Grab your bowl, it's keto pasta time!

This week I wanted to talk about something a lot of people claim they miss when they are on a ketogenic lifestyle. Namely… PASTA! A two ounce serving of traditional pasta is around 42g of carbs, and let’s be honest, how often did we measure out and eat a two ounce serving?? And let’s not get into the inflammatory qualities of all that grain! So yes, we know that pasta does not fit into a ketogenic lifestyle in its original form but I don’t want you to lose hope. There are options, and each comes with their pro’s and cons!

I’ll preface this with some hard honesty. NONE of these substitutes are just like normal pasta and I think that is a good thing. I personally don’t find them triggering because of this. They are however great vehicles for a meaty, creamy, or buttery sauce. And heck, why not make the new keto lasagna recipe we’re sharing below! I am including the ingredients and macros for every item on this list so that you can make the best choices for you!

Kaizen Food Company Pasta

Kaizen’s lupin bean flour pasta is a newcomer on the scene when it comes to keto & low carb friendly pasta substitutes but it is different because it is a dried pasta! So you do boil it up and serve. To me the texture is similar to an al dente whole wheat pasta. It is higher in total carbs than the other options here but is also a great protein source at 20g per serving. The 21g carb “price tag” can look intimidating but it also contains 15g of fiber. KetoConnect did a great dive into lupin flour from a keto perspective here. This may not be a product you choose on the regular but can be great for a special occasion meal! Check them out here. 

Ingredients: Lupin bean flour, fava bean protein, tapioca starch, xanthin gum
Serving Info: Calories: 130, Protein: 20g, Fat: 3.5g, Carbs: 21g 

Konjac Noodles

I am going to lead off with one that I think gets a bad wrap, konjac noodles such as those made by Miracle Noodle. These noodles come packed in water that has a notorious odor. But if you rinse them very well and then dry them in a hot pant before using I think they can be great. They have no flavor of their own but definitely pick up the flavors of whatever sauce you use with ease. I like making spicy Asian themed dishes with these most of all! 

Ingredients: (Miracle Noodles for example) water, konjac, limewater 
Serving Info: Calories: 5, Protein: 0, Fat: 0, Carbs: 3g

Zucchini Spirals

Zucchini spirals earn a spot on this list because I think they are not only affordable (once you get a cheap spiralizer like this one!) but most accessible. You just need to hit any produce section at a grocery store. That said, they’re best when they are sauced quick and eaten right away. If you try to stew them at all in a sauce they can get very mushy quick. But you toss them in a hot sauce or plate up and then top, they are good to go!

Ingredients: zucchini
Serving Info (3oz): Calories: 15, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 3g 

Hearts of palm noodles

There are a few brands making hearts of palm noodles now, but the most well known is Palmini. Hearts of palm are a relatively bland vegetable that have a nicely sturdy structure when cut into noodles. You definitely know that you are having a vegetable but they are a great vehicle for a meaty bolognese or braised roast. 

Ingredients: hearts of palm, water, sea salt & citric acid
Serving Info: Calories: 20, Protein: 1, Fat: 0, Carbs: 4

Cabbage “noodles”

Ok now this one might seem a bit odd because unlike most keto noodle substitutes cabbage definitely has a stronger flavor but they can be great. I think for me my like of these comes from my grandmother’s cabbage rolls she used to make all the time that were stuffed with beef and rice, and covered in tomato sauce. Harnessing that memory I decided to slice cabbage into thin noodle like ribbons, lightly saute and steam them in a covered skillet and toss with sauce. They were great and since then I have tried to preach their awesomeness as another very economically friendly option that is easy to make. Give them a try!

Ingredients: cabbage
Serving Info (4oz): Calories: 32, Protein: 1.5, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 6.5g

Egg White Wraps 

Let’s get trendy with this last one because you may have seen them all over the ketosphere on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc. You simply take an egg white wrap like those made by Egglife (or you can make your own with Indigo Nili’s recipe here!) slice them into thin noodles and add to your warm sauce. After a minute or two they soften up nicely and for my money are the best truly zero carb noodle option out there! They can be a great choice if you want to make a hearty protein focused chicken soup with some broth, pulled chicken and your veggies of choices. 

Ingredients: (Egglife Wraps) Egg whites, xanthan gum, salt, natural flavor, nisin (natural preservative)
Serving Info (2 wraps): Calories: 50, Protein: 10g, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 0g

Did we miss one of your favorites keto friendly pasta-esque options? Let us know!

Check out Coach Mike's New Recipe For 5g Total Carbs Keto Lasaga!

This recipe takes a basic egg white noodle recipe and builds a hearty, saucy Italian feast! Mike has streamlined the noodle production and found a great ingredient balance to give an authentic lasagna feel without the carb bomb!

Click here to check it out now!