Keto side dishes don’t need to feel bland and involve tons of vegetables. Indeed, some of the best picks are made with vegetables. That said, you can shake things up a bit. Also, you can adjust your sides according to which type of keto diet you follow.
Our top 25 keto side dishes will rock every taste bud without letting you run out of ideas. Instead, you’ll have tasty ideas for chicken, steak, BBQ, a lazy menu, and no-vegetable sides. Let’s help you find the best keto side to suit your tastes today.
Here’s a sneak peek at five of our favorite keto side dishes:
First, let’s discover some keto facts before seeing the recipes.
What can you eat as a keto side dish? Let’s see what foods are good for unlimited eating on keto, which items have low carbs, and introduce the lazy keto diet.
Here’s a keto food list that shows what you don’t need to limit on your keto diet (35, 1). These foods are all very low in carbohydrates, but some are high in calories, so you’ll need to keep that in mind if you have a daily calorie goal.
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Non-starchy vegetable side dishes are low in carbs (2). However, vegetable sides feel boring when you don’t mix things up. Healthline suggests beef, lamb, pork, chicken, salmon, trout, tuna, and haddock are excellent low-carb choices (4). You can make side dishes with protein.
Also, eggs, egg whites, egg yolks, oranges, and berries are low-carb side dish ingredients. Nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut, and olive oil have very few carbs. High-fat dairy, like cheese, yogurt, butter, and cream also provide side dish opportunities with fewer carbs.
A lazy keto menu follows a higher carb allowance than a strict keto diet. Medical News Today says a lazy keto meal plan encourages you to limit carbs to 10% of your calorie intake daily (29). Remember, you don’t need to keep track of your protein or fat, only carbs.
A traditional keto meal plan limits your protein to 30-35%, carbs to 5-10%, and fat to 55-60% of your daily calories (21). However, researchers in Taiwan found that low-carb diets with 90 grams of carbs daily may still help diabetic individuals control their blood sugar better and lose weight (12).
So, a low-carb or lazy keto menu may still help you lose weight while following a less stringent rule of severely limiting your carbs daily. Eating a more moderately low carb diet may be easier to stick to, which can make weight loss more achievable.
Our top 25 low-carb keto side dish recipe links offer variety, inspiring you to experiment with the ingredients listed above. You’ll also find lazy keto and non-vegetable side dishes.
Please note that every recipe’s macros are per serving. Also, deduct the fiber from the total carbs to find the net carbs if you count those (14).
First up, let’s show you delicious side dishes to eat with chicken.
Cauliflower fried rice tastes as close to the real thing as you can imagine, while being gluten-free and low-carb for the keto diet. Meanwhile, it will only take around 20 minutes to make this mouth-watering side dish, and the toasted sesame oil will devour your senses.
Macros: 127 calories, 11 g carbs, 8 g fat, 5 g protein, and 5 g fiber (8)
Asparagus is the ideal accompaniment for a grilled or whole chicken. The sea salt truly enhances asparagus, and this side is also ready in under 20 minutes. Furthermore, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the side to make the flavors dance on your tongue.
Macros: 86 calories, 4 g carbs, 7 g fat, 2 g protein, and 2 g fiber (30)
Summertime chicken dishes with a side of salad are too classic to overlook. Nothing complements a chicken dish during the hot months better than a tasty salad. Meanwhile, this idea is perfect for those who love guacamole flavors and avocados.
Macros: 132 calories, 6.3 g carbs, 12.1 g fat, 1.3 g protein, and 3 g fiber (17)
This name might be deceptive, but this recipe is a spinoff of the classic pumpkin fritters recipes. It’s the ideal chicken side for a cooler day when you roast a Sunday lunch for the family. Meanwhile, the sage truly inspires a new flavor you won’t remember in pumpkin fritters.
Macros: 139 calories, 5.5 g carbs, 12 g fat, 3.7 g protein, and 2.7 g fiber (26)
A classic green bean salad welcomes another winter and fall side for roast chicken. This comfort-food style side will warm your insides with a delicious mushroom sauce. Also, it uses almond flour to ensure that you don’t eat too many carbs. However, be mindful of the calorie count.
