Easy Low Carb Side Dish Recipes (2024)

Like many people, I am always on the look out for deliciously easy low carb side dish recipes and swaps.

But too many low carb side dish ideas are super strict keto sides that leave me hungry OR yet another cauliflower rice recipe OR way too hard for every day, quick meals!!!

So I have collected up over 30 of my favourite easy low carb side dish recipes that are genuinely:

• Super simple
• Cheap
• Properly filling
• AND use all sorts of different vegetables that are easily available.

They are basically brilliantly simple low carb swaps for your family’s favourite every day side dishes.

Simple Low Carb Alternatives

The recipe collection includes easy low carb alternatives for :

1. Mash
2. Noodles
3. Roast potatoes
4. Rice
5. Fries
6. Gnocchi
7. Potato salad
8. PLUS your favourite scalloped potatoes or potato au gratin.

And they use a wide range of flavonoid and fibre rich vegetables and natural antibiotic herbs which are great for restoring gut health.

I hope you enjoy these low carb side dishes as much as my family. Do save for quick reference.

Low Carb Fries

Low carb swaps for fries might seem like a challenge but there are super quick and tasty substitutes :

• Brussel Sprout Fries
• Celeriac Fries
• Rutabaga (Swede) Fries
• Zucchini Fries

Brussel Sprout Fries

Lots of people think they don’t like Brussel sprouts but they truly are scrumptious as a quick keto friendly side. All you need to do is :

1. Fry chopped red onion & 2 crushed garlic cloves in olive oil for 5 mins.
2. Put onion & garlic to one side.
3. Fry halved sprouts – with extra oil if needed – for 5 mins cut side down.
4. Don’t move sprouts – let ’em char.
5. Combine the lot in pan with salt.
6. Serve with parmesan.

Celeriac Fries

Celeriac is mineral and fibre rich and contains less than half the net carbs of potatoes. It is the closest straight low-carb swap for potato fries.

To make celeriac fries in oven :

1. Pre-heat oven to 390f/200c.
2. Peel celeriac & chop chunky fries.
3. Combine with 1/4 cup of olive oil PLUS 1 tsp of e.g. paprika, garam masala, garlic or rosemary.
4. Spread out on baking sheet.
5. Cook for roughly 45 mins.
6. Season with salt & serve hot.

Rutabaga (Swede) Fries

Rutabaga – Swede to us Brits – is a good cheap, magnesium-rich swap for lower carb oven baked fries.

Rutabaga fries are again great spicy :

1. Preheat oven 410f/210c.
2. Peel rutabaga & chop into fries.
3. Toss in 1/4 cup of olive oil with spices of choice e.g. cumin, paprika, garam masala, thyme.
4. Spread on baking sheet.
5. Cook for roughly 30 mins – tossing half way – until nice and crispy.
6. Serve hot, salted.

Zucchini Fries

Zucchini – courgette if you prefer – make great low carb fries in summer when they’re super cheap or you’ve a glut of zucchini in your garden.

Zucchini are also low FODMAP so handy for cutting down gassy food.

To make zucchini fries :

1. Preheat oven 425f/220c.
2. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
3. Cut 3 mid-sized zucchini into fries.
4. Beat 2 eggs in a wide bowl.
5. Combine 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of parmesan and flavours of choice e.g. garlic, oregano in wide bowl.
6. Drop fries into egg, move around.
7. Lift with spatula into flour.
8. Swish around so well covered.
9. Move with spatula to baking trays.
10. Cook for roughly 25 minutes – tossing half way – until crisp.

Low Carb Gnocchi

Homemade gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food for me and these lower carb versions still hit that spot :

• Cauliflower Gnocchi
• Turnip Gnocchi
• Celeriac Gnocchi
• Pumpkin Gnocchi
• Mozzarella Gnocchi

You do need flour to make gnocchi, so use e.g. almond, coconut or spelt to keep sugar levels down.

