The ketogenic, or keto, diet has gained immense popularity for its potential health benefits, including reducing blood sugar and insulin levels, supporting weight loss, and improving PCOS symptoms. A keto diet can aid in weight loss. The higher protein and fat meals can make you feel fuller for longer, reducing the amount of snacking. Plus, fatty foods take a longer time to break down in the body. Eating more healthy fats, like in the keto diet, can lead to higher HDL levels (high-density lipoprotein). For those following a ketogenic lifestyle, finding satisfying and compliant side dishes is essential. This article explores a variety of keto-friendly side recipes, ensuring you can enjoy flavorful and diverse meals without compromising your dietary goals.
What Makes a Side Dish Keto-Friendly?
A side dish is considered keto-friendly when it’s low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats or proteins, so it supports staying in ketosis. Instead of starchy staples like potatoes, rice, or bread, keto sides lean on nutrient-dense veggies such as cauliflower, zucchini, spinach, or Brussels sprouts. Add in flavorful fats like butter, olive oil, cheese, or cream, and you’ve got a dish that’s both satisfying and keto-approved.
Cauliflower Creations
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be transformed into numerous keto-friendly side dishes.
Cauliflower "Mac" & Cheese
You can still enjoy your favorite comfort dishes while following a keto diet. This cauliflower mac and cheese is gooey, buttery, and cheesy, and only takes 45 minutes to make over the stove. The most comforting of side dishes, made low-carb. Fortunately, you can use cauliflower for the noodles and this low-carb mac and cheese recipe. You’ll create a keto-friendly version that’s just as - if not more - delicious than your old recipe.
Smashed Cauliflower
Smashed cauliflower serves as an excellent substitute for potatoes. It's gluten-free, vegetarian, and only contains five ingredients. The boiled cauliflower is combined with salt, pepper, sour cream, and fresh chives, creating a delectable side dish.
Read also: Delicious Keto Holiday Recipes
Keto "Potato" Salad
This keto-friendly potato salad uses the same traditional ingredients and baking techniques, but the key ingredient is cauliflower instead of potatoes. This mock potato salad is like a sneaky chameleon: cauliflower dressed in mayo, pickles, bacon, and eggs pretending to be spuds, but with way fewer carbs. It’s the potato salad you’d bring to a keto party, and no one needs to know it’s cauliflower-based. The cauliflower is roasted and combined with mayo, mustard, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and green onion. It's a delicious lighter version of a summertime classic and makes the perfect side dish for your next grill out.
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Whether you're hosting a game day or want a fun snack, these buffalo cauliflower bites are sure to be a hit. They're just as flavorful and spicy as wings but are easier to eat and lower in calories. Serve with blue cheese dressing or ranch for extra flavor.
Cauliflower Stuffing
Your turkey finally has a companion on your holiday table. Feel free to add sausage for even more protein!
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Between the butter, cream cheese, and milk, these are definitely keto-friendly. The good news is low-carb veggies like turnips and cauliflower make incredible faux mashed potatoes.
Cauliflower Colcannon
Call off the potato search! This cauliflower colcannon arrives in buttery, creamy style with a cabbage twist that says, “I’m here to comfort, not ruin your macros.” It’s like mashed potatoes got a sophisticated cousin who’s lighter, greener, and better for you. Whip it up in 30 minutes and marvel at how indulgence and low-carb magic coexist.
Read also: Low-Carb Burger Sides
Chicken Fried Cauliflower
Maybe the most amazing thing we've ever done with cauliflower.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
This cauliflower fried rice recipe transforms cauliflower into a fluffy rice-like texture, while eliminating the typical cauliflower flavor and smell, creating a delicious low carb alternative to traditional fried rice.
High-Protein Cauliflower Tots
These high-protein cauliflower tots are low-carb, gluten-free, and packed with nearly 10 grams of protein per serving, thanks to a secret ingredient that adds both flavor and a protein boost. Perfect as a snack or side dish, they're cheesy, crispy, and irresistibly satisfying.
Green Vegetable Delights
Green vegetables are nutritional powerhouses and can be prepared in various ways to complement your keto meals.
