41 Delicious and Tasty Vegetarian Low Carb Recipes
Finally! You came to the right place: vegetarian AND low carb! I know this combo can be tough to crack, but this post is packed with some real gems you won’t want to miss.
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Reasons to go low-carb
Maybe you’re sick of feeling bloated and tired.
Perhaps you’re trying to reduce your risk of diabetes, or you might be looking to slim down so you can fit into those jeans again (check out our free 7-day weight loss course meal plan).
Maybe you’re looking to try the ketogenic diet, and want to get into the keto zone.
Whatever the case, we’re here to show you how you can achieve all those without missing out on the good stuff!
And don’t miss this podcast about the misunderstood role of carbs in exercise.
Low-carb, no-meat
Yes, we know, low-carb diets usually rely heavily on meat, because you need lots of protein and fats to back up those lost sugars and starches.
But don’t be fooled, there are plenty of equally nutritious plant-based options out there, case in point, all the delicious recipes in this compilation.
There are plenty of high-protein, low-carb vegetarian options, too.
Dig into our list of 41 Low Carb Vegetarian Recipes
All super easy to make, low in carbohydrates, incredibly tasty and more than a match for their high carb contemporary – as you’ll soon see. Enjoy!
Subscribe to get our FREE 7-Day Vegetarian High Protein Meal Plan for Weight Loss
Low Carb Vegetarian Breakfasts
1. Breakfast Egg Muffins
Carbs: 4g
Bonus: keto-friendly
Looking for a high-protein, low-carb breakfast? Try these breakfast egg muffins – 1 recipe, 4 amazing flavours!
2. Best Easy Omelette Recipe
Carbs: 1g
Bonus: mega quick, perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Just eggs in this deliciously simple and perfect natural omelettes, exactly the way they should be. Vegetarian, healthy and ready in 7 minutes.
3. Avocado Deviled Eggs
Carbs: 3g
Bonus: quick and easy, full of proteins, vitamins and healthy fats
Our secret to the best-stuffed eggs recipe is in creating low-calorie deviled eggs with paprika, chives, garlic powder, lemon juice, and of course avocado! Shhh, don’t tell anyone!
4. Scrambled Eggs with Cheese
Carbs: 13g
Bonus: the most delicious way to prepare scrambled eggs
Make the best scrambled eggs you’ve ever had with our quick & easy but simple-to-follow recipe – so good you’ll never look elsewhere again!
5. Avocado Spinach Smoothie
Carbs: 15g
Bonus: vegan, quick & easy to prepare
Want a breakfast smoothie that will actually fill you up? Try our super-charged, protein-packed avocado spinach smoothie (and check out these other vegetable smoothies here!)!
6. Ricotta Pancakes
Carbs: 19g
Bonus: use coconut or olive oil to coat the pan!
Incredibly easy high-protein ricotta pancakes. Your first and foremost stop for all things tasty and high-protein – we know what we’re doing.
7. Easy Tomato Omelette
Carbs: 11g
Bonus: the perfect omelette recipe
Easy Tomato Omelette. There is a trick to making the perfect omelette – and it’s weirdly easy. We’ll show you how. You’re gonna love this one!
8. Smoked Tofu Breakfast Egg Muffins
Carbs: 11g
Bonus: ridiculously easy to make
Boasting 22 grams of protein per serving and a taste like the beautiful French pizzas known as Tarte Flambee. You gotta try our High Protein Smoked Tofu Breakfast Egg Muffins!
9. Cream Cheese Pancakes
Carbs: 3g
Bonus: gluten-free and high in protein!
The 2-ingredient Low Carb Cream Cheese Pancakes. Just mix eggs and cream cheese to get delicious low carb, high-taste pancakes (if you like these, check out our other veggie low carb breakfasts). Ready in 10 minutes, so try it right away! 🙂
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp butter
- 2 eggs
- 3/5 cup cream cheese (3/5 cup = 2.5oz)
Instructions
- Add some butter to a pan and stick it on medium heat.
- Throw the cream cheese and eggs into a bowl and mix with a fork until creamy. If you’re planning to, now is the time to add some extras. But be careful! The batter is quite runny, so I wouldn’t add things like nuts.
