The Dukan Diet goes deluxe: Now you can eat gourmet food AND stay slim (2025)

It's the protein-packed weight loss plan that’s swept Britain. Here, exclusively, we bring you delicious new recipes from Michelin-starred chefs.

When the Daily Mail reported on a revolutionary French weight-loss plan in April, sales of the book The Dukan Diet went through the roof.

With its seductive promise of swift but long-lasting weight loss without the rigours of portion control or calorie-counting, Dukan rapidly became the diet sensation of the year.

Since then, women and men all around the country have been sharing the slimming secrets of top models such as Gisele Bundchen and singer Jennifer Lopez, and celebrity magazines are peppered with references to Dukan.

Spurred on by this success, the medical doctor behind the diet,Pierre Dukan, has teamed up with Michelin-starred French chefs (one ofwhom offered his culinary services free as a mark of gratitude to DrDukan for creating a gourmandising way to lose weight) to launch anexciting collection of delicious and disarmingly slimming meals.

Here, for those of you who are already hooked — and those who are yet to try the diet — we reveal them for the first time.

And, as you will see, the great thing about this eating plan, and central to its widespread appeal, is its love of food.

Dr Dukan is the first to acknowledge the innate pleasure to be hadfrom eating, and his diet promises efficient weight loss while stillenjoying unlimited quantities of real food.

The plan kick starts with a short, sharp ‘attack’ phase of eatingunlimited quantities of meat and fish (and no-fat dairy products),moving on after one to ten days (depending on how much weight you haveto lose) to the ‘cruise’ phase, during which protein days arealternated with ones when you can add unlimited salad and veg.

Weight loss is usually rapid and, on arriving at your target weight,your food choices widen considerably for the third ‘consolidation’phase, during which you re-introduce fruit, starch (bread, pasta),cheese and one unrestrained‘celebration meal’ (plus alcohol) each week.

Only when your new weight is safely established can you move to thefinal 'stabilisation’ stage. Here, you can eat and drink whatever youlike without guilt, but you must adhere to one remaining Dukan rule: protein (and low-fat dairy) only on Thursdays. Forever.

The ever-increasing number of Dukan blog sites on the internet aretestament to the fact that the diet works, and many advocates say thestrict rules and the sequential progression through the differentstages makes weight loss effortless.

In France, where the Dukan Diet had been a well-kept secret foralmost a decade, its long-term success rate outstrips that of otherdiets.

FOOD FRENZY

There are 200 websites, forums and blogs dedicated to the Dukan diet

But according to Dr Dukan, if the plan fails, it will often beduring the first two phases when food choices are limited. Some people,he says, restrict themselves to the same breakfasts and snacks everyday, and the subsequent monotony can lure you towards binges. This iswhere the recipe book comes in.

How can a protein-based ‘attack’ day feel restrictive if you can nibble on low-fat oat- bran muffins, tuck into Dukan cheesecake or Dukan cookies (see recipes below)?

Many of the main-meal recipes are delightfully extravagant and sounlike diet food that you could serve them up at any dinner party.

And many are quick and simple to prepare: you could be sitting downto a plate of tangy chicken or fish in a picante sauce in the time itwould have taken to unpeel the plastic wrapper from a cold selection ofcooked meats.

WE DID THE DUKAN - AND IT WORKED

ElaineVaughan, a 47-year-old sales and marketing manager, lives with herhusband, Drumond Shaw, 60, in Dorset. She says:

I’ve spent all my life worryingabout my weight. I’m 5ft 2in and weighed 10st (140lb) at my heaviest —a dress size 14; not obese, but too heavy for my height. I’ve triedvarious diets but none seemed to work.

Afriend mentioned the Dukan diet, saying that she and severalof her friends were losing weight on it. She had dropped two dresssizes, so I bought the first Dukan book and got started.

Breakfastwas smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and tea with skimmed milk — itwas filling. There’s no alcohol in the first phase, but I found I hadso much more energy. We go out a lot, but I’d sip sparkling water andpretend it was gin and tonic.

I walked the recommended amount, and cutting out bread and pastamade me feel less sluggish. The biggest difference I noticed was mytummy — it was much flatter and less bloated.

Ittook me six weeks to reach my target weight of 8½st (123lb). I’m so much happier about the way I look. This reallyworks for me.’

Nicola Holt, 42, works as a content manager for an IT company and lives in Lancashire with her partner. She says:

I started the Dukan diet in May. I’mbusy, and needed one that could fit in with my lifestyle.

I tried theAtkins diet three years ago and did lose weight initially, but as soonas I started eating carbohydrates again, the weight came back on.

