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Do you love noodles? Me too. There are many delicious options, even if they aren’t the kind of noodles you’re used to eating, so it is possible to enjoy noodles while on a low carb diet.
I’ve had type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, and I cook with it. Usually, I eat spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini when I want noodles. Alternatively, if I’m in the mood for Italian or Asian food, I’ll eat a small serving of whole grain linguine or brown rice noodles.
These are good choices, but more low-carb options have become available as businesses have begun to use noodles made from alternative ingredients. This article reviews a few of my favorites.
It’s important to remember that “gluten-free” does not necessarily imply low carb, even though some of these noodles are also gluten-free. To determine whether a specific variety of noodle will be suitable for you, you must still read the nutrition labels.
Knowing that 1 cup of cooked spaghetti noodles made from refined wheat flour typically contains more than 40 grams of carbohydrates and less than 3 grams of fiber (at least 37 grams of net carbohydrates per serving) is helpful for comparison.
There is no established definition of “low carb,” but the following standards helped me evaluate the noodles I tried:
With my feedback from my hands-on testing removed, the Healthline editors added a few more noodle options to complete the list.
Prices in this article are per box of pasta; most boxes hold about 8 ounces [oz] of pasta. ]). On a website, some of the prices might appear to be high, but that is because the price shown includes numerous boxes.
This black bean spaghetti is made from black soybeans, not black turtle beans, which is what most people think of when they say “black beans,” which surprised me. ”.
These noodles can be used in a variety of dishes without overpowering your sauce because soybeans have a relatively mild flavor. The texture is great too. The price shown is for six 8-oz. boxes.
The fact that I used it in a delicious Southwestern dish with fire-roasted tomatoes, red bell peppers, jalapenos, and sweet corn may be the reason why this was by far my favorite low-carb pasta that I tested. There was also avocado sauce drizzled on top. What’s not to like?.
Oat fiber and konnyaku flour, also known as konjac flour, are used to make these noodles. In the taro family, konnyaku is a root vegetable that is high in soluble fiber and comes very close to being a food with no calories, carbs, or flavors. Noodles made from konnyaku are called shirataki.
The noodles smell fishy right out of the package. The majority of the smell should be eliminated by rinsing and draining them. Then, in a nonstick skillet, you can either boil them or dry-fry them. Boiling them makes them softer, and dry-frying them gives them a more gelatinous texture.
These delicate noodles resemble angel hair pasta the most. Serve them with other Asian-inspired dishes or tossed in a basic sesame-ginger sauce.
I tried the Better Than Noodles version. The same company also offers a comparable Better Than Pasta variant.
These heart of palm-based noodles have a texture akin to daikon radish or jicama and are extremely crisp right out of the bag. They’re great raw and give salads extra crunch. You can soak them in milk before using them for a milder flavor. You can also serve them cooked.
Palmini is great if you enjoy vegetable-based noodles like spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles. Additionally, you won’t need to remove or clean your spiralizer. Simply boil them to make them softer, then serve them seasoned with Italian or Mediterranean sauces (a red sauce works well).
Before a friend mentioned them, I had never heard of edamame noodles, aside from the ones you can make yourself from soy flour. She suggested Seapoint Farms, but I was unable to locate it locally. Edamame and Mung Bean Fettuccine from Explore Cuisine was what I did find, though.
You just need to boil and drain these noodles to prepare them, just like you would high-carb pasta. They do appear a little odd because they are rippled, but the ripples lessen as they cook.
These soy-based noodles aren’t mushy at all and have a hearty, earthy flavor. They taste great when served with chimichurri or pesto and require a flavorful sauce.
Miracle Noodles are also in the konnyaku family. They must be rinsed and drained before eating, just like Better Than Noodles, to get rid of the fishy smell that some people find repulsive.
For the best flavor and texture, this fettuccine should be rinsed and then both boiled and dry-fried.
Because they are wide, like fettuccine typically are, their gelatinous texture is more noticeable than it would be with a thinner noodle.
While some people find the texture to be just fine in the right dish, others absolutely detest it. I suspect that a lot of people who don’t like Miracle Noodles don’t properly prepare them.
Banza pasta is a tasty alternative to wheat pasta. It has approximately 25% fewer carbs than its wheat counterpart. Although it doesn’t have as few carbohydrates as some of the other choices on this list, it’s a fantastic choice for someone who adheres to a gluten-free diet but isn’t on a ketogenic or extremely low-carb diet.
It cooks in the same way as regular pasta and has the same starchiness thanks to the chickpeas (you can even thicken sauce with the pasta water).
Numerous shapes of Banza chickpea pasta are available, including penne, shells, and wagon wheels. Banza is one of the list’s most adaptable choices because it even comes with lasagna noodles.
This Al Dente pasta is a favorite among the Weight Watchers community and is made with wheat and eggs. It has a lot of protein and only 17 grams of net carbs overall.
Those who are not gluten sensitive should consider this as a good option. It cooks similarly to traditional pasta and goes well with both white and red sauces.
Impastable fettuccine noodles are low in calories. They do not contain soy, but they do not contain gluten and do contain wheat.
