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Pasta is a staple on many shopping lists — quick to make, satisfying and familiar. But traditional pasta is packed with fast-digesting carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar and leave you hungry again before long. The good news: there are excellent alternatives that are just as delicious, but do a lot more for your body.
In this article, you'll find the five best low-carb substitutes for pasta — with nutritional values, benefits and practical preparation tips for each option. Plus a recipe to get you started straight away.
The problem with traditional pasta
A standard portion of cooked pasta (200 g) easily contains 50 to 60 grams of carbohydrates. These are quickly broken down into glucose, causing your blood sugar to rise sharply — followed by an equally sharp drop. The result: an energy slump, hunger returning sooner than expected, and cravings for even more