• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Low Carb with Jennifer logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Keto Recipes
  • Jennifer's Membership
  • Free Challenge
  • Cookbook
  • About me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Keto Recipes
    • Jennifer's Membership
    • Free Challenge
    • Cookbook
    • About me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Home
    • Keto Recipes
    • Jennifer's Membership
    • Free Challenge
    • Cookbook
    • About me
    • Subscribe

    Home » Keto Resources

    Published: Oct 22, 2016 · by: jenniferbanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Low Carb Substitutes for Pasta

    Who doesn’t love a nice steaming bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce, or chicken alfredo, or a pan of lasagna. Okay, I’m drooling now…what’s my motivation again? Health, right!  Step away from the pasta y’all! Have you seen how many carbs are in one serving? And y’all know you’re eating 2 servings at a time!  Lets get moving on those low carb substitutes for pasta, stat!

     

    LOW CARB PASTA

    So, what do we love most about pasta? The toppings! Most of that yummy stuff is perfect for a low carb lifestyle! Meat sauce, alfredo sauce, meatballs…yum, yum, yum! I love all of those toppings, but I choose an alternative to the delectable, but evil, pasta. here we go with 5 low carb substitutes for pasta!

     

    GREEN BEANS

    green beans cooking in a cast iron skillet

    Lets start this list with something a little unexpected, like green beans! I love to brown some hamburger meat (or ground turkey if thats how you roll), add a jar of my favorite marinara, then steam some green beans (with butter, oh yeah!). Add them all together and I have created a perfect low carb dinner.

    Now, I don’t know about your husband and kids, but my husband, aka child #1, will not pass up pasta for green beans…neither will my kids. Your’s might, and that’s great! I’m just being real here. I make them regular ol pasta and I make the green beans for me.

    Ive also topped my green beans with sloppy joe sauce while the family has sloppy joe sandwiches, yellow curry chicken thighs (my family won't eat that, ha!), and just butter and parmesan cheese if I want something small.

    Okay, that wasn’t so hard, was it? you've got to set yourself up for success if you want these changes to stick!

     

    ZUCCHINI

    zucchini noodles with creamy pesto

    “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

    Anyone else always spell zucchini wrong?  I think if my life depended on it, I might get it right!  So zucchini...my fave! I buy a bunch of zucchini at least once a week.

    I love it cut up and sautéed in an omelette, or as a simple side dish. But we get really fancy when we use a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles! I love this little contraption! Its super easy to use! You can spiralize all kinds of vegetables…Zucchini, butternut squash, bell pepper, acorn squash, yellow squash, etc. Pick up a vegetable at the grocery store and it can probably be spiraled. Except avocado, I don’t think that would work too well.

    So you want some lasagna? I had the most delicious low carb lasagna the other day, and it was made with…zucchini!  Don’t skimp on the gooey cheese with this lasagna or you might cry. To make the “noodles” you can use a mandolin or a sharp knife to cut your zucchini in a lasagna noodle shape. You want them to be about a quarter of an inch thick or less.

    With all of these noodle recipes, you can peel the veggies, but I don’t. after your noodles are cut, you need to cook them for a bit. You can steam them in the microwave, steam them in a pan on the stove, or boil them in salted water. Make sure you watch them because if they overcook, they will turn to mush. You want them to still have a bite to them.

     

    SPINACH

    I’m going to throw you a curve ball right now, so don’t smack me. But what about spinach? I love to make some meatballs and red sauce and serve up a bowl with some spinach! Trust me here! Spinach isn’t just for salads anymore!  You can also add some spinach to your spiralized noodle recipes to bulk up the veggie factor.  You can cut your spinach into strips, add in some spiralized zucchini, black olives, pepperoni or salami, grated parmesan cheese, and your favorite low carb italian dressing...pastaless pasta salad!

     

    SPAGHETTI SQUASH

    Spaghetti squash cut in half and roasted on a sheet pan

    Duh, right?  Did you think I forgot about this one? I wanted to leave the most obvious for last. Honestly, I love spaghetti squash, but it is really not my favorite. It takes forever to steam in the microwave and i’m too lazy to cut it in half and bake it in the oven. Plus, the last time I tried, I just about cut my hand off! Maybe I should try one of those pumpkin carving knives to cut it open.  They're safe for kids, right?

    Any who, I am itching to try this Cheesy Chili Spaghetti Squash Casserole, it looks amazing!  Spaghetti squash is so versatile, I really should use it more often.  How do you like to use it?

     

    BONUS!

    Have you heard of or tried shirataki noodles?  They are similar in shape and size to regular pasta, and they come in a variety of shapes.

     

     


    Discover 5 low carb substitutes for pasta. You would be surprised what you can use to substitute pasta with in your meals! #lowcarbpasta #ketopasta #lowcarbrecipes

    More Keto Resources

    • Keto Diet for Beginners - Free Keto Meal Plan
    • Are you too overwhelmed to start keto?
    • Are you acting in self love or self hate?
    • 3 Reasons why we give into food urges

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Reviews




    1. Judi Hayes says

      November 28, 2018 at 2:18 am

      I also like to sauté cabbage and use that as my “pasta”. Sometimes I add a bit of rice mixed in with the mostly cabbage.

      Reply
      • jenniferbanz says

        November 28, 2018 at 7:58 am

        That's a good idea!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Jennifer

    Hey there, I'm Jennifer! I’m the voice, author, and creator behind Low Carb with Jennifer and Live Life Keto. 

    I've been cooking low carb/keto for the past 10 years and it has helped me shed over 70 pounds!

    My keto recipes reflect my philosophy on cooking...everything needs to be easy, fast, exceptionally delicious, and use common ingredients.

    Read More Here

    Search for your favorite recipe

    Most popular

    keto cheesecake with a slice missing

    The Best Keto Cheesecake

    Air Fryer Whole Chicken

    Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Rotisserie Style

    chocolate keto mug cake in a ramekin

    Keto Mug Cake - Chocolate, Vanilla, or Peanut Butter

    keto chicken thighs in an air fryer

    Air Fryer Chicken Thighs - Super Crispy!

    sliced keto zucchini bread

    Easy Keto Zucchini Bread - Sweet or Savory

    a stack of protein pancakes on a white plate

    Protein Pancakes Recipe

    keto chocolate chip cookies all in a row

    Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

    round bread with butter on a white plate

    90 Second Keto Bread in the Microwave

    crispy chicken thighs recipe on a baking rack

    Keto Crispy Chicken Thighs Recipe

    keto chocolate mousse

    Keto Chocolate Mousse - Ready in only 10 minutes!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 JMHA, LLC

    The contents on our website are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose any medical condition, replace the advice of a healthcare professional, or provide any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician before starting any nutrition or exercise program.