- Alternatively you can use a blender, but remember to let the batter sit for a minute or two! It’ll cook better then.
- Off it goes into the pan. I usually make just one big pancake, but two medium-sized ones would also work perfectly fine.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
10. Keto Star Fruit & Nut Granola
Protein: 4g
Calories: 212kcal
Carbs: 5g
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: KetoVegetarianRecipes
Bonus: keto-friendly, gluten-free and works well as a snack
A crunchy and sweet low-carb granola with dried star fruit and nuts for a low-carb and gluten-free snack or breakfast.
11. Yogurt & Peanut Butter Protein Bowl
Protein: 38.6g
Calories: 346kcal
Carbs: 4.9g
Ready in: 5 minutes
Recipe by: LikeHotKeto
Bonus: can be eaten as a snack and is great for gym bros (and gals)
Easy and delicious, this creamy PB & Greek yogurt protein bowl makes the best keto breakfast or snack, and it’s just perfect as post-workout protein as well.
12. Mushroom Vegan Egg Scramble
Protein: 20.8g
Calories: 225.4kcal
Carbs: 11.7g
Ready in: 25 minutes
Recipe by: ResplendentKitchen
Bonus: a vegan alternative to scrambled eggs
Breakfast is nourishing and fast with this high-protein Mushroom Vegan Egg Scramble with functional mushrooms. It’s easy to make, is absolutely delicious and one of our favourite low-carb vegan recipes!
Low Carb Vegetarian Lunches
13. Crunchy Asian Tofu Salad
Carbs: 22g
Bonus: crispy, crunchy and vegan friendly
A crunchy and colourful mix of delicious vegan foods that look great and taste even better!
14. High Taste Zoodles
Carbs: 15g
Bonus: use vegan pesto if you’re on a vegan diet
Low Carb High Taste Zoodles. Italian-style spiralized zucchini noodles ready in just 15 minutes, excellent for a quick lunch or dinner.
15. Fresh & Tasty Cheese Salad
Carbs: 16g
Bonus: a wonderful low carb meal, great for weight loss
A cheese salad to remind you why salads are awesome. Made with the usual care, fun and attention to taste as any recipe from us.
16. Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Carbs: 10.4g
Bonus: use olive oil instead of butter to make it vegan
Incredibly tasty yet still low carb, this spin on the classic is the best mashed cauliflower we’ve ever tasted. It’s easy to make vegan too.
17. Avocado Tomato Salad
Carbs: 21g
Bonus: filled with fresh vegetables and a great option for weight loss – this colourful salad is everything!
This avocado tomato salad is healthy and delicious, perfect for adding to a weight loss meal plan, or just as your new favorite low carb go-to lunch (more veggie lunch recipes for weight loss here!)!
18. Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Protein: 6g
Calories: 238kcal
Carbs: 13g
Ready in: 55 minutes
Recipe by: ASweetAlternative
Bonus: can be eaten as an appetizer or as the main course
These vegan stuffed portobello mushrooms are rich, filling and delicious. They’re perfect for entertaining or whenever you’re craving plant-based comfort food.
19. Zucchini Pasta Pesto
Protein: 4g
Calories: 220kcal
Carbs: 9g
Ready in: 25 minutes
Recipe by: CookEatWell
Bonus: diary and gluten-free,
This quick and easy zucchini pasta pesto is the perfect way to use fresh summer zucchini, basil and tomatoes.
20. Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
Protein: 13.2g
Calories: 304kcal
Carbs: 15.6g
Ready in: 10 minutes
Recipe by: TheLittlestCrumb
Bonus: can be served as a side
This strawberry goat cheese salad is the perfect spring and summer salad! Made with fresh strawberries, goat cheese, spinach, walnuts & pine nuts.
21. Lupini Bean Keto Falafel
Protein: 3g
Calories: 24kcal
Carbs: 2g
Ready in: 35 minutes
Recipe by: KetoVegetarianRecipes
Bonus: holds well for sometime
This tasty keto falafel recipe is made with lupini beans and cooked in an air fryer (try these other veggie keto recipes for more inspo!). Filling and nutritious.