Macros: 250 calories, 8 g carbs, 24 g fat, 3 g protein, and 5 g fiber (23)
Read more: Is Pho Keto? The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying Pho on a Low-Carb Diet
Steak is a favorite, and some keto sides will make you want to eat steak more often.
Do you wonder why restaurants often serve creamed spinach as steak sides? Creamed spinach is the ultimate side for a well-cooked steak. Meanwhile, the recipe skips any flour to cut carbs for a keto diet, and gathers intense flavors from cream and parmesan cheese.
Macros: 154 calories, 6 g carbs, 13 g fat, 6 g protein, and 3 g fiber (19)
The next best keto side for steak is fries. Regular potatoes are too starchy for a keto diet, but rutabaga fries will attend to your cravings nicely. The flavors are simple because after all, fries shouldn’t be over complicated for a side dish.
Macros: 96 calories, 8 g carbs, 6 g fat, 1 g protein, and 2 g fiber (20)
Mushrooms are another classic steak side, and the vegetable has low enough carbs to enjoy on a keto diet. Moreso, garlic butter adds a touch of comfort, while the choice of mushrooms allows for a variety. Enjoy steak with another tasty side on keto.
Macros: 141 calories, 4.3 g carbs, 13.2 g fat, 3.7 g protein, and 1.1 g fiber (32)
Stir-fried vegetables can be a keto side for steak or include steak in the dish. Nonetheless, this keto stir-fry side has mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli to add flavor and color. In addition, it has a low carb count and doesn’t take too many daily calories.
Macros: 106 calories, 9.3 g carbs, 6.9 g fat, 2.8 g protein, and 2.4 g fiber (33)
Steak’s final side on our list is an unusual pick that works similarly to fries but with zucchini. You can make this keto-friendly side dish as a quick and easy treat with steak, resembling potato crisps. Be creative with how you slice the zucchini
Macros: 59 calories, 4 g carbs, 4 g fat, 2 g protein, and 2 g fiber (3)
Summer BBQs and delicious keto-friendly side dishes are what’s on the card for now.
A BBQ isn’t the same without a bowl of potato salad. This recipe uses rutabagas with gherkins, bacon, dill, and Dijon mustard to taste as close to the real thing as possible. The calories are high for a side, but the occasional splurge and carb count are worth it.
Macros: 185 calories, 10 g carbs, 16 g fat, 3 g protein, and 5 g fiber (25)
Salad isn’t the only accompaniment for a BBQ. Instead, you can enjoy cornbread as your keto BBQ side dish. It’s a classic, entwined with a comfort food and will leave you feeling satisfied. However, be aware of the calories per serving.
Macros: 240 calories, 3.8 g carbs, 23.2 g fat, 6.5 g protein, and 1.8 g fiber (11)
A BBQ is about the meat you enjoy with friends and family. So, why shouldn’t you wrap vegetables in meat to fit into the BBQ? The honey mustard flavors will engulf your senses, but be mindful of the calories per serving again.
Macros: 264 calories, 4.6 g carbs, 24.3 g fat, 5.7 g protein, and 1.8 g fiber (5)
Avocado fries are a fun keto side idea for a BBQ, especially with children around. The low-carb, keto-friendly breading will stun anyone who tries this recipe. Who said you can’t crumb items if using the right breading types?
Macros: 168 calories, 5.2 g carbs, 13.8 g fat, 8.7 g protein, and 3.3 g fiber (16)
Keto bread rolls seem out of the question on the keto diet, and you must eat keto-friendly bread in strict moderation. However, the good news here is that you can enjoy them. This recipe uses almond flour, but be aware of the calories because they’re on the high side.
Macros: 261 calories, 7.3 g carbs, 20.5 g fat, 14.4 g protein, and 3.1 g fiber (6)
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So, you’re keen to discover those keto side dishes without vegetables. Let’s show you.
You could make crunchy, mouth-watering Keto tortillas as a keto side dish with just two ingredients. Almond flour and mozzarella cheese make it possible to enjoy tortillas on keto as a side dish to salads, stir-fries, and more.
Macros: 163 calories, 4 g carbs, 13 g fat, 9 g protein, and 2 g fiber (28)
Sauces and condiments are sides, too. Enjoy homemade, keto-friendly cranberry sauce on a side of pork or other meat you love. Meanwhile, the recipe is sugar-free and will sweeten any meaty meal with a fruity twist.