Cauliflower Gnocchi

1. Grate 1 medium sized cauliflower.
2. Steam in microwave for 3 mins.
3. Mix 1/2 cup of flour, 1 cup of parmesan, 2 cups of rough grated cheese & 2 eggs in a bowl.
4. Combine well with cauliflower.
5. Bring together as 4 balls of dough.
6. Put in fridge for 15 mins.
7. Roll out as thin tubes, cut gnocchi size pieces & squidge with fork.
8. Put back in fridge for 15 mins.
9. Cook in big pan of salted water until all float, roughly 1-2 mins.
10. Serve pronto with sauce or oodles of butter & barely wilted spinach.

Turnip Gnocchi

Turnips are a very healthy low carb swap for potatoes in lots of recipes and you can grow turnips easily.

To make turnip gnocchi :

1. Cook 3 cups of turnip in boiling water for 30-40 mins until soft.
2. Drain & mash smoothly.
3. Cool mash enough to touch.
4. Mix well with 1 cup of flour & 1 egg and knead into a dough.
5. Then follow steps 6-9 for cauliflower gnocchi above.
6. Drain from cooking water & fry gently in blob of butter for 1 min.
7. Serve pronto hot with your favourite accompaniments.

Celeriac Gnocchi

You can make low carb celeriac gnocchi using the same method as in the turnip gnocchi recipe above.

Or this similar low carb celeriac gnocchi recipe minus the egg …

Pumpkin Gnocchi

Pumpkin gnocchi is an Italian classic with only half the carbs of potatoes.

You can make your own super comforting pumpkin and ricotta gnocchi easily with this recipe :

Mozzarella Gnocchi

This alternative low carb gnocchi recipe is mozzarella and is great if you want a low carb side for a tomatoey pasta sauce of any sort …

Low Carb Mash Recipes

Sometimes in the winter nothing hits the mark quite like mash does it?

And we can still enjoy mash as a stomach warming side dish with these Keto and low carb recipes :

• Butter Bean Marsh
• Cauliflower Mash
• Celeriac Mash
• Rutabaga (Swede) Mash
• Spaghetti Squash Mash
• Turnip Mash

Butter Bean Mash

Most Keto diets avoid beans but they are a cheap and healthy low carb side dish for vegans and vegetarians.

To make this butter bean mash :

1. Sauté 1 onion & 2 cloves of garlic for 5 mins with herbs of choice e.g. rosemary, thyme, oregano.
2. Add 1 can of butter beans.
3. PLUS 1 cup of stock.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Squeeze in lemon juice.
6. Blend half smoothly and rough mash other half with a fork.

Cauliflower Mash

There are loads of recipes out there for cauliflower mash as a low carb side dish but use these basics for a super creamy version :

1. Cut 1 cauliflower into florets.
2. Steam gently for 15 mins until soft.
3. Sauté 2 cloves of garlic in oil.
4. Blend cauliflower, garlic & a pinch of salt with a 2 generous dollops of creamed cheese & same of butter.
5. Season with chives or parsley.

Celeriac Mash

You can make truly delicious low carb celeriac mash very easily :

1. Peel & rough chop 1 celeriac.
2. Boil well in large pan for 20 mins.
3. Drain in colander for 2 mins with a few good shakes to remove water.
4. Blend with 2 big dollops of cream, a thick slice of butter, salt & pepper.
5. Add a little gut healthy parsley.
6. Reheat gently in pan.

If you don’t have cream, two tablespoons of milk will do but rich full fat milk best for a creamy texture.

Parsley is often forgotten these days but it can improve gut health, relieve stomach ache, prevent constipation and see off urinary infections!!

You can grow parsley very easily in a kitchen herb garden for remedies.

Rutabaga (Swede) Mash

Rutabaga mash is another handy lower carb swap for mashed potato.