22. Zucchini ‘Noodles’ with Tomato Sauce
Protein: 10g
Calories: 419kcal
Carbs: 15g
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: InTheKitch
Bonus: simple ingredients, easy to make
Let’s take a look at our recipe for keto zucchini noodles with creamy tomato sauce to show that substituting pasta doesn’t mean substituting flavor.
23. Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
Protein: 4g
Calories: 70kcal
Carbs: 4g
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: EasyAndDelish
Bonus: great for weight loss
Do you tend to overindulge during the holidays? Same here! Whether you’re looking to lose up to 10 pounds or more in only 7 days, fit back into your clothing, detox, or to get rid of bloating, this cabbage soup diet may help you accomplish these goals.
Low Carb Vegetarian Dinners
24. Spinach and Cheese Pie
Carbs: 7g
Bonus: healthy and delicious, full of health benefits, can be stored for a while in the fridge
This low-carb pie is delicious, fit for a keto diet – and the best part – it takes only five minutes to prep! Seriously!
25. Creamy Garlic Mushrooms
Carbs: 12g
Bonus: serve with some toast, as a pasta topping or on its own
There’s no better use for mushrooms than with garlic and cream – and if you want it, we know how to make it vegan without sacrificing taste. Your call.
26. Pepper Quiche Cups
Protein: 11g
Calories: 235kcal
Carbs: 7g
Ready in: 40 minutes
Recipe by: AMummyToo
Bonus: fluffy, satisfying and incredibly nourishing
A gorgeous twist on the traditional quiche, which swaps out the pastry for peppers and fills them with a classic mix of eggs, milk, and cheese, made extra special with a pinch of sage.
27. Velvety Zucchini Basil Soup
Protein: 2g
Calories: 93kcal
Carbs: 12g
Ready in: 45 minutes
Recipe by: VegetarianGastronomy
Bonus: serve hot with some bread on the side
One spoonful of this soup and you’ll be BEGGING for the entire pot! This Velvety Zucchini Basil Soup is a wonderful surprise. All the subtle flavors, the velvety texture, vegan, gluten-free, and only 5 ingredients
28. Zucchini & Fresh Tomato Frittata
Protein: 13g
Calories: 264kcal
Carbs: 9g
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: TheBellaVita
Bonus: beating the eggs (instead of whisking them) is a great way to make this egg frittata
A frittata recipe is one where you can have fun with your imagination. In this recipe today we have added zucchini and some fresh tomato.
29. Rigatoni Primavera
Protein: 13g
Calories: 617kcal
Carbs: 17g
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: TheCopperTable
Bonus: remember to not overcook the veggies!
This Rigatoni Primavera is a quick and easy meal that is on the table in 30 minutes. With loads of fresh veggies and a creamy sauce with herbs and lemon, it’s sure to be a favorite!
30. Easy Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza
Protein: 16g
Calories: 504kcal
Carbs: 23g
Ready in: 22 minutes
Recipe by: Immigrant’sTable
Bonus: use a store-bought cauliflower pizza crust
Easy garlic scapes pesto is slathered unto a keto cauliflower crust, sprinkled with generous smears of goat cheese and juicy, fragrant sundried tomatoes. The easiest weeknight dinner!
31. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Protein: 2g
Calories: 242kcal
Carbs: 10g
Ready in: 15 minutes
Recipe by: HealthySeasonalRecipes
Bonus: you can use a countertop or handheld spiralizer, mandoline or vegetable peeler!
These no-cook zucchini noodles with pesto are such a breeze to whip up on a hot summer night. They are low-carb, vegetarian and primal-friendly!
32. Low-Carb Vegan Bowl
Protein: 23g
Calories: 423kcal
Carbs: 30g
Ready in: 50 minutes
Recipe by: RunningOnRealFood
Bonus: use any soy sauce of your choice!
This Asian-inspired, low-carb vegan dinner option features a twist on traditional rice: cabbage rice! You’ll love the “fried” rice paired with avocado, broccoli, kale and a creamy almond butter sauce.
