Choosing to live a healthy low-carb lifestyle may not be your first choice (although you may change your mind after learning about some of our carb substitutes)!
As women (and some men too), we get to an age where we learn that carbs are terrible for our metabolism and explode our blood sugar levels. Now, we have to worry about weight gain, unhealthy blood pressure levels, and stress-related diseases.
If, like me, your healthcare provider announced that it’s time to cut out carbs, you’re left with a similar dilemma — if you don’t eat breads, grains, rice, and desserts — what’s left?
Do you really have to say goodbye to all those wonderful, delicious carb-laden meals?
Guess what? We believe there are fabulous alternatives to carbohydrates that allow us to enjoy incredible food while continuing to explore different cuisines. By trying some of these simple low-carb substitutes, you may find that you don’t miss carbs at all!
Carbohydrates Seem to be Everywhere!
Whatever reason brings you to the low-carb alternative conclusion, it doesn’t take long to realize EVERYTHING seems to have tons of carbohydrates. This impacts your love of bread and sweets, but also things like crave-worthy Mexican food (tortillas, beans, rice, and tres leche cake, not to mention Margaritas), decadent Italian pasta dishes, and spicy, satisfying Indian food with its starch on starch vegetarian cooking.
But don’t worry — we’ve compiled a list of terrific low-carb substitutes for all your carb-loaded favorites. Each of these low-carb substitutes tastes great and works well in our low-carb world.
Tasty Alternatives That May Be Even Better Than the Original
Bread
Let’s just start with the most obvious — bread! It comes in many forms, and we’ve been raised on bread with everything. Toast with eggs and bacon for breakfast, something to hold our peanut butter or meat to make a sandwich for lunch, and who doesn’t love the breadbasket at our local restaurant where it’s served with butter or olive oil before dinner? We even stuff our turkeys with it on Thanksgiving.
How do we ever live without bread?
Well, try one of the new low-carb substitutes for bread available today. You can get them in mixes (about 6 grams per slice) or already baked (from 5 grams per slice), and they are really tasty.
There are also fantastic alternatives to bread. You can slice and blanch eggplant or use lettuce leaves for sandwiches. Or try egg wraps that can be used as a wrap for sandwiches or a breakfast wrap with eggs and sausage.
Another great idea is Chaffles. Easy to make and very tasty, Chaffles are made with a small waffle maker. Just mix together:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (or any melty shredded cheese)
Preheat the waffle iron, then spray with cooking spray or butter. Pour ¼ of the mixture onto the iron and cook for two to three minutes until golden brown. Repeat for remaining Chaffles. Now you can use them for sandwiches, small pizzas, or by themselves for a snack.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a mealtime staple for many of us. It seems like most meals growing up had a protein, a vegetable, and some form of potatoes. So how do we find a good substitute for creamy mashed potatoes?
Try either cauliflower or turnips, which are low naturally in carbs and can be boiled and mashed just like a potato. They taste very similar and do a nice job of completing a meal for far fewer carbohydrates.
Taco Shells
Tacos are a true favorite here in the Southwest, and the fillings are seemingly endless. In fact, you will find a number of recipes on this site for things like pork carnitas and beef barbacoa.
Since each corn or flour tortilla has about 25+ carbs, a plate of grilled fish tacos can go from healthy to ridiculous in seconds when you add in the tortilla shells.
Instead, try Romaine lettuce leaves to wrap your taco fillings into a tasty handful.
Or you can make cheese shells by heating your oven to 400⁰, then spread a cup of shredded cheese in a circle on a baking sheet (try cheddar or Colby). Heat for about five minutes and remove from oven. Using a spatula, carefully drape the warm cheese ‘shell’ over a wooden spoon or utensil sitting on two cans or jars, letting the sides fall into the shape of a taco. Once it cools, fill the shell with your favorite meat or vegetable fillings and top with all of your condiments.
Tortillas
We’re in love with egg wraps that are made from egg whites and have the texture of tortillas. They work great for burritos and soft-shell tacos and have zero carbs. You can make these at home, but why bother when EggLife makes five delicious versions – they even have a sweet cinnamon version that would be great with crème fraiche and berries.
