50 Low-Carb Veggie Noodle Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Which noodles have the lowest carbs? ›

"Vegetable-based pastas, such as zucchini noodles or hearts of palm noodles, tend to be lowest in carbs and calories," says Sassos. "They are also packed with nutrient-dense vitamins and minerals and are naturally gluten-free. Shirataki noodles and kelp noodles are also quite low in carbs and calories."

Keto, low-carb pasta can be made from a variety of vegetables including zucchini, spaghetti squash, and kelp. Or, look to alternatives like shirataki noodles and low-carb flours.

In addition to zucchini and summer squash, kohlrabi – a turnip relative – and root veggies like beets, jicama and celeriac also make great veggie noodles.

Shirataki noodles contain a lot of water. In fact, they are about 97% water and 3% glucomannan fiber. They're also very low in calories and contain no digestible carbs (3).

Veggie pasta contains wheat and powder from a variety of vegetables such as carrots and sweet corn. Depending on the brand, 2 ounces can contain one-fourth to a half serving of vegetables. Typically, a 2-ounce serving contains 200 calories, 41g of carbs, 8g of protein, and 4g of fiber.

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

Vegetable noodles are the best

Other stringy veggies like spaghetti squash naturally have a similar pasta-like look. “From a nutritional standpoint, it's terrific,” says Keith Ayoob, associate professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System.

Shirataki noodles (konjac noodles) and tofu shirataki noodles. If you're counting carbs and craving pasta, these are your best bet. Shirataki noodles are a traditional Japanese product made from a fiber called glucomannan, which is produced from konjac, an Asian root vegetable.

What fruits are keto-friendly? ›

Keto fruits by definition are low in carbohydrates. You still need to exercise portion control with most keto-friendly fruits to be within the limits of a keto diet. Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries.

The Bottom Line. In moderation, including instant noodles in your diet likely won't come with any negative health effects. However, they are low in nutrients, so don't use them as a staple in your diet. What's more, frequent consumption is linked to poor diet quality and an increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

Some of my go-to vegetables are mushrooms, cabbage, celery, carrots, onion, broccoli, zucchini, and baby corn. If you are on a time crunch, you can also add in pre-chopped coleslaw salad mix, and you got lunch ready in 10 minutes!

Zucchini noodles: Look for a large zucchini. Use a spiralizer or julienne peeler to make noodles. Or use a regular vegetable peeler and peel into thick ribbon-shaped noodles. There's no need to peel the skin of the zucchini.

The nutritional profile of noodles differs depending on what is used to make the noodles. For example, one serving of rice noodles contains 44 grams of carbohydrates and 192 calories, whereas one serving of egg noodles contains 40 grams of carbohydrates and 221 calories.

High in carbs

For example, boiled wheat egg noodles have a glycemic index of 57, while the glycemic index of spaghetti can range from 42–58 (8). Egg noodles are also relatively high in carbohydrates, with over 40 grams in each cup (160 grams) ( 1 ).

The best pasta for diabetics to eat is pasta made from whole grains or wheat. Pasta made from whole grains is less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar, making this kind of pasta ideal for diabetics.