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Stuck on what to serve with your main course or low carb dinners? These keto friendly side dishes are your answer! Over 37 EASY and delicious keto sides that are simple to make.
Refresh your dinner routine with flawless low-carb side dishes.
Being keto requires flexibility and creativity, but come Wednesday night, those are two things I don’t usually have. That’s why I have a running list of keto recipes I can call on throughout the week.
Whether you’re looking for a light side to pair with your delicious meals or you’re craving comfort food, I’ve compiled my best keto side dish recipes that are healthy, easy, and DON’T taste keto!
Keto cozy classic side dishes
If you thought mac and cheese, creamy casseroles, and cozy pasta were nonexistent in a keto diet, think again. These are my favorite classic side dishes that have been given a low carb makeover.
The best of both worlds, with a gooey, velvety cheese sauce atop tender low-carb cauliflower florets.
Low carb pasta noodles smothered in a cream cheese sauce–this is the kind of recipe that makes being keto feel easy.
They’re light, crispy, and salty; you wouldn’t even guess they’re keto-approved. Dip them in some hot honey sauce for something even more delicious.
Have you ever heard of Rutabaga? Well, I’ve used that vegetable to replicate potatoes for these gorgeous mashed potatoes.
The perfect pairing to your keto burger or hot dog night. Don’t forget the sugar-free ketchup!
The creamy richness of this dish will convince anyone to eat their veggies.
Featuring tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce, this is even better than the traditional version. I sometimes sub the topping with keto breadcrumbs for some added crunch.
My family swears they prefer this to my regular mashed potatoes–especially when there’s keto gravy involved.
Turn a humble bag of cauliflower rice into a savory, aromatic, and low-carb take on classic fried rice.
Keto breads and buns
Craving some bread so soak up a keto beef stew or keto chicken casserole? This collection of keto bread recipes has you covered with fluffy, tasty options that make the perfect side dish—because who says you can’t have bread on keto?
You had me at ‘cheese bread.’ This tastes like it’s from a pizzeria and elevates any meal. In fact, it will outshine the main.
Oh my word, the number of times I make these keto buns! They are super fluffy and easy to make and never last long.
These fluffy, pull-apart rolls are perfect for dipping in soup or using as burger buns. My family loves to have these slathered in butter.
Use them as tacos or flatbread pizzas, or top them with a few over-easy eggs! And don’t worry about any cauliflower flavor because there is none!
Made with almond flour, these biscuits are every bit as fluffy and soft as OG biscuits. In fact, I serve them to my non-keto friends, and they can’t tell the difference.
Layers of garlic, herbs, and melty cheese, all for 1 gram of net carbs per slice. I may or may not have eaten this in one sitting on many occasions.
We love to slather on the butter and keto honey for a decadent side. And no, this is not just for Thanksgiving. We enjoy it year-round (for dipping in keto chili).
Low carb salads with TONS of flavor
Looking for some fresh ideas to jazz up your keto meals? These easy, delicious keto salad recipes are perfect as side dishes—think vibrant veggies, creamy dressings, and bold flavors, all without breaking your carb goals!
Sub roasted cauliflower for the potatoes and you’re left with a hearty, comforting side everyone will love. If you want something even more flavorful, use my curry roasted cauliflower.
Turn leftover chicken breasts into a protein-packed, flavorful side using pantry staples and grapes (trust me, it works!). You can use my air fryer chicken breast or pan-fried chicken breast for a quick fix.
This looks like a real-deal potato salad, but there are no potatoes! Seriously. It took me lots of recipe testing to find the perfect substitute,e and spoiler alert- it isn’t cauliflower!
Infinitely more delicious AND lower in carbs than KFC coleslaw. It’s also perfect paired with skirt steak or some simple baked chicken breast.
Featuring keto pasta tossed in keto salad dressing with mozzarella, parmesan cheese, salami, and olives, this doubles as a side AND lunch for the week to come.
Crisp broccoli smothered in a creamy dressing with cheddar cheese and bacon? Sign me up.
Vegetable side dishes that impress
There are a handful of keto friendly vegetables that are delicious on their own, but with a few tweaks, they can become spectacular side dishes.
