5 Low Carb & Keto Rice Substitutes [Best Rice Alternatives]

A few of the most scrumptious dishes function rice as a key ingredient. Risotto, fried rice, paella, and sushi, for instance, all depend on this starch-filled grain, however are there any rice varieties that gained’t pack on the carbs?

Sadly, the reply is not any.  For those who’re on a non-keto low-carb or customary ketogenic eating regimen, it is best to keep away from rice for optimum outcomes.

That being mentioned, you’ll be able to nonetheless get your rice repair by utilizing low-carb substitutes and keto recipes. Let’s start our journey via the world of rice and its keto options by exploring the next subjects:

Why Rice isn’t Good for Low Carb and Keto Diets

Every grain of rice is actually starch that’s packaged in a fibrous protein capsule. From a dietary perspective, rice is sort of a bean however with extra starch and fewer protein and fiber.

Although various kinds of rice will differ of their carb content material, even the bottom carb selection isn’t low sufficient to suit right into a low-carb eating regimen. In actual fact, it is going to be practically not possible to discover a rice selection that’s composed of lower than 75% web carbs.

To provide you a greater concept of what I imply, we’ve included a chart with the carb content material of the preferred rice varieties under. On this case, we’ll focus totally on the “more healthy” rice choices (which aren’t as low in carbs as you would possibly assume).

Is Wild Rice, Black Rice, or Brown Rice Low Carb?

Although brown rice, wild rice, and black rice are all richer in micronutrients, fiber, and protein than white rice, they’re nonetheless full of too many carbs to suit right into a low-carb eating regimen.

As you’ll be able to see, wild rice is the bottom carb rice. Nonetheless, with ~32 grams of web carbs in every half-cup, it’ll be difficult to suit it right into a low-carb or keto eating regimen with out reducing out different nutritious keto-friendly meals.

What About Rice Noodles: Are They Low Carb? 

Rice noodles may be considered lengthy strips of web carbs (just like conventional flour-based pasta).

Extra particularly, one cup of rice noodles comes full of 44 g of whole carbs and 42.2 g of web carbs (which is sort of equivalent to the carbs in white rice).

Slightly than skipping noodles altogether, there are many keto-friendly options you’ll be able to attempt. We’ll be taught extra about them after we uncover the reality about rice muffins.

Are Rice Muffins Low Carb?

Since they’re constituted of puffed rice, rice muffins will likely be decrease in carbs than cooked rice. Nonetheless, earlier than we’re tricked by their low carb content material, we should additionally contemplate what rice muffins lack.

Since they’re virtually 100% web carbs, rice muffins will improve your every day carb depend with out including any wholesome fat, protein, fiber, or micronutrients to your eating regimen. In different phrases, even the bottom carb rice cake merchandise should not a great choice for keto since they add empty carbs to your eating regimen and nothing else.

That being mentioned, In case you are craving a rice cake, go for the bottom carb choice and ensure to have some high-fat keto meals with it. For instance, attempt spreading keto Nutella on high or make it into a fast keto pizza.

The 5 Finest Low Carb Rice Substitutes for Keto

For those who can’t eat rice, what are you able to eat on a low-carb eating regimen as an acceptable various? Listed below are the very best low-carb substitutes for rice which might be each wholesome and keto-friendly:

• Riced cauliflower
• Miracle rice (shirataki rice)
• Cabbage rice
• Hemp seeds
• Mushroom rice

1. Riced Cauliflower

That is the preferred low-carb rice various since it’s comparatively low cost, low in carbs, and full of health-boosting nutritional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Normally, ½ cup (85 g) of ready cauliflower rice has 4 grams of whole carbs and a couple of grams of web carbs, which makes it straightforward to suit right into a strict keto eating regimen in addition to non-keto low-carb diets.

Riced cauliflower is on the market at your native grocery retailer pre-packaged, however it may be made simply as straightforward at house if in case you have a cheese grater or meals processor.