I’m 5ft 6in, and at my heaviest weighed 14st. My target weight was 10st.

Fouryears ago I was diagnosed with chronic heart failure — a defect I wasborn with and has since been corrected, but it’s vital I keep theweight off.

After five weeks of following the plan strictly, my weight was down to 12st and now, four months on, I have hit my target.

Ieat protein for breakfast, in the form of eggs or oat bran, cold cutsof meat with salad for lunch and I spice up my protein in the eveningwith chilli, lime juice or spices.

Lastweek I climbed a mountain and was hardly out of breath. The last time Iwent, I could barely walk for 30 minutes without getting out of breath.’

NOW YOU CAN DO THE DUKAN WITH THESE MOUTHWATERING RECIPES

Speedy 'Attack-phase' recipes

Here are quick-fix meals for the protein-only phases of the diet.

CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND CAPERS

Serves 4

• 3 drops of oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 800g (1lb 12oz) chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp small capers, drained and rinsed
• 75ml (2½ fl oz) lemon juice
• 5 basil leaves, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper

In a non-stick frying pan (oiled andwiped with kitchen paper), pan-fry the onion until it turnsgolden-brown, then put to one side.

Brown the chicken slices in thesame pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, lemon zest, capers, lemonjuice, basil, salt and black pepper. Serve piping hot.

COD WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

Serves 1

• 1 cod fillet
• Salt and black pepper
• 150g (5½ oz) fat-free natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp mustard
• Lemon juice (to taste)
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Sprinklesome salt over the cod fillet and steam for 8–10 minutes (depending onits thickness).

In the meantime, put the yoghurt, mustard, some lemonjuice, capers, parsley and black pepper into a saucepan.

Warm over agentle heat and pour over the cooked fish.

VIETNAMESE BEEF

Serves 2

• 400g (14oz) sirloin steak
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 large piece of ginger, grated
• Black pepper
• 3 drops of oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

Afew coriander leaves, chopped Cut the beef into 1cm ( about ½ in)cubes.

Mix with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger and black pepper,and leave to marinate for 30 minutes. Then cook with the garlic over ahigh heat for 10-15 seconds, stirring quickly.

Garnish with corianderleaves.

MEATBALLS WITH ROSEMARY

Serves 3

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 750g (1lb 10oz) minced beef
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp Chinese plum sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
• 1–2 tbsp mint or basil, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Mixtogether all the ingredient and then shape into meatballs the size of awalnut. Cook the meatballs, a few at a time, in a saucepan over amedium heat for about five minutes until they are golden-brown on allsides. Allow any fat to drain off on to kitchen paper.

SALMON IN A MUSTARD DILL SAUCE

Serves 4

• 4 thick pieces of salmon, weighing around 200g (7oz) each
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsp mild mustard
• 6 tsp virtually fat-free fromage frais
• Finely chopped dill
• Salt and black pepper

Putsalmon in the freezer for a few minutes so you can cut it into thin 50g(1¾ oz) slices then fry in a non-stick frying pan for one minute oneach side. Remove and keep warm.

Brown the shallots in the same fryingpan, cover with the mustard and fromage frais and allow to thicken forfive minutes over a gentle heat.

Return salmon to the pan with dill,salt and pepper for a few seconds, then serve.

EGGS COCOTTE

Serves 6

• 12 tsp virtually fat-free fromage frais
• Tarragon (or chervil), chopped
• 2 slices of smoked salmon (ham or bresaola)
• 6 eggs
• Salt and black pepper

Put2 tsp of the fromage frais and a pinch of herbs into each ofsixramekin dishes. Add a third of a slice of smoked salmon, cut intofine strips, then one egg and salt and pepper.

Place ramekin dishes ina high-sided saucepan filled with boiling water like a bain-marie.Cover and cook for 3–5 minutes over a medium heat.

SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS

Serves 2

• 300g (10½ oz) virtually fat-free fromage frais
• 60g (2¼ oz) virtually fat-free quark
• 1 small jar of salmon roe
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 slices of smoked salmon

Beattogether fromage frais and quark. Fold in the salmon roe, salt andpepper. Place a little of this mixture on to each slice of salmon androll up, securing with a knotted chive or cocktail stick. Eat with minipancakes.

HAM APPETIZERS

Serves 4

• 175g (6oz) extra-lean ham, chopped
• 225g (8oz) virtually fat-free quark
• A few chives, finely chopped
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• Marjoram (or another herb, depending on your taste), finely chopped
• A few drops of Tabasco

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Roll the mixture into tiny balls and serve.

DELICIOUS DRESSINGS

Transform meat, salad or vegetable with these low-fat sauces.

