Give your plate a passport
If another plate of bacon and eggs makes you sigh, it may be time to change the flavors on your plate. Keto can feel repetitive when your shopping list stays the same every week.
The good news? Many food traditions offer delicious starting points: grilled fish, fragrant curries, sizzling meat, fresh herbs, and vegetables prepared with care.
No entire cuisine is automatically keto. Rice, bread, noodles, beans, and sweet sauces have important places in these traditions. But choosing suitable dishes—and making a few thoughtful adjustments—opens up plenty of possibilities.
Here are seven cuisines to explore, with practical ideas for cooking and ordering.
1. Greek: Lemon, herbs, and the grill
Greek cooking offers an easy escape from heavy, repetitive meals. Think chicken souvlaki, grilled fish, cucumber, olives, and oregano.
Cook or order: Chicken skewers with a cucumber-tomato salad, olive oil, and a modest serving of tzatziki. At home, season chicken with lemon zest, garlic, oregano, and olive oil before grilling.
Skip or adjust: Pita, fries, rice, and breaded dishes. Ask whether meat marinades or salad dressings contain added sugar.
Build the meal around the skewers and vegetables. Feta and olives add character without needing to become the main event. Use lemon generously for brightness.
Try ours: Corfu-style keto pastitsada, with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
2. Thai: Fragrant and fresh
Thai food brings together lime, chilies, herbs, and savory sauces. That balance can make a simple dinner feel exciting again.
Cook or order: Grilled meat with cucumber salad, or a coconut curry with chicken, shrimp, and nonstarchy vegetables. Ask for no added sugar when possible.
Skip or adjust: Rice, noodles, sweet chili sauce, and heavily sweetened stir-fries. Restaurant curry sauces vary, so ask about sugar and starch thickeners.
At home, check curry-paste labels and use unsweetened coconut milk. Finish with lime and fresh herbs. Cauliflower rice makes a useful base for catching the sauce.
Try ours: holy basil chicken (gai pad krapao), with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
3. Mexican: Keep the sizzling skillet
Mexican cooking offers far more than the tortilla holding dinner together. Roasted chilies, cilantro, lime, and grilled proteins provide plenty of flavor.
Cook or order: Fajita-style chicken or steak with peppers, a smaller portion of onions, lettuce, avocado, and salsa without added sugar.
Skip or adjust: Tortillas, rice, chips, and beans when they do not fit your carbohydrate allowance. Ask about sweet marinades and sauces.
Turn the filling into a bowl or lettuce wrap. Add shredded cabbage for crunch. You can keep the lively combination of hot, cool, creamy, and crisp without a basket of chips.
Try ours: carne asada with mojo de ajo, with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
4. Korean: Start with the barbecue
Korean barbecue can be wonderfully adaptable, especially when you choose plainly seasoned meat and assemble your own lettuce wraps.
Cook or order: Unmarinated grilled beef or pork, lettuce leaves, sliced cucumber, and a small serving of kimchi after checking ingredients.
Skip or adjust: Rice, noodles, and sweet marinades. Bulgogi, barbecue sauces, and gochujang often contain sugar or other carbohydrate sources.
For a home version, season thinly sliced beef with garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and a little soy sauce. Add toasted sesame seeds and scallions. Treat dipping sauces as ingredients to inspect.
Try ours: keto beef bulgogi, with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
5. French: Make the sauce count
French food does not have to mean pastry, baguettes, or an elaborate afternoon in the kitchen. A well-cooked piece of fish with a quick pan sauce can feel special.
Cook or order: Pan-seared fish with lemon butter, an herb omelet, or chicken with mushrooms and a cream sauce made without flour.
Skip or adjust: Bread, potatoes, pastry crusts, and flour-thickened sauces. Request vegetables in place of the usual starch.
Try green beans, spinach, or mushrooms alongside your protein. A small amount of a flavorful sauce can bring the whole plate together.
Try ours: keto coq au vin, with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
6. Brazilian churrasco: Simple grilling
Churrasco puts grilled meats at the center of the meal, making it a straightforward option for a low-carb dinner.
Cook or order: Plain grilled beef, chicken, or pork with leafy salad and grilled vegetables. Ask how meats are seasoned.
Skip or adjust: Pão de queijo, rice, farofa, fried sides, and sweet glazes. Salad-bar dressings also deserve a look.
At home, grill one cut of meat and serve it with a vinegar-based herb dressing. You do not need a parade of skewers to enjoy the spirit of the meal.
Try ours: salt-crusted picanha, with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
7. Indian: Explore beyond the naan
Indian cooking offers enormous variety, and individual dishes differ widely. Spices can make vegetables and proteins deeply satisfying.
Cook or order: Tandoori chicken, fish tikka, or a spinach-based paneer dish after checking the sauce ingredients.
Skip or adjust: Naan, rice, potatoes, and curries thickened or sweetened in ways that do not fit your plan. Lentils and chickpeas also contribute carbohydrates.
For home cooking, build a curry around protein, spinach, spices, and a measured amount of unsweetened coconut milk or cream. Taste before adding anything else.
Try ours: lamb rogan josh, with a one-tap Instacart button for every ingredient.
Choose your next destination
Start with one cuisine this week. Buy its key seasonings, choose one protein, and try one new vegetable preparation.
Browse free recipes at internationalketocookbook.com. For more inspiration from Gisele Costello’s International Keto Cookbook Series, try the Kitchen Club free for 30 days: explore 1,300+ keto recipes from 16 countries, a new food-travel video every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, hands-free Cook Mode, and one-tap Instacart ordering.