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Easy Carnivore Diet Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner and Snacks

The best carnivore diet recipes are simple: meat, eggs, animal fat and salt. Here are 10 easy ones, including the bacon, eggs and ground beef meals I ate almost daily while losing 31.5 lbs.

By ChaseUpdated 10 min read

On this page
  1. All recipes at a glance
  2. How I cook everything
  3. Carnivore breakfast
  4. Carnivore dinner ideas
  5. Carnivore snacks
  6. Carnivore bread and egg chips
  7. Keeping it interesting
  8. FAQ

All carnivore recipes at a glance

RecipeMealTimeMain ingredients
Bacon and eggs cooked in bacon greaseBreakfast15 min4 strips bacon, 4 large eggs
Ground beef and egg skilletBreakfast or lunch20 min3 strips bacon, 6 oz 80/20 ground beef
Carnivore burger bowlLunch or dinner20 min10 oz 80/20 ground beef, 3 strips bacon
Reverse-seared ribeyeDinner1 hr1 ribeye, about 1.5 inches thick (1 to 1.25 lbs), 1 tbsp bacon grease or tallow
Slow-cooker chuck roastDinner, meal prep8 hr 15 min3 lb chuck roast, 2 tbsp bacon grease
Carnivore chaffles (egg and cheese waffles)Breakfast, carnivore bread15 min2 large eggs, 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar (dairy)
Crispy pork belly bitesSnack or dinner50 min2 lbs skinless pork belly
Pan-seared salmon in butterDinner15 min2 skin-on salmon fillets (6 oz each), 2 tbsp butter or bacon grease
Beef bone brothDrink, cooking12 hr 30 min3 to 4 lbs beef bones (marrow, knuckle and oxtail mix), Water to cover
Egg white chipsSnack35 min6 egg whites

How I cook everything

Almost every meal I made in my first 91 days started with bacon in a cold pan, then eggs, beef or steak cooked in the rendered fat. Keep a jar by the stove for the leftover grease, and salt more than you think you need. For a weekly plan built from these meals, see the carnivore diet food list and 7-day meal plan.

Carnivore breakfast recipes

I ate two meals a day, so these were usually my lunch.

Bacon and eggs cooked in bacon grease

Breakfast · Total time 15 min · Serves 1

The meal I ate more than any other. The eggs cook in the rendered bacon fat, so you need no butter or oil.

Ingredients

  • 4 strips bacon
  • 4 large eggs
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Lay the bacon in a cold skillet and set it over medium heat.
  2. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Move the bacon to a plate.
  3. Crack the eggs into the hot grease and cook to your liking, about 3 minutes for runny yolks.
  4. Salt the eggs and serve with the bacon.

Ground beef and egg skillet

Breakfast or lunch · Total time 20 min · Serves 1

My standard lunch: bacon first, then beef, then eggs scrambled into the grease, all in one pan.

Ingredients

  • 3 strips bacon
  • 6 oz 80/20 ground beef
  • 3 large eggs
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, then remove it.
  2. Add the ground beef to the grease, break it up and salt it. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until browned.
  3. Push the beef to one side, crack the eggs into the pan and scramble them.
  4. Crumble the bacon over the top, mix everything together and serve.

Carnivore diet dinner ideas

Ground beef carried most of my dinners because it is cheap and fast. Ribeye, chuck roast and salmon were for variety.

Carnivore burger bowl

Lunch or dinner · Total time 20 min · Serves 1

A burger with no bun: two seared patties topped with bacon and a fried egg. Add a slice of cheese if you eat dairy.

Ingredients

  • 10 oz 80/20 ground beef
  • 3 strips bacon
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt
  • 1 slice cheddar (optional, dairy)

Steps

  1. Shape the beef into two patties about 3/4 inch thick and salt both sides.
  2. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, then remove it.
  3. Raise the heat to medium-high and sear the patties in the grease 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add cheese for the last minute if using.
  4. Fry the egg in the same pan.
  5. Stack the patties in a bowl and top with bacon and the egg.

Reverse-seared ribeye

Dinner · Total time 1 hr · Serves 2

The most reliable way to cook a thick steak evenly: bring it up to temperature slowly in the oven, then sear it hard.

Ingredients

  • 1 ribeye, about 1.5 inches thick (1 to 1.25 lbs)
  • 1 tbsp bacon grease or tallow
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 250°F. Salt the steak on all sides and set it on a rack over a baking sheet.
  2. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until the center reads about 120°F for medium-rare.
  3. Heat the fat in a cast iron skillet over high heat until it shimmers.
  4. Sear the steak 60 to 90 seconds per side, plus the edges, until deeply browned.
  5. Rest 5 minutes, slice and salt again to taste.

Slow-cooker chuck roast

Dinner, meal prep · Total time 8 hr 15 min · Serves 6

Chuck roast is cheaper than steak and turns tender after a long, slow cook. One roast covers several meals.

