RecipeSide Dishes
Savory Green Beans
Green beans tossed with dill, lemon peel, garlic and sautéed onion. Serve hot or cold, with no salt required.
Eat well with kidney disease
Kidney-friendly recipes and renal nutrition you can trust
Lower-sodium recipes that keep an eye on potassium and phosphorus, plus practical articles from renal dietitians on living well with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Browse by category
- Main DishesKidney-friendly entrées built around fish, turkey and lean protein, seasoned with herbs instead of salt.4 recipes
- Side DishesLower-potassium vegetable and grain sides, from candied carrots to a barley-rice pilaf.5 recipes
- Holiday CookingA complete renal-friendly holiday menu plus dietitian tips for parties, turkey and leftovers.11 posts
- Low-Sodium CookingSalt-free spice blends, coating mixes and dietitian advice on cutting sodium without losing flavor.8 posts
- Kidney HelpPractical guidance for living with chronic kidney disease, from a new diagnosis to infections, diabetes and kidney stones.13 articles
- Nutrition BasicsProtein quality, fats, vitamins, plant-based eating and food labels explained for a kidney diet.8 articles
- Sugar & SweetenersHow sugar affects the kidneys, how much is too much, and where artificial sweeteners fit in.5 articles
Kidney-friendly recipes
All recipes
RecipeSide Dishes
Candied Carrots: The Low-Potassium Alternative
Love sweet potatoes but need to limit potassium? These brown sugar and cinnamon glazed carrots topped with marshmallows are a lower-potassium swap.
RecipeMain Dishes
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie: Ten Steps to a Delicious Meal
Turn holiday turkey leftovers into a pot pie with low-salt broth, peas and carrots, in ten simple steps.
RecipeLow-Sodium Cooking
All-Purpose Coating Mix
A homemade “shake and bake” breadcrumb coating seasoned with parsley, paprika, thyme and marjoram instead of salt. Makes 3 cups.
RecipeMain Dishes
Herb Topped Fish
Baked white fish under a creamy topping of chives, parsley, dill and dry mustard: a lower-sodium, heart-friendly entrée. Makes 8 servings.
RecipeMain Dishes
Turkey Vegetable Chili
Lean ground turkey, zucchini, corn and no-salt-added tomatoes simmered with chili powder and cumin. Makes 6 servings.
RecipeLow-Sodium Cooking
Basic BBQ Rub
A four-spice, salt-free barbecue rub of chili powder, garlic powder, oregano and cumin for grilled meat and poultry.
RecipeHoliday Cooking
Cinnamon Cookies
Warm, cinnamon-spiced holiday cookies that are low in sodium, potassium and phosphorus, with a Splenda option for people with diabetes. Makes 5 dozen.
Holiday menu
Complete Christmas Dinner Menu
A renal-friendly Christmas dinner from eggnog to dessert, with recipes modified to reduce salt, potassium and phosphorus.
See the menuFrom our renal dietitians
All articles
ArticleKidney Help
Advice for Individuals Newly Diagnosed with CKD
Just diagnosed with chronic kidney disease? A renal dietitian outlines the first steps, from regular checkups to working with your care team.
ArticleNutrition Basics
High-Quality Protein Versus Low-Quality Protein
What makes a protein “high quality”, how essential amino acids work, and how protein needs change with CKD and dialysis.
ArticleLow-Sodium Cooking
Love and Care for Your Heart and Kidneys: Tips to Cut the Sodium in Your Diet
Our taste for salt is acquired, so it can be retrained. Why sodium matters for your heart and kidneys, and practical ways to eat less of it.
ArticleKidney Help
Oxalate Food List: A Complete Guide to Oxalate Content in Foods
Which foods are high and low in oxalate, how oxalate contributes to kidney stones, and cooking and diet tips for managing oxalate intake.
ArticleNutrition Basics
The Best Juice for Kidney Disease
Why cranberry juice is often recommended, other juices that may fit a kidney diet, and which high-potassium juices to limit.
ArticleKidney Help
Top Kidney Disease Myths
A renal dietitian separates evidence from myth on common chronic kidney disease beliefs, from diet rules to detox products.
About KidneyChef
KidneyChef publishes recipes adapted for the renal diet and articles written by registered dietitians who work with people living with kidney disease. Every recipe shows its full ingredient list, numbered steps and, when the original recipe provided them, its sodium, potassium and phosphorus values. We never estimate values that weren’t published.