The words “keto diet” may conjure up visions of bacon, butter, and heavy cream, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the delicious food options available to keto dieters.
Most people build their meal plans around main courses, which makes sense. Main dishes generally provide the bulk of the protein for any given meal, and we all know how essential protein is to maintain strength and good health now and into old age. But the sides are how you add color, heat, texture, and even more flavor. Steak—delicious. Steak served with a big salad and crispy roasted broccoli – out of this world.
Without further ado, here are 20 of our favorite side dishes to round out your fabulous low carb keto meals.
20 Keto Side Dishes You’ll Love
Hot vegetable side dishes
1. Roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar
Brussels sprouts have had a huge surge in popularity since everyone discovered that they are actually quite delicious roasted and served with bacon. This recipe adds a tangy and sweet balsamic vinaigrette to enhance the flavor.
2. Grilled Greek Vegetables
Customize this easy and tasty recipe with whatever vegetables you have on hand. This is great for the summer when your garden is producing bounty.
3. Risotto with mushrooms and bacon
Plain cauliflower rice might not be very exciting, but this savory dish with mushrooms and bacon is sure to please everyone.
4. Sesame Ginger Broccoli
This recipe will tempt even those who aren’t the biggest broccoli fans. The trick is to roast it long enough to develop crispy bits that are lightly browned around the edges.
5. Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach may seem old-fashioned and, let’s face it, not that appealing, but try this one. You will be pleasantly surprised. Bonus: it’s dairy-free!
6. Mashed vegetables (which are not potatoes)
Mashed potatoes contain too many carbs to eat on a keto diet (unless you’re willing to stop at a spoonful or two). Luckily, there are low-carb vegetables that are just as delicious pureed.
7. Deep-Fryer Green Beans
Maybe you’ve had refried green beans off the menu at your favorite pub, but those were probably breaded and fried. These are just as delicious and much more keto-friendly.
8. Fajita Vegetables
These make a delicious topping for a bowl of burrito or big ass steak saladbut you can also accompany them with a simple grilled chicken or scrambled eggs.
9. Cauliflower Steaks
If you’ve only ever had mashed or roasted cauliflower, you duty try these cauliflower steaks. Chimichurri is the real star of this show, however.
10. Cacio and Pepe
A keto take on the classic cheese and peppercorn pasta dish made with zucchini noodles.
11. Summer ratatouille
Ratatouille isn’t just a friendly talking rat, it’s a really nice side dish of baked vegetables. It takes a bit of prep work to chop the veggies and put the casserole together, but the end product is well worth it.
Salads and Vegetable Sides Served Cold
12. Summer broccoli salad
The best parts of this salad are the texture and the dressing. Finely chopping all the ingredients and tossing them with a homemade tahini dressing yields a unique side that pairs well with any grilled meat.
13. Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
A new way to combine Brussels sprouts and bacon in a raw salad with gorgonzola cheese and pecans that is out of this world.
14. Keto Coleslaw
Coleslaw, made with a creamy avocado oil dressing, is the perfect combination of nutritious vegetables and healthy fats for a keto diet.
15. Citrus salad
A lemony version of a classic coleslaw. Serve it with crispy pork carnitas or fish tacos wrapped in lettuce.
16. Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch Dressing
A crisp and cold salad plus a perfectly grilled steak equals a meal you could eat every night and be totally happy.
17. Homemade Sauerkraut
fermented foods provide probiotics which are fantastic for gut health. If you’ve only ever had store-bought sauerkraut, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make your own sauerkraut at home. Eat it with sausages or over eggs. (Yes, really, sauerkraut is delicious over eggs.)
18. Marinated Giardiniera
Giardiniera is a dish of vegetables marinated in Italian spices. This contains cauliflower, carrots, green beans and other vegetables. Serve it with any meat or seafood. It’s also a nice addition to a charcuterie board.
Sides that aren’t vegetables
19. Keto Cheesy Cookies
Thought you couldn’t have cookies on keto? Fake! It’s only 5 grams of carbs each.
20. Keto Bacon Cheddar Muffins
Another use for bacon! These savory cheesy muffins are awesome for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
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