Ingredients

  • 3 lb chuck roast
  • 2 tbsp bacon grease
  • 1 cup bone broth or water
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Pat the roast dry and salt it heavily on all sides.
  2. Heat the bacon grease in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  3. Move it to a slow cooker and pour the broth around it.
  4. Cook on low 8 hours, until it pulls apart with a fork.
  5. Shred, spoon the juices over the meat and salt to taste.

Pan-seared salmon in butter

Dinner · Total time 15 min · Serves 2

I ate salmon now and then to break up the beef. It adds omega-3 fats and cooks in about ten minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 skin-on salmon fillets (6 oz each)
  • 2 tbsp butter or bacon grease
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Pat the salmon dry and salt both sides.
  2. Heat the fat in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook skin side down 4 to 5 minutes without moving it, until the skin is crisp.
  4. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until it flakes easily (145°F per USDA guidance).
  5. Spoon the pan fat over the top and serve.

Carnivore snacks

After the first few weeks I rarely needed snacks. These keep well in the fridge, and salted broth helps with first-week headaches and fatigue (see the carnivore diet side effects guide).

Crispy pork belly bites

Snack or dinner · Total time 50 min · Serves 4

Crunchy pork belly that is easy to eat cold the next day. A good snack to keep in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs skinless pork belly
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut the pork belly into 1-inch cubes, pat dry and toss with salt.
  3. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
  4. Roast 40 to 45 minutes, turning halfway, until browned and crisp.
  5. Drain on a plate and save the rendered fat for cooking.

Beef bone broth

Drink, cooking · Total time 12 hr 30 min · Serves 8

A salty mug of broth helps when carnivore flu hits in the first week, and it works as a cooking liquid for roasts.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 lbs beef bones (marrow, knuckle and oxtail mix)
  • Water to cover
  • 1 tbsp salt, plus more to taste

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and roast the bones on a sheet pan for 30 minutes.
  2. Move the bones to a large pot or slow cooker and cover with cold water.
  3. Bring to a bare simmer and skim off any foam in the first hour.
  4. Simmer gently 12 to 24 hours, topping up water as needed.
  5. Strain, salt to taste and refrigerate. Skim the fat cap and keep it for cooking.

Carnivore bread and egg chips

After a month off grains, one slice of bread brought back bloating and brain fog the next day for me. These egg-based stand-ins cover burgers and crunchy snacks.

Carnivore chaffles (egg and cheese waffles)

Breakfast, carnivore bread · Total time 15 min · Serves 1

Egg and cheese cooked in a waffle iron, used as a waffle, sandwich bread or burger bun. They contain dairy, so skip them if you eat strict.

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar (dairy)
  • Pinch of salt

Steps

  1. Heat a mini waffle maker.
  2. Whisk the eggs, then stir in the cheese and salt.
  3. Pour about a quarter of the batter into the waffle maker and close it.
  4. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crisp. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
  5. Let them cool for a minute on a rack so they firm up.

Egg white chips

Snack · Total time 35 min · Serves 2

Egg whites spread thin and baked dry into chips. Use the yolks in your next scramble.

Ingredients

  • 6 egg whites
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Whisk the egg whites and salt until frothy.
  3. Spread the whites as thinly as you can over the parchment.
  4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until dry and lightly golden. Turn off the oven and leave them inside for 5 minutes to crisp.
  5. Break into chips and store in an airtight container.

How to keep carnivore meals interesting

  • Rotate cuts: ribeye, chuck, short ribs, pork belly, lamb chops and salmon all taste very different.
  • Change the fat: bacon grease, butter, tallow and duck fat each change a dish.
  • Use gray-area foods carefully: cheese and spices help some people stick with it. For the opposite, a lion diet strips meals back to beef, salt and water.

Frequently asked questions

What can I eat for breakfast on the carnivore diet?

Eggs and bacon are the classic carnivore breakfast. Ground beef with eggs, leftover steak, or egg and cheese chaffles if you eat dairy also work, and many people skip breakfast once they adapt and eat two meals a day.

What are easy carnivore dinner ideas?

Burger patties topped with bacon and egg, a seared ribeye, slow-cooked chuck roast, pan-seared salmon, or pork belly. Cooking a large roast or a few pounds of ground beef at once covers dinner for several days.

What seasonings can you use on the carnivore diet?

Strict carnivore uses salt only. Many people on a relaxed version add black pepper, garlic powder or other dry spices without sugar.

Can you have bread on the carnivore diet?

Regular bread is made from grain, so it is out. Carnivore bread substitutes are usually made from eggs, sometimes with cheese or pork rinds, and egg and cheese chaffles are the easiest version.

What are good carnivore snacks?

Hard-boiled eggs, crispy pork belly bites, egg white chips, cold steak, meat sticks with simple ingredients, and salted bone broth. Most people snack less over time because fatty meals keep them full longer.

Can you cook with bacon grease on the carnivore diet?

Yes. Bacon grease, butter, tallow and lard are the standard carnivore cooking fats, and seed oils are avoided. Choose bacon without added sugar if you want to keep it strict.

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