’t allowed on the Paleo diet. You won’t notice they’re gone because there’s coconut flour instead.
Portobello Mushroom Paleo Taco
Tacos can be tricky to make Paleo, but they’ve figured out a good way here by using portobello mushroom caps for the shells. These caps do a good job of holding all of the yummy taco-inspired ingredients, and by the time you finish one of these you’ll feel satisfied, and like you just had Taco Night. The thick texture of the mushrooms means you can pile on the taco toppings and you won’t have to worry about breaking the shell.
Stuffed Sweet Peppers With Goat Cheese
These stuffed peppers are using sweet peppers so they are not spicy, and they are stuffed with goat cheese, which does not contain as much lactose as cheese made from cow’s milk. They say that you can use a different cheese if you do not like goat cheese, and with the cheese question you’re going to have to come up with your own answer as to which kind you are going to use while you are eating Paleo. If your body responds well to eating cheese, you’ll be able to have it more often than someone that can’t process it.
Grilled Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Slaw
These pork chops are some of the best we’ve seen, and it is through a combination of preparing the pork chop correctly, and topping it with a delicious fruit slaw. When choosing the pork for your pork chops, you want to make sure that you go with an organic brand, rather than conventional. This is true with all of the meat you purchase for Paleo meals because it won’t be loaded with antibiotics, and the animals will have been fed organic feed. For the fruit in this, you’re also going to want to stick with organic peaches, plums, and apricots to avoid chemicals and pesticides.
Super Porktastic Meatloaf
This meatloaf is billed as being packed with plenty of pork flavor, and that’s because they’re using bacon to top things off. What most people don’t understand is that Paleo is equal parts meat and vegetables, even though this meatloaf has a bacon topping, it is also packed with a pound of spinach. The 50/50 ratio of meat to vegetables is important to help your digestive system process all the meat, and to stick to a hunter-gatherer ratio. If it was a meat-centric diet it wouldn’t be very healthy, and it wouldn’t be in line with what our ancestors were eating in the Stone Age.
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is a popular dish in the UK, but not so much in the States. It’s a shame because it’s very delicious, but it is also made with a lot of ingredients that aren’t necessarily Paleo if it’s made the traditional way. This recipe makes plenty of adjustments so that a Paleo eater can enjoy comforting food. For starters they’ve gotten rid of white potatoes that play such a big role, and replace them with sweet potatoes which are a recommended Paleo food because they are loaded with antioxidants and fiber. The other ingredients all fall well within your Paleo guidelines, so you can eat until satisfied.
Beef and Blueberry Stuffed Sweet Potato
This sweet potato is stuffed with beef and blueberries, a combination that you may not have ever seen before. They all combine to form a very well-balanced Paleo meal, and you’re getting tons of antioxidants both from the blueberries and the sweet potatoes. The beef gives you protein, while sweet potatoes are a carbohydrate that is digested slowly by the body. There is just as much sweet potatoes as there is beef, with just a bit of blueberries added for good measure. This makes for a microcosm of what it’s like to eat a perfectly portioned Paleo meal.
Crock Pot
Photo: Paleo Pot
Easy Paleo Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs
Usually spaghetti and meatballs is something that you would have to forgo when you eat the Paleo way. That’s because noodles just aren’t something you can eat, at least the traditional type. This spaghetti and meatballs recipe makes some key changes so that you can enjoy this classic dish without worrying about eating wheat or grains. The spaghetti is made from squash so it is not real spaghetti at all, and may taste a little different, but should give you the overall feel of spaghetti and meatballs. If you can get used to these small changes it will make a big difference on your waistline.
Crock-Pot Roast
This Crock Pot roast has everything you’d want from a traditional Sunday roast, all in one pot. The beauty of it is that everything comes out perfectly cooked so the meat is very tender and juicy and the carrots, celery, onions, and cauliflower all come out soft and ready to eat. A major bonus to this is just how easy it is to get everything prepared and put into the slow cooker. Most roasts will have you checking in on it from time to time, but this one let’s you relax for about 8 hours before you have to do anything else to it.
Snacks
Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips
These apple chips are baked, not fried, so you’re already coming out on top compared to eating a bag of potato chips. Since you won’t be eating potatoes on Paleo it’s good to come up with a better alternative. These apple chips will have a sweetness to them, satisfying both your crunchy cravings as well as your sweet tooth. The best part is they only use two ingredients, apples and cinnamon, so there’s never any doubt as to whether these are healthy or not. Paleo isn’t very fruit centric, but you should be having at least one serving of fruit per day, and this can be it.