To make your own easily :

1. Peel 2-3 mid-sized rutabagas.
2. Roughly chop into cubes.
3. Boil in large pan for 35 mins.
4. Mash or rough blend.
5. Add 4 big dollops of sour cream and a small knob of butter.
6. PLUS gut healthy chopped chives.
7. Mash or quick blend together.
8. Heat gently in pan for a few mins.

Spaghetti Squash Mash

In autumn super healthy spaghetti squash is a fantastic seasonal vegetable for low carb side dishes like this spaghetti squash mash.

It takes a bit more effort than the other low carb mash recipes but is still very easy once you have the hang of prepping the squash :

1. Microwave whole spaghetti squash for 5 mins to soften insides.
2. Halve long ways & scoop out seeds.
3. Then roast for 30 mins or instant pot high pressure steam for 15 mins, cut sides down.
4. Scoop flesh into blender with 4 good slices of butter, 3oz/85g of parmesan, salt & pepper.
5. Add flavour e.g. garlic powder, oregano, thyme or rosemary.
6. Blend to as smooth as you like it!!

Turnip Mash

Turnips are wonderful in all sorts of low carb dishes but they have more bite than potato so are best – I think – in a really rich low carb mash :

1. Peel & cube 4 medium turnips.
2. Boil in salty water for 10 mins until soft, then drain well for a few mins.
3. Blend with 4 big dollops of double / heavy cream & 2 slices of butter.
4. Warm slightly in pan.
5. You can add extra flavour with garlic, rosemary, thyme or sage.

If you avoid dairy make this dairy-free turnip mash with coconut oil :

You can actually grow turnips easily in your garden and their leafy greens are natural antihistamines.

Low Carb Noodle Substitutes

It is easy to make low carb noodle substitutes for spaghetti and other noodles with a range of vegetables :

• Beetroot
• Cabbage
• Zucchini
• Spaghetti Squash
• Carrot
• Cucumber

Beet Noodles

Beetroot noodles have a punchy flavour so are great for an easy low carb side dish that is a meal in itself with a few gut healthy toppings.

1. Spiralise 2-3 beetroots.
2. Sauté for 4 mins in large frying pan with a finely sliced red onion & 2 crushed garlic cloves.
3. Add 1/2 cup of water & simmer for 5 mins covered until liquid gone.
4. Stir in a good dollop of natural yoghurt for each beetroot.
5. Add herbs e.g. dill, basil, thyme.
6. Season with salt & pepper.
7. Sprinkle with pine nuts or seeds.

Cabbage Noodles

Thinly sliced cabbage is an easy low carb swap for noodles in stir fries.

But you can also take cabbage noodles to the next level as a low carb side for your fave Italian sauces:

1. Thinly slice up a cabbage.
2. Sauté 2-3 crushed garlic cloves for a few mins in butter until browning.
3. Add your fave Italian herbs e.g. oregano, basil, thyme PLUS a pinch of chilli flakes or powder to taste.
4. Toss cabbage in until just starting to soften – don’t let it go soggy.
5. Add plenty of grated parmesan.
6. Serve with Italian sauce of choice.

All sorts of green cabbage works but collard greens which are easy to grow in the garden are great.

Zucchini Noodles

Zucchini noodles – aka zoodles – are a classic low carb, keto side dish but lots of us get put off because we think we need a spiralizer, mandolin or fancy Julienne peeler. We don’t.

You can create zucchini noodles with a box grater. And you can sauté, boil, bake and microwave zoodles or just eat them raw as an easy low carb side for all sorts of other dishes.

Personally, I love zoodles Bolognese.

For more tips check out this great guide here to everything zoodle …

Spaghetti Squash Noodles

Spaghetti squash comes with low carb noodles ready to go inside for all your fave pasta sauces.

To extract noodles follow same process as spaghetti squash mash :

1. Microwave squash for 5 mins.
2. Halve long ways & scoop out seeds.
3. Pop cut side down on baking tray.
4. Roast for 30 mins at 425f/220c.
5. Once cool enough to handle comfortably, fork out noodles.
6. Serve with favourite sauce.

