Keto Spaghetti

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5 from 75 votes
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This keto spaghetti recipe is one of our family dinner staples. It features al dente keto pasta, aromatic spaghetti sauce, and juicy ground meat. It’s easy to make and only 2 grams of net carbs. 

keto spaghetti

Hungry for more keto dinner ideas? Try my keto chicken parmesan, keto stuffed peppers, or keto gnocchi next!

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Key Ingredients
  3. How to make keto spaghetti
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Frequently asked questions
  6. More low-carb Italian-inspired recipes
  7. Keto Spaghetti (Recipe Card)

Growing up, one of our family staple recipes was spaghetti. My mom would always make it for us or grab leftovers from the freezer on busy school nights. 

Since moving out on my own, I’ve been keto-fying my favorite childhood recipes. This one was tricky, but after many (many) taste tests with my family, I can safely say my mom would be proud…if not a little jealous!

Why I love this recipe

  • It tastes like old-fashioned spaghetti. So long as you use high-quality keto noodles, I can’t see how anyone would even notice it’s a keto recipe. 
  • It’s so easy to make. Even if you’ve never boiled pasta noodles in your life, I promise this recipe will quickly become a frequent flyer!
  • Customizable. Make a sauce from scratch, use different pasta, or swap the protein. There are no limits to what you can do with this recipe. 

Key Ingredients

  • Keto noodles. I recommend using a keto-friendly pasta brand, as vegetable pasta (think zucchini noodles or hearts of palm palmini noodles) lacks the ideal texture. If you have mozzarella cheese and egg yolks, try making my keto pasta!
  • Spaghetti sauce. I made my keto pasta sauce recipe, but if you have a low-carb spaghetti sauce brand you enjoy, go ahead and use that. I find Rao marinara sauce to be a good keto-friendly option. 
  • Ground meat. I used ground turkey, but you can use ground chicken, lean ground beef, or ground Italian sausage if you prefer. For a meatless option, try minced tofu. 
  • Grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Optional for garnish. 

How to make keto spaghetti

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Cook meat and sauce. Warm the pasta sauce in a large skillet, then add the ground meat and let it simmer until the meat is cooked. 

Step 2- Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. 

Step 3- Assemble. Drain the spaghetti, then add it to the pot of meat sauce. Serve warm with garnish. 

keto bolognese sauce

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Swap the meat. Make my keto meatballs instead.
  • Add extra spices. I’ll usually taste the sauce throughout the cooking process so I can adjust the flavor as needed. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper are always good to have on hand.
  • Make a keto spaghetti casserole. Cook the meat, sauce, and pasta as indicated. Then, pile everything into a greased baking dish and bake uncovered at 375F for 20-25 minutes. 

Frequently asked questions

What is a keto substitute for pasta?

There are some keto-friendly pasta, like spaghetti squash noodles, zucchini zoodles, or shirataki noodles. 

Is tomato sauce ok for keto?

Tomato sauce is keto-friendly so long as it contains no added sugar. 

keto chicken spaghetti

More low-carb Italian-inspired recipes

keto spaghetti

Keto Spaghetti

5 from 75 votes
This keto spaghetti is perfectly chewy and al dente, paired with a rich and meaty bolognese sauce! Made with simple ingredients, it's easily customizable and family friendly!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Start by preparing your spaghetti sauce as directed. Add the ground chicken or beef to the mixture and let it simmer for 20 minutes, until thick. Set aside.
  • Cook your keto spaghetti in a pot of salted and boiling water. Let it boil for 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
  • Drain your spaghetti. Either mix it through the sauce or place into bowls and top with the bolognese sauce. Add parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

* I used Great Low Carb Bread Bakery spaghetti. Any low carb packaged spaghetti can work, provided it cooks like actual spaghetti (Do not use shirataki, tofu noodles, or vegetable noodles). 
NOTE- Great Low Carb Bakery has just reformulated their spaghetti ingredients and now contain gluten in them. While still low carb, they aren’t gluten free. A good substitute is soy bean spaghetti. 
TO STORE: Leftover spaghetti should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best texture, I like to keep the pasta and sauce separate. 
TO FREEZE: Let the pasta cool completely, place it and the sauce in separate freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 6 months. 
TO REHEAT: Microwave single serving portions for 30-45 seconds, or reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 32gFat: 15gPotassium: 2mgFiber: 13gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 4g
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Hello,
    Could I use Yumsu brand keto noodles or spaghetti? It is the only thing really that I can get easily and is always available for me to grab.

  2. I’m still trying to figure out where you got 4 net carbs for this. The bag says that 2 oz. has 19 Carbs with 12 fiber. That’s still 7 carbs per serving! The same with their other products–the fettucini and the elbows! Can you please tell me how you figured this? Thank you!

  3. I’m soo glad someone asked about the brand of pasta! I was wondering the same thing. Excited to try these pastas. Dreamfield is good but not sure if it’s as low carb and good as this brand. Will investigate 🙂

  4. Hi!
    I can’t seem to find the Great Low Carb Bakery spaghetti you mention (not even a website). I found Great Low Carb Bread Company spaghetti and other products which are keto products but they (spaghetti included) are not wheat free or grain free. Can you help?

    1. Hi Rhea! Apologies for that- Great low carb bakery is the brand, and they have just reformulated their spaghetti- Their original one had no gluten in it. I have also tried The Only Bean brand of soybean spaghetti, which works well too- It’s got an extra 2 grams net carbs.