If you are following a low-carb diet and love Indian food, choosing the right dishes can get tricky. Here's a collection of 50 healthy and easy-to-make Low Carb Indian food recipes that you can enjoy while watching your carbs.
This collection includes delicious drinks, appetizers, snacks, and a wide variety of curry recipes that are sure to please vegetarians and meat eaters alike!
These low Carb Indian recipes include popular restaurant classics as well as traditional homestyle dishes, made in your pressure cooker, air fryer, or stovetop.
My husband and I have been on a low-carb diet for the last ten years. Reducing carbohydrates has become an essential and effective way for us to reduce and maintain weight. We do have a few cheat days when we indulge in dishes we love, just less frequently, and in moderation.
Indian food spreads tend to have high-carb components like rice, roti, paratha, potatoes (aloo), peas, lentils, and so on. Eating low-carb or Keto Indian food is more challenging on a vegetarian diet.
In this post, I list low-carb Indian food recipes and Keto Indian recipes, including Low Carb Indian Vegetarian Recipes. I will keep adding to this collection, so be sure to bookmark it by clicking on the heart icon ❤️ on your right.
Jump to:
- Why Eat a Low-Carb Diet?
- Keto vs. Low-Carb Diet
- How to Calculate Net Carbs
- Low-Carb Indian Vegetarian Recipes: (Under 10 grams Net Carbs per Serving)
- Low Carb Substitute for Rice
- Low Carb Substitute for Roti
- Common Questions
Why Eat a Low-Carb Diet?
As per Mayo Clinic, low-carb diets may help prevent or improve serious health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.You can find more information on Low-Carb diets on their website.
Keto vs. Low-Carb Diet
Ketogenic diets, referred to as 'keto', require keeping daily carbs under 50 grams and ideally less than 20 grams of carbs. Low-carb diets typically recommend taking in less than 100 grams of carbs a day.
How to Calculate Net Carbs
Net carbs refer to the carbsthat are absorbed by the body. When evaluating a dish, it is important to calculate the net carbohydrates. Net carbs are simply total carbs minus the carbs from fiber (and sugar alcohol, if present).
Net Carbs= Total Carbs - Fiber
Few things to remember while counting net carbs for low carb Indian dishes:
- Simple Formula: Total Carbs - Fiber = Net Carbs. The fiber content makes a big difference when calculating net carbs.
- For accurate calculations, find the Total Carbohydrates number listed on a package's Nutrition Info panel. Then, check the 'suggested' serving size and adjust that based on the amount you eat.
- For grains, lentils, and legumes, the default nutritional information is listed for 'uncooked' grains. Adjust that and calculate for cooked quantities that you are consuming.
- Sugar Alcohol content present in processed food items should also be subtracted from total carbs since the body does not absorb it.
Let us check out some of the BEST High Protein Indian Low Carb Recipes!
Please note: Before following any diet plan, I recommend checking with your doctor. The nutrition facts listed in these recipes are estimates based on a nutritional calculator and a standard serving size, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred calculators.
Low Carb Indian Drinks & Dessert
Enjoy these refreshing drinks and a decadent dessert minus the guilt!
Nimbu Pani / Shikanji (Indian Lemonade)
Easy recipe for a refreshing Indian lemonade known as Nimbu Pani or Shikanji. Made with fresh lime, salt, sugar and water, and spiced with cumin and chaat masala.
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Jaljeera - Cumin Spiced Indian Lemonade
Jaljeera is a refreshing Indian lemonade made with fresh coriander and mint, spiced with roasted cumin, chaat masala and dry mango powder.
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Masala Chai (Spiced Indian Tea)
Try this fragrant, spicy and delicious homemade masala chai recipe. In just ten minutes you'll have a memorable cup of tea to enjoy.
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Ginger Tea (Adrak Wali Chai)
This soothing and invigorating Indian-style Ginger tea, or Adrak wali chai, is made with just four ingredients, and is ready in 10 minutes!
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Sugar-Free Kalakand | Keto Kalakand
This Keto Kalakand is a sugar-free, low-carb version of a traditional Indian dessert! It's soft, creamy, flavored with rose water and cardamom, and topped with slivered pistachios.
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Chicken, Meat & Seafood (Under 10g net carbs per serving)
Some recipes include a pot-in-pot rice option. Skip the basmati rice and serve these curries with Cauliflower-rice instead, and enjoy a low-carb meal. See notes and instructions for Cauli-rice at the bottom of this post.