Although they may need to boil for up to 15 minutes, fettuccine style noodles cook similarly to regular pasta and go well with either white or red sauces.
When shopping, look at carb counts and fiber content first. Then check out the amount of protein per serving. Protein-rich noodles may make controlling blood sugar easier.
Consider whole grain options like Barilla Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti if you must eat wheat-based noodles. Although each serving has 32 grams of net carbohydrates, you could cut back on your intake and serve the pasta as a side dish rather than the main course.
You might also want to try red lentil or chickpea-based legume noodles. Similar to wheat-based noodles, these typically have about 30 grams of net carbohydrates, but they have more protein.
There is nothing inherently unhealthy about traditional wheat pasta. Whole wheat pasta can actually be a good source of grains and fiber.
If you eat a lot of pasta without a protein, your blood sugar levels might rise.
Add the chickpea pasta to about 2 quarts of boiling, lightly salted water to prepare Banza pasta. Stirring occasionally, bring to a simmer, and cook for 7-9 minutes Drain, rinse with water, and then add sauce and serve.
Can I Eat Noodles on Keto Diet?
You cannot eat traditional pasta and most noodles on a ketogenic diet because they are quite high in carbohydrates, at least the ones you typically think of as noodles. Because of this, low-carb pasta alternatives are required in keto pasta recipes.
For illustration, the majority of Asian dishes use rice noodles, which have 25 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. The main component is rice flour, but occasionally tapioca or corn starch are also used to give the noodles a more transparent appearance or a chewier, more gelatinous texture. These flours and starches all contain unfriendly carbs for keto dieters.
What Are Keto Egg Noodles?
Low-carb egg noodles are ideal for the keto diet because they are gluten-free and have the same chewy texture and neutral flavor as traditional noodles. These use eggs, cheese, and lupin flour, all of which contribute to the texture and structure, in place of gluten, which is the primary binding agent.
HOW TO MAKE PASTA KETO FRIENDLY
The time has finally come for you to prepare this keto pasta.
And if you’ve never made pasta from scratch before, don’t be intimidated; making this low-carb pasta is simple and quick.
You can make keto pasta noodles that resemble those that might be served at a real Italian restaurant if you follow each step.
Ok, enough talking, lets make some keto pasta!
First, gather your full-fat shredded mozzarella cheese and place it in a sizable microwave-safe bowl.
Next, if using my secret ingredient, incorporate the xanthan gum into the cheese using a teaspoon.
Next, microwave your bowl for about a minute to get the cheese to melt. Then, quickly combine your melted cheese into a ball using a spatula.
Then, add the egg yolk as the final component of your keto pasta recipe to the bowl. You don’t want the yolk to cook when you combine the cheese and egg, so make sure your cheese is warm but not hot before adding the egg yolk to the bowl.
Finally, until your keto pasta dough is uniformly yellow in color, fold the cheese into itself with the assistance of one hand and combine with a spatula in the other hand.
Put your pasta dough between two pieces of parchment paper after first taking out two of them.
Then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is only about 1/8 of an inch thick. The best-looking keto noodles will be produced if you roll out the dough in as much of a square shape as you can, or at the very least, an oval.
Next, shape the pasta dough into noodles by sprinkling a pizza cutter with baking spray before doing so. To prevent the pasta dough from sticking to the cutter as you shape it, don’t forget to use baking spray.
Anyway, once your keto pasta is formed, place it on a baking sheet and chill for at least eight hours or overnight.
You can now separate the strands of your keto pasta after it has been chilled.
When all of your keto pasta noodles have been separated, fill a big pot with water and bring it to a boil on the stove.
If you want perfectly al dente noodles, add your keto pasta to the boiling water and cook it for just one minute. It also cooks quickly, so use your phone’s timer to set a reminder to avoid over-soaking it.
After a minute, shake off any excess water that may have accumulated on the noodles and strain your keto pasta under water that is not too warm but also not too cold.
After that, put your keto pasta on a plate, top it with some keto tomato sauce or keto alfredo sauce, and tuck in!
FAQ
What are keto noodles?
Low-carb egg noodles are identical to traditional noodles in terms of neutral flavor and chewy texture, but they are gluten-free and ideal for the keto diet. These use eggs, cheese, and lupin flour, all of which contribute to the texture and structure, in place of gluten, which is the primary binding agent.
What kind of noodle has no carbs?
Shirataki Noodles The fiber glucomannan, which is obtained from the root of the konjac plant, is used to make shirataki noodles. Shirataki noodles are essentially free of calories and carbs because the fiber passes through your intestine undigested.
Can I eat egg noodles on keto?
Can you eat egg noodles on keto. Traditional egg noodles have 49 grams of carbohydrates, so they are not suitable for a keto diet. On the other hand, there are only 3 net carbs in a serving of keto egg noodles. This makes them a great keto pasta option!.
What are the best keto noodles?
- Kiss My Keto’s Keto Noodles. Shirataki noodles, a traditional Japanese food made from the root of the konjac plant, are very similar to our keto noodles.
- Palmini Angel Hair. …
- Natural Heaven’s Spaghetti. …
- Simply Nature Organic Soybean Spaghetti.
