The low-carb swaps that really work replace the job a starch does, not the starch itself. Cauliflower soaks up curry the way rice does. Courgette carries a ragù like pasta. Celeriac roasts into chips with a crisp edge, and ground almonds or crushed pork rinds give a crunchy coating instead of breadcrumbs. Get the technique right (mostly by keeping moisture under control) and dinner still tastes like dinner. Below are the swaps worth learning, how to cook each one properly, and the mistakes that make them disappointing.
The rule: replace the job, not the ingredient
No vegetable will ever be mistaken for spaghetti, and it does not need to be. Think about what the starch was doing on the plate. Usually it is one of four things: soaking up sauce, adding bulk, giving crunch, or holding something together. Choose the swap that does the same job, then season it as carefully as you would season the main dish.
The swaps worth learning
The figures below are approximate, widely published values per 100 g. Real numbers vary with variety, brand and cooking method, so treat them as a guide rather than a measurement.
| Instead of | Try | Approx. net carbs per 100 g | Works best in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked white rice (about 28 g) | Cauliflower rice | About 3 g | Curries, stir-fries, burrito bowls |
| Cooked pasta (about 30 g) | Courgette noodles | About 2 g | Ragù, pesto, garlic prawns |
| Mashed potato (about 15 g) | Cauliflower or celeriac mash | About 3–7 g | Cottage pie, sausages, stews |
| Potato chips | Celeriac chips | About half the carbs of potato | Fish, steak, burgers |
| Breadcrumbs (about 70 g) | Ground almonds or crushed pork rinds | About 10 g for almonds; close to zero for pork rinds | Schnitzel, fishcakes, gratin tops |
| Flour tortillas | Lettuce cups or egg wraps | About 1–2 g | Tacos, larb, fajitas |
Rice, mash and chips
Cauliflower rice
Pulse florets in a food processor until they look like couscous, or grate them on the coarse side of a box grater. Then do the one thing most people skip: cook it in a wide, dry or lightly oiled pan over a high heat, stirring, until the steam stops rising. Boiling or microwaving it covered traps the water and gives you mush. Butter, garlic, a squeeze of lemon and plenty of salt finish it. The Keto & Low-Carb Kitchen has a recipe called Cauliflower Rice, Three Ways, which is a good way to learn a plain version, a buttery one and a more heavily seasoned one side by side.
Mash
Steam cauliflower or celeriac until completely tender, then let it steam-dry in a colander for five minutes. For a silky finish, squeeze it in a clean tea towel before blending. Blend with butter, a spoonful of cream cheese and salt. Cream cheese gives the body that potato starch would normally supply. This is the topping on Cottage Pie with Cauliflower Mash, and it browns under the grill just like the original.
Chips
Celeriac is the most convincing chip. Cut it into thick batons, toss with oil and salt, and roast on a hot tray with space between each piece. Crowding makes them steam. They will never be as fluffy inside as a potato, but Celeriac Chips have a sweet, nutty flavour that many people end up preferring.
Pasta and noodles
Courgette noodles are the everyday swap. Spiralise them, or use a julienne peeler, then either toss them with salt and leave them to drain for ten minutes, or flash them in a hot pan for a minute at most. Add them to the sauce at the very end rather than simmering them in it. Otherwise they release water and thin everything out. Bolognese with Courgette Noodles works well because a thick, slow-cooked ragù clings to the strands. Other good options are shirataki noodles for broths and ramen-style bowls, and long ribbons of roasted aubergine layered in place of lasagne sheets.
Bread, crumbs and wraps
- Crumb coatings: ground almonds mixed with grated Parmesan make a golden crust on chicken or fish. Crushed pork rinds give real crunch and fry beautifully.
- Wraps: crisp lettuce leaves (Little Gem or iceberg) hold warm fillings well. Thin omelettes, cooled and rolled, make a soft wrap.
- Burgers without buns: serve them on a thick slice of grilled portobello mushroom, or wrapped in lettuce with all the usual trimmings.
- Bread itself: almond-flour and psyllium loaves exist and can be very good, but they are baking projects rather than quick swaps. Start with the simpler options above.
Thickening sauces without flour
Flour and cornflour are the quiet carbs in many sauces. You can get body in other ways:
- Reduce it. Simmering a sauce uncovered concentrates both flavour and texture.
- Enrich it. Cream, a knob of cold butter whisked in off the heat, or a spoonful of cream cheese all thicken a pan sauce.
- Blend it. Puréeing some of the cooked vegetables back into a soup or stew thickens it naturally.
- Use a pinch of xanthan gum. A very small amount, whisked in gradually, thickens without changing flavour. Too much turns slimy, so start small.
Cook's tip: season the swap, not just the sauce. Rice and pasta are usually cooked in salted water, so plain cauliflower or courgette tastes flat next to them. Salt them properly and the whole plate improves.
Common mistakes
- Too much water. Nearly every disappointing swap is a wet one. Dry-fry, drain, squeeze and roast with space.
- Expecting an exact copy. Cauliflower mash is not mashed potato. Judge it as a side dish in its own right, and it is excellent.
- Overcooking courgette. It goes from al dente to limp in about a minute. Undercook it and let the hot sauce finish the job.
- Swapping everything at once. Change one element of a familiar meal first. A curry you love with cauliflower rice is a much easier start than an entirely new menu.
- Forgetting the rest of the plate. A swap does not make a sweet glaze or a flour-thickened gravy low-carb. Check the sauce too.
If you are just starting to eat this way, our beginner's guide to keto cooking covers the bigger picture. That includes the fact that very-low-carb diets are not right for everyone. Anyone who is pregnant, taking medication or managing a medical condition should talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing their diet significantly.
Questions people ask
What is the best low-carb substitute for rice?
Cauliflower rice is the most versatile, at about 3 g of net carbs per 100 g compared with about 28 g for cooked white rice. Cook it quickly in a hot, wide pan rather than boiling it, and season it well. Finely chopped broccoli or shredded cabbage also work in stir-fries.
How do I stop courgette noodles going soggy?
Salt them and let them drain for ten minutes, pat them dry, then cook them for no more than a minute, or not at all. Add them to the sauce just before serving instead of simmering them in it.
Can I freeze cauliflower rice and mash?
Yes. Both freeze well in portions. Cauliflower rice is best cooked straight from frozen in a hot pan so the ice evaporates quickly. Mash may need a quick stir and an extra knob of butter after reheating.
Where can I find recipes that use these swaps?
You can search our recipe finder by ingredient. Try cauliflower to see dishes built around it from across the collection.