Last Updated on June 1, 2023 by Toya
Potatoes are a staple food in many households. But, if you’ve just started keto, chances are you’ve just learned that potatoes are a no-no as they’re very high in carbs. If you’re now looking for keto potato substitute options, then you’re in luck. Here, you will find 7 of our favorite low carb substitutes for potatoes.
Potatoes are not recommended for anyone following a keto lifestyle. This is so because potatoes have a high amount of carbs. That is, for every 100 grams of potatoes (¾ of a cup), you can expect 17 grams of carbs, most of which are from starch.
This also means that all the dishes that are made with potatoes like french fries, mashed potatoes, potato wedges, potato soups, garlic roasted potatoes, etc are all off limits on keto. But, if you want to enjoy a fulfilling keto journey, chances are you still want options to enjoy these foods, but with significantly fewer carbs.
Here, you will find 7 amazing low carb potato substitute ideas that you can use to make all of your favorite potato dishes. Obviously, they will alter the flavor of those dishes that you’ve become familiar with over the years, but they work!
Keto doesn't have to be SO HARD! The Balanced Keto Weekly Meal Plan eliminates the time-consuming stress and preparation necessary to successfully follow a low-carb, high-fat (keto) diet. For just $0.26 daily, you’ll receive a weekly email that includes…
- 7-days of meal planning, done for you
- Complete shopping lists, already organized
- Tips guaranteed to keep you on track
- Allergen guides and alternatives
- Low-FODMAP, dairy-free, grain-free, nightshade-free, egg-free, and nut-free alternative lists
- Easy to prepare breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks
- Carb-up practices for balancing hormones and breaking plateaus
- Timesaving 5-minute recipes
- The “entire family” guide to making a low-carb, high-fat diet work for everyone
- And much, much more!
So, what are the best keto potato substitute options?
The best keto substitutes for potatoes are rutabaga, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, jicama, celeriac, and carrots. All of these are significantly lower in carbs and can be used to make fries, mash, and many of the other dishes that are usually made with potatoes.
Best keto substitutes for potatoes
Rutabaga
A great low carb alternative for potatoes is rutabaga. Rutabaga is a hybrid between a cabbage and a turnip and has a flavor that reminds one of a mild turnip when raw and is buttery, savory and slightly bitter when cooked, almost like a Yukon gold potato.
Rutabaga works well as a keto replacement for potatoes, not only because of the flavor but also because it has fewer carbs. 100 grams of raw rutabaga contains only 8.6 total carbs and 2.3 grams of fiber. This means that 100 grams of rutabaga have 6.32 grams of net carbs.
Use rutabaga as a good keto substitute for potatoes to make rutabaga mash, rutabaga fries, garlic roasted rutabaga, soups, rutabaga hash, stew, gratin, and more!
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is another good substitute for potatoes. Cauliflower is from the mustard family and is a modified form of cabbage. Cauliflower works best as a stand-in for potatoes as it can be used to make recipes like cauliflower mash to replace mashed potatoes or roasted cauliflower to replace roasted potatoes.
It can also be used to make recipes like cauliflower tots, cauliflower soup, cauliflower bake, cauliflower salad, cauliflower casserole and so much more.
Cauliflower is low in carbs and every 100 grams has 4.97 grams of total carbs and 2 grams of fiber. This means there are only 2.97 grams of net carbs in every 100 grams of cauliflower.
If you’re just starting keto, or maybe you’ve already started but you don’t know all the best keto food substitutions for all your favorite foods, then this Keto Substitutions Guide is for you! It includes over 300 amazing keto food swaps that actually work and taste good!
Radishes
Another potato substitute for keto is radishes. Radishes are edible root vegetables that are lyrate shaped and come in various colors including white, pink, red, and purple.
Radishes are slightly peppery and pungent, but, they work well as a low carb potato substitute as they can be used to make garlic roasted radishes, salads, home fries, and more.
Radishes work because there are 3.4 total grams of carbs and 1.6 grams of fiber in 100 grams of radishes. This means there are 1.8 grams of net carbs in every 100 grams of raw radishes.
Jicama
If you have jicama available, this vegetable can also be used to substitute for potatoes on keto. Jicama is a root vegetable that tastes somewhat like an apple but is less sweet. Jicama can be identified by its brown skin which looks like potatoes, and its white insides.
Use jicama to replace potatoes in dishes like jicama fries, jicama salads, stir-fries, soups, stews, baked and more.
In every 100 grams of raw jicama, there are 8.82 grams of total carbs, but 4.9 grams of these are from fiber. This means that 100 grams of jicama has 3.99 grams of net carbs.
Celeriac
Another vegetable on the list that can be used as an alternative for potatoes is celeriac. Celeriac is essentially the root of the celery plant.
It has a flavor that can be considered earthy with a slight hint of celery. Use celeriac to make celeriac bake, soups, gratin, mashed celeriac, fritters, chips and more in place of potatoes.
Raw celeriac is a low carb vegetable that has 9.2 grams of total carbs and 1.8 grams of fiber in every 100 grams. This means there are 7.4 grams of net carbs in every 100 grams of raw celeriac.
Eggplant
If you have them available, raw eggplants can also be used as a keto potato replacement. Use eggplants as a replacement for potatoes in casseroles, gratin, fries, and more.
Eggplants are low carbs and have about 5.8 grams of total carbs and 3 grams of fiber per 100 grams. 100 grams of raw eggplant thus has 2.8 grams of net carbs.
Zucchini
Zucchini is another low carb vegetable that can be used as a low carb potato alternative. Zucchini is a type of summer squash that has a flavor that is mild, grassy, and slightly sweet. It does not have a similar texture to potatoes, but it is often used to make low carb zucchini fries that can replace potato fries on keto.
There are 3.1 grams of total carbs and 1 gram of fiber in every 100 grams of raw zucchini. Therefore, in every 100 grams of zucchini, there are 2.1 grams of net carbs.
Carrots
If you’re just starting keto, or maybe you’ve already started but you don’t know all the best keto food substitutions for all your favorite foods, then this Keto Substitutions Guide is for you! It includes over 300 amazing keto food swaps that actually work and taste good!
FAQs about keto substitutes for potatoes
Are sweet potatoes keto?
No, sweet potatoes are not keto. 1 cup of sweet potatoes contains roughly 27 grams of carbs which is more than the daily carbs allotment for keto eaters.