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These keto side dish recipes make it easy to add something flavorful to dinner without falling back on the same vegetables every night. You’ll find quick vegetable sides, Southern favorites, comforting low-carb swaps for rice and potatoes, plus cold and make-ahead options.
Whether you need low carb side dishes for a weeknight dinner, cookout, or holiday meal, there are plenty of choices here. If you already know what you’re serving, browse my keto side dishes for chicken, keto side dishes for steak, or keto side dishes for burgers.
Easy Keto Vegetable Side Dishes
When you need something simple for dinner, start here. These keto vegetable side dishes include quick air fryer recipes, easy skillet vegetables, roasted options, and a few ways to turn frozen or canned vegetables into an easy side.
If you make vegetables in the air fryer often, browse my air fryer vegetable recipes for even more ideas.
1
Air Fryer Broccoli
Tender broccoli with browned, slightly crisp edges and savory Parmesan flavor. This is an easy choice when you need a quick vegetable for chicken, steak, seafood, or another simple main.
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2
Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
Keep a bag of frozen broccoli on hand for nights when you need a vegetable without extra prep. It goes straight from the freezer to the air fryer with no thawing required.
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3
Air Fryer Asparagus
A quick way to cook asparagus with tender centers and lightly crisp tips. Add lemon, garlic Parmesan butter, or bacon when you want a little more flavor.
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4
Baked Asparagus
Use this oven version when the air fryer is busy with the main dish. The asparagus roasts until tender with lightly browned edges.
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5
Asparagus with Bacon
Bacon adds smoky flavor to tender asparagus for a more substantial vegetable side. Try this one when plain roasted asparagus feels a little too simple.
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6
Sautéed Asparagus
This stovetop asparagus is especially useful when you want a vegetable that cooks while the rest of dinner finishes. It keeps the prep and cleanup simple.
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7
Air Fryer Green Beans
Fresh green beans cook quickly in the air fryer and come out tender with crisp, browned spots. They work for both weeknight dinners and steakhouse-style meals.
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8
Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
No need to thaw the green beans first. This is an easy freezer shortcut when you want a low-carb vegetable without washing or trimming fresh beans.
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9
Canned Green Beans
Turn a pantry staple into an easy side instead of serving plain-tasting green beans from the can. This one is especially handy when fresh vegetables are running low.
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10
Roasted Green Beans
Roasting gives green beans browned edges while keeping the centers tender. Slide them into the oven alongside a baked or roasted main dish.
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11
Sautéed Green Beans
A skillet version is useful when you only need a few minutes to finish the vegetable. Serve these with chicken, pork, steak, or seafood.
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12
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
The air fryer gives Brussels sprouts crisp outer leaves without spending much time in the oven. They’re a good everyday option when you want something a little heartier than broccoli.
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13
Air Fryer Frozen Brussels Sprouts
Use frozen Brussels sprouts when you want to skip trimming and chopping. They cook straight from frozen for an easy freezer-to-table side.
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14
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Roasted Brussels sprouts and smoky bacon make this a more substantial vegetable side. Swap the honey for your favorite keto-friendly honey substitute.
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15
Air Fryer Mushrooms
Air frying gives mushrooms browned edges while keeping them juicy inside. Serve them with pan-seared steak for an easy steakhouse-style dinner.
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16
Sautéed Spinach
Spinach cooks down quickly in a skillet, so this is one of the easiest vegetables to add at the last minute. Garlic and seasonings keep it from tasting plain.
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17
Air Fryer Squash
Zucchini and yellow squash cook without breading for a simple low-carb side. This is a good one to keep in rotation when summer squash is plentiful.
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18
Air Fryer Eggplant
No breading is needed to make tender, browned eggplant in the air fryer. Serve it with chicken, seafood, or an Italian-inspired dinner.
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19
Air Fryer Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower gets tender in the center with browned edges in the air fryer. Eat it as-is or use it as the starting point for one of the richer cauliflower sides below.
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20
Fajita Veggies
Peppers and onions add plenty of flavor and color to tacos and bowls. Add Chipotle Chicken when you want an easy way to turn both recipes into dinner.
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Keto Side Dishes That Aren’t Vegetables
Not every keto side has to start with cauliflower, broccoli, or green beans. These are some of my favorite options when you specifically want low-carb side dishes that aren’t vegetables, including breads, grits, dressing, and eggs.
21
Keto Cornbread
A low-carb cornbread gives you something bread-like to serve with BBQ, soups, greens, or a Southern-style dinner. Try it with Keto Ribs for an easy BBQ plate.
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22
Keto Grits
Creamy keto grits are a good alternative when you want a warm Southern side without traditional corn grits. Add butter and cheese for an extra-comforting bowl.
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23
Keto Parmesan Garlic Bread Bites
These garlic-Parmesan bread bites fill the bread-basket role without traditional flour. Serve them with chicken, Italian-inspired meals, soups, or a saucy main dish.
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24
Keto Cornbread Dressing
You don’t have to save this savory cornbread dressing only for Thanksgiving. It works whenever you want a hearty side with roasted chicken, turkey, pork, or another comfort-food dinner.
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25
Deviled Eggs Recipe
Deviled eggs are an easy cold option when you want something other than another vegetable. They also work well for cookouts, holidays, and make-ahead meals.
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Hearty & Comforting Keto Side Dishes
These sides are a little richer and more substantial. You’ll find creamy casseroles, Southern greens, slow-cooked cabbage, and several versions of green beans that work just as well for Sunday dinner as they do for a holiday table.
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For Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other special meals, browse my keto holiday recipes.
26
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Roasted cauliflower takes the place of pasta in this creamy, cheesy side. Use it when you want the comfort of baked mac and cheese without the noodles.
