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

Among the most scrumptious dishes characteristic 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 isn’t any.  When you’re on a non-keto low-carb or commonplace ketogenic food regimen, it is best to keep away from rice for optimum outcomes.

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

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

Every grain of rice is basically 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 fluctuate of their carb content material, even the bottom carb selection isn’t low sufficient to suit right into a low-carb food regimen. Actually, will probably be practically unimaginable to discover a rice selection that’s composed of lower than 75% web carbs.

To offer you a greater thought of what I imply, we’ve included a chart with the carb content material of the most well-liked rice varieties beneath. 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 food 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 food 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 complete carbs and 42.2 g of web carbs (which is nearly an identical to the carbs in white rice).

Quite 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 desserts.

Are Rice Truffles Low Carb?

Since they’re created from puffed rice, rice desserts will probably be decrease in carbs than cooked rice. Nonetheless, earlier than we’re tricked by their low carb content material, we should additionally take into account what rice desserts lack.

Since they’re nearly 100% web carbs, rice desserts will enhance your each day carb rely with out including any wholesome fat, protein, fiber, or micronutrients to your food regimen. In different phrases, even the bottom carb rice cake merchandise will not be an excellent possibility for keto since they add empty carbs to your food regimen and nothing else.

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

The 5 Finest Low Carb Rice Substitutes for Keto

When you can’t eat rice, what are you able to eat on a low-carb food regimen as an acceptable different? Listed here are one of the best low-carb substitutes for rice which can be each wholesome and keto-friendly:

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

1. Riced Cauliflower

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

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

Riced cauliflower is out there at your native grocery retailer pre-packaged, however it may be made simply as straightforward at residence when you’ve got a cheese grater or meals processor.

How you can Use It:

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

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

Constituted 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 out there in most well being meals shops or on-line. You might also see it referred to as “shirataki rice,” “slim rice,” or “konjac rice” as effectively. There are some which have higher consistencies than others, so store round and take a look at a number 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 different for keto.

How you can Use It:

Strive utilizing miracle rice as a rice different 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’d 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 rely:

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

How you can Use It:

Riced cabbage is nice in stews, as an alternative choice to fried rice, or because the characteristic vegetable in a keto bowl. It should pair exceptionally effectively with spices generally utilized in Indian meals, corresponding 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 one of the best rice substitute for anybody trying up their consumption of those vitamins whereas protecting carbs low.

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

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

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

How you can 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 ensure that to maintain the carb counts in thoughts as a result of they are going to fluctuate relying on the mushroom selection.

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

How you can Use It:

To arrange mushroom-based keto rice, finely chop a cup or two of mushrooms and saute with some butter and salt. It’s also possible to 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 Alternate options You Can Strive

When you’re seeking to match extra greens into your keto meal plan, these two wholesome low carb options to rice are price a attempt a effectively:

Hearts of Palm Rice

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

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

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

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

Broccoli Rice

Riced broccoli makes an important grain different for anybody on a paleo, low carb, or keto food regimen. Since you need to use the stems, it can make it easier to minimize down in your meals waste as effectively.

Primarily, you’ll comply with the identical steps as you’d 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 additional virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or your most well-liked cooking oil/fats. Toss in some soy sauce for fast and simple keto facet dishes (which can be additionally dairy free)!

That stated, it is very important double-check the vitamin information 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 complete carbohydrates
• 3.3 grams of dietary fiber
• 3.9 grams of web carbs
• 2.4 grams of protein

Rutabaga Rice

It’s also possible to course of rutabaga, as you’d with broccoli or cauliflower,  to make one other gluten free low carb different for rice. The one draw back to this selection is that it’ll be a bit greater in web carbs than the opposite keto rice substitutes.

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

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

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

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

When you’d desire to comply with step-by-step directions, we’ve included a round-up of our favourite rice-based keto recipes beneath:

Spicy Cauliflower Rice & Salmon Medley

A scrumptious keto dinner that includes low-carb fried rice, with all of the steps it is advisable to cook dinner the fish, put together the keto rice, and mix them right into a satisfying meal. Be at liberty to switch the salmon together with your fish/meat of selection everytime you wish to throw collectively a fast dish that you understand will come out scrumptious.

For extra keto-friendly rice-based dinner concepts, take a look at these recipes as effectively:

See the Recipe

Keto Hen and Rice Casserole

Hen and rice casserole is far more healthy and extra satisfying with low-carb elements. Actually, 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 nearly 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 wonderful 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 corresponding to cauliflower rice and hen inventory may be created from 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 Essential)

You’ll have already seen that almost all low-carb rice recipes characteristic cauliflower as the first rice different. Whether or not you want to change it up otherwise you’re simply not a fan of cauliflower, listed below are three go-to choices for making low carb rice with out the cauliflower:

1. Keto Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf

This facet dish is the proper keto-friendly different for cauliflower rice (and it’s 100% gluten free). Step-by-step, you’ll discover ways to make it cauliflower-free through the use of 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 an entire keto meal — or use it as a alternative for cauliflower fried rice.

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

Choose your most well-liked possibility(s) from the listing beneath:

• 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 in the event 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 route by making keto bread. Although it doesn’t match the feel of rice, it may possibly nonetheless assist fulfill that yearning for starchy goodness.

Are There Keto-friendly Rice Noodle Alternate options as Effectively?

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 below are a few of finest keto-friendly substitutes for rice noodles:

• Spiralized greens. Whereas zucchini is the most typical in keto recipes, you may also spiralize daikon radish, cucumbers, bell pepper, turnips, kohlrabi, onion, and even broccoli stems.
• Eggplant pasta. Lower eggplant into strips and cook 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 rather well as a noodle, however you may also use complete cabbage leaves as a layer in lasagna and even use it as a wrapper for eggroll sort recipes.
• Miracle noodles. Also called konjac or shirataki noodles, these fibrous noodles are created from the identical elements as Miracle rice.
• Tofu noodles. Just like shirataki noodles, these are sometimes a mix of tofu and glucomannan (the fiber present in konjac root). This yields a way more nice, much less crunchy low-carb noodle.
• Do-it-yourself noodles. Utilizing psyllium husk, almond flour, or a mix of low-carb flours, you’ll be able to create keto noodles at residence. These are usually essentially the most practical in texture and taste however can add a big quantity of energy to the dish, so it’s a must to be aware of your noodle parts.

To be taught extra about every noodle different and their keto recipes, take a look at our complete information to keto-friendly noodles and pasta.

Key Takeaways: Low Carb Rice Alternate options and Recipes for Keto

Rice is just not appropriate for low-carb and keto consuming, whatever the selection you’ve

Nonetheless, there are many low-carb rice substitutes which you can 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 may make nearly any of your favourite rice-based dishes, together with:

In case you are additionally in search of appropriate substitutes for cauliflower-based rice, listed below are the three finest choices:

That being stated, even when you’ve got the bottom carb rice substitute, it’s nonetheless essential to be aware of how a lot fats, protein, and carbs it is advisable to obtain the outcomes you need.

The simplest option to be sure you are heading in the right direction is through the use of our keto meal planning app. It should give you an infinite consuming plan customized to your objectives and preferences, so all you’ll must do is store for the elements, make your meals, and luxuriate in them.

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