Here are 25+ delicious, filling low-carb vegan recipes! I explain what low-carb is, and why you may want to try it yourself. Each of these meals is below 20g net carbs, with plenty of protein and veggies.
Vegan Butter Chicken by Jessica in the Kitchen
I am so excited to be doing this roundup because YOU guys asked for it. If you read my last OOTK, then you know that I’ve switched diets. My main diet now is higher-fat, lower-carb. I explained it all in the post, but long story short, it’s really changed my life for the better.
Going low-carb while eating vegan is a lot easier than I thought! I’ve found that the key is to focus on recipes with veggies, protein, and filling fats. I’m sharing over 25 of my favourite low-carb vegan recipes that I’ve had on repeat since starting this new way of eating. I hope you love them as much as I do!
What is Low-Carb?
A low-carb meal is, well, a meal that is lower in carbs. Pretty straightforward! For most low-carb diets (and I don’t mean a crash diet, but rather a way of life), instead of just “lowering carbs,” there’s a focus on lowering simple carbs that are high in sugar, while increasing complex carbs and those that have good amounts of fibre.
The standard “recommendation” for carbs is 300g a day. This lifestyle left me sluggish, tired, and with high anxiety. Generally, a low-carb diet means eating 100g to 150g per day. I tend to stay below 100g on most days, sometimes carb cycling up to 150g on some days (maybe twice a week) to switch it up so I don’t get bored and my body doesn’t get used to it.
Thai Green Curry by Jessica in the Kitchen
How Many Carbs Are in a Low-Carb Meal?
There is no specific definition of what a low-carb meal is. I’ve done a lot of research on the subject, though, and the consensus seems to be: If we are aiming for 100g a day, a low-carb meal is roughly 20g of carbs or less in a full serving. This is the number I kept in mind when collecting the recipes for this post.
Cauliflower Pizza Bites by Jessica in the Kitchen
25+ Low-Carb Vegan Recipes to Try
I chose low-carb vegan recipes that have a good amount of fats and fibre, because carbs – fibre = net carbs. Net carbs are the carbs I’ve focused on with my low-carb diet. For example, foods like sweet potatoes contain carbs, but the carbs are balanced by fibre, so I still enjoy sweet potatoes as a complex carb in meals. I never want my vegan diet to be restrictive, so this is excellent!
Vegan Quiche Muffins
These vegan quiche muffins with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach are loaded with so much flavor, not to mention protein.
Satisfy your pizza cravings with low-carb cauliflower pizza bites! These are a fun meal or snack that everyone, from kids to adults, loves. Serve them in marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.
Warm up on a chilly day with a bowl of cozy, creamy, and low-carb roasted cauliflower soup. This soup is easy enough to whip up on a weeknight and full of flavour.
This easy vegan quiche has egg-like tofu filling bursting with juicy tomatoes, caramelised onions, sautéed mushrooms, and spinach. Bake it without the crust for a low-carb breakfast or brunch!
I've been living on these gluten-free vegan zucchini fritters lately! They're super crispy and a cinch to make. Pair these fritters with your favourite dipping sauces as a party appetizer, serve them as a side, or make them into a light main dish.
Cauliflower steaks are a game-changer! They're tender inside, crispy on the edges, and incredibly flavourful from za’atar seasoning and a squeeze of lime juice.
Kale slaw is fresh and crunchy, loaded with colorful shredded veggies tossed in a tangy, no-mayo dressing. Enjoy this slaw recipe on its own, as a garnish in tacos, and more!
I'll show you how to make cauliflower rice in less than 15 minutes. It's my go-to alternative to regular rice that's perfect as a side with my favourite vegan dishes, from vegetables to curry.
Thinly sliced carrots taste just like sweet potato fries when they're baked in the oven! These crispy carrot fries are ready in 20 minutes, and delicious served with homemade harissa tahini dip.
This tender grilled zucchini with lemon and garlic is one of my best summer side dishes. Grilling caramelises the zucchini, bringing out its sweetness.