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27
Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
This loaded cauliflower casserole brings together creamy cauliflower with plenty of savory toppings. It works especially well when you want a side that can hold its own next to a simple meat or poultry main.
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28
Keto Green Bean Casserole
Keep classic creamy green bean casserole on the menu without the usual higher-carb additions. This is an easy choice for Thanksgiving or another holiday meal.
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29
Keto Creamed Spinach
Rich, creamy spinach gives you a steakhouse-style side at home. Add pan-seared steak when you want to turn it into a complete steakhouse-inspired dinner.
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30
Southern Collard Greens with Bacon
Slow-cooked collard greens and bacon bring plenty of smoky Southern flavor. Use a 1:1 brown sugar replacement in place of the brown sugar to keep them keto-friendly.
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31
Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
Use the pressure cooker when you want tender collard greens without a long simmer on the stovetop. This version is especially convenient when several dishes need your attention.
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32
Crockpot Collard Greens
Let the slow cooker handle the greens while you work on the rest of the meal. They’re a useful hands-off option for holidays and Sunday dinners.
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33
Pressure Cooker Cabbage
Pressure cooking makes cabbage tender quickly while keeping the method mostly hands-off. Serve it with pork, chicken, sausage, or another Southern-inspired main.
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34
Crockpot Cabbage
This slow cooker cabbage is a good option when you want a warm vegetable side that can cook in the background while you make the rest of dinner.
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35
Green Beans with Bacon
Bacon turns simple green beans into a savory side that works for both everyday meals and special dinners.
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36
Crockpot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
Fresh green beans cook slowly with bacon for a hands-off version of a Southern favorite. This is especially useful when your oven and stovetop are already full.
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37
Instant Pot Southern Green Beans
Use the pressure cooker for tender Southern-style green beans in less time than a traditional long simmer. They’re an easy fit for chicken, pork, or holiday meals.
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Keto Alternatives to Rice, Potatoes & Pasta
Sometimes the side you’re missing isn’t another vegetable. It’s the rice, potatoes, pasta, or grits that normally make the meal feel complete. These recipes use cauliflower, radishes, and spaghetti squash to fill those roles while keeping the meal low-carb.
38
Mashed Cauliflower
Creamy mashed cauliflower is one of the easiest substitutes for mashed potatoes. Serve it with pan-seared steak when you want a simple low-carb steak-and-potatoes-style dinner.
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39
Cauliflower Rice Risotto
Turn cauliflower rice into a creamy risotto-style side when plain cauliflower rice feels too basic. It’s also the side I use with my Surf and Turf when I want a more special-occasion dinner.
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40
Creamy Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto
Mushrooms add deeper savory flavor to creamy cauliflower risotto. Serve this one when you want something substantial enough for a date-night or steakhouse-style dinner.
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41
Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
This cauliflower rice pilaf gives you a simple alternative to traditional rice without making the meal feel like it is missing a side.
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42
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Bright cilantro and lime make this cauliflower rice especially useful for tacos and bowls. Add Chipotle Chicken for an easy low-carb version of a restaurant-style chicken bowl. This is also a good base for my Indian Shrimp Curry recipe.
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43
Keto Fried Rice
Cauliflower rice gets the savory, takeout-style flavor of fried rice without regular rice. Serve it with my Keto Orange Peel Shrimp for an easy low-carb Chinese takeout-style dinner.
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44
Spanish Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Tomato and warm seasonings give cauliflower rice the flavor of Spanish-style rice. Serve it with tacos, fajitas, grilled meats, or use it as the base for a simple Tex-Mex bowl.
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45
Cauliflower Grits
Creamy cauliflower grits give you another option for Southern-style meals. They’re especially good when you want the feel of grits without using corn.
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46
Cauliflower Hash Browns
These cauliflower hash browns give you a crispy alternative to potato hash browns. Make Air Fryer Bacon alongside them for an easy breakfast without another skillet to clean.
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47
Air Fryer Radishes
Cooking radishes softens their sharp bite and gives you a simple alternative when you’re craving roasted potatoes.
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48
Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash gives you tender strands that can stand in for pasta alongside keto meatballs, chicken, seafood, or a favorite sauce.
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Cold & Make-Ahead Keto Side Dishes
These are the recipes I’d reach for when the main dish is hot off the grill or when I want to make part of dinner ahead. They’re especially useful for BBQs, cookouts, potlucks, and holiday meals.
49
Keto Coleslaw
Creamy keto coleslaw gives you the cool, crunchy side you want with BBQ, burgers, and wings. Add Crockpot BBQ Chicken when you need an easy main dish to go with it.
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50
Vinegar Coleslaw
This tangy vinegar-based slaw is especially good with rich BBQ meats because the acidity keeps the plate from feeling too heavy. It’s a great choice when you want something lighter than a creamy slaw.
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51
Keto Potato Salad
This low-carb take on potato salad gives you the creamy, chilled side you expect at a cookout without using traditional potatoes.
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52
Cucumber Onion Salad
Crisp cucumber and onion make this a refreshing side for grilled meats and warm-weather dinners. Replace the honey with your preferred keto-friendly equivalent.
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53
Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce
Make this cranberry sauce ahead for turkey dinners and holiday meals. Pair it with Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast when you want a smaller holiday dinner without roasting a whole turkey.
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54
BLT Salad
Bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado make this an easy cold side or light meal. Use my Air Fryer Bacon to crisp the bacon without another mess on the stovetop.
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Need a Side for a Specific Main Dish?
If you already have the entrée figured out, you can narrow things down with my keto side dishes for chicken, keto side dishes for steak, keto side dishes for burgers, or keto side dishes for BBQ.
If your side dish doesn’t need to be low-carb, browse all of my side dish recipes for potatoes, rice, pasta, vegetables, cornbread, salads, and more.
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