Carrot Noodles

Carrots are too high in sugar for some diabetics but they make great noodles if you can eat them.

And are lower carb than pasta!!

To make carrot noodles :

1. Peel, then julienne or box grate 8 medium carrots into long strips.
2. Sauté a small chopped onion & 2 crushed garlic cloves in olive oil.
3. Add carrots to pan for 5 mins.
4. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Serve with sauce of choice.

Cucumber Noodles

Cucumber noodles are a Keto friendly noodle alternative, that make a super low carb side for everything from fave Chinese dishes to fish and chicken in the summer.

You can even whip up sweet & sour cucumber noodles as a whole meal:

1. Spiralize, peel or grate 1 cucumber.
2. Combine into a dressing :
   • 3 big squeezes of lemon
   • 3 large glugs of olive oil
   • 2 glugs of rice or other vinegar
   • 1 crushed garlic clove
   • A good dollop of honey
   • Pinch of salt
   • Herbs of choice e.g. cilantro, coriander, parsley, dill.
3. Toss noodles in dressing.
4. Marinate in fridge til ready to serve.
5. Garnish with toasted seeds & crushed nuts e.g. cashew, peanut.

Cucumbers are good spiralized but a julienne peeler or box grater is fine.

Low Carb Potato Au Gratin Alternatives

Potato au gratin – aka scalloped or dauphinoise potatoes – is another stomach warming side dish you can serve up up with low carb swaps :

• Radish
• Rutabaga
• Turnip

Radish Gratin

Low carb radish au gratin is a brilliant side dish for everything from steak to an emergency can of fish!

• Halve roughly 20 radishes.
• Boil radishes in water for 30 mins.
• Sauté a small chopped onion for 4 mins, adding 1 crushed clove of garlic for the last min.
• Add 4 big dollops of double / heavy cream, 2 tbsp of milk & 2 thick slices of butter to onion.
• Stir gently to combine & thicken.

• Add 1.5 cups of grated cheese.
• Transfer radishes, onion & garlic to casserole dish, then cover with creamy sauce.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on top.
• Cook in oven at 350f/180c for roughly 40 mins or so.

Rutabaga Gratin

Super cheesy but simple rutabaga gratin is a delicious lower carb side when you’ve got a load of people to feed at Christmas for example.

• Peel 2lb/1kg (roughly 4 or 5 rutabaga) & chop into chunks.
• Boil for 10mins til just softening.
• Meantime, fry 1 chopped onion in 2-3 slices of butter for 5 mins.
• Quickly stir in 2-3 tbsp of flour.
• Slowly add 2 cups of milk.

• Season & stir in 5oz/150g of grated cheeses of choice e.g. gruyere.
• Toss rutabaga well in sauce & transfer to casserole dish.
• Scatter more cheese on top.
• Cook for 35 mins at 375f/190c.

Turnip Gratin

Turnip makes the best low carb substitute for classic scalloped potatoes Dauphinoise.

The secret is slicing turnips thin :

• Peel 1lb/450g of turnips.
• Slice them super thinly.
• Crush 2 garlic cloves.
• Whisk up 2 cups/500 ml of heavy cream in a pan whilst heating.
• Or make a basic white sauce with butter, flour & 2 cups of milk.
• Season with salt & pepper.

• Layer turnips in casserole dish pouring sauce between each layer.
• Pour remaining sauce over top.
• Scatter 4oz/100g grated gruyere.
• Cook at 400f/200c for 40 mins.

Low Carb Roast Potato Alternatives

Crunchy on the outside, soft inside roast potatoes really are heavenly.

But again there are delicious low carb roast potato swaps we can whip up easily as lower carb sides. They are obviously NOT roast potatoes but still hit the same buttons :

• Artichokes
• Brussel Sprouts
• Onions
• Radishes
• Beets

Roasted Artichokes

Roasted artichokes are a super tasty and easy lower carb swap for spuds. Just do leave time for scrubbing.