Healthy Fruit Leather
This is a Fruit Roll-Up knock off that will give you a serving of actual fruit rather than a bunch of artificial ingredients and commercial sweeteners. The cool thing is she uses three different types of fruit in these, with apples, strawberries, and grapefruit making an appearance. Making it look like a strip of leather is easier than you think, and she walks you through the steps so you can make it look appetizing. And they’re great for kid’s lunches as well, so you can feel good about what they are snacking on.
Gummi Orange Slices
These gummy orange slices are really great because they don’t use any sugar, but they come out just like a piece of gummy candy, with natural orange flavoring throughout. Gelatin is something that you can definitely have while on the Paleo diet, and they’re making full use of it here. Of course real oranges account for the orange taste, which is a recurring theme with Paleo, it uses natural and basic ingredients to accomplish its flavor goals.You’ll have to decide for yourself if you want to use the food coloring to make this look orange, and if so how orange you want it to be. Paleo purists wouldn’t use any food coloring.
Quick & Easy Kale Chips
Kale chips make a great snack because they don’t contain anything that’s unhealthy for you. In this recipe she’s simply using curly kale and olive oil, so you are getting all of the benefits of kale, without any hydrogenated oils or industrial grade salt. You won’t believe how crispy and crunchy kale gets when you bake it until you try it. And since it is loaded with fiber, and has respectable amounts of potassium, with Vitamin A and Vitamin C levels that are off the charts, this is one of the healthiest snacks around. It’s also low in calories and fat, and the olive oil only adds healthy fat to the equation.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Berries
These berries are wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with a blend of cheese and greens. They make for a fun snack, and are also great for entertaining. If you’ve been worried that you can’t host a party or serve guests Paleo foods, there’s no need to worry. Many of the dishes that you make will not look any different than “normal” food, and if you don’t want to tell anyone it’s Paleo friendly, you don’t have to. In this recipe they’re using ricotta, but they are making sure it’s grass-fed. If you are unable to process any sort of dairy you’ll want to omit this part, but many Paleo followers allow a bit of high quality cheese now and then.
Vanilla Pumpkin Seed Clusters
At some point on the Paleo diet you’re going to crave something sweet, flavorful, and crunchy, and that’s when we’d recommend baking up a batch of these clusters. They use pumpkin seeds, and we’re just finding out how healthy these are, and the benefits they provide. The sweetness comes from coconut sugar and honey, two approved sources of sweet on Paleo. We recommend going with organic raw honey to avoid the processed kind you find on store shelves. The other ingredients are all-natural, just be sure to use organic pumpkin seeds for the best results.
Desserts
Chocolate Mug Cake
When you only want dessert for one a cake is too much, which is why Kiri came up with a way to make a chocolate cake in a mug, using only Paleo ingredients. This comes out moist and fluffy, just like you’d expect from a cake. The other thing you’ll really love about this is she’s whittled it down to the fastest and easiest steps possible. You just toss all of the ingredients in to a mug, mix, microwave, and enjoy. This goes great with a Paleo ice cream, so it’s true that you can really have your Paleo cake and eat it too, without feeling lousy or regretful afterward.
Almond Joy Sunday
This sundae is trying to replicate the joy experienced from eating an Almond Joy, without including all of the ingredients they contain that aren’t good for you. Imagine, a guilt-free ice cream treat, that’s what she’s going for here. The chocolate being used is dark chocolate, so already you’re doing better than if you were using milk chocolate. The coconut of course comes from real coconut, but it’s unsweetened coconut flakes so you’re not getting refined sugar, as the sweetness in this sweet treat comes from honey. The almonds add healthy fat and are an essential part of this Almond Joy sundae.
Spiced Autumn Apples Baked in Brandy
Apples are one of the healthiest fruits you can have, and are something our ancestors would have eaten anytime they came upon an apple tree. Here they’re filled with tasty things like raisins, brandy, cinnamon, and nutmeg, all baked right inside a cored apple. This means that the flavor gets infused right into the apple, which softens up during the baking process. Giving up dessert is not necessary on Paleo, it’s simply a matter of changing your idea of what dessert has to be. You’re getting a healthy and satisfying dessert here with no added sugar.
Chocolate Bavarian Cheesecake
These mini cheesecakes might take some time to make, but it’s totally worth it. You start by making a batch of chocolate cookies for the base, then create a cheesecake-like middle without using any dairy, and then top it off with coconut cream and cacao nibs for the finale. This is the type of dessert that will make you feel like you’re not on a diet at all, and that goes in line with the Paleo mentality. Even though it’s referred to as the Paleo Diet, it’s more like a lifestyle and a way of being than something that you have to force yourself to do.
51. Raw Brownie Bites
Brownies usually require mixing up the batter, baking it, then letting them cool just long enough so you can take a bite. But these brownie bites require no baking, so it’s just a matter of mixing up the batter, rolling it into a ball, and digging in. The nice part about these are that you can store them in the fridge and they keep really well, so they can be a nice sweet after dinner treat for a few days, even up to a week. You won’t believe the taste and the fact that there’s only a handful of ingredients is just a bonus.