There is also the option of using Chaffles or making homemade tortillas that use almond flour and psyllium husk. Check out the recipes here and here.
Crackers
With just a few ingredients, you can make great low-carb crackers that work for all kinds of dips and salsas and would be great for a low-carb charcuterie board with tons of sliced meats and cheeses.
With 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella, 1 cup of grated Parmesan, 1 cup of almond flour, and an egg, mix well in a food processor or blender. Place the ball of dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and, using a rolling pin or your hands, spread the dough into a thin layer. Once flat, cut into squares or triangles with a knife or pizza cutter. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake in a 450⁰ oven for 10 minutes per side (a little less if your dough is super thin). Once cool, they are ready to eat.
Rice
Cauliflower is everybody’s go-to low-carb substitute for rice, and it makes sense. You can make it fresh with a simple whirl in the food processor or buy it pre-riced, either fresh or frozen. It’s the perfect substitute and works with everything from Chinese food to Arroz de Pollo (a classic Mexican dish with chicken and rice).
Pasta
While you can use spiralized zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or thin slices of eggplant (especially in lasagna) as low-carb substitutes for pasta, there are also great recipes for homemade egg noodles made with almond flour that have about 1 gram of carbs per serving.
Just take ¼ of cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 tablespoons of almond flour, and 3 eggs (all at room temperature). Mix in a food processor and then pour the mixture onto a baking tray covered in parchment paper. Using a spatula, spread the mixture evenly as thin as possible. Bake in a 300⁰ oven for 8 minutes, let cool, and then gently roll into a log and cut the pasta with a sharp knife. That’s it – it’s ready to serve with your favorite sauce or topping.
Chips
We all love potato chips for their salty crunch, but did you know that you can also try pork crackles or pork rinds, homemade keto tortilla chips, kale chips, coconut chips, and seaweed chips to satisfy your craving for something crunchy? Pork rinds are especially good when smashed up and used as breading for chicken or fish.
Milk
There are a wide variety of milk substitutes that have very few carbs. Try almond milk (1g), coconut milk (2g), flaxseed milk (2g), or hemp milk (0g). A personal favorite is almond milk on a bowl of nut granola for breakfast or a snack!
Buns
Portobello Mushrooms – some people use them as a meat substitute, but they can also be a bun alternative. Just sauté them until the desired texture and use them as a hamburger bun with all the toppings. They can be a bit messy; the taste is out of this world!
Sugar
There are a number of sugar alternatives that can be used alone or in cooking or baking. Our personal favorite is Monk Fruit. Zero carbs, and it tastes, pours, and measures like real sugar, plus it doesn’t leave an aftertaste like some other substitutes.
Try it on any recipe or use that calls for real sugar, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. They even have a monk fruit maple syrup that’s terrific and only 1 gram of carbs! It works great in dressings, marinades, and on granola.
Breading on Meat or Veggies
While we’ve already talked about crushed pork rinds as a breading on meats or veggies, our all-time favorite is equal parts almond flour and grated parmesan cheese. You can use it to coat anything, and it imparts a great umami zip with parmesan cheese.
Granola
If you haven’t tried nut-based granola as a low-carb substitute for regular cereals or granola, you’ve been missing out! It can be made with pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts (among other things), and tastes great with almond milk or another low-carb milk substitute. It can also be eaten alone as a snack or used in baking low-carb muffins.
Beer, Wine, and Cocktails
As the liquor industry adapts to our changing tastes, tons of options are opening up. While you always want to limit alcohol and drink responsibly, having a cocktail or glass of wine is a way to participate in celebrations.
All spirits have zero carbs – it’s the mixers that rack up the carb count. Try a good vodka or tequila straight up, or how about our summertime favorite – Texas Ranch Water. Tequila with Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water and fresh lime…so refreshing!
For a low carb Margarita – mix 1.5 ounces of Tequila with 1 ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon of Monk Fruit sweetener. Pour over ice in a glass with a salted rim – Perfecto!
Let Us Know Your Secrets
We’ve shared our favorite low-carb substitutes and are eager to hear yours as well. Please add your secrets and tried and true favorites in the comments section.
And bon appetite!