Cheesy Garlic Asparagus
This cheesy garlic asparagus is a great easy keto side dish recipe that pairs well with any protein. Tender asparagus is roasted in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper then topped with smoked cheddar and mozzarella cheese. No. 1 best way to eat asparagus.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan Cheese
Roasted green beans with parmesan cheese are an easy and delicious side that family members of all ages can enjoy. Even the biggest veggie hater will like these green beans. It only requires a few ingredients and a little prep time, making it a great no-fuss option. All you need is green beans, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oil or butter, and cheese - it's that simple.
Broccoli and Bacon Salad
This broccoli and bacon salad is so creamy and flavorful, you might just forget that you're eating vegetables. It combines broccoli florets with smoked bacon lardons, sunflower seeds, red onion, cheddar cheese, and mayo.
Cheesy Baked Green Beans
Even the biggest veggie hater will like these green beans.
Keto Maple Mustard Green Beans
This keto side dish is to be enjoyed any time of year, but for the holidays these keto maple mustard green beans are simply fabulous.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Bacon makes everything better. And these bacon wrapped asparagus spears are no exception.
Low Carb Green Beans with Bacon & Onions
Accessorized with smoky bacon and sassy sautéed onions that high-five your taste buds, this green bean delight is basically a low-carb side dish that is fancy enough for company, but low-key enough to make any time. All of that charm packed into just five ingredients and about 25 minutes. Chef’s kiss!
Low Carb Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Bake
Broccoli goes gourmet in this garlic-Parmesan bake, soaking up rich half-and-half, cheese, and a hint of heat-without the carb drama. Think of it as a veggie gratin that’s rich enough to make broccoli feel like the VIP of the side-dish world. Bake it, slice it, and watch broccoli sparkle in cheesy glory.
Spinach Sensations
Spinach is a nutrient-dense leafy green that can be incorporated into various keto-friendly side dishes.
Creamed Spinach
This creamed spinach recipe may convert any spinach hater into a fan. Some spinach artichoke dips are soupy and flavorless. The key to nailing this dish is to not overcook the spinach - and use plenty of cream. The creaminess in this dish will turn anyone into a spinach fan.
Low Carb Creamy Spinach
This creamy spinach is like a green velvet hug: heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan turn humble spinach into a rich, dreamy side. It’s nostalgia without the carb-shame-think classic creamed spinach, minus the carb coma. Simmer, swirl, and serve spoonfuls of silky satisfaction.
Brussels Sprouts Bonanza
Brussels sprouts, often overlooked, can be transformed into delicious and exciting keto-friendly sides.
Bacon-Filled Garlicky Brussel Sprouts
Upgrade your basic brussel sprouts recipe for this bacon-filled garlicky side dish.
Creamed Brussels Sprouts
Of all the ways to make Brussels, this one is definitely in the top five.
Cheesy Brussels Sprout Bake
Prepare to be obsessed with this side dish.
Fried Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Fried crispy brussels sprouts baked in a luscious, cheesy sauce made from a blend of sharp cheddar and nutty gruyere and topped with crunchy bacon bits.
Low Carb Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts get a glow-up in this recipe. Tossed in olive oil, salted, peppered, and roasted until crisp, you’ll swear they're a veggie version of crispy roast potatoes. Quick, simple, and roasted to golden perfection, they’re basically the life of the low-carb dinner party. Bonus: they fool even the most hardened sprout skeptics.
Zucchini Zest
Zucchini is a versatile vegetable that can be used in various keto-friendly side dishes.
Zucchini Fries
These zucchini fries are as flavorful as the real thing but only contain four grams of net carbs. Craving pasta salad? To make these fries, you only need four ingredients, including zucchini, egg whites, Parmesan, and Cajun seasoning. You can pair these fries with a spicy Cajun aioli and animal-style burgers, or enjoy with a ribeye.
Caprese Zoodles
You can't go wrong with caprese anything.
Low Carb Spicy Baked Zucchini Sticks
Craving French fries but watching your carbs? Enter spicy baked zucchini sticks: zucchini wedges coated in smoky spices, baked till crispy, and ready to crunch without the carb guilt. They’re the veggie snack that thinks it’s junk food, and your macros will never suspect a thing.