The best way to Use It:

Riced cauliflower makes a nice keto pizza crust, the proper rice substitute for fried rice, and a tasty low-carb various for sushi rice. Scroll under for extra keto cauliflower rice recipes.

2. Miracle Rice — The Lowest Carb Keto Rice, No Cauliflower Mandatory

Comprised of konjac root, miracle rice (and shirataki noodles) solely include hint quantities of web carbs and are full of health-promoting fiber. Extra particularly, a 3 oz. serving (85 g) of miracle rice comes with 10 energy, 3 g of fiber, and fewer than 0.5 g of web carbs.

Miracle rice is on the market in most well being meals shops or on-line. You may additionally see it known as “shirataki rice,” “slim rice,” or “konjac rice” as effectively. There are some which have higher consistencies than others, so store round and check out a couple of totally different manufacturers to see which suit your tastes extra.

So long as the product is listed as having zero web carbs per serving, it’ll be the proper rice various for keto.

The best way to Use It:

Attempt utilizing miracle rice as a rice various in a stir-fry, pilaf, or cauliflower rice recipe. It might additionally work effectively as a rice or barley alternative in a soups and stews.

3. Cabbage Rice

One other nice keto rice substitute is cabbage rice. You possibly can put together cabbage rice as you’ll cauliflower rice: in a meals processor or with a cheese grater.

Each crimson and inexperienced cabbage are keto-friendly choices, with inexperienced cabbage having a barely decrease web carb depend:

• Pink cabbage — 1 cup,chopped (89 g) has 6.2 grams of whole carbs and three.9g of web carbs
• Inexperienced cabbage — 1 cup, chopped (89 g) has 4.9g of whole carbs and three.2g of web carbs

The best way to Use It:

Riced cabbage is nice in stews, as a substitute for fried rice, or because the function vegetable in a keto bowl. It’ll pair exceptionally effectively with spices generally utilized in Indian meals, equivalent to garam masala, cumin, and turmeric.

4. Hemp Seeds

Shelled hemp seeds are nice for mimicking the style and texture of untamed rice and different heartier grains.

They’re additionally full of wholesome fats, plant-based protein, and fiber, making them the very best rice substitute for anybody wanting up their consumption of those vitamins whereas maintaining carbs low.

General, every ½ cup of shelled hemp seeds (also referred to as hemp hearts) offers us with:

• 442 energy
• 39 g of fats
• 25 g of protein
• 6.9 g of whole carbs
• 3.7g of web carbs

Since that is the best fats rice substitute, be certain that to not overdo it. The fats energy can add up surprisingly quick and gradual weight reduction.

The best way to Use It:

Use as a wild rice substitute for wild rice pilaf, or add it to your keto meals to imitate the mouthfeel of couscous or wild rice.

5. Mushroom Rice

With their earthy umami taste, mushrooms are a scrumptious keto-friendly substitute for rice as effectively. Simply be certain that to maintain the carb counts in thoughts as a result of they’ll differ relying on the mushroom selection.

Listed below are the carbs in probably the most generally consumed mushrooms (in each cup, sliced):

The best way to Use It:

To organize mushroom-based keto rice, finely chop a cup or two of mushrooms and saute with some butter and salt. You can even mix mushroom rice with the opposite low carb rice options to modify up the flavour and texture of your meals.

Different Much less Widespread Keto Rice Options You Can Attempt

For those who’re seeking to match extra greens into your keto meal plan, these two wholesome low carb options to rice are value a attempt a effectively:

Hearts of Palm Rice

Manufacturers like Palmini who initially launched a pasta constituted of hearts of palm have additionally delved into ricing their product to make a keto-friendly rice various. It is available in a can so that you merely want to empty, rise, and prepare dinner to your most popular consistency. Usually it doesn’t take lengthy to prepare dinner and can fulfill the craving you might have for rice.