Chocolate Chip Paleo Cookie Bars
Cookie bars are like cookies, but they’re thicker and have more of the good stuff per square inch because of their size and shape. That means you’re getting the cookie experience you’re craving, but in a handy bar form that will leave you more satisfied. These bars are in the style of chocolate chip, quite possibly the most popular cookie choice in America. The only thing is you won’t want to dunk these in a glass of cow’s milk, but you can feel free to have almond milk with them, and they actually contain almond milk as well.
Faux Paleo Napoleon
Perhaps you know this by the French name mille-feuille, but it also goes by Napoleon. Following a traditional mille-feuille recipe will get you into trouble on Paleo because of all the puff pastry and pastry cream that is used. Here they’ve made a faux version, and they’ve made it Paleo friendly so you won’t have to feel bad about eating it. The puff pastry has been replaced with almond flour, so no concerns about wheat or grains, and the filling is made with no dairy, using only ingredients commonly found in Paleo cooking and baking recipes.
Grilled Peaches with Coconut Cream
Fruit is a popular choice for a dessert when eating the Paleo way because it’s naturally sweet, and will provide you with a serving of fruit that you should be getting each day. It’s easy enough to doctor up the fruit with some naturally sweet things like honey or coconut sugar, and in this recipe they’ve taken peaches, grilled them to unlock the flavor, and then topped them with coconut cream. This means you’re getting a sweet, flavorful, creamy dessert without any dairy, or any refined sugar. Walnuts are added to the top for a crunchy addition that also adds healthy fat.
No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownie
You might think that the best part of these brownies is that you don’t have to bake them, but the real wow factor is that they combine two of the most popular desserts into one. You’re getting chocolate chip cookies and brownies in one package, and they’re layered on top of each other, so your taste buds get the flavor from each one. There are actually three layers to this, one that is mostly brownie, one that is mostly chocolate chip, and a middle layer that is a sort of hybrid of the two. Have this with some Paleo ice cream to really send yourself to the limits of deliciousness.
Beef
Photo: Rubies & Radishes
Paleo Beef Kebabs
Beef, it’s what’s for dinner on the Paleo diet, and these beef kebabs are made with sirloin, a premium cut of meat known for being lean. You want to take extra care to buy grass-fed beef when eating Paleo because it’s what a cow naturally eats, and doesn’t contain all of the additives they put in conventional cattle feed these days. Notice that they’ve also grilled up skewers with just vegetables. That’s because Paleo requires matching your meat intake with your vegetable intake for the right balance. She walks you through how to marinate the meat before grilling them, which ensures they’ll be flavorful and tender.
Meatball Zucchini Skillet
Skillet meals are always nice to make because they generally keep things contained to one pan. In this recipe she’s put together a nice mix of grass-fed ground beef, zucchini, and other supporting ingredients which turns out to be one of the best Paleo beef recipes we’ve discovered. The key is its simplicity, which allows you to enjoy the naturally flavor of the beef, while still getting your vegetables. Tomatoes are used as well, which help the body in many ways, most importantly with their lycopene content. Did you know that by cooking the tomatoes, you’re getting plenty more lycopene than from raw tomatoes?
58. Finger Lickin’ Chipotle Meatballs
Even though these have been dubbed “finger lickin’” Colonel Sanders has nothing to do with these. That’s because they’re not made with chicken, but with beef. They pack a bit of a kick because of the chipotles used, but not so much that it overpowers the other ingredients. There are plenty of Paleo ingredients used, both in the meatballs, and in the sauce. You’ll find tasty items like coriander seed, garlic, paprika, and bay leaves. You’ll find that the Paleo diet is not very restrictive, it’s just a matter of finding the right mix of spices and seasonings to make the food taste as good as it can.
Braised Paleo Bottom Round Roast
If you’re looking for a beef Paleo dish that comes out looking fantastic, like something you’d want to serve company, you’ll want to go with this braised bottom round roast. It is made with a whopping 3 pounds of grass fed beef bottom round, and has plenty of sweet potatoes, so you’ll be getting the fiber needed to help all of that meat make it through your system. An onion is added for good measure, and there are plenty of sage leaves used for flavor. She’s also using plenty of garlic, so you know that this roast will be noticeable on your palate.
Primal Pizza Pie Layered Casserole
When it comes to pizza on Paleo, you have a few different options. You can use one of these Paleo friendly pizza recipes, or you can make something like this pizza pie casserole. It has all the flavors that you want from a pizza, but without the crust that usually gets a Paleo eater into trouble. The bottom layer is made up entirely of ground beef, and then they put a vegetable crust over the top of the meat layer, making it a balanced Paleo meal by giving you your vegetables. The cheese on the top is optional, so use your best judgment on this and opt out of it if you know you can’t handle cheese.