You can’t go wrong with bacon-wrapped anything.
A side dish that’s healthy and ready in 5 minutes? Yes, please! You can jazz up the seasonings, too, like sprinkling keto taco seasoning over them or some fiery cayenne pepper.
Crisp edges and soft in the middle, you’ll enjoy this cauliflower as though they are potato chips. I keep the seasonings simple, so feel free to douse on some keto teriyaki sauce or some sugar free BBQ sauce.
Crispy on the outside and tender in the center, this dish will turn anyone into a Brussels Sprouts fan- just ask my sister, who claimed to be allergic to them until she tried these!
All you need are 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to get a fast and healthy side. The veggie turns out crisp and tender every time.
Turn fresh tomatoes into a savory, flavorful side, or add them to your keto sandwich for a fun topping.
More recipe collections you’ll like
Keto Side Dish Recipes: Cheesy Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
- Add the butter into a non-stick skillet and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter, onions, and Brussels sprouts and cook for 9-10 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Stir through the heavy cream then sprinkle the cheese and diced bacon over the top. Place it in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to go golden brown.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and serve immediately with your favorite main course or dinner.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published February 2022, updated and republished February 2025
My little granddaughter was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes, so I’ve decided to get on board and get in shape with her. Your recipes sound good and fun (which is important when you are 8). There are some that I don’t think will work for us, but they are alternatives when you reach the “man, I wish I could have a piece of bread” stage. I wanted to thank you for posting them for those of us with no imagination and a need for keto and low carb alternatives. I read some of the posts and was surprised by the negativity. I think, if you find a recipe you know you shouldn’t make/can’t make because of your restrictions, cruise on by and check out the next one. They are simply suggestions (and good ones, I might add). Thanks again! Hope your day is wonderful!
This was amazing!!!!! I would give 10 stars
Arman, this was so delicious and full of creamy goodness, and I don’t even particularly care for brussel sprouts! Will definitely keep this in the rotation.
Loved it. Even 2 people who do not like brussel sprouts gave it a thumbs up. Used Trader Joe’s brussel sprouts. They tend to be a little smaller and more tender.
Absolutely yummy lovely I love this recipie very much.👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼💖🥰😋😋😋😋😋Thankyou.
Really yummy side and very versatile, I didn’t have bacon so used 1 smoked sausage. If I was doing as a side for beef ild add one or two teaspoons of mustard.
Thanks going to cook now. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Is the bacon supposed to be cooked before you put it in the oven or does it cook in the oven?
You can cook it right up in the oven 🙂
What is wrong with some people attacking an article like this? It’s why we can’t have nice things. Keto is not no carb, it’s low carb. If your side dish has carbs, you need to make sure you factor it into the total carb content of the meal and keep it under whatever limit you’re using. Just because a keto recipe says it has potatoes doesn’t mean it really does (that’s so common as people are often looking for low carb replacements for things like potatoes, pasta and rice.) All the recipes I bothered to check were under 5g carbs which fits into a low carb category. Thank you to the author, I’ll be checking some of these out.
Thank you 🙂
Please this is very very very dangerous. Your pushing foods that are NOT keto. What you have to remember is many diabetics use a keto or low carb diet. The dishes your promoting can put them in serious health risk. Please this is crazy
Rick, with all due respect, you should try reading the post and checking out the recipes before making false accusations. Every single recipe included in this post is keto friendly and have less than 5 carbs. Enjoy these keto recipes.
So sorry you have to justify what YOU put on YOUR posts, just because people don’t even bother to READ anymore!! Keep these great recipes coming!!! This is what’s for dinner tonight!!
How are you going to have a article about keto recipes and then include bread, macaroni and potato salad in the same article? What a tease
Because they are all keto friendly? Might help for you to properly read the post and see the links.
REAllY!? The ZERO carb side dishes you need! Just like the ZERO carb cookies. Why do you put those headers on your emails? The recipes I have checked have always had 3 – 16 CARBS per serving.
Nothing NO carb about the. I have made several of your recipes and they are good….but NOT NO carb.