The vitamin info for 100g of cooked coronary heart of palm are as follows:

• 28 energy
• 0.6 g fats
• 4.6 g whole carbs
• 2.4 g dietary fiber
• 2.2 g web carbs
• 2.5 g protein

It may be an incredible vegetable rice various due to its texture, decrease carb counts, and when cooked al dente actually suits the invoice in a meal.

Broccoli Rice

Riced broccoli makes an incredible grain various for anybody on a paleo, low carb, or keto eating regimen. Since you should utilize the stems, it is going to provide help to minimize down in your meals waste as effectively.

Primarily, you’ll comply with the identical steps as you’ll to show a head of cauliflower into rice. Simply be sure you shave off the knobs from the broccoli stem earlier than processing.

Sauté for about 2 to three minutes till tender in further virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or your most popular cooking oil/fats. Toss in some soy sauce for fast and straightforward keto aspect dishes (which might be additionally dairy free)!

That mentioned, it is very important double-check the vitamin info and be sure you’re staying inside your ketosis carb restrict.  Right here’s what you’ll get in each 100 grams of riced broccoli:

• 35 energy
• 0.4 grams of fats
• 7.2 grams of whole carbohydrates
• 3.3 grams of dietary fiber
• 3.9 grams of web carbs
• 2.4 grams of protein

Rutabaga Rice

You can even course of rutabaga, as you’ll with broccoli or cauliflower,  to make one other gluten free low carb various for rice. The one draw back to this selection is that it’ll be a bit increased in web carbs than the opposite keto rice substitutes.

The vitamin info for 100 g of cooked rutabaga are as follows:

• 37 energy
• 0.2 g fats
• 8.6 g whole carbs
• 2.3 g dietary fiber
• 6.3 g web carbs
• 1.1 g protein

Due to its increased web carb content material, we advocate solely making rutabaga rice as an occasional aspect dish to accompany a few of your low carb meals.

Low Carb, Keto-friendly Rice Recipes: Fried Rice, Sushi, Rice Balls, and Extra

For those who’d choose to comply with step-by-step directions, we’ve included a round-up of our favourite rice-based keto recipes under:

Spicy Cauliflower Rice & Salmon Medley

A scrumptious keto dinner that includes low-carb fried rice, with all of the steps it’s essential to prepare dinner the fish, put together the keto rice, and mix them right into a satisfying meal. Be at liberty to interchange the salmon along with your fish/meat of selection everytime you wish to throw collectively a fast dish that you already know will come out scrumptious.

For extra keto-friendly rice-based dinner concepts, try these recipes as effectively:

See the Recipe

Keto Rooster and Rice Casserole

Rooster and rice casserole is way more healthy and extra satisfying with low-carb elements. In actual fact, this is among the finest methods to sneak a keto-friendly dish right into a household dinner with out anybody noticing. It makes use of a few of my favourite low-carb comfort meals to save lots of on prep time like pre-riced cauliflower and rotisserie hen. I virtually at all times seize a rotisserie hen on the grocery retailer. It’s fast, straightforward and can be utilized for one million totally different dishes. Pre-riced cauliflower may be discovered within the produce part of most shops and is a superb low carb staple and substitute for rice.

See the Recipe

Cauliflower Rice Congee

This keto Congee is an Asian-inspired porridge that’s nice for chilly climate or as a zesty dinner appetizer. The elements equivalent to cauliflower rice and hen inventory may be constituted of scratch or store-bought to scale back time. Elective toppings for congee embrace hard-boiled eggs, sliced scallions, and fried garlic. With this recipe, you’ll additionally discover ways to incorporate low-carb cauliflower rice into your favourite keto soups.

See the Recipe

Cauliflower-free Low Carb Rice Recipe Choices (No Cauliflower Mandatory)

You could have already seen that the majority low-carb rice recipes function cauliflower as the first rice various. Whether or not you need to swap it up otherwise you’re simply not a fan of cauliflower, listed here are three go-to choices for making low carb rice with out the cauliflower:

1. Keto Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf

This aspect dish is the proper keto-friendly various for cauliflower rice (and it’s 100% gluten free). Step-by-step, you’ll discover ways to make it cauliflower-free by utilizing hempseeds and mushrooms because the low-carb rice substitute.