Thyme-Braised Short Ribs
As pictured, these short ribs represent a perfectly portioned Paleo meal, because you’re getting nice a serving of vegetables along with your beef. Short ribs can be tough to cook, and often take a long time roasting or grilling, but she’s broken it down so that it’s a relatively easy recipe, and it’ll come out tasting great. She’s got them rested on top of a portabella mushroom cap, and served up with a side of broccoli, so this is not only a beefy meal, it’s also vegetable centric. Try these off the bone short ribs, and you’ll be hooked.
Citrus Marinated Flank Steak
You can usually find flank steak on sale at the local grocery store, just make sure that you’re getting a high quality version that is organic, or grass fed. She’s provided a way to take this cut of meat and turn it into something special that’s marinated in citrus juices so it’ll come out very tender and juicy. She’s using the juice of an orange and a couple of limes for the marinade, and there are also some additional ingredients used like olive oil, chili powder, and cilantro. Notice how she’s paired this with a side of mixed vegetables which is a big facet of Paleo eating.
Beef with Tomatoes and Wine
This beef recipe is simple, but comes out delicious because of the way it is prepared. You get plenty of beef in the form of chuck roast, and it is recommended to use grass-fed beef in this recipe as well as any other beef recipe you follow while eating Paleo. It’s also using a few glasses of red wine, and a good portion of tomato paste. If you are concerned about the red wine, don’t worry, the alcohol burn away during the cooking process, leaving just the flavor behind. Between the resveratrol in the red wine, and the lycopene in the tomatoes, you are getting a very healthy meal here.
Chicken
Photo: Ancestral Chef
Easy Paleo Chicken Pepper Stir-fry
This dish shows you how to cook up a simple, yet delicious Paleo stir fry that has only a few main ingredients, but is not short on flavor. It has bell peppers, chicken, some soy sauce, chili powder, and is fried up in coconut oil, so while it may seem like a basic recipe, it actually is full of flavor. This makes a great meal to cook up whenever you need a quick dinner, or lunch and want to keep things light. It is easily adaptable as well, you can use any vegetables you happen to have on hand in order to complete it or build on it.
Spicy Grilled Chicken Tenders
These spicy chicken tenders are grilled up so you will be getting lots of that delicious grilled flavor, as well as plenty of spice. They are using sriracha, one of the trendiest hot sauces that goes good with anything. You can also use your own preferred hot sauce, if sriracha is not to your liking. They are have added yellow mustard to the hot sauce, to give it a more dynamic taste, and you’ll be getting sweetness from either raw honey or maple syrup, whichever one you choose to go with. She’s garnished it with cilantro, but also mentions that you can use parsley or basil, whichever suits your taste better.
Apple-Basil Chicken Burgers
For some reason, putting things into burger form makes them taste better. These apple-basil chicken burgers are made with boneless chicken thighs, eggs, garlic powder and chili powder, as well as red bell peppers and apple. All of the ingredients get mixed in with each other, and formed into patties. They show this being served with broccoli and pumpkin, showcasing the way a Paleo meal should book. And of course there’s no bun on this burger because bread isn’t part of the Paleo way of eating. Trust us, when you’re done eating all those vegetables you won’t be missing the bun.
Bacon-Wrapped Barbecue Chicken
On most diet plans, bacon gets the axe because of all the fat it contains. But since it is OK on the Paleo diet, they tend to use it whenever they can. In this case they’ve decided to wrap up chicken breast in bacon before barbecuing it. Now, you may be thinking this is pretty unhealthy, but just look at their serving suggestion of topping a salad with these bacon wrapped barbecue chicken slices. It’s not a matter of an all you can eat bacon buffet, but instead is something you can enjoy in moderation, along with a hearty serving of vegetables.
Spicy Lime Chicken
With Paleo it is important to use the proper amount of spices and seasonings so that you don’t get tired of just eating meat and vegetables all the time. In this recipe they have an interesting mix of spices, and use plenty of lime so you’ll get a citrusy, spicy flavor. It starts off with chicken thighs and breasts, and then coats it all in olive oil so the spices will stick to the meat better. They’re using coriander, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and sea salt so this is definitely not lacking in the flavor department.
Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Kebabs
These teriyaki kabobs give you the flavor of teriyaki chicken that you might get from a Japanese restaurant, but in kebab form so they are grilled and have a very distinctive flavor. You’ll notice the attention to detail, like using organic wheat free soy sauce in order to make them. They also recommend using raw organic honey, which will replace the sugar typically found in a teriyaki sauce recipe. There is also fresh ginger used, and garlic, and they recommend free range organic chicken breasts, which should become your new way of buying chicken when on the Paleo diet.
