21 Low-Carb Vegan Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What vegan foods are low in carbs? ›

This includes almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Soy: Foods like tofu and tempeh are high in protein and fat, but low in carbs. This makes them acceptable on a low-carb vegetarian/vegan diet. Legumes: Some legumes, including green beans, chick peas and others.

Vegetarians tend to eat other animal-derived products, including dairy, eggs, and honey, while vegans do not. Vegetarian and vegan diets can be heavy in carbs, from grains, bread, starchy vegetables, and fruits. However, following a low-carb vegetarian or vegan diet is entirely possible.

Make sure you're aware of any allergies ahead of time, so you can prepare dishes suitable for your guests' needs. Speak to your guests a few weeks before the event, and where possible create dishes that are suitable for all, so you avoid having to create different recipes for each person.

I highly recommend having a mixture of grains, protein, and vegetables — it provides a great balance not only with flavor/bulk but also texture. Grains and legumes help keep the meal filling while the vegetables bring everything together.

Low-Carb Vegan Foods Cheat Sheet

This might include replacing starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, sweet or white potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash) with non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens, garlic, red or green bell peppers) any time it's possible.

"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."

Both keto and plant-based have been shown to help with weight loss and in the short-term, keto wins for overall pounds lost. However, when it comes to fat loss, sustainable weight loss and compliance, nutrient-density, and overall health benefits, a plant-based diet comes out on top.

Aim to get most of your daily carbohydrates from nutrient dense, unrefined carbohydrate foods such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, oats, beans, chickpeas, lentils and fruits and vegetables.

To create a balanced vegan diet, aim to eat these macro rations: Carbohydrates: 45–65% of total daily calories. Fat: 25–35% of total daily calories. Protein: 20–30% of total daily calories.

What sort of foods do most vegans love having? ›

Healthful foods that are high in protein, fiber, or both tend to be filling. Rich sources of protein for vegans include foods such as soybeans, pulses, and some nuts and seeds. Oats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruit are all good sources of fiber.

Numerous studies have shown that vegans consume insufficient calcium and vitamin D, not only owing to the absence of dairy products but also due to calcium bioavailability problems in plant-based diets [28]. Vitamin D insufficiency exacerbates calcium shortage further owing to impaired intestinal absorption.

Nuts. Low-carb vegans should definitely be going nuts about nuts. They're small in stature but rich in protein that will get you well on your way to hitting your daily requirements. Just 22 of our top-rated nuts, the almighty almonds, will provide you with 6.2g of protein with only 2.5g of net carbs.

Tofu is relatively low in carbs, with a100-gram serving containing only 1.2 grams of carbohydrates. The same amount of tofu has 83 calories, 5.3 grams of fat, and 10 grams of protein. It can be suitable for the ketogenic diet because of the division of its fat, protein, and carbohydrate content.

Hummus can definitely be part of your keto diet, but just one or two servings can quickly expend a significant portion of your daily carb allotment. If you do eat hummus, you'll want to limit yourself to a small amount — perhaps just 2–4 tablespoons (30–60 grams), which provide 4–8 grams of net carbs.