33. Zucchini Tomato Eggplant Bake
Protein: 19g
Calories: 233kcal
Carbs: 11g
Ready in: 50 minutes
Recipe by: EverydayEileen
Bonus: one-pot and full of vitamins dish
Super easy one pan vegetable bake with the addition of low-fat mozzarella and Parmesan Reggiano. Perfect on its own as an entree. Have this vegetable bake with a loaf of Italian bread to soak up the juices from the veggies. Perfect hot and at room temperature.
Appetizers, Snacks, Desserts and Sides
34. Grandma’s Creamy Cucumber Salad
Carbs: 4g
Bonus: light, easy, quick and yummy
This classic creamy cucumber salad has been passed down for good reason – it’s incredible! It’s also simple and quick, just the way it should be.
35. Avocado Hummus
Carbs: 9g
Bonus: irresistibly creamy and equally healthy
Love guac? Love hummus? You’re about to meet your new favourite food – try our avocado hummus today! You won’t look back!
36. Cucumber Raita
Carbs: 17g
Bonus: easy to make and quick too
The ultimate companion to any curry, this cucumber raita is incredibly quick and cooling – a refreshingly perfect side dish.
37. Vegetarian Pigs in Blankets
Carbs: 19g
Bonus: a vegetarian alternative to a renowned classic
The vegetarian Christmas dilemma is solved with these excellent sides – Christmas feasts are better and more vegetarian than ever!
38. Cabbage Stir Fry
Protein: 2g
Calories: 50kcal
Carbs: 3g
Ready in: 10 minutes
Recipe by: TheBellaVita
Bonus: has got a great flavor, is slightly spicy and holds well for sometime
Cabbage stir fry with garlic, ginger and soy sauce is a perfect side dish full of flavor.
39. Cauliflower Kugel Recipe
Protein: 3g
Calories: 81kcal
Carbs: 4g
Ready in: 1hr 25 minutes
Recipe by: DebraKlein
Bonus: serve with some tasty vegan soup
This delicious kugel recipe has a traditional taste in a modern, healthier version. Cauliflower kugel is perfect for Passover or year-round. Serve it for breakfast, as a side dish or a meatless Monday main dish.
40. Egg Salad with Greek Yogurt
Protein: 10.7g
Calories: 108kcal
Carbs: 2.5g
Ready in: 45 minutes
Recipe by: GarlicSalt&Lime
Bonus: enjoy with some toast or a sandwich!
Classic egg salad with a healthy twist! Hardboiled eggs mixed into a dressing made of Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, herbs and spices. Minced celery and red onion add a little crunch!
41. Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
Protein: 1g
Calories: 133kcal
Carbs: 2g
Ready in: 27 minutes
Recipe by: TwoClovesKitchen
Bonus: you can add some other veggies to enjoy this crispy delight
Crispy, salty roasted broccolini with savory golden garlic
FAQs for Low Carb Vegetarian Recipes
Don’t leave just yet! Get some insight to make the most out of your low-carb vegetarian diet!
What is considered low-carb?
It depends on how you classify something as low carb. For example, currently, the most famous low carb diet is the ketogenic diet. To make a ketogenic diet work your daily carb intake should be 20-50g at a maximum to ensure ketosis occurs.
Note that for ketosis, 20-50g carbs is the maximum, independent of whether you need 1500 calories a day or 3000 a day.
So that means you have to be more absolute with carb numbers to ensure you get under 50g carbs and even more important because by nature that 50g doesn’t scale with calorie intake.
But if your goal isn’t a ketogenic diet and you aren’t trying for ketosis, then something like 10-15% of carbs in a meal would scale well enough. It would be low carb, just not ketogenic low carb.
In comparison, when you follow a standard vegetarian diet you get about 40-60% carbs per day.
Why eat low carb vegetarian recipes?
There are plenty of reasons why you might be looking for healthy low carb vegetarian recipes.
You may want to cook low carb vegetarian meals in order to reduce your intake of unhealthy processed carbs, like white bread and pasta. Reducing the amount of these carbs in your diet could help prevent Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
However, there are plenty of healthy carbs, namely unprocessed whole grain carbs, that provide your body with important fuel.
