Low-carb diets limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat daily, to between about 50 and 150 grams, the Mayo Clinic reports. Despite the limitations on cereals, pasta, grains and breads, however, you can still eat a variety of foods at dinner. Whether you like to cook, or need quick options, low-carb dinners do not have to be monotonous and boring.
Entrees
Low-carb entrees feature meats, poultry and fish. To add flavor, marinate your proteins in a variety of herbs, spices, vinegars and citrus juices before grilling, roasting or broiling. Try rosemary, lemon juice and olive oil on chicken, or soy sauce and garlic on flank steak. A stuffing made of low-carb vegetables also adds flavor and interest to plain pork or fish. Cover fillets of flounder with chopped, cooked spinach, butter and diced onion and roll for baking. Butterfly a pork loin and stuff with a mixture of chopped mushrooms, diced onions, butter, minced garlic and parsley. Roast at 400 degrees until cooked through.
Salads
An entree salad makes an easy low-carb dinner. Use dark greens like romaine lettuce, watercress, baby spinach or arugula for the most nutrition. Mix in a variety of low-carb vegetables such as alfalfa sprouts, bell peppers, radishes and cucumber. Top with grilled meats or chopped hard-boiled eggs, bacon bits or shredded cheese. Most salad dressings contain few carbohydrates, but consider using olive oil- or safflower oil-based dressings to take in healthy unsaturated fats. Good salad combos include baby spinach with bacon, eggs and balsamic vinaigrette; romaine with bell peppers, cucumber and feta cheese or arugula with shaved Parmesan cheese, radishes and an orange-based dressing.
Side Dishes
Accompany any meat entree with steamed vegetables like broccoli, artichokes or asparagus. To add flavor, top with fresh, chopped herbs or a sprinkle of Parmesan or Romano cheese and butter. If you have more time, make mock mashed potatoes by boiling cauliflower until soft and mashing with butter and seasoning. Stir-fry bok choy with Chinese mushrooms for an Asian side dish. Toss a variety of vegetables like summer squash, zucchini, eggplant and leeks in olive oil and roast in a 400-degree oven until soft and caramelized. Saute wild mushrooms with garlic and olive oil and top with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of parsley to serve with red meats or chicken.
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