Green Chicken Enchilada Meatballs
These meatballs attempt to capture the taste of chicken enchiladas verde, so if you don’t feel like making up a giant pan of Paleo friendly enchiladas, you can go with this meatball recipe and get a similar results. They are able to pull it off by using a pound of ground chicken, and you want to make sure that the chicken is organic. They are using almond flour to replace breadcrumbs that you’ll usually find in meatball recipes to help hold it all together. They also have it topped with some salsa verde to complete the green enchilada mission.
Chicken Parmesan
Chicken parmesan is not something that you would typically be having on Paleo because it is coated in bread crumbs. But this chicken parm is coated with Parmesan cheese and almond flour, which replaces the bread crumbs. You’ll still get that classic crunchy outer covering on the chicken, and of course the Parmesan will be baked right onto the chicken, so it’s just a matter of getting the other ingredients right. For the tomato sauce they are using garlic, oregano, and olive oil, and you can top it off with basil leaves and optional mozzarella cheese.
Prosciutto Pesto Chicken Roulade
A roulade is just a fancy French name for a rolled up food, and in this case they are rolling up a chicken with prosciutto and pesto. That means when you cut the chicken into slices, you’ll get a nice presentation because it will seem like the chicken has been stuffed with the prosciutto and pesto. Pesto is a great way to enhance any meal, and you can make a Paleo friendly version quite easily. They provide a pesto sauce recipe for you to follow. They have cauliflower used as a side dish so you’re getting not only your meat, but also your vegetables.
Fish
Photo: Paleo Gluten-Free Recipes
Paleo Fish Tacos
Perhaps the best part of this Paleo fish taco recipe is that they show you how to make wraps or tortillas without using any all-purpose flour, so you can use these for all sorts of different recipes. In this particular recipe they are using mahi mahi that’s been coated in olive oil and then seasoned. They also serve them up with a tasty mango barbecue sauce that incorporates apple cider vinegar into it. There is also a cilantro mayo which is made from a Paleo friendly mayonnaise recipe, as well as coconut milk, chili powder, and cayenne.
Mackerel in Magic Sauce
This mackerel recipe uses a pound of fresh mackerel with the skin left on. It is advertised as being served with a magic sauce and without taking any of the magic away we can tell you that it’s made with sherry, honey, some vinegar, and fresh ginger so it’s going to taste incredible, without using any ingredients that will set you back on your progress. On Paleo you may see yourself eating more fish than you used to eat, because it is such a healthy meat, and something our ancestors surely would have eaten. They have it served on a bed of cauli-rice, a rice substitute made from cauliflower.
Paleo Maple Salmon Fillets
Salmon is one of the best foods you can eat on Paleo, and here they have added maple syrup to the recipe so that you’ll get the rich flavor and sweetness of the syrup counter-balancing the strong flavor of the salmon. It also gives it a nice glaze, making it more appetizing to look at. They also have a good mix of spices and you’ll find cinnamon, nutmeg, onion powder and pepper being used to give this a remarkable flavor that you probably haven’t experienced before in regards to salmon. Serve this up with a baked sweet potato and you’re good to go.
Sesame Seed Crusted Snapper
It’s natural to want crunchy foods, but on Paleo you won’t want to subject yourself to many of the crunchy options out there. In this recipe they are coating a snapper fillet with sesame seeds, so you will get the delicate texture of the fish juxtaposed with the crunchy sesame seeds, all fried up in grass fed butter. The frying makes sure that the sesame seeds have a nice toasted flavor, and they point out that if you don’t have grass fed butter you can also use ghee or bacon fat to fry the fish in. This fish goes great with any number of vegetables as a side, and we like to recommend broccoli as a healthy option.
Ginger Cod with Zucchini Ribbon Salad
This cod gets dusted with ginger powder, as well as salt and pepper to keep things very simple, but very delicious. As you see it’s served next to a salad made from zucchini which has been spiralized into ribbons, and gets steamed to keep it very healthy. The whole lot is then covered with a blend of vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil, so it’s not too dry and is full of flavor. The cod and zucchini go together very well, making this a light meal you can use as a lunch, or dinner.
Burgers
Photo: Civilized Caveman Cooking
Avocado Stuffed Burger
Stuffed burgers are all the rage, and you can get into the craze with the Paleo diet, you just have to stuff the burger with Paleo friendly foods. In this recipe they’ve used an avocado as the stuffing, which gives these burgers potassium and healthy fat they wouldn’t otherwise have. They are grass-fed ground beef for the burger meat, which you’ll want to get into the habit of buying since it is closer to the natural way cows would eat. They’ve also managed to sneak in some sun-dried tomatoes, so you’ll be getting additional nutrition from those.
