What Vegetables Are Keto Friendly?

Did you know there is around 36.6g of carbohydrates in one medium baked potato? That means potatoes are off the menu if you follow a keto diet!

Because what is the keto diet? It's a high fat, low carb way of eating that can promote weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

All vegetables contain carbs; some, like potatoes, have more than others. But you cannot stop eating vegetables, or you will become malnourished. So what vegetables are keto friendly and low-carb?

This guide has a complete list of appropriate keto diet vegetables, so you know which to eat for dinner tonight and stick to your keto diet!

In this article:

• Keto Salad Greens List
• Keto Dark Green Leaves List
• Keto Herbs List
• Keto Summer Squashes List
• Keto Avocados
• Keto Peppers List
• Keto Cauliflower
• Other Keto-Friendly Veggies List

Salad Greens

Salad greens are leafy vegetables with almost no carbs. Here are some examples:

• Iceberg lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Arugula
• Baby spinach
• Escarole

100g of iceberg lettuce has only 3g of carbs. Romaine lettuce has 3.3g, arugula has 3.7g, baby spinach has 3.63g, and escarole has 3.4g.

While salad greens are low in carbs, they are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They're a great way to bulk a meal without adding unnecessary calories. That's one of the best keto diet tips anyone could give you!

Dark Green Leaves

So, the answer to the question, "what vegetables are keto-friendly?" is green leaves! Whether you choose salad greens or dark greens, they're all excellent.

Here are some examples of dark green leaves:

• Collard greens
• Mustard greens
• Spinach
• Kale
• Cabbage
• Swiss chard
• Bok choy

100g of collard greens has around 5g of carbs. Mustard greens have 4.7g, spinach has 3.7g, kale has 8.75g, and cabbage has 6g. Swiss chard has around 7g, and bok choy has 2.2g.

Most dark green leaves have lots of vitamin K and iron. And here's some keto diet advice: roast some kale with a sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil and salt. It's an easy, healthy, low-calorie, and low-carb snack.

Herbs

Adding herbs to your keto dishes is a great way to add flavor and variety without increasing carbs. Here are some great examples of flavorful, keto-friendly herbs:

• Basil
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Mint
• Oregano
• Dill
• Lemongrass
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Thyme

Herbs have around 2.7g of carbs per 100g. But it's unlikely that you'll be dumping 100g of lemongrass into your Thai green curry! So you'll be consuming almost no extra carbs.

Summer Squashes

These vegetables will make being keto so much easier because they are the perfect alternative to high-carb foods. Here are some examples of summer squashes:

• Zucchini
• Field Pumpkin
• Yellow squash
• Tromboncino
• Causa squash

100g of zucchini has around 3.1g of carbs. Field pumpkin has 7g, yellow squash has 3.4g, and tromboncino has 3.88g. Summer squashes are high in potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.

Using a spiralizer, you can cook summer squashes and consume them as an alternative to high-carb spaghetti. If you grate zucchini, it makes a delicious keto alternative to rice.

To be clear, winter squashes aren't keto-friendly. These are some examples of winter squashes:

• Butternut squash
• Banana squash
• Acorn squash
• Carnival squash
• Kabocha squash
• Buttercup squash
• Hubbard squash

100g of butternut squash has around 12g of carbs, and that's double the amount of cabbage plus, you are likely to eat more grams of butternut squash in one serving. Other types of squashes have around 9/10g of carbs per 100g too.

Avocados

Avocado is a rare vegetable (in reality, it's a fruit, but go with it) that is high in fat and low in carbs. Many people following a keto diet will often eat an entire avocado every day.

They contain healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, which will help you stay fuller for longer. Avocados are also high in riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, and vitamins C, E, and K.

You can eat avocados with keto-friendly bread and with eggs. And you can even make keto dessert with it instead of dairy.

Other fruit/vegetables high in fat but low in carbs include olives and plantains.

Peppers

As well as herbs, other vegetables that can add flavor and substance to your meals are peppers. All varieties are keto-friendly, and here are some examples:

• Bell pepper
• Sweet chili pepper
• Pimento pepper
• Jalapeño pepper
• Tabasco pepper

Bell peppers have the most carbs at 9g per 100g. But you're unlikely to eat that amount of peppers in one serving. Sweet chili peppers have 6g, jalapeño peppers have 7g, and pimento peppers have around 5g.

Peppers are a versatile vegetable and helpful when cooking meals from almost any cuisine.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower, like summer squash, is a great keto vegetable because it can stand in for high-carb alternatives. There are only 5g of carbs in 100g of cauliflower, and its brother, broccoli, has only 6.64g as well.

You can use cauliflower rice as an alternative to regular white rice. And you can also use it as a pizza base instead of white flour ones. Cut it into smaller pieces and roast it with spices and extra virgin olive oil for a healthy snack or side dish.

Other Keto-Friendly Veggies

There are other vegetables you can eat on a keto diet, too. Here are some other great options:

• mushrooms
• asparagus
• eggplant
• cucumber
• green beans
• turnips
• tomatoes
• radishes
• Brussels sprouts
• celery
• okra

Turnips might surprise you as they are a winter root vegetable like potatoes. But they are much lower in carbs than you might think! You can use turnips to make keto fries instead of using white and sweet potatoes.

What Vegetables are Keto Friendly? Now You Know!

If you were wondering, what vegetables are keto-friendly? You now have your answer! Many vegetables have low carbs, and as long as you avoid most root vegetables, you will find it no problem to stick to your keto diet.

Also, don't forget fruit is likely not an option due to the higher carb levels; things like a banana in your keto diet will likely stop your progress.

Now you know which vegetables are compatible with a keto diet, you'll find it easier to cook dinner every night. Browse our main course recipes for more keto meal inspiration!