1. Scrub thoroughly 1lb/450g Jerusalem artichokes.
2. Halve artichokes lengthwise.
3. Toss in roasting tin with two good glugs of olive oil. Season well.
4. Roast at 350f/175c for 45 mins.

Artichokes are gassy. If you suffer with excess gas they’re best skipped whilst you are sorting your gut out.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I have to confess I devour roasted Brussel sprouts like sweeties!!

They are a fantastic low carb side dish for steak but also a super quick and easy side for gratins above when you’re finishing off leftovers.

• Trim base off 1.5lb/680g of sprouts and remove damaged leaves.
• Slice in half top to bottom.
• Toss sprouts with 2 glugs of oil and a little salt on a baking tray.
• Spread sprouts out flat side down.

• Roast at 425f/220c for 20 mins.
• Should be just on turn to charring.

Sprouts can also be an issue if you suffer gastritis or IBS. Go easy on them whilst balancing your gut.

Roasted Onions

Roasted onions are a stomach warming low carb side dish you can make cheaply for a big family.

Roasted onions with parmesan and cream make a next level side dish :

1. Cut 3-4 peeled onions into 1/8ths.
2. Put cut side down on baking tray.
3. Sprinkle with olive oil & season.
4. Roast for 15 mins at 375f/190c.
5. Transfer to lightly oiled casserole.
6. Cover with 1 cup/250ml double/heavy cream and sprinkle with 1/2 cup / 50g of parmesan.
7. Put back in oven, for 20 mins covered at 430f/220c and then for 10 mins more uncovered.

Onions are natural antibiotics but can in excess trigger acid reflux and gastritis, so skip whilst fixing these.

Garlic Roasted Radishes

Roasted radishes are a fantastic low carb swap for roasted new potatoes through spring and summer.

1. Trim & halve 1lb/xxg of radishes.
2. Toss in a good dollop of oil or a cubed slice of butter with salt, pepper and a little parsley.
3. Spread out well on a baking tray.
4. Cook at 425f/220c for 40 mins, add 2 crushed garlic cloves 10 mins in.
5. Toss every 10 mins or so.

Roasted Beets

Beetroots have a reputation for being a faff in the kitchen but you can roast low carb beets without peeling and just 10 mins prep.

All you do for easy roast beets is :

1. Scrub 1 beet per person well.
2. Trim top & bottom.
3. Halve big beetroots.
4. Rub with olive oil, salt & pepper.
5. Roast covered at 375f for 1 hour.

Low Carb Rice Alternatives

Switching to a low carb diet is harder if we try to ditch recipes we know well and can cook on autopilot.

Simple low carb rice swaps let us carry on making all our family’s favourite “rice” dishes easily :

• Cauliflower Rice
• Rutabaga Rice
• Broccoli Rice
• Cabbage Rice
• Lentils

Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is everywhere but if you haven’t made it do this :

1. Wash 1 small cauliflower
2. Remove lower stem & leaves.
3. Box grate on medium hole.
4. Sauté in dollop of oil in frying pan, moving rice around for 5 mins.

Rutabaga Rice

Rutabaga rice is almost like a couscous so a great low carb side dish swap for any couscous recipes.

1. Peel 1-2 rutabaga, top & tail.
2. Cut into big pieces & box grate.
3. Simmer in cup of stock for 10 mins.
4. Adjust time & liquid for texture.
5. Serve with favourite couscous-friendly stews and casseroles.

Broccoli Rice

Broccoli rice is a lovely fresh low carb alternative cauliflower rice that gives us a big helping of greens.

1. Cut broccoli head into florets.
2. Peel off outer layer & chunk stem.
3. Box grate or blend in batches for a few secs so “riced” not mushed.
4. Steam in barely an inch of water on high for 3 mins, drain to serve.
5. Or stir fry for 2 mins.
6. Or sauté for 3 mins.
7. Serve hot as a substitute with any of your family favourite rice recipes.