Thai Spiced Turkey Burgers
Get the taste of Thailand in a turkey burger so you can cut out a lot of the fat that comes with beef. On Paleo you want to mix up the type of meat you’re eating, and turkey makes a great choice. It will still give you protein and a savory flavor, and can be a nice respite from beef. In this burger they have red chilli and ginger being used to try to capture some of the Thai flavor, and they’ve served it open-faced on slice of Paleo bread. The avocado on top is a nice addition, it cools off the spices and adds fiber and potassium.
Paleo Cajun Burgers with Caramelized Onions
Cajun seasoning is always going to do a great job of adding spice and some heat to a meal, and in this recipe they provide you with the steps to make your own Cajun seasoning mix from scratch. Be sure to make a big batch of it so you can store it and have it on hand for more Cajun style cooking in the future. Once you have the Cajun burgers in place it’s time to top them off with some caramelized onions. This is served up without a bun, and on a bed of creamed spinach, and she provides a nice creamed spinach recipe that doesn’t use any dairy, but uses coconut milk instead.
Japanese Style Hamburger
If you want to try a Japanese-style burger without traveling to Japan, this is your ticket. They’re using organic grass-fed ground beef from Trader Joe’s, an excellent way to start off any burger recipe. From there they add onion, garlic, an egg, and some seasoning to get these just right. They then pan fry them, and they give the instruction of not squeezing them during the cooking process because they’ll end up dry. You can flip them as needed, but when it’s all said and done these retain their round shape. To make it even more Japanese themed you can use soy sauce during the cooking process.
Figgy Bacon Burgers
These burgers have been doctored up in a number of ways. First they have figs cooked right into them, and the figs get finely chopped so you won’t even notice the texture. They give the burgers a sweet tartness, which is then combined with the savory and unmistakable flavor of bacon. The bacon they’re using is specifically sugar-free, which many people don’t realize that sugar is added to conventional bacon packs found in stores. Paying attention to the foods that you’re eating is a big part of Paleo, and you want to exert quality control on everything that goes into your body.
Turkey Burgers with Cranberry Aioli
These burgers are inspired by Thanksgiving dinner. They’re made from turkey instead of beef or chicken, and are served with a cranberry aioli to invoke memories of cranberry sauce that’s served with the Thanksgiving turkey. But the most interesting thing about this recipe is the sweet potato buns made from fresh sweet potatoes instead of going without a bun. You don’t have to wait around until the holidays to enjoy the flavors you love.
Philly Shroom Burger
This burger is made with mushroom caps instead of a bun, and it is designed to mimic the flavors of a Philly steak sandwich, only in burger form. It is made from slices of sirloin, so it’s using Green me, and of course has all of the necessary ingredients that go into a Philly steak, such as a bell peppers in multiple colors, and an onion. They’re using lard to fry it all up in, so this is going to be one flavor-filled burger. Cutting out the bread is a facet of Paleo that many followers struggle with, but if you use substitutes like they are here, the process is easier.
Pizza
Photo: The Saffron Girl
Rhubarb-Chipotle Goat Cheese Pizza
Bring pizza back on the menu with this recipe that could win an award. It’s made with rhubarb, which if you’re like us you didn’t know much about it before going Paleo. But it’s a very useful item to have around, and it’s used in plenty of recipes. Here they’ve paired it with chipotle powder so you’re going to get a pizza topped with ingredients you probably wouldn’t have considered before. They use goat cheese, which helps to avoid the use of cheese made from cow’s milk, and this is something you may or may not be able to digest well, so use your own judgement on it.
Paleo Pizza Bites
These Paleo pizza bites will blow you away with their pizza flavor. She’s managed to make them extra delicious even though there isn’t any cheese in them at all. They look like little baked meatballs, but the cool thing about them is the way they burst with flavor when you eat them. It’s the Italian sausage that gives them the intense flavor, as well as the accompanying ingredients like bell peppers and mushrooms, just like you’d find on a pizza.
Pizza Flatbread
This flatbread pizza is billed as being grain free and nut free, which is interesting because many Paleo pizza crusts will contain almond flour to replace ordinary flour. This recipe uses sunflower seed flour, a very unique choice for a white flour substitute, and it combines that with tapioca flour to live up to the nut-free promise. You are free to add your own toppings, or go with what they’ve used, including fresh tomatoes, spinach leaves, and season things up with oregano, basil, and garlic powder. It’s nice to have a guilt-free delicious flatbread crust recipe to have on-hand anytime you get a pizza craving.