Macros: 27 calories, 6.8 carbs, 0.1 g fat, 0.3 g protein, and 2 g fiber (34)
Nothing smells nicer than a freshly-baked garlic loaf, which you will miss on the keto diet. Fortunately, you don’t have to miss out on that nostalgic aroma with a keto-friendly recipe using almond flour, greek yogurt, and tons of garlic.
Macros: 125 calories, 2 g carbs, 10 g fat, 6 g protein, and 1 g fiber (22)
Pasta salad makes the ideal keto side dish for most meals, but can you eat pasta? Indeed, you can enjoy keto-friendly pasta or make your own. Also, be sure to make your salad dressing to have accurate macros per serving for this recipe.
Macros: 197 calories, 10 g carbs, 10 g fat, 6 g protein, and 7 g fiber (24)
Fruit isn’t vegetables. So, let’s enjoy a summertime keto side dish you can have with BBQ or any red meat to enjoy some sweetness. Meanwhile, the berry blend keeps calories and carbs low with this delicious recipe.
Macros: 35 calories, 8 g carbs, 0.4 g fat, 0.8 g protein, and 3.1 g fiber (18)
Read more: 10 Full Keto Candy Recipes With Chocolate, Nuts, and Classic Favorites
Lazy keto side dishes are slightly more flexible. Here are our top five picks.
The calories in this dish will mostly come from the cream and cheese, but the carbs aren’t bad for a lazy keto side dish. Heavy cream, squash, and cheese make an excellent trio for a casserole you can eat on keto.
Macros: 200 calories, 4.7 g carbs, 17.1 g fat, 8.3 g protein, and 1.3 g fiber (36)
Jicama is another tasty vegetable to use instead of potatoes, and this recipe makes thin French fries with this potato-like veggie. Also, the garlic, parmesan, and parsley blend will surprise your taste buds.
Macros: 193 calories, 11.7 g carbs, 5.7 g fat, 16.3 g protein, and 8.5 g fiber (13)
Mac and cheese is an age-old comfort food and family tradition in many homes. Missing this classic is understandable on the keto diet. Fortunately, you can make mac and cheese with keto-friendly ingredients. However, it has high side dish calories.
Macros: 279 calories, 8.1 g carbs, 23.9 g fat, 10.4 g protein, and 3.1 g fiber (9)
A jalapeno popper salad sounds incredibly delicious, but the calories are high for this recipe. Here, it’s among the lazy keto side dish ideas. However, the popping flavors devour your tongue with sharp cheeses and sour cream.
Macros: 391 calories, 6.1 g carbs, 36.4 g fat, 13.7 g protein, and 1.4 g fiber (10)
The keto egg salad with special sauce recipe is low-carb but high-calorie, making it better for those on the lazy keto diet. However, the mayo, tomato paste, and mustard blend will have you eating this salad more often than not.
Macros: 294 calories, 1 g carbs, 27 g fat, 14 g protein, and 0 g fiber (27)
The no-carb vegetable myth is just that, a myth. Even the lowest-carb vegetable has just under a gram of carbs per cup (15). A cup of kale has less than a gram of carbs, with most of them being dietary fiber. The net carbs in a cup of kale are only 0.066 grams.
The best low-carb vegetables are more accurate, as no vegetable contains zero carbs. Kale has a single gram of carbs per cup, while asparagus has two grams of carbs in every four cooked spears (2). Also, spinach and mushrooms only have 1-2 grams of carbs per serving.
Cauliflower has fewer carbs than rice. For example, the USDA shows a cup of rice cooked without added salt has 44.6 g of carbs (31). Meanwhile, the USDA suggests a cup of cooked cauliflower without added salt only has 5.1 g of carbs (7).
Non-starchy vegetables like arugula, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes are low-carb (2). Asparagus only has 2 g of carbs per 4 spears, while raw kale has less than a gram per cup.
Our top 25 keto side dishes won’t leave you wanting more options, especially because they offer a variety that doesn’t include only vegetables and salads. Try the best picks for your main protein today, or add some lazy keto sides to keep your carbs under your daily goal.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!