VINAIGRETTE MAYA

Makes 2 portions

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 7-8 basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Shake all the ingredients in an old jar. If you like garlic, leave a clove to marinate in the bottom.

HERB SAUCE

Makes 2 portions

• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp virtually fat-free fromage frais
• 3 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
• 3 sprigs of tarragon, finely chopped
• 4 chives, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Blendthe cornflour in 100ml (3½ fl oz) water and, along with the garlic andshallots, add it to the fromage frais.

Heat over a gentle heat for twominutes and add herbs at the very last minute. Season with salt andpepper.

DUKAN MAYONNAISE

Makes 2 portions

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley or chives
• 3 tbsp virtually fat-free fromage frais or quark

Putthe egg yolk in a mixing bowl and combine with the mustard. Season withsalt and pepper and add herbs.

Gradually mix in the fromage frais orquark, stirring continuously. Keep chilled.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Makes 2 portions

• 1 egg, separated
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp skimmed milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and black pepper

Putthe egg yolk, mustard and milk in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.Whisk vigorously until the sauce thickens without curdling.

Remove fromthe heat while continuing all the time to beat the sauce, and add thelemon juice and black pepper.

Beat the egg white until stiff and carefully fold it into sauce.

PANCAKE POWER

Throughout every stage of the Dukan Diet you’ll find a daily portion of oat bran. Oat bran is most deliciously whipped up into a Dukan pancake.

Stir 1.5 tbsp of oat bran with 1.5 tbsp of non-fat fromage frais, an egg and sweetener or salt, then cook for two minutes each side in a non-stick pan.

For a sweet treat, spread with Dukan ‘nutella’, made by blending 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp cocoa powder, 2 tbsp of sweetener and a little water. Or you can try this savoury variation:

SAVOURY PANCAKES

Serves 1

• 2 tbsp oat bran
• 1 tbsp virtually fat-free fat fromage frais
• 50g (1¾ oz) virtually fat-free quark
• 3 eggs, separated
• Herbs, to taste
• Salt and black pepper

For the filling (choose one):

• 175g (6oz) flaked tuna
• 200g (7oz) smoked salmon
• 150g (5½ oz) extra-lean ham
• 150g (5½ oz) extra-lean chopped meat

Mix together all ingredients for the pancake except the egg whites, until the mixture is smooth. Add herbs and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the filling with the stiffly beaten egg whites, pour into a warmed frying pan and cook over a medium heat. In the second cruise phase of the diet you can use the basic savoury pancake as a pizza base, then dry-fry a chopped onion, add 500g (1lb 2oz) chopped drained tomatoes, herbs, pepper and salt, and simmer for 10 minutes. Spread tomato mix over the base, scatter over 175g (6oz) canned tuna, 2 tbsp of capers and 6tsp of low-fat cream cheese. Bake at 190c/gas5 for 25minutes.

TEMPTING 'CRUISE PHASE' MEALS

Delicious recipes for the second protein and vegetable phase.

PRAWN SOUP WITH CORIANDER

Serves 4

• 2 low-salt chicken stock cubes
• 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 12 large Mediterranean prawns, shelled but tails left on
• 3 sprigs of parsley, very finely chopped
• 2 sprigs of coriander, very finely chopped
• 1 small chilli, very finely chopped

Bring1.5 litres (2½ pints) water to the boil in a casserole dish anddissolve the stock cubes.

Add the cucumber, onion and prawns. When thestock comes to the boil again, cook for two minutes.

Sprinkle the herbsand tiny bits of chilli on top and serve hot.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

Serves 4

• 600g (1¼ lb) button mushrooms
• 1 lemon
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 800g (1lb 12oz) chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 250ml (9fl oz) low-salt chicken stock

Chopthe ends off the mushroom stalks and thinly slice the mushrooms, thensprinkle a few drops of lemon juice over them to prevent them fromturning black.

Put the mushrooms in a non-stick casserole dish. Seasonwith salt and pepper, cover and cook over a gentle heat until all theirwater has evaporated. Drain and put to one side.

Brown the onion in acasserole dish in a little water. Add the chicken, tomato, mushrooms,garlic, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over a gentleheat for 20 minutes.

QUICK GAZPACHO

Serves 4

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, deseeded and cut
• Some mint
• Salt and black pepper

Poach the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, then peel and deseed them.

Grillthe peppers for 10–15 minutes until charred all over. Place in aplastic bag and leave to cool, before peeling away the skin and seedsand cutting into chunks.

Blend the tomato, peppers and cucumber together with the mint in a blender. Season and serve chilled.