Altogether, this recipe will mimic the style and texture of untamed rice pilaf with out the surplus carbs. Be at liberty so as to add meat to it for a whole keto meal — or use it as a alternative for cauliflower fried rice.

2. Exchange the cauliflower with one other low-carb rice various.

Decide your most popular choice(s) from the checklist under:

• Miracle rice
• Cabbage
• Hempseeds
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli

These will work splendidly in most keto stir-fry and fried rice recipes. You possibly can even attempt mixing a number of options collectively.

Simply be sure you are aware of the distinction in your rice substitute’s carb, protein, and fats content material in comparison with cauliflower. Use our macro calculator when you need assistance becoming it into your meal plan.

3. Skip the low-carb rice.

Although your meal gained’t be as filling with out the low-carb rice, this can be the best choice for sure keto recipes.

When making keto sushi, for instance, the opposite low-carb rice options gained’t work effectively. On this case, the best choice is to make it with out the rice or attempt one other recipe with comparable flavors and textures (like our keto poke bowl recipe).

Secondarily, you’ll be able to take a step in a totally totally different course by making keto bread. Although it doesn’t match the feel of rice, it will possibly nonetheless assist fulfill that yearning for starchy goodness.

Are There Keto-friendly Rice Noodle Options as Nicely?

As with low-carb rice substitutes, there are a number of keto-friendly rice noodle options made out of konjac root and keto greens.

Of all of the totally different and distinctive takes on noodles, listed here are a few of finest keto-friendly substitutes for rice noodles:

• Spiralized greens. Whereas zucchini is the commonest in keto recipes, you may also spiralize daikon radish, cucumbers, bell pepper, turnips, kohlrabi, onion, and even broccoli stems.
• Eggplant pasta. Minimize eggplant into strips and prepare dinner as a penne-style pasta, or slice into skinny sheets and use as a layering noodle in lasagna or pasta roll-up recipes.
• Thinly sliced cabbage can work very well as a noodle, however you may also use entire cabbage leaves as a layer in lasagna and even use it as a wrapper for eggroll sort recipes.
• Miracle noodles. Often known as konjac or shirataki noodles, these fibrous noodles are constituted of the identical elements as Miracle rice.
• Tofu noodles. Much like shirataki noodles, these are usually a mix of tofu and glucomannan (the fiber present in konjac root). This yields a way more nice, much less crunchy low-carb noodle.
• Home made noodles. Utilizing psyllium husk, almond flour, or a mix of low-carb flours, you’ll be able to create keto noodles at house. These are typically probably the most sensible in texture and taste however can add a major quantity of energy to the dish, so you need to be aware of your noodle parts.

To be taught extra about every noodle various and their keto recipes, try our complete information to keto-friendly noodles and pasta.

Key Takeaways: Low Carb Rice Options and Recipes for Keto

Rice shouldn’t be appropriate for low-carb and keto consuming, whatever the selection you might have

Nonetheless, there are many low-carb rice substitutes that you may make to fulfill your yearning for the starch-filled grain. These embrace:

• Riced cauliflower
• Miracle rice or shirataki rice
• Cabbage
• Hemp Seeds
• Mushrooms

With the assistance of those keto-friendly choices, you can also make just about any of your favourite rice-based dishes, together with:

In case you are additionally searching for appropriate substitutes for cauliflower-based rice, listed here are the three finest choices:

That being mentioned, even if in case you have the bottom carb rice substitute, it’s nonetheless essential to be aware of how a lot fats, protein, and carbs it’s essential to obtain the outcomes you need.

The best solution to be sure you are heading in the right direction is by utilizing our keto meal planning app. It’ll offer you an infinite consuming plan customized to your objectives and preferences, so all you’ll should do is store for the elements, make your meals, and revel in them.

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