This one-pan vegan Thai green curry is loaded with the flavours of Southeast Asia, along with tender vegetables in a creamy, fragrant broth with herbs. It's ready in 40 minutes!
Vegan Ackee and Saltfish (Jamaican Breakfast Feast)
This is my vegan take on Jamaica’s National Dish and my favourite breakfast in the world. This Ackee and saltfish made from hearts of palm is pure comfort food!
This slow cooker tofu butter chicken is rich in flavour and cooked all in one pot. Serve with cauliflower for a low-carb meal that's even better than takeout.
This cauliflower pizza casserole is a low-carb, vegan dish that warms from the inside out. Just like a regular pizza, you can fill this cheesy casserole with your favourite pizza toppings.
Homemade basil pesto is a versatile condiment that you can toss with pasta, spread onto pizza, and even use as a dip. This recipe is full of fresh flavour and freezer-friendly.
Making vegan Parmesan cheese is quick and easy. This recipe tastes amazing on everything from pastas to casseroles. You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes.
Homemade vegan feta is the best plant-based substitute for the real thing! All you need is 6 ingredients and a few minutes. Add this tangy, briny tofu feta to salads and more.
Learn how to pickle cabbage in only 10 minutes. Pickling is a great way to transform cabbage into a flavourful condiment for sandwiches, tacos, burgers, and more. Best of all, you can use this method for any veggie!
Did you know that I have an entire site dedicated to Low-Carb Vegan Recipes? You’ll find recipe guides, how-tos, FAQs, freebies, and so much more. Be sure to check it out!
I just wanted to let you know I made your wild rice and Mushroom soup for my 99 yr. old Mom and I, a couple of nights ago. It was delicious!!! My Mom said the next morning she was dreaming about it. We had it last night too. I added a little too much broth, so it wasn’t as creamy as the first night. Still pretty darn good. I asked my Mom what she wanted for dinner tonight and she said the Mushroom soup!!!
I’m going to make this for my Husband and I’m sure he’s gonna love it too!! He loves mushroom soup.
Thank you for all your great recipes. I always look forward to receiving them. Have a good day.
Oh wow, I’m so so happy to hear that!! Dreaming about a dish is always the best sign haha. I hope your husband loves it too – this makes me want to make that recipe again soon! Thank you so much for your kind feedback and you’re so very welcome!! I hope you have a good day too!!
Hi i like the low carb diets but is there any chance you could do a low sugar and low calorie one with low carbs to preferably under 100 calories or close to that? And the nutrition of the meal and how much for one person? Thanks
Hi Jessica, I think it’s a bit misleading when you say low carb – I think you mean cutting out rfined products. Carbs are not the enemy & plant-based diets are based on carbs but healthy unprocessed, unrefined carbs. There is a big difference. Thanks for all your lovely recipes
We’ve actually always tried to keep refined products off of JITK, so that was also natural to do here of course! I’m not sure what’s misleading about the title or about saying that the recipes are low carb, since they are? Would love to hear your feedback! I never said that carbs were the enemy or anything negative about carbs. I even point out that this post is not me saying that we should deprive our bodies of carbs. In fact – I also included in the notes that I still have quinoa, chickpeas, and other forms of higher carb foods that I love and that are amazing for my body (I had hummus, falafel and salad for dinner last night for example!). Just pointing all of this out to highlight further that this post is not anti-carb, or anti-anything, it’s mean to be seen with positivity and light and excitement, and most importantly, a response to feedback from other JITK readers!
I did share in a very long OOTK about how switching to a high fat low carb way of eating has personally resulted in major improvements for me, and I got dozens of requests for more low carb recipes, and so I produced this roundup to start! I have many many recipes on JITK that have higher carbs, so again, there is no intention to demonise carbs at all! You’re so very welcome for the recipes!
