Keto Noodles for A Delicious Low-Carb Lifestyle

We all come across days when we wish to ditch our diet plans and indulge in savory noodles. Once done with this impulsive eating, we may feel guilty for getting off track with our weight loss efforts. If you encounter this dilemma, you have landed at the right place!

Read this article to learn about low-carb and keto noodle recipes. These keto noodles will help you satisfy your taste buds while maintaining your low-carb diet at the same time.

Noodles, spaghetti, and pasta are usually full of carbs, especially starch. Alternatively, some people use vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes to make low-carb noodles. However delicious they might be, they do not give the exact taste and texture of chewy pasta or noodles. Though you can buy keto noodles at some stores, nothing can beat homemade keto noodles, whose nutrition content is up to your requirements.

Here is your guide for noodles that could give you the perfect taste and texture of regular noodles.

What Kind of Noodles Are Keto-Friendly?

The keto or ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet that encourages your body to enter the metabolic state of ketosis. This is when your body depends on fat for energy. This happens when you reduce your carb intake to a minimum so your body burns fat for energy instead (10).

Usually, the noodles and pasta are full of carbs. This makes them off-limits in a keto diet. That said, if your taste buds long for silky, chewy noodles, you can try the alternative keto noodles. To be keto-friendly, the carb content of noodles should be kept low.

Normally, 1 cup of noodles (160 grams) has about 40 grams of crabs (2). This could be too much for a person on keto. This is why keto noodles’ carbs are restricted to around 4 to 5 grams, so they keep you in ketosis.

Some kinds of keto noodles with a similar carb count include:

• Shirataki noodles are some of the best keto noodles that are said to have almost zero carbs. They are made from the roots of the konjac plant and are common in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia (7). They are gluten-free, and their texture resembles normal noodles. Because of their low-calorie count and non-existent carbs, they are also considered the most suitable keto noodles (8).
• Zucchini noodles are simply zucchini spiraled into strips resembling the shape of noodles or spaghetti. Since it is a vegetable, it is very low in carbs and has many other useful nutrients.
• Spaghetti squash is a winter vegetable that can help you make low-carb and low-calorie noodles. It has a fleshy, soft texture and contains nutrients (5).
• Kelp noodles are made from seaweed that can be skinned and made into nutritious low-carb keto noodles. They are gluten and fat-free and have a smooth texture. They can be stir-fried, added to other dishes like keto soup or lasagna, or used raw in salads (13).

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Can You Eat Egg White Noodles on Keto?

Though egg noodles are slightly lower in calories and carbs than normal pasta, the content is high enough to knock you out of ketosis. About 1 cup of egg noodles (160 grams) has about 40 grams of carbs and 221 calories (2). Perhaps it would be best to steer clear of egg white noodles while on keto. But if your taste buds are asking for some pasta or noodles, try low-carb keto egg noodles.

There are many recipes for making low-carb egg noodles at home. The key is not to add any high-carb ingredients like flour. Here is a recipe that might help you create suitable keto egg noodles (4):

Ingredients

• 1 ounce cream cheese
• Two eggs
• ¼ tsp vital wheat gluten (though this ingredient has carbs, it is added in a very minute amount for creating the right texture, so you can also skip on this ingredient)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend well until smooth consistency.
3. Lay out a baking sheet or a silicone mat on a baking pan. Pour all the batter onto it.
4. Spread the batter with a spatula or a flat spoon, preferably rectangular. Make it as thin as possible.
5. Bake it in the oven for 5 minutes or until the wet texture is gone. Be vigilant in this step and do not let it overbake.
6. Take it out of the oven, and when it has cooled down, cut it into strips or other required shapes with the help of a sharp knife.

