10 Easy Paleo Recipes for Beginners (2024)

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Want to try Paleo but not quite sure what to cook first? We’ve got you covered! Here are 10 super-easy Paleo recipe ideas to help get you off the ground.

1. Frittatas

Eggs are one of the easiest Paleo foods to prepare, and frittatas take “simple but delicious” up to 11. The basic concept is simple: just beat some eggs and pour them into a pan with your favorite vegetables; then bake in the oven until it smells too good to resist!

Here’s a quick and easy recipe for an Italian-themed frittata to get you started. And if that’s not quite your style, try this zucchini and sweet potato frittata instead.

2. Crock-Pot Roasts

Roasts make it easy to stretch a tight budget (especially if you’re feeding a crowd). And slow-cookers make it easy to cram home cooking into even the busiest of schedules. Together, they’re a match made in heaven!

Here’s a quick recipe for balsamic roast beef, and if you’re not feeling the beef today, here’s one just as simple for a pork roast.

3. Roast Chicken

It’s a classic for a reason – affordable, low-effort, and delicious! Many people are intimidated at the thought of cooking a whole bird instead of just the breasts or drumsticks, but it's really not complicated or difficult. Once you do it for the first time, you'll be amazed that you were ever worried about it.

Here’s a very simple recipe for a whole roast chicken to get you started.

4. Baked Chicken

Don’t have a whole chicken handy? No problem: just grab whatever chicken parts you have and make a quick baked chicken recipe.

A few ideas: spice rubbed chicken is great for the heat-lovers, and lemon and thyme chicken has a slightly more delicate flavor, perfect for salads.

5. Chili

10 Easy Paleo Recipes for Beginners (1)

A big bowl of chili is just the thing to warm up a cold afternoon. It travels well; it freezes well; it reheats beautifully – is there anything it can’t do? You can adjust the spice level up or down, depending on your tastes, and you can throw in just about any kind of meat you can think of!

Here’s a classic chili with beef and tomatoes, here’s a spicy version with pork, and here’s a recipe for turkey chili (using leftover meat).

6. Coleslaw

Paleo isn’t just about huge hunks of meat all the time: your plate should be at least half-full of vegetables! Per serving, cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables you can buy, and it’s also very easy to prepare. You can fry it, roast it, throw it in a soup…or make coleslaw out of it!

Here’s a recipe for fruity coleslaw, and here’s one for a buffalo ranch version.

7. Chicken soup

Chicken soup is “soul food” after a long day. It’s a time-honored home remedy for a sniffle or a flu, and it’s an ideal way to use up any vegetables loitering in your fridge about to go bad. Plus, it’s a perfect vehicle for bone broth.

Here’s a very basic chicken soup recipe that you can modify almost infinitely to suit your particular tastes.

8. Roasted Vegetables

The easiest way of dealing with almost any vegetable is to just toss it on a tray with some Paleo cooking fat and roast it until it’s soft and delicious. Roasting more assertive vegetables like broccoli or Brussels sprouts brings out their inner sweetness and makes them much more palatable for kids.

Here’s a basic recipe for oven-roasted cabbage to get you started, but remember: you can apply the same technique to almost anything!

9. Guacamole

Guacamole is a perfect vehicle for healthy fats and all the other good stuff that you’ll find in an avocado. It’s delicious scooped over a salad, used as a dip for raw vegetable slices, or simply eaten straight off the spoon.

Here’s a recipe for quick and easy guacamole.

10. Hamburgers

Burgers don’t have to come on a bun! They’re incredibly versatile and a guaranteed dinner favorite, so it’s well worth your time to find a Paleo recipe.

Here’s a basic recipe for Portobello burgers – with a mushroom stepping in as the bun. And just for fun, here are some fries to go with them.

Did we miss anything? What's your favorite super-simple beginner recipe? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

10 Easy Paleo Recipes for Beginners (2024)

FAQs

How do you jumpstart a paleo diet? ›

Try to eat mostly fruits low in sugar and high in antioxidants like berries as well as nuts high in omega-3, low in omega-6 and low in total polyunsaturated fat like macadamia nuts. Consider cutting off fruits and nuts altogether if you have an autoimmune disease, digestive problems or are trying to lose weight faster.

What is in the paleo diet? ›

The typical paleo diet focuses on naturally raised meat and fish, as well as vegetables and fruits. It promotes avoiding dairy products and grains. This diet can put you at risk for deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, which are critical to bone health.

Is peanut butter OK on paleo diet? ›

Peanuts are technically legumes, which are not paleo compliant, and that means peanut butter is off limits for paleo eaters. All other nuts and seeds are fair game, so if nuts and seeds are the only ingredients, snack away!

Can you lose weight quickly on paleo? ›

Studies have shown that the paleo diet is effective at reducing belly fat. In one study, 10 healthy women followed a paleo diet for five weeks. On average, they experienced a 3-inch (8-cm) reduction in waist circumference, which is an indicator of belly fat, and around a 10-pound (4.6-kg) weight loss overall ( 23 ).

How many times a day should you eat on paleo? ›

There really is no need to eat more than 3 meals per day, but if you get hungry then here are some paleo snacks that are simple and easily portable: Baby carrots. Hard boiled eggs. A piece of fruit.

How many pounds can you lose on paleo diet? ›

However, many people have reported losing anywhere from 5 to 20 pounds in 60 days on our Paleo Plan. One of the reasons why our Paleo Plan is so effective for weight loss is that it eliminates processed foods and refined sugars.

What not to eat on paleo? ›

The diet excludes cereal grains, legumes, dairy, processed oils, refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats. Some paleo-friendly foods include lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

What to put in coffee on paleo? ›

“Other alternatives include almond milk creamer, coconut milk, and coconut creamer, which are not usually fortified and not as nutritionally rich.” If you like sweeteners or sugar in your coffee, go for honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or stevia. A sprinkle of cinnamon in your coffee tastes great, too!

Can you drink coffee on paleo diet? ›

While we have said in the past that coffee is not Paleo, we have changed our position based on new research and now we believe that coffee is fine for most people.

What are high fiber foods for paleo? ›

These fats combined with vegetables such as broccoli, leafy greens, brussel sprouts, squash, onions, and cauliflower; tubers including sweet potatoes and plantains; and fruits including berries, pears, mangos, apples, and dried figs all yield a high fiber intake.

What are high calorie paleo foods? ›

Fatty, calorie-dense foods include fatty meats, oils, nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut, and coconut products. If you tolerate dairy well, full-fat dairy can also add a significant number of calories to your daily intake.

What is a Paleo dinner? ›

A modern paleo diet includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds. These are foods that in the past people could get by hunting and gathering.

What meats to eat on Paleo? ›

Many types of foods will build the base of your new paleo eating plan. Firstly, meat! Beef, chicken, turkey, and pork can all be on your shopping list. If possible, opt for grass-fed and organic cuts.

What not to eat on Paleo? ›

The diet excludes cereal grains, legumes, dairy, processed oils, refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats. Some paleo-friendly foods include lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

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