The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and of course, delicious food. For those following a ketogenic lifestyle, navigating the Christmas dinner table can be a bit tricky. But fear not! With a little creativity and planning, you can enjoy a festive and satisfying meal without sacrificing your dietary goals. This article provides a comprehensive collection of keto-friendly side dish recipes that will impress your family and friends while keeping you on track.
Embracing the Keto Christmas Dinner
The keto diet, with its emphasis on low carbs and high fats, doesn't mean you have to miss out on the holiday feast. The key is to focus on dishes that are naturally low in carbohydrates or can be easily adapted to fit your macros. Think vibrant vegetables, rich cheeses, savory meats, and flavorful herbs and spices.
Tips for a Keto-Friendly Christmas Dinner
- Plan Ahead: Browse recipes and create a menu in advance to ensure you have all the necessary ingredients.
- Embrace Substitutions: Get creative with low-carb alternatives like cauliflower, zucchini, and almond flour.
- Focus on Flavor: Use herbs, spices, and healthy fats to enhance the taste of your dishes.
- Prepare in Advance: Many side dishes can be made ahead of time, freeing you up to focus on the main course on Christmas Day.
- Don't Be Afraid to Indulge (Smartly): Keto-friendly desserts and appetizers can satisfy your sweet and savory cravings without derailing your diet.
Keto Christmas Side Dish Recipes
Vegetable Dishes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Air frying Brussels sprouts is a quick and tasty way to make a low-carb side dish. These Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are perfectly crispy on the outside, tender, soft on the inside, and so easy to make! To make them extra flavorful, try using everything bagel seasoning.
Air Fryer Green Beans
The best Air Fryer Green Beans are tender, crisp, and perfectly seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Made with 5 ingredients and very simple to prepare.
Cheesy Roasted Asparagus
These spears of asparagus are tossed in a light coating of olive oil and seasonings like salt, pepper, and sometimes garlic powder, then roasted until slightly charred and crisp. This low carb, keto-friendly Cheesy Roasted Asparagus is the perfect side dish!
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Creamy Keto Green Bean Casserole
Creamy keto green bean casserole made with cream cheese, a Parmesan topping and all the flavors you love from this traditional classic recipe made with low carb.
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower is perfectly seasoned and roasted until crisp and full of flavor! Each serving has about 3 net carbs, making it an excellent keto cauliflower side dish!
Air Fryer Broccoli Tender
Air Fryer Broccoli Tender is a delicious and healthy keto side dish. It’s a perfectly tender, flavorful and healthy vegetable side dish that works well with just about any keto friendly entree. This mouthwatering Broccoli recipe is suitable for the holiday season.
Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Fried Cabbage with Bacon is a hearty and flavorful dish that combines the crispness of cabbage with the smoky richness of bacon. The cabbage is typically sliced thinly and sautéed in bacon fat until tender-crisp. This Fried Cabbage with Bacon is the perfect pairing for grilled chicken and steak!
Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
These Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon are made in one pan and perfect for entertaining!
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Tender roasted vegetables are covered in a rich, cheese sauce and topped with crunchy bacon in this Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole!
Creamy and Cheesy Dishes
Keto Mashed Cauliflower
Keto mashed cauliflower is a delicious low-carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes, perfect for those following a ketogenic diet. It is an ideal side dish for dinner parties, holiday gatherings, or weeknight meals. This Healthy Mashed Cauliflower recipe is delicious, flavorful and low-carb! They are low-carb and quick to make. Cauliflower will be your first choice for vegetable intake if you are on the Keto diet. These Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are great side dishes year-round.
Twice-Baked Cauliflower
Twice-Baked Cauliflower is a creamy, cheesy, and indulgent dish that's a great alternative to traditional mashed potatoes. It's made by roasting cauliflower florets until tender, then mashing them with butter, cheese, and other seasonings. Hearty, creamy, cheesy, and guilt-free this cheesy mashed cauliflower bake recipe is a keto approved comfort dish that the whole family will love!
Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin is a comforting and delicious dish that transforms Brussels sprouts into a creamy, cheesy delight. The gratin is then baked until bubbly and golden brown, creating a satisfying and hearty side dish.
Loaded Cauliflower Au Gratin
Loaded Cauliflower Au Gratin is a family favorite keto side dish. Keto loaded cauliflower, cheesy bacon goodness in a quick and easy dish perfect for dinner or as a side.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Keto Mac and Cheese
No pasta, no problem! This easy Keto Mac and Cheese uses cauliflower and three types of cheese to re-create a delicious low carb version of the comfort food classic!
Boursin Cheese Cauliflower Mash
If you love Boursin cheese, then you'll love these low-carb and keto cauliflower mashed potatoes, which are deliciously creamy and full of flavor!
Creamed Spinach
Healthy Creamed Spinach is a healthy, gluten-free, and keto side dish that tastes as good as it looks! This easy creamed spinach recipe goes with any weeknight meal. This is a quick and easy recipe for creamed spinach made over the stovetop. It is a great side dish and it can be made with fresh or frozen spinach. Quick Creamed Spinach with Cream Cheese Recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, and holidays. Keto Creamed Spinach is a creamy, flavorful side dish that's perfect for low-carb diets. Made with fresh spinach, rich cream, and tangy cheese, it's a comforting and indulgent treat without the guilt. This delicious Vegan Creamed Spinach recipe is so easy to make! With just 7 ingredients, this quick 10-minute side dish is healthy and naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and allergy-free!
Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
This ultra rich Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole is the perfect low carb, keto-friendly side dish!
Loaded Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Casserole
If you need a cheesy low-carb side dish, this Loaded Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Casserole is packed with everything you love in a baked potato!
Other Side Dishes
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a perfect, fresh side dish that isn’t just ideal for holidays, it’s a great fit for many dinners! The tart sweetness of cranberry sauce is a great contrast for hearty, savory dinners. This sugar free cranberry sauce recipe is so easy on the stove top, or you can make Keto cranberry sauce Instant Pot style! Healthy cranberry sauce is not just for the holidays. Its versatility makes it a perfect companion for various dishes. This recipe is not only plant-based but also gluten-free and refined sugar-free. This three-ingredient Keto Cranberry Sauce is essential for your keto holiday spread!
Roasted Delicata Squash Salad
This vibrant salad is a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors. Roasted delicata squash, with its soft texture and mild sweetness. It's a low-carb, keto-friendly option that's both delicious and nutritious.
Celery Root Mash
Creamy and delicious Celery Root Mash! Mashed celery root, celeriac, is a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes!
Almond Flour Cornbread with Broccoli
This is an almond flour cornbread that has coconut flour as well, cheese and of course tender broccoli florets. A tasty and keto low carb side dish to serve up your family or friends.
Keto Sausage Stuffing
This Easy Keto Sausage Stuffing is loaded with flavor, naturally gluten free, and has about 5 net carbs per serving! This low carb side dish is perfect for all of your holiday gatherings!
Keto Dinner Rolls
These Keto Dinner Rolls are perfectly soft and fluffy, you would never guess they are low carb! This low carb bread is more soft and moist than most keto breads. It's easy to make, and perfect for sandwiches.
Keto Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits
These Keto Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits are exploding with flavor!
Rosemary Garlic Keto Rolls
The perfect Rosemary Garlic Keto Rolls!
Cheddar Garlic Keto Biscuits
You will love these easy Cheddar Garlic Keto Biscuits! They are a perfect low carb Red Lobster Biscuit copycat!
Quick and Easy Options
Instant Pot Broccoli
Ready in under 15 minutes, this is a foolproof method to make perfectly steamed Instant Pot Broccoli. Serve this broccoli as an easy side dish at your next weeknight meal.
Stovetop Grilled Asparagus
Stovetop Grilled Asparagus is a quick and easy side dish that's packed with flavor. The asparagus spears are tossed in a simple seasoning of olive oil, salt, and pepper, then grilled on the stovetop until tender-crisp.
Other Keto Side Dishes
- Keto Three Cheese Biscuits
- Easy Wedge Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon
- Garlic Butter Green Beans
- Lemon Green Beans with Garlic
- Cauliflower Salad
- Keto Roasted Radishes
- Keto Bacon Wrapped Cabbage
- Cauliflower "Mac" & Cheese
- Creamed Brussels Sprouts
- Keto Tortilla Chips
- Mashed Butternut Squash
- Keto Bacon and Cheese Biscuits
- Caprese Zoodles
- Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Bacon Avocado Fries
- Low-Carb Cauliflower Stuffing
- Cheesy Baked Asparagus
- Carrot Fries
- Cheesy Brussels Sprout Bake
- Classic Greek Salad
- Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- Holiday Roasted Vegetables
- Chicken Fried Cauliflower
- Spaghetti Squash Pizza Nests
- Keto Burger Bombs
- Cheesy Baked Green Beans
A Sample Keto Christmas Dinner Menu
To help you visualize your keto Christmas feast, here's a sample menu:
- Main Course: Prime Rib Roast with Spice Rub
- Side Dishes:
- Keto Mashed Cauliflower
- Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Bacon
- Roasted Vegetables
- Keto Dinner Rolls
- Appetizer: Keto Appetizer Meatballs
- Dessert: Keto Fudge
Prime Rib Roast Recipe
This post is an easy keto Christmas dinner of prime rib and keto side dishes to go with it.
Ingredients:
- 5.5 lb rib roast
- Salt
- Oregano
- Basil
- Thyme
- Rosemary
Instructions:
- The night before, mix spices and rub all over roast.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
- The next day take roast out ½ hour before roasting to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place on a rack and then place that on a cookie sheet or roaster pan.
- Roast for 15 minutes then turn down to 325 degrees for 2 hours and 1 minute. Please use the Roast Perfect app to get exact times for different size roasts and for the degree of doneness. This recipe is for a 5.5 lb rib roast done to a medium - medium rare.
- When internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F, take out of the oven, tent with aluminum foil and rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Twice Baked Cauliflower Mash Recipe
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower
- Cream cheese
- French onion dip
- Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
- The day before, chop the cauliflower and place in a microwaveable bowl. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Place the cooked cauliflower in a high speed blender along with the cream cheese and French onion dip. Blend on high to puree.
- Spoon cauliflower mash into a baking dish and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.
- To cook, place in the microwave for 5-7 minutes until heated through and cheddar cheese is melted.
Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Recipe
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts
- Bacon
Instructions:
- The night before cut the sprouts in half and microwave for 4 minutes. Refrigerate over night.
- 10 minutes before eating, cook the bacon in a large saute pan.
- Take out the bacon and saute the sprouts in the bacon grease for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top before serving.