Another one of the keto noodles healthy recipes that gives you the perfect texture but is made a bit differently is as follows (6):

Ingredients

• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup lupin flour — a gluten-free, vegan, and keto-friendly flour made from lupini beans (15)

Instructions

1. Mix flour and egg yolk by hand or machine until dry crumbs form.
2. Melt mozzarella cheese to form a liquid paste-type consistency and add it to the flour mixture. Mix it in a blender or by hand until a well-kneaded dough is formed.
3. Store the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then, place it between 2 baking sheets and roll the dough into a rectangle as thin as possible.
4. Take off the top baking sheet and cut the dough into narrow strips or as required.
5. Then, place these strips again into the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 8 hours so they are stiff and dry.

When preparing the dish, boil these noodles for about 1 minute until they float. They might disintegrate if cooked for a longer duration.

Read more: 6 Keto Sushi Recipes to Eat on a Low-Carb Diet

What Can I Use Instead of Pasta for a Keto Diet?

Pasta is an Italian dish that is quite popular all around the world. There are many types, like spaghetti, lasagna, penne, etc. (9). It may be delicious, but it is also loaded with many carbs and calories, so avoiding it on a keto diet is recommended.

But do not be discouraged, there are a variety of low-carb pasta alternatives you can go for when missing the luxurious taste of pasta. Among these, those made of fresh vegetables, seaweed, or fiber-rich noodles are the most popular. This is because they are low in carbs and have many other health benefits, as they are immensely rich in micronutrients (11).

From the long list, here are the best eight keto pasta alternatives (12):

1. Shirataki noodles
2. Spaghetti squash
3. Cabbage noodles
4. Zucchini noodles
5. Eggplant lasagna
6. Seaweed pasta – kelp noodles
7. Cauliflower couscous
8. Low-carb egg noodles

Using these alternatives for pasta can easily satisfy your cravings without breaking your keto diet. It would be best if you were careful that the seasonings and toppings you add to your keto noodles are also low in carbs, so that your whole meal is keto-friendly.

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FAQs

• What noodles have no carbs?

Shirataki noodles, also called the miracle noodles, are the original keto noodles as they have no carbs. They are white and have a rubbery texture. They are made of fiber from the root of the konjac plant, which is mostly common in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia (7).

• Is there pasta that has no carbs?

Though there are many low-carb or no-carb pasta alternatives, the most authentic and original one is the shirataki noodles, which are said to have no carbs and are gluten-free. Other examples of pasta with no carbs or very low carbs include zucchini noodles, kelp noodles, low-carb egg noodles, and other spiralized vegetable noodles.

• What food is filling but not carbs?

Usually, the body uses carbohydrates to provide energy for functioning. So, if you are eating low-carb food, you must ensure that it is abundant in the other two macronutrients: proteins and fats. This helps keep you filled for a longer time. Some low-carb or no-carb food that helps to meet your calorie and nutrient requirements includes lean meat like sirloin and chicken breast, fish, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts and fruits, etc. (14)

• Can I eat rice on keto?

Eating brown or white rice is a big no-no on the keto diet. This is so because both rice and keto have considerable carbs, while keto is supposed to be a low-carb diet. One cup of white rice has about 53 grams of carbs, and the same amount of brown rice has 50 grams of carbs (3). It would be best if you steered clear of any rice on keto. You can use widely available low-carb alternatives like cauliflower rice, shirataki rice, mushroom rice, etc. (1)

The Bottom Line

Keto is a very low-carb diet that claims to help one lose excess fat by making the body use it for energy. Therefore, avoid eating pasta and noodles while on keto as they have many carbs. It is also a fact that it is quite difficult to win against your taste buds’ desire for savory food like spaghetti, noodles, and lasagna. To resolve this problem you can use the alternative keto noodles with no or low carbs.

These keto noodles can be made at home or bought at stores, but homemade gives you the best satisfaction. Low-carb egg noodles can also be made at home without using flour rich in carbs. These shirataki noodles and kelp noodles are also good examples of keto noodles. Shirataki noodles are considered authentic keto noodles as they have absolutely no carbs. 

For more assistance, we suggest you consult a registered dietitian to understand the carb content of different foods and intake recommendations!