Tandoori Chicken Wings
These tandoori chicken wings are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and flavored with Indian spices. Made easily in the oven or air fryer.
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Instant Pot Tandoori Whole Chicken
Tender, juicy and packed with flavor, here's a fail-proof pressure cooker recipe for Whole Tandoori Chicken, a classic Indian style Roasted Chicken. Enjoy this low-carb, keto-friendly and gluten-free recipe which gives amazing results with very little effort.
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Chicken Seekh Kebab (Kabab)
Chicken Seekh Kebab, or kabab, are flavorful ground meat croquettes, seasoned with warm Indian spices, then grilled in an air fryer or oven.
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Healthy Salmon Patties | Salmon Burger
A healthy and flavor packed recipe for salmon patties loaded with vegetables and herbs. Enjoy them as an appetizer or over a salad for a low carb lunch, or turn them into a delicious salmon burger in under 30 minutes!
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Tandoori Fish Tikka - Airfryer/ Oven/Crisplid
Say hello to your new favorite appetizer, Tandoori Fish Tikka! Tender fish marinated in a classic Indian tandoori masala and crisped to perfection in anAirfyer,Crisplidor oven. Enjoy this low-carb dish with a side of cilantro chutney!
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Tandoori Chicken Recipe
An easy Tandoori Chicken Recipe with chicken marinated in an authentic yogurt-spice blend is baked until juicy and crisp in air fryer, oven, Instant Pot or outdoor grill.
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Tandoori Chicken Tikka
Tandoori Chicken Tikka kebab is a flavor-packed Indian appetizer in which marinated chicken chunks and vegetables are threaded onto skewers and grilled until crisp and slightly charred.
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Tandoori Salmon
This Tandoori Salmon recipe is a quick, easy and healthy meal in which salmon fillets are rubbed with aromatic Indian spices, then cooked in an air fryer or oven.
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Chicken Korma- Instant Pot | Stove
Chicken Korma, a mildly spiced Indian Chicken curry made by simmering chicken with floral Indian spices and creamy coconut milk. It's an easy one-pot meal with cumin rice cooked right alongside, ready in 30-minutes!
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Chicken Saag (Chicken Spinach Curry) | Palak Chicken
Easy one-pot Instant Pot recipe for Chicken Saag or Palak Chicken, a flavorful Chicken and Spinach Curry, that's ready in just 30-minutes.
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Kadai Chicken (Chicken Karahi)
Kadai Chicken is a spicy, semi-dry Indian curry featuring crunchy onions, peppers, ginger, and toasted spices. Enjoy this restaurant favorite with this 30-minute Instant Pot recipe.
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Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken and Saffron Rice
This easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken with Saffron Rice is a restaurant-quality one-pot meal ready in 30 minutes, featuring tender chicken in a creamy tomato sauce along with saffron-flavored basmati rice.
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Indian Chicken Curry
Easy and delicious one-pot Indian meal! Here is an Instant Pot recipe for an Indian style Chicken Curry cooked with pot-in-pot cumin flavored basmati rice!
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Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala isan easy one-pot pressure cooker recipe for an iconic Indian curry in which marinated chicken is cooked in a creamy tomato sauce.
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Instant Pot Mutton Curry | Goat Curry
Easy recipe for Goat Curry or Mutton Masala in Instant Pot pressure cooker. Tender and juicy meat in a flavorful yogurt based sauce that is seasoned with warm Indian spices and crushed cardamom. Serve it with basmati rice and raita and enjoy a hearty Indian meal.
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Creamy Lamb Korma
Easy Instant Pot recipe for Creamy Lamb Korma. Lamb stew meat is cooked in a creamy coconut sauce, seasoned with warm spices and pressure cooked to a melt-in-the-mouth perfection.
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Authentic Butter Chicken Recipe in Instant Pot
Easy and authentic butter chicken recipe made in the Instant Pot featuring marinated chicken simmered in creamy tomato sauce, finished with fresh herbs and heavy cream.
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Keema Matar (Instant Pot | Stove)
Keema Matar is a popular Indian and Pakistani curry made with ground meat (Keema) and green peas (matar), and seasoned with warm Indian spices.
