Low carb dieters can still have a satisfying Christmas dinner, thanks to these delicious low carb side dishes. The best thing about following low carb diets like keto is that you can still enjoy eating delicious foods without ruining your diet.
Related reading: Does Low Carb Dieting Result In Successful Weight Loss?
Although most of the side dishes for Christmas are loaded with carbs, there are many healthy low carb side dishes out there that are so delicious, no one will even notice that they are actually low in carbs!
This round up of low carb side dishes for Christmas is guaranteed delectable. With a little bit of preparation ahead in your kitchen, you can enjoy a satisfying Christmas celebration without feeling guilty once the holiday is over.
For more inspiration try these Keto Side Dishes – Easy & Delicious
Low Carb Side Dishes
1. Bacon Avocado Fries
Two of the most popular foods that people usually associate with the keto diet are bacon and avocado. These tasty treats are so hard to resist so just imagine combining them in one recipe.
Having these Bacon Avocado Fries on your Christmas dinner table will surely make your guests crave for more.
Made by Lauren Miyashiro for Delish, these fries consist of only three ingredients. And with only 3 grams of carbs, you certainly will not feel guilty stuffing yourself with these delicious treats!
2. Cauliflower alla Vodka Casserole
If you’ve got some vegetarian friends coming over for your Christmas dinner, why don’t you serve them this Cheesy Cauliflower alla Vodka Casserole from Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe I’m Hungry?
This casserole is so very appetizing that even those who hate cauliflower won’t be able to resist the dish. It’s based on a recipe for Penne alla Vodka that Mellissa and her husband have eaten when they visited some of the best Italian restaurants in New York.
Cauliflower and vodka seem an unlikely combination but she says that the dish is delicious. You can make the vodka sauce yourself or use a bought one. It’s made with tomatoes, cream, cheese and of course vodka!
In case you didn’t already know, cauliflower is one of those keto-friendly veggies that are loaded with nutrients. It is used a lot in low carb diet in place of higher carb foods like rice and pasta in this case. This is one of the best low carb dishes to serve on your Holiday dinner with family and friends!
3. Cauliflower Fried Rice
If you want to serve some “rice” to go with your main dishes, this Cauliflower Fried Rice dish created by Kristen Mccaffrey of Slender Kitchen would be perfect.
This fried rice recipe tastes just as good as the real one. With the addition of sesame oil, green onions, garlic, and ginger it has all the usual flavor of the real fried rice with the but is absolutely low in carbs.
Best of all, this fried rice recipe is very versatile and won’t take up much of your time. You just need to pulse the cauliflower in a food processor and cook with all the other ingredients.
4. Oven Roasted Asparagus
Having only 2 grams of net carbs per serving, there’s no doubt that the asparagus is a great vegetable to add to your keto diet. This vegetable is also loaded with fiber, folate, betacarotene and Vitamin C.
Some people think they don’t like asparagus but trust me when asparagus is roasted with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and finished with almonds it is transformed into something else!
This Oven Roasted Asparagus recipe from Melanie Reid of Southern Living, will bound to be a big hit on your dinner table! What’s more almonds are one of the best nuts to eat on keto.
There are some more healthy Asparagus Recipes Ideal for Keto here.
5. Low Carb Keto Green Bean Casserole
Christmas dinner would not be the same for a lot of people without the traditional green bean casserole.
This healthier makeover from Taylor Kiser of Food Faith Fitness is made with fresh green beans, cream, cream cheese and mushrooms. No canned beans or mushroom soup in this recipe!
And in case you are wondering about the carbs in green beans then I can assure you they are much lower in carbs than other types of beans. Being high in fiber a one cup (125 grams) serving of cooked green beans contains only 6 grams net carbs.
6. Keto Cheeseburger Salad
If you are looking for a meat-based low carb side dish, this Keto Cheeseburger Salad made by Lisa Marcaurele of Low Carb Yum would be perfect.
Inspired by the famous Big Mac burger, this dish will easily be loved by everyone, especially those who are fond of Big Macs.
The ground beef is flavored with mixed herbs and finished with a tasty tomato mayonnaise dressing.
It will remind you of the famous burger in every bite, but this dish is definitely healthier. In fact, the entire recipe contains only 2 grams of net carbs, which is safe for your keto diet.
7. Buffalo Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are among those side dishes or appetizers that you’ll usually find on a Christmas Dinner table. And while there are plenty of deviled eggs recipes out there a lot of them are loaded with carbs.
For a healthier and low carb version of this recipe, check out these Buffalo Deviled Eggs from Sara Nelson of Real Balanced. They are bursting with so much flavor and will surely be loved by everyone in your dinner table!
8. Loaded Keto Coleslaw
Everyone loves coleslaw salads for Christmas. In fact, you’ll find plenty of Christmas Coleslaw recipes out there. But some of these recipes include mayonnaise made with unhealthy processed oil, dubious additives and sugar which is guaranteed to kick you out of ketosis.
This Loaded Keto Coleslaw recipe from Corina Nielsen at Perfect Keto is a great inspiration for a low carb side dish. It’s flavored with bacon, green onion, cheese, Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar that I’m sure you know has plenty of health benefits.
Related reading: Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help With Weight Loss?
This coleslaw recipe uses only 1/3 cup of sugar free mayonnaise, which is fine for your keto diet or low carb diet.
9. Easy Cheesy Keto Zucchini Gratin
A gratin dish is one of the most popular side dishes often served for Christmas dinner. The classic French dish is usually made with potatoes and a creamy cheese sauce thickened with flour and topped with breadcumbs which is browned under a broiler or grill.
Since you can’t have potatoes, flour or breadcrumbs on your low carb diet this dish is not suitable for a festive side dish but zucchini would be a great alternative.
With only 4 grams of carbs in every cup, this vegetable is the best ingredient to use for your low carb side dishes.
For a low carb inspiration of Gratin, go check out this Easy Cheesy Keto Zucchini Gratin from Mellissa Sevigny recipe creator at I Breathe I’m Hungry. It’s super cheesy and creamy and is absolutely keto-friendly.
10. Low Carb Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Love them or hate them Brussels sprouts are a must with Christmas dinner for a lot of people. This delicious recipe from Jack and Martha Pesa, the husband and wife team at A Family Feast consists of oven roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon.
If you’ve shied away from Brussels sprouts because of your experience of them as bitter overcooked veg then you have to try them again roasted like this. The Brussels sprouts they grow these days are much sweeter than they used to be so you don’t get the bitterness.
Roasting them with some tasty grass-fed bacon until they are very slightly caramelized makes them taste altogether different. I’d use avocado oil instead of olive oil that they use in this recipe for roasting as many health experts are saying that you should not heat olive oil if you want the health benefits of it.
If you are looking for some healthy Christmas dinner recipes check out this roundup of tasty recipes >> Low Carb Christmas Dinner Recipes