Meatizza
They’ve taken the approach of using meat to replace the crust of the pizza, which cuts out the grains and makes this one meaty pizza pie. The crust is made from Italian sausage, so it’s going to be massively flavorful, and a little spicey. They recommend using a sugar-free pizza sauce, which on Paleo you don’t want to eat any refined sugar, so this is a good recommendation to follow. They’ve made sure to include a bunch of vegetables in this “meatizza” so you are still going to get your nutritional needs met, in addition to all of that meat.
Blue Cheese Mini Pizzas
These mini pizzas are great to have as a snack, at a party, for watching the big game, as a lunch, or a dinner, depending on how many of them you eat at one time. They are made with a crust that is formed with almond flour, so they’re Paleo friendly, and they are topped simply with tomato paste and some blue cheese, so you get the rich and tangy taste of blue cheese in each bite. You’ll want to go with a goat’s milk variety of blue cheese, if you go this route at all. Some Paleo eaters can handle small amounts of cheese on occasion.
Pizza Casserole
Casseroles are usually a big hit with the family, and perhaps no other casserole can match a pizza casserole. It’s like a pizza stacked onto another pizza and is sure to please the pickiest of eaters, even if that’s you. It’s also a Paleo-friendly recipe, with no crust to speak of, just layer upon layer of yummy items like eggplant, parmesan, sausage, and of course marinara sauce. When it comes to pizza you have to make the determination of how you feel about mozzarella cheese because it’s not a Paleo food, but many followers will have it now and then.
Cauliflower Crust Bacon Pizza
Making a pizza crust from cauliflower is something you just have to try if you haven’t yet. You’ll be surprised that a vegetable can double as a pizza crust, and even more surprised to learn that it actually tastes good. This pizza makes use of bacon, so it has an unfair advantage on your taste buds. There’s also spinach as a topping, so you’re definitely covered in the vegetable department. Coconut flour helps the cauliflower turn out like a pizza crust, so you won’t be focused on that while you’re eating and you can focus on the bacon.
International
Photo: Home in Disarray
Thai Chicken Curry
You’ll be happy to learn that you can have Thai curry on the Paleo diet, as long as you follow a recipe that’s been adjusted accordingly. This may not follow the traditional recipe exactly, but all of the distinct flavors are there, thanks to the use of full-fat coconut milk. They’ve used plenty of chicken, and have included an assortment of vegetables like zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and asparagus. There’s even kale thrown in for even more nutrients. Really as long as you’ve got the curry paste and the coconut milk you’re well on your way to a successful replication.
Japanese Beef and Bamboo
This Japanese beef dish uses bamboo as one of the vegetables. Trying new things is part of the Paleo process, and if you’ve never had bamboo shoots now is a good time to start. They are full of potassium and vitamins and taste good, especially with beef. There are also other vegetables like green beans and spinach to balance out the beef, and his preparation is easy to follow so you can make this just like he did. You can usually find bamboo shoots in the International section of a grocery store, of you may need to visit an Asian food mart.
Indo Chinese Chilli Chicken
This recipe is inspired by Indochina cuisine and features chilli chicken that gets marinated in a special blend of spices. The red chillies are going to give this a pretty good spiciness to this dish, so if you don’t like spicy foods you may want to pass on this one, or make adjustments to the peppers, using ones that aren’t as potent. It’s served on a bed of cauliflower rice to keep it Paleo friendly. You’ll find that cauliflower is a versatile way to make rice and couscous replacements, and it satisfies your vegetable requirement.
Paleo Chicken Shawarma
Get your shawarma fix satisfied without ruining your dieting efforts with this Paleo approved chicken shawarma. It isn’t cooked the way traditional shawarma is, but it is still grilled, which gives it a nice flavor, and it is using a blend of spices that will give you the taste that you’re seeking out when you’re in shawarma mode. That’s because it’s marinated, so the flavors have a chance to soak into the chicken. He’s even provided a recipe for Paleo friendly hummus, so you can dip the pieces of chicken into that, or simply eat them solo.
Indian Fried Beef
If Indian food is one of your favorite cuisines be sure to try out this fried beef recipe, which gets the Paleo seal of approval. It’s made with hearty chunks of beef stew meat, and has a list of seasonings you may have to go shopping for, but it will be worth it. These include turmeric and garam masala, both of which will act to give it that distinct Indian flavor. The meat is marinated, and then sauteed, with spices and seasonings added to both steps, so you know that this is going to knock your socks off, and the meat will be tender and flavorful.
Greek Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Thighs
These chicken thighs have been given quite the treatment, first stuffed, and then wrapped up in prosciutto. They are stuffed with things like artichokes, olives, and spinach, all of which are Paleo goodies, and then wrapped up in slices of prosciutto which not only adds flavor but also serves the purpose of keeping everything held together. The advantage to a meal like this is that it contains everything you need for a complete Paleo meal, so you can focus your attention on just making this.