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Coconut Fish Curry
30-minute Instant Pot recipe for Coconut Fish Curry, with tender fish and bell peppers cooked in a coconut milk sauce seasoned with warm Indian spices.
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Chicken Vindaloo
Easy weeknight recipe for Chicken Vindaloo, a popular Indian curry made with a unique spice paste containing dried chilies, aromatics, tamarind, and vinegar.
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Dhaba Style Keema
This Dhaba Style Keema curry features ground lamb swimming in a boldly spiced and creamy tomato-based masala using the Instant Pot or Stove.
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Coconut Chicken Curry
Easy recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken that's sweet, creamy and fragrantly spiced. Ready in 30 minutes in the Instant Pot or on the Stove.
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Chicken Chettinad
Easy Instant Pot recipe for Chicken Chettinad, a popular south-Indian chicken curry made with toasted coconut, whole spices, nuts, and fresh herbs.
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Low-Carb Indian Vegetarian Recipes: (Under 10 grams Net Carbs per Serving)
And here are some Indian Vegetarian options for you. If you're specifically looking for Low carb Indian Vegetarian Recipes, they will be the ones made with Paneer (Indian firm cottage cheese cubes).
Paneer is the king of protein in low-carb Indian vegetarian food. You can find an easy recipe to make Paneer from scratch below:
Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower
Whole roasted Tandoori Cauliflower is a 30-minute, impressive Indian vegetarian dish, in which a flavor-packed, roasted cauliflower head is served with homemade gravy and pickled onions!
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How to make paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in the Instant Pot or on the stove with just 2 ingredients that's perfect in a variety of recipes.
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Egg Bhurji (Indian Scrambled Eggs)
Easy 15-minute recipe for Egg bhurji, Indian-style scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes, and veggies, seasoned with warm spices.
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Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
Easy recipe for Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms. These crisp mushroom caps filled with veggies, herbs, and cheese are ready in 30 minutes.
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Kurkuri Bhindi - Crispy Okra
This easy air fryer Kurkuri Bhindi is a crispy okra recipe that's coated with gram flour and zesty Indian spices and cooked until perfectly crunchy.
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Paneer Tikka- Air fryer| Oven| Grill
This Paneer Tikka recipe is smokey and spicy with a zingy finish prepared in the Air Fryer, Oven or Grill served as an appetizer or meal.
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Green Beans and Carrots: Instant Pot or Stir-fry
A quick and flavorful side of green beans and carrots sautéed with coconut flakes, this Green Beans and Carrots recipe is a great accompaniment to many entrées. Stir-fry or cook it in your Instant Pot and enjoy this vegan and gluten-free side dish in less than 30 minutes.
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This Punjabi-style Bhindi Masala features bright and beautiful okra cooked until crisp in one of two ways - oven-roasted or stir-fried.
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Saag Paneer | Palak Paneer in Instant Pot
30-minute Instant Pot recipe for Palak Paneer, or Saag Paneer, a popular Indian curry made with soft paneer cubes simmered in a flavorful spinach gravy.
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Sarson Ka Saag | Spiced Mustard Greens
Easy and authentic recipe for Sarson ka Saag, a traditional Punjabi dish made with a delightful blend of mustard greens, spinach, and spices, simmered to a creamy perfection.
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Paneer Tikka Masala in Instant Pot
In this easy Instant Pot Paneer Tikka Masala recipe, soft paneer cubes are simmered in an aromatic and mildly seasoned creamy tomato sauce and finished with a touch of heavy cream.
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Beetroot Thoran | Beet Coconut Stir Fry
This easy Beetroot Thoran recipe features earthy red beets and sweet coconut stir-fried in Indian spices for a Kerala-style side dish ready in 20 minutes.
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Paneer Butter Masala | Paneer Makhani
Easy recipe for Paneer butter masala, or Paneer Makhani, a rich & creamy curry made with paneer (Indian cottage cheese), spices, tomatoes and a touch of heavy cream.
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Creamy Vegetable Korma
Vegetable Korma is a mildly-spiced, rich, and creamy curry that's loaded with colorful vegetables. Here's a 30-minute Instant Pot and stovetop recipe for this popular Indian delicacy.
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Kadai paneer
20-Minute recipe for Kadai Paneer, a popular Indian dish made of paneer, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes cooked with a blend of aromatic spices.
