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Following a low-carb diet while you're a vegetarian may seem difficult, but not when you have a collection of simple and easy low-carb vegetarian recipes at your fingertips. Here you'll find healthy, delicious, and satisfying recipes made with wholesome ingredients!If you are going low carb, and also are vegetarian, you may find it more difficult than those that are omnivores. That's because most low-carb recipes use animal protein as the main ingredient. In addition, many vegetarian foods use starchy vegetables and grains to bulk up their recipes. However, there are plenty of low-carb, high protein vegetarian alternatives that are satisfying, tasty and filling!
You are in the right place for finding delicious low-carb recipes. In this collection of delicious recipes, you'll find high protein low carb recipes that use ingredients like avocadoes, eggs, cheese, nuts, nut butter, and more to create drool-worthy recipes.
These 30 low-carb vegetarian recipes will help jump-start your weight loss goals with healthy fats and wholesome vegetable-heavy dishes. They're a great way to introduce low-carb recipes into your daily diet, or provide some recipe inspiration if you're looking to try to go low-carb once in a while!
Many of these recipes are also suitable for those who follow a vegan diet. Just be aware of those recipes that include cheese, or eggs - you can still turn them into low-carb vegan recipes by using a vegan substitution instead.
You can use these recipes to customize your own meal plans for the month. All of these recipes have less than ~15-20 grams of net carbs, making them a delicious low carb and keto-friendly option for anyone looking to eat a little bit healthier!
🌿 Types of Low Carb Recipes
- Hearty Salads
- Filling Main Dishes
- Protein Rich Breakfasts
- Vegetable Side Dishes
🥗 Low Carb Vegetarian Salads
When making a hearty salad include leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables, sliced nuts (like pine nuts), and cheese for added crunch, and to give your salad bulk. You'll find healthy and great foods to satisfy every taste.
These salads have rich avocado, cubed cheese, creamy coconut milk dressings, or vinaigrettes with olive oil on fresh greens! These salads are packed with lots of veggies, are filling enough to make a meal, and are a great option for lunch or dinner!
🥦 Low Carb Vegetarian Appetizers
Appetizers are a delicious way to start your meal. The key to preparing a low carb appetizer is to leave out the bread, and use a vegetables in its place.
These appetizers range from zucchini pizza boats, that use sliced zucchini as the base, topped with mozzarella, and fresh veggies. Instead of chicken wings, you'll find simple to make buffalo cauliflower bites. Use sliced veggies to enjoy these low carb dips.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
🥕 Low Carb Vegetarian Side Dishes
Making a low-carb side dish is easy to do! Focus on low-starch vegetables like cauliflower, kale, jicama, eggplant, and cabbage.
Cheesy Baked Asparagus
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🥘 Low-Carb Vegetarian Meals And Dinner Ideas
Create a low carb meal with rich and thick soups, seasoned spaghetti squash, vegetable tofu skewers, eggs, and more. Use your instant pot, slow cooker, or air fryer to help you simplify mealtime.
Most of these recipes are suitable for those on a keto diet, and are total comfort food. Cauliflower rice when serving main course stir-fries and mixed vegetables both make for low carb and low-calorie meat substitutes. You'll find an easy dinner idea for each day of the week, guaranteed to become a family favorite!
📖 Other Ideas For Low-Carb Meals
Try any of these tips and tricks when trying to make your favorite recipes more suitable for a low carb diet!
- Create healthy breakfasts with eggs including omelettes, scrambles, or a crustless quiche stuffed with low carb veggies and cheese.
- Make pizza using a crust made from cauliflower or sweet potatoes.
- Make pasta out of zucchini noodles, butternut squash or sweet potato noodles, and then toss them in this delicious tomato sauce that also happens to be keto-friendly!
- Make a burrito using lettuce wraps instead of tortillas.
- Make a broccoli stir fry using broccoli, leafy greens and tempeh.
- Create low carb bowls with a mixture of your favorite sugar free dressing, non-starchy veggies, and vegetarian friendly protein!
- Dessert doesn't have to be off the table! Thanks to sweeteners like monk fruit and stevia, you can make the majority of your favorite desserts with low carb chocolate, and sugar free substitutes to satisfy your sweet cravings.
Can You Be A Low Carb Vegetarian? Is plant based keto possible?
Yes absolutely! While those who follow a vegetarian diet do not eat meat, poultry or fish, they do eat other animal products like dairy and eggs.
Additionally, there are quite a few low carb plant based proteins that vegetarians can eat (soy, nuts and seeds primarily). The key is to stay away from all grains and fresh fruit - which are healthy, but both are high in carbs.
Plant based keto will take more discipline and creativity than a traditional keto diet, but between dairy, plant based proteins, and healthy veggies, it is definitely possible!
What foods have little to no carbs?
Other than the obvious foods like meat, poultry and fish, here is a list of our favorite low or no-carb foods: tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts and nut flours like almond flour and coconut flour, seeds, eggs, all dairy, nutritional yeast, coconut oil, avocados and most fiber-rich veggies and non starchy veggies including asparagus, radishes, artichokes, broccoli, kale and all other leafy greens (bok choy, spinach, lettuce, etc.)
Is vegetarian better than keto?
That depends on who you ask! From a pure health standpoint, a vegetarian or vegan diet (when followed correctly and is free of processed food, fast food, and sugar) is better for long term health than keto, since it's lower in fat and higher in fiber.
However, a vegetarian or vegan diet high in refined carbs and sugar is not healthier than keto! And a keto diet that's a bit more balanced and not solely focused on meats and fats can be just as healthy as a vegetarian diet. In the end, it's all about balance and moderation to make any diet a success.
