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

Among 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 received’t pack on the carbs?

Sadly, the reply isn’t any.  In the event you’re on a non-keto low-carb or commonplace ketogenic weight loss program, you need to keep away from rice for optimum outcomes.

That being mentioned, you may nonetheless get your rice repair by utilizing low-carb substitutes and keto recipes. Let’s start our journey by 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 weight loss program. The truth is, it is going to be practically unimaginable 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 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 filled with too many carbs to suit right into a low-carb weight loss program.

As you may see, wild rice is the bottom carb rice. Nevertheless, with ~32 grams of web carbs in every half-cup, it’ll be difficult to suit it right into a low-carb or keto weight loss program with out slicing out different nutritious keto-friendly meals.

What About Rice Noodles: Are They Low Carb? 

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

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

Somewhat than skipping noodles altogether, there are many keto-friendly options you may strive. We’ll be taught extra about them after we uncover the reality about rice truffles.

Are Rice Muffins Low Carb?

Since they’re comprised of puffed rice, rice truffles might be decrease in carbs than cooked rice. Nevertheless, earlier than we’re tricked by their low carb content material, we should additionally take into account what rice truffles lack.

Since they’re virtually 100% web carbs, rice truffles will enhance your every day carb depend with out including any wholesome fat, protein, fiber, or micronutrients to your weight loss program. In different phrases, even the bottom carb rice cake merchandise usually are not possibility for keto since they add empty carbs to your weight loss program and nothing else.

That being mentioned, If you’re craving a rice cake, go for the bottom carb possibility and ensure to have some high-fat keto meals with it. For instance, strive spreading keto Nutella on high or make it into a fast keto pizza.

The 5 Greatest Low Carb Rice Substitutes for Keto

In the event you can’t eat rice, what are you able to eat on a low-carb weight loss program as an appropriate different? Listed here are one of the 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 different since it’s comparatively low cost, low in carbs, and filled with health-boosting nutritional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

On the whole, ½ cup (85 g) of ready cauliflower rice has 4 grams of whole carbs and a pair of grams of web carbs, which makes it straightforward to suit right into a strict keto weight loss program 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 house when you’ve got a cheese grater or meals processor.

How one 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 Mandatory

Constituted of konjac root, miracle rice (and shirataki noodles) solely comprise hint quantities of web carbs and are filled with 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 may additionally see it known as “shirataki rice,” “slim rice,” or “konjac rice” as nicely. There are some which have higher consistencies than others, so store round and take a look at just a few 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 one can Use It:

Strive utilizing miracle rice as a rice different in a stir-fry, pilaf, or cauliflower rice recipe. It might additionally work nicely 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:

• Purple 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

How one can Use It:

Riced cabbage is nice in stews, as an alternative choice to fried rice, or because the function vegetable in a keto bowl. It is going to pair exceptionally nicely with spices generally utilized in Indian meals, comparable 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 filled with 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 retaining carbs low.

General, every ½ cup of shelled hemp seeds (often known as hemp hearts) supplies 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 very best fats rice substitute, be certain that to not overdo it. The fats energy can add up surprisingly quick and sluggish weight reduction.

How one 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 nicely. Simply be certain that to maintain the carb counts in thoughts as a result of they’ll fluctuate relying on the mushroom selection.

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

How one can Use It:

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

Different Much less Frequent Keto Rice Alternate options You Can Strive

In the event you’re seeking to match extra greens into your keto meal plan, these two wholesome low carb options to rice are value a strive a nicely:

Hearts of Palm Rice

Manufacturers like Palmini who initially launched a pasta comprised of 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 diet 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 a terrific vegetable rice different due to its texture, decrease carb counts, and when cooked al dente actually suits the invoice in a meal.

Broccoli Rice

Riced broccoli makes a terrific grain different for anybody on a paleo, low carb, or keto weight loss program. Since you need to use the stems, it’s going to aid you minimize down in your meals waste as nicely.

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 well-liked cooking oil/fats. Toss in some soy sauce for fast and simple keto facet dishes (which might be additionally dairy free)!

That mentioned, you will need to double-check the diet 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 may as well course of rutabaga, as you’ll 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 larger in web carbs than the opposite keto rice substitutes.

The diet 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 larger 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

In the event you’d choose 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 you might want 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 need to throw collectively a fast dish that will come out scrumptious.

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

See the Recipe

Keto Rooster and Rice Casserole

Rooster and rice casserole is far more healthy and extra satisfying with low-carb elements. The truth is, this is likely one of the greatest 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 avoid wasting on prep time like pre-riced cauliflower and rotisserie rooster. I virtually at all times seize a rotisserie rooster on the grocery retailer. It’s fast, straightforward and can be utilized for one million totally different dishes. Pre-riced cauliflower could 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 comparable to cauliflower rice and rooster inventory could be comprised of scratch or store-bought to scale back time. Non-obligatory toppings for congee embody hard-boiled eggs, sliced scallions, and fried garlic. With this recipe, you’ll additionally learn 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’ll have already seen that almost all low-carb rice recipes function cauliflower as the first rice different. Whether or not you wish 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 facet dish is the proper keto-friendly different for cauliflower rice (and it’s 100% gluten free). Step-by-step, you’ll learn 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 an entire keto meal — or use it as a alternative for cauliflower fried rice.

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

Decide your most well-liked possibility(s) from the record beneath:

• Miracle rice
• Cabbage
• Hempseeds
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli

These will work splendidly in most keto stir-fry and fried rice recipes. You possibly can even strive 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 received’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 received’t work nicely. On this case, the best choice is to make it with out the rice or strive one other recipe with related flavors and textures (like our keto poke bowl recipe).

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

Are There Keto-friendly Rice Noodle Alternate 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 greatest keto-friendly substitutes for rice noodles:

• Spiralized greens. Whereas zucchini is the commonest in keto recipes, you can even spiralize daikon radish, cucumbers, bell pepper, turnips, kohlrabi, onion, and even broccoli stems.
• Eggplant pasta. Minimize 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 can even use complete cabbage leaves as a layer in lasagna and even use it as a wrapper for eggroll kind recipes.
• Miracle noodles. Also referred to as konjac or shirataki noodles, these fibrous noodles are comprised of the identical elements as Miracle rice.
• Tofu noodles. Just like shirataki noodles, these are usually a mixture 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 mixture of low-carb flours, you may create keto noodles at house. These are typically probably the most lifelike in texture and taste however can add a big quantity of energy to the dish, so it’s important 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 will not be appropriate for low-carb and keto consuming, whatever the selection you’ve

Nevertheless, there are many low-carb rice substitutes which you could make to fulfill your yearning for the starch-filled grain. These embody:

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

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

If you’re additionally in search of appropriate substitutes for cauliflower-based rice, listed here are the three greatest choices:

That being mentioned, 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 you might want to obtain the outcomes you need.

The simplest option to be sure you are heading in the right direction is by utilizing our keto meal planning app. It is going to give you a vast consuming plan customized to your objectives and preferences, so all you’ll should do is store for the elements, make your meals, and luxuriate in them.

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