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This Matar Paneer features spongy paneer cubes and tender green peas simmered in a richly spiced tomato-onion sauce ready in 30 minutes.
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Kachumber Salad
Cool and refreshing Indian Kachumber Salad made with cucumber, tomatoes, and onion, and seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, and lime juice. Try this 10-minute recipe.
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Sprouted Moong Salad (Mung Bean)
Easy, healthy and nutritious recipe for Sprouted Moong Salad ready in 10 minutes. Vegan, gluten free, oil free, with options to customize.
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Here's another Low Carb Collection: Low Carb co*cktails
Low Carb Substitute for Rice
Since Indian curries and stir-fries have a flavorful sauce, you need something to soak up all those flavorful juices, which is why rice is a key component of an Indian meal.
How Many Carbs in Cooked Rice
- 1 cup of cooked white rice has about 44 grams of net carbs, and,
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice has around 42 grams of net carbs.
Since rice is very high-carb, smarter substitutes like Cauliflower rice work great. Cauliflower rice is basically finely shredded cauliflower head. My local grocery stores, including Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Safeway, etc, all carry fresh and frozen 'Riced Cauliflower'.
But it is very easy to make it at home. Follow this easy recipe and make Cauliflower rice from scratch!
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Learn how to make Cauliflower Rice from scratch, and store or freeze it for later. Enjoy this low-calorie and low carb side dish in minutes!
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How to Cook Cauliflower Rice
You can follow the microwave instructions listed on the package, or simply saute it on the stove. Here's a recipe I make weekly! It goes great with all kinds of Indian dishes and takes less than 10 minutes to put together!
Indian Cauliflower Rice
This curry flavored Indian Cauliflower Rice is packed with warm spices. It's a low-carb, keto and vegan side dish that's ready in under 10 minutes!
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For another really simple recipe, here's what I do:
- Heat a skillet or fry pan on medium-high heat for a few minutes.
- Add olive oil or coconut oil and add the riced cauliflower.
- Sprinkle salt to taste. Keep stirring till the cauliflower rice turns soft and cooks 75% of the way. Takes about 6-8 minutes.
- Don't overcook it as it will turn to mush. If it has a little bite to it, it mimics the texture of 'rice'.
Low Carb Substitute for Roti
Keto Roti
Keto Roti is a soft and pliable low-carb version of the popular Indian flatbread. It's a healthy, light and super fast recipe with tips on how to roll and shape into perfect rounds.
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Almond Flour Tortillas
Easy 15-minute recipe for soft Almond Flour Tortillas that are healthy, gluten-free, and keto-friendly, with only 4 grams of net carbs per serving.
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Roti: Store-bought Almond Tortillas work as a great low-carb Roti. Recently, I came across Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Tortillas, and I've been enjoying them occasionally. I get them from my local grocery store, and they are available on Amazon too. Depending on the size, each tortilla has 2-3 grams of net carbs.
Lettuce Wraps: For dry dishes like Fish Tikka, Tandoori Chicken and Kadai Paneer, I find lettuce cups as the easiest substitute. I turn them into lettuce wraps and enjoy with a drizzle of Cilantro Chutney. You can also use them to make Chicken Kathi rolls or Paneer kathi Rolls.
Common Questions
Are Dals (lentils) and Chickpeas / Beans Low Carb?
The short answer to this is 'No'. 1 cup (180 grams) of cooked lentils contains 36 grams of carbs. After subtracting 14 grams of fiber, it still has 22 grams of net carbs. Similarly, 1 cup (160–200 grams) of cooked beans and legumes contains carbs ranging from 44- 49 grams. After deducting fiber, ranging between 9-16 grams, they still average around 30 grams of net carbs per serving. Depending on personal tolerance and dietary restrictions, you may be able to include small amounts on a low-carb diet. (check with your physician)
Is Quinoa Low Carb?
I see so many recipes mislabel quinoa as a low-carb alternative to rice. Quinoa is a seed that’s packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients. But it is not a low-carb food. A cup of cooked quinoa has more than 39 grams of carbohydrates. That’s more than in the same amount of brown rice and almost as many carbs as in white rice.
I hope you enjoy these recipes! If you're looking for a specific recipe, simply comment on this post and let me know! If you try any of these recipes, do share your pictures on your favorite social media channels by tagging #spicecravings.
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