Honey Orange Chicken
You don’t have to subject yourself to the Orange Chicken made by a fast food place anymore, you can stay on the Paleo path and still have a delicious orange chicken when you get the notion. that’s because it gets its sweetness from honey, and its orange flavor from oranges, so nothing artificial goes into it. The use of ginger, chili sauce, and garlic means you’ll still be getting the classic taste, but this method gives you control over the quality of ingredients you’re using, especially the chicken, which you can use organic free range chicken.
Italian Sausage Salad with Pesto, Tomatoes and Mozzarella
This Paleo diet recipe has a traditional Italian feel to it thanks to the use of Italian sausage and the spices it is packed with. It then takes it one step further with pesto, an item that you can make on your own following a Paleo friendly pesto recipe. There are also plenty of nourishing foods like baby spinach, and tomatoes, so you’re getting a fair amount of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. You can easily omit the mozzarella if you’re nixing all cheese per the official Paleo stance on cheese, but these are fresh mozzarella balls, and you may find they’re easier to digest.
Filipino Beef Stew
This dish is inspired by Kaldereta, a dish from the Philippines that is generally made with goat shoulders and liverwurst. They’ve replaced the goat shoulders with beef, but they’ve kept the liverwurst which is a good way to incorporate some organ meat into your caveman diet. If you end up liking it there are lots of other recipes you can use it in. The traditional way of making it can be pretty spicy with the use of hot peppers, and here they’re using a red pepper, as well as chile flakes, so it will be a bit spicy, but you can make adjustments to it depending on your personal taste.
Bonus Recipes
Photo: Naked Cuisine
Chocolate Cream Pie
Isn’t it awesome just how many foods you can have with Paleo. There’s virtually nothing that’s off limits as long as you’re using the right ingredients. In this version of the classic chocolate cream pie, the regular crust has been replaced with an almond-based crust so you’ll get more fiber and protein from the crust that you would with any flour-based crust. The chocolate is from cacao paste and isn’t filled with dairy or refined sugar. A perfectly chocolatey and healthy pie!
Moroccan Spieced Carrot Soup
Savor the flavor of this carrot soup, which has been enhanced with traditional Moroccan spices. Turmeric, paprika, and cinnamon round things out here, and they’ve served it up with a side of kale crisps for additional flavor. You can also add pomegranates to the soup as a garnish which provides extra nutrition and gives it a nice color contrast. This is a fitting example of the caliber of foods you can make while still following the Paleo lifestyle.
Grilled Chicken Salad
In order to keep salads interesting you need to have an array of different ways to make them. In this grilled chicken salad recipe you’re starting with a basic chicken salad, but adding in items like raspberries, walnuts, and artichoke hearts to jazz things up and make it a meal that you look forward to time and time again. Top it with a basic balsamic vinaigrette or your favorite Paleo dressing and you’ve got a winner on your hands.
Coconut Almond Energy Bars
Get real energy from natural sources with these coconut almond energy bars. Forget energy drinks or energy bars sold in stores. That’s all phoney baloney parlor tricks that make your heart race a little faster so you think you have more energy. But what happens later is you crash and have even less energy than when you started. These bars are filled with almonds and other wholesome foods, taste amazing, and give you that get up and go you need during the day.
Burger with Guacamole
This is one tasty burger, and they chose wisely when they topped it with guacamole. The guac not only adds in a massive amount of flavor, but it also adds healthy fat, potassium, and fiber to the mix. Speaking of fiber, you’ll get even more from the buns. That’s because they’re made from sweet potato noodles which are made using a spiralizer and fresh sweet potatoes. Who ever heard of a burger bun that provides this level of antioxidants?
Mini Squash Pizzas
Everybody gets their own mini personal pizza when you cook up these squash pizzas. Each slice of squash becomes a tiny sized pizza that is loaded up with Paleo friendly toppings. It’s a great way to use up that butternut squash you bought, and simply requires that you top them up with items that you like. They’re recommending meats and veggies so you can keep it Paleo, and really as long as you stick with those two types of foods you’ll be doing just fine.
Brazilian Fish Stew
A trip to Brazil is just minutes away when you let this stew simmer. It’s loaded up with flavor thanks to citrus fruits, cayenne peppers, and fish sauce. There’s also a combination of white fish and shrimp, so you’re getting some good quality protein to make this a meal. And let’s not forget the veggies, which include tomatoes and onions, made all the more delicious by the seasonings and spices. The perfect dish to make when you want seafood but don’t want to turn on the oven.
107 Best Paleo Diet Recipes of 2018 – Easy Recipes and Meal Ideas
Jess (Paleo Grubs)
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