I want to thank you for making low-carb vegan recipes. I’ve been vegan for about a year and a half but recently discovered I’m diabetic and need to eat low-carb to control my blood sugar. Carbs may not be the enemy for everyone as the OP suggested, but they are causing a lot of problems for me including infertility and the risk of eventually having to use insulin if I can’t get my blood sugar under control. For anyone wondering why ‘low-carb’ is important: Your recipes are literally saving my life right now. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your comment! This is the exact reason why I wanted to and I’m so happy to hear these recipes are helping you! You’re so incredibly welcome and wishing you all the very best!!
Thanks for the healthy and easy to make recipes. I made the quinoa fried rice and later tried the waffles. Happy to report that both were a huge success. I was hoping there would be leftovers but nope, my family polished everything.
Hi Jessica,
I just wanted to let you know I made your wild rice and Mushroom soup for my 99 yr. old Mom and I, a couple of nights ago. It was delicious!!! My Mom said the next morning she was dreaming about it. We had it last night too. I added a little too much broth, so it wasn’t as creamy as the first night. Still pretty darn good. I asked my Mom what she wanted for dinner tonight and she said the Mushroom soup!!!
I’m going to make this for my Husband and I’m sure he’s gonna love it too!! He loves mushroom soup.
Thank you for all your great recipes. I always look forward to receiving them. Have a good day.
Patty
Hi Patty,
Oh wow, I’m so so happy to hear that!! Dreaming about a dish is always the best sign haha. I hope your husband loves it too – this makes me want to make that recipe again soon! Thank you so much for your kind feedback and you’re so very welcome!! I hope you have a good day too!!
– Jessica <3
Hi i like the low carb diets but is there any chance you could do a low sugar and low calorie one with low carbs to preferably under 100 calories or close to that? And the nutrition of the meal and how much for one person? Thanks
Hi Kat we’ll definitely try that.
Hi Jessica, I think it’s a bit misleading when you say low carb – I think you mean cutting out rfined products. Carbs are not the enemy & plant-based diets are based on carbs but healthy unprocessed, unrefined carbs. There is a big difference. Thanks for all your lovely recipes
Hey Gill!
We’ve actually always tried to keep refined products off of JITK, so that was also natural to do here of course! I’m not sure what’s misleading about the title or about saying that the recipes are low carb, since they are? Would love to hear your feedback! I never said that carbs were the enemy or anything negative about carbs. I even point out that this post is not me saying that we should deprive our bodies of carbs. In fact – I also included in the notes that I still have quinoa, chickpeas, and other forms of higher carb foods that I love and that are amazing for my body (I had hummus, falafel and salad for dinner last night for example!). Just pointing all of this out to highlight further that this post is not anti-carb, or anti-anything, it’s mean to be seen with positivity and light and excitement, and most importantly, a response to feedback from other JITK readers!
I did share in a very long OOTK about how switching to a high fat low carb way of eating has personally resulted in major improvements for me, and I got dozens of requests for more low carb recipes, and so I produced this roundup to start! I have many many recipes on JITK that have higher carbs, so again, there is no intention to demonise carbs at all! You’re so very welcome for the recipes!
– Jessica <3
I want to thank you for making low-carb vegan recipes. I’ve been vegan for about a year and a half but recently discovered I’m diabetic and need to eat low-carb to control my blood sugar. Carbs may not be the enemy for everyone as the OP suggested, but they are causing a lot of problems for me including infertility and the risk of eventually having to use insulin if I can’t get my blood sugar under control. For anyone wondering why ‘low-carb’ is important: Your recipes are literally saving my life right now. Thank you!
Hi Brandy,
Thank you so much for your comment! This is the exact reason why I wanted to and I’m so happy to hear these recipes are helping you! You’re so incredibly welcome and wishing you all the very best!!
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for the healthy and easy to make recipes. I made the quinoa fried rice and later tried the waffles. Happy to report that both were a huge success. I was hoping there would be leftovers but nope, my family polished everything.
Thanks again.
Best wishes all the way from South Africa
Hi Hilary!
We’re so happy to hear that the family enjoyed it! Thank you so much for reading!!
Learned some new stuff with very detailed information.
Thank you for sharing yummy and healthy recipes!
You’re welcome Arthur. We’re glad that you like it!