MEXICAN STEAK

Serves 1

• 250g (9oz) minced beef
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 pinches of Mexican spice mixture
• 3 drops of oil
• 2 medium tomatoes

Mixtogether the minced beef, salt, pepper and half the spice mixture andmould into small meatballs. Cook in a frying pan over a high heat.

Poach the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, then peel andfinely chop.

In another frying pan, cook the tomato with the remainingMexican spice mixture over a gentle heat until the sauce is smooth,then pour it over the meatballs and serve straight away.

HUNGARIAN MINCED STEAK

Serves 4

• 6 small shallots, chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
• 3 drops of oil
• 500g (1lb 2oz) lean (5% fat) minced beef
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 100ml (3½ fl oz) tomato passata
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• ½ lemon
• 85g (3oz) virtually fat-free fromage frais

Frythe shallots and pepper over a low heat for five minutes.

Remove fromthe frying pan, then cook the minced beef for five minutes over a highheat.

Add paprika, tomato passata and fried shallots and pepper. Cookfor another five minutes and season with salt, pepper and cayennepepper.

Squeeze the lemon juice into the fromage frais. Stir this intothe mince, away from the heat, then warm the sauce without allowing itto boil.

HERBY CHICKEN ROULADE

Serves 2

• 1 egg
• 50g (1¾ oz) pink radishes, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 50g (1¾ oz) cucumber, chopped
• 3–4 chives, chopped
• 3 sprigs of parsley, chopped
• 1 pinch of tarragon, chopped
• 250g (9oz) virtually fat-free fromage frais
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 slices of cooked chicken
• 1 tomato
• 4 cornichons (small gherkins)

Cookthe egg for 10 minutes in boiling water until hard-boiled. Mix theradish with the shallots, cucumber, herbs and fromage frais and seasonwith salt and pepper.

Spread this over the chicken slices and roll them up. Serve with half a tomato, half a hard-boiled egg and a couple of gherkins each.

SIN-FREE DESSERTS

A rich range of sweet treats makes sticking to the Dukan Diet easy, even on a pure-protein day.

CHEESECAKE

Serves 2

• 5 tbsp virtually fat-free fromage frais
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp sweetener
• 5 egg whites

Beatthe fromage frais, cornflour, egg yolks, lemon and sweetener untilfrothy.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into fromage frais mixtureand pour into a soufflé dish. Microwave on medium power for 12 minutes.Serve cold.

COOKIE

Serves 1

• 2 eggs, separated
• ½ tsp liquid sweetener
• 20 drops of vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp oat bran

Preheatthe oven to 180c/350f/gas 4. Mix the egg yolks, sweetener, vanilla andoat bran.

Beat egg whites until very stiff and fold into the branmixture, then pour into a flat baking tin.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

MUFFINS

Serves 4

• 4 eggs, separated
• 8 tbsp oat bran
• 4 tbsp virtually fat-free fromage frais
• ½ tsp sweetener
• Flavouring of your choice (lemon, cinnamon, coffee)

Preheatthe oven to 180c/350f/gas 4. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Mix theother ingredients, then gently fold in the stiffly beaten whites.

Pourinto individual muffin cases and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

FROMAGE FRAIS GATEAU

Serves 4

• 125g (4½ oz) virtually fat-free fromage frais
• 25g (1oz) cornflour
• 1 tsp yeast
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp sweetener
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 egg whites
• 3 drops of oil

Preheatthe oven to 200c/400f/gas 6. Mix together ingredients, bar the eggwhites and oil. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into this mixture.Pour into oiled cake tin, cook for 30 minutes. Serve chilled.

ORANGE YOGHURT CAKE

Serves 2

• 3 eggs
• 150g (5½ oz) fat-free natural yoghurt
• ½ tsp sweetener
• 1 tsp orange extract
• 4 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tsp yeast
• 3 drops of oil

Preheatthe oven to 180c/350f/gas 4. Beat the eggs with the yoghurt, add thesweetener, orange extract, cornflour and yeast. Pour into an oiled caketin and bake for 45 minutes.

COFFEE CHOC MERINGUES

Makes approximately 12

• 3 egg whites
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp Aspartame
• 2 tsp very strong coffee

Preheatthe oven to 150c/300f/gas 2. Beat the egg whites until very stiff.

Addcocoa to sweetener and sprinkle over egg whites.

Add the coffee andbeat for 30 seconds. Spoon into small mounds on a baking tray and bakefor 15 to 20 minutes.

Extracted from The Dukan Diet Recipe Book by Dr Pierre Dukan, publishedby Hodder & Stoughton on Thursday, priced £12.99. To order a copyfor £9.99 (p&p free), call 0845 155 0720.