Other Vegetable Variations
Roasted Eggplant
This roasted eggplant recipe is simple, easy, and comes out with perfect caramelized flavor every time. It contains minimal ingredients, requiring only eggplant, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Rutabaga Fries
If you're not a fan of the flavor or texture of zucchini, you might want to try these rutabaga fries. Using celery root instead of potatoes gives you the same crunchy-yet-soft consistency of french fries. This recipe only takes five minutes of prep time and contains just two main ingredients - rutabaga and avocado oil. Add salt and pepper for a classic fry flavor, or you can get adventurous with salt and vinegar or any other seasonings of your choice.
Mashed Butternut Squash
We might even prefer this to mashed potatoes.
Carrot Fries
Feed your french fry craving sans carbs with these low-carb carrot fries.
Holiday Roasted Vegetables
These veggies are perfect for a holiday meal, but we like making them year round.
Salad Selections
Salads can be easily modified to fit a keto lifestyle, providing refreshing and nutritious side options.
Artichoke Salad
This quick and easy artichoke salad calls for less than 10 ingredients and takes only 15 minutes to make. It uses spinach, char-grilled artichokes, tomatoes, and fresh burrata cheese, and is served with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Pair this salad with salmon or tilapia for a refreshingly light meal.
Avocado-Chopped Salad
If you're craving something light and refreshing, try this avocado-chopped salad recipe. All you need to do is chop and combine your avocado, bell peppers, cucumber, zucchini, and tomatoes, and assemble your vinaigrette dressing. It takes about 10 minutes and requires minimal cleanup.
Kale Salad
This light and tangy salad is full of low-carb fruits. It's a solid choice for you to enjoy before dinner or as a side to a protein-rich entree. Plus, it suits many diets, such as gluten-free, vegan, and whole30. All you need is kale, red cabbage, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, green onion, an apple, and sliced almonds.
Classic Greek Salad
Feta fiends, let's go.
Low Carb Tomato Salad with Pine Nuts
Ready to turn your side salad game from "meh" to “marvelous”? Grab a handful of sun-kissed cherry tomatoes, some golden-brown pine nuts, and basil so fresh it might still be gossiping with the vine, and voilà, you’ve got a salad cooler than a cucumber in shades. Low-carb, zesty, and making keto look effortlessly chic: this tastes like summer’s mixtape in a bowl.
Bread and Chip Alternatives
Keto Bread
This keto bread is light, fluffy, and made in just 90 seconds. For this recipe, you'll need almond flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and an egg - that's it. Melt the butter first, then combine the rest of the ingredients and microwave. This recipe contains only 10 carbs and 15 grams of protein per serving.
Keto Cornbread
This keto cornbread surprisingly has no corn in it, but still tastes like the real deal. For a bread side dish in a hurry, enjoy this simple 5-ingreident keto cornbread recipe in less than 10 minutes without the fuss of an oven. Surprisingly, this recipe contains only seven ingredients: coconut flour, butter, heavy cream, eggs, sugar substitute, salt, and baking soda. Bake in a cast iron skillet and top with butter for a mouthwatering low-carb cornbread alternative.
Keto Tortilla Chips
A homemade, two-ingredient tortilla-like chip that has only two net carbs per serving? Yes, please. Mexican night is back on! Turn these into nachos, accompaniments for keto taco casserole, the possibilities go on and on… The chip is made of almond flour, mozzarella cheese, and whichever spices you prefer to add. You can enjoy these chips as a snack, or pair them with carne asada and guacamole for your next taco Tuesday.
Keto Bacon and Cheese Biscuits
Serve these with keto gravy for the perfect Southern side dish. Flaky, tender keto biscuits that are easy to make and don't require a ton of ingredients.
Savory Bites and Dips
Jalapeno Poppers
These jalapeno poppers are the perfect combination of creamy, spicy, and salty. In this version, you’ll fill your jalapenos with a mixture of cream cheese and sharp cheddar. No breading. The jalapenos are cut and filled with cream cheese, then wrapped in bacon. Pop them into the air fryer for 10 minutes, then serve. One popper contains 13 grams of fat and five grams of protein. Pair this dish with steak or a bun-less burger.