Cabbage Rice

Cabbage rice like cauliflower rice is a really tasty low carb match for spicy dishes whether Mexican or Indian.

To whip up fried cabbage rice :

1. Wash & pat dry 1 crunchy cabbage.
2. Chop into fairly big chunks.
3. Box grate, chop-pulse in processor or blend super quickly to rice.
4. Fry up base e.g. onion, red pepper with spices or herbs of choice e.g. turmeric, cumin, oregano, thyme, which are all natural antibiotics!
5. Add cabbage and fry/sauté for 5 mins with an occasional stir.
6. Enjoy with any of your fave rice recipes, but is v good with pork.

Easy Low Carb Lentil Swap For Rice

On a strict Keto diet you may well be skipping lentils but they are a super healthy, low carb swap for rice for vegans and vegetarians.

To cook lentils well v. simply, just :

1. Rinse 1 cup green lentils in sieve.
2. Squash 2 garlic cloves.
3. Simmer lentils in 4 cups of water for 20 mins with garlic & a bay leaf.
4. Check to see if al dente.
5. May want extra time but don’t let go soggy, they need a bit of bite!

Low Carb Potato Salads

Keto and low carb potato salad swaps are perfect for long summer days and easy to whip up with :

• Radish
• Rutabaga
• Cauliflower
• Turnip

Potato Salad With Radish

Radishes are a great option for a v. low carb, Keto friendly potato salad :

1. Rinse & top 1lb/450g of radishes.
2. Boil for 15 mins uncovered.
3. Drain & halve.
4. Mix 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and a dollop of mustard with chopped dill or chives, salt & pepper.
5. Toss radish in dressing & marinate in fridge for a good few hours.
6. You could also add hard boiled eggs, fine chopped celery, spring onion & chopped bacon.

Potato Salad With Rutabaga

Rutabaga makes a great lower carb potato salad with real beef to it!!

1. Peel & chop 1.5lb/680g of rutabaga.
2. Simmer in salty water for 15 mins.
3. Drain well & leave to cool.
4. Mix 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, dollop of mustard & squirt of lemon juice.
5. Add 2 tbsp of finely chopped pickles, dill or chives PLUS cooked meat of choice e.g. bacon, ham, cold beef from a roast.
6. Stir in rutabaga.
7. Marinate in fridge for a few hours.

Potato Salad With Cauliflower

Keto potato salad with cauliflower has become a low carb classic.

There are loads of recipes out there but this version is delicious :

• Wash & chop cauliflower into bits.
• Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Roast at 400f/200c for 15 mins.

• Chop 2 hard boiled eggs.
• Finely chop celery stick, red onion and 2 tbsp dill, or your fave, pickle.
• Whisk 1/4 cup of mayonnaise with dollop of mustard & squirt of lemon juice or 1 tbsp pickle juice PLUS pinch of paprika.
• Toss cauliflower & rest in dressing.
• Optionally add chopped avocado.

Potato Salad With Turnip

You can just swap turnips into your favourite potato salad recipe or try this deliciously easy Keto Potato Salad Recipe With Turnips.

And there you go, loads of easy low carb side dish swaps for all your family’s favourite meals :

• Low Carb Fries
• Low Carb Gnocchi
• Low Carb Mash
• Low Carb Noodles
• Low Carb Potato Au Gratin
• Low Carb Roast Potatoes
• Low Carb Rice
• Low Carb Potato Salads

For more low carb ideas do follow me on Pinterest …

If you are struggling with your gut health alongside blood sugar issues do check out these guides to :

• Acid Reflux
• Constipation
• Gastritis
• IBS
• Stomach Pain
• Urinary Infection

And for more easy low carb recipe ideas follow me on Pinterest …

Original image sources : Jules