People mainly try low carb vegetarian recipes for weight loss. There is a lot of debate over why they are effective. One theory is that cutting carbs means you eat more fat and protein, both of which are proven to be super filling and consequently reduce overall calorie intake.
Another theory is that cutting carbs reduces your body’s production of insulin. Insulin stimulates fat production, so less insulin = less fat, to put it very simply.
If you want more weight loss friendly vegetarian recipes, you NEED to check out our Vegetarian Weekly Weight Loss Meal Plans.
What vegetarian foods are low-carb?
There are a variety of low-carb vegetarian foods and they include:
- Veggies like tomatoes, cauliflowers and onions
- Fruits such as berries and avocados, which are particularly filled with healthy fats
- Nuts like walnuts and peanuts while pumpkins and chias are suitable seeds
- Other fiber-rich veggies and foods like broccoli, coconut “meat” and asparagus
- Soy foods and legumes
- Dairy products and eggs
As a general rule, go for non-starchy vegetables, make sure each meal is rich in protein, eat whole foods and use healthy oils to get the best results out of your low-carb diet.
Can a vegetarian be on a low-carb diet?
Of course! For Lacto-Ovo vegetarians, a low-carb diet shouldn’t be much trouble to maintain although vegans might find a harder time with such, as veganism is already an incredibly restrictive diet.
It’s important to note though, there are detrimental effects of maintaining a low-carb diet for prolonged periods despite the numerous benefits of going on one, so keep this in mind if these are unchartered waters for you.
Full of flavour, stacked with nutrients and most importantly, low in carbohydrates; these delicious low-carb vegetarian recipes are wonderful ideas and would make great additions to your meal plan (you could also try low carb high protein veggie recipes if you want to up your game even further!).
If you’ve got any questions to ask or testimonies to share, feel free to post them in our comment section down below!
Helpful Studies
This article has been medically reviewed by James LeBaigue MSc Learn More
James LeBaigue MSc
James has a Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Human Nutrition.
He loves combining his scientific knowledge along with food in the real world, and these recipes are the result.
He’s on top of all the latest evidence and guidelines to make sure our nutrition advice on the website is as accurate as it can be.
By day he works as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a busy NHS GP Practice.
Each recipe is tested and then eaten (much to James’ delight), many times before it is deemed worthy to be published. Bon appetit!
Comments
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35 comments
Happy to have found you! I have recently given up most meat proteins (pescatarian) and have adopted a mostly vegetarian lifestyle. Also, being diabetic, recipes and ingredients had to change drastically. Your recipes look easy, tasty and healthy! I will be coming back often!! Thank you for what you do!
Very happy our recipes are of help, Kristi! I agree, finding good vegetarian dishes to replace meat/fish is not as simple as it looks.
Hi there! This is Luci from Luci’s Morsels – the roasted cumin salad recipe. I have an update photo for this recipe. is there a good email to send it to for a better looking photo for your site? Thanks!
Hi Luci! Of course, send us the photo to the email: daveandhauke@hurrythefoodup.com. Thank you for the update!
So easy to follow and healthy. Thank you so much for your guide!!!
You’re welcome Dayne!! 🙂
Great, easy recipe. I needed something good without totally throwing healthy eating out the window. Thanks!
Hi guys! Wanted to follow you on Facebook, but couldn’t find you. Are you still cooking.
Hi Jin!
Yes, we’re still cooking. The thing is facebook took our page down and there is no way to contact them. We were successful two times by contacting facebook employees directly, but somehow their firewall doesnt like us and we’re offline shortly after 🙁
It’s a really bummer, we miss our fb page!
I’m on a diet and consume vegan dishes only. My schedule started in last week and I had no idea about menus for my diets. I just eat foods without white rice like I’m walking in the sky. Thanks Goodness, I found your article and I can try some new ideas. Thanks a lot!
Can’t wait to try some. I LOVE pancakes, so I’ll try that one first! I asked God this morning to help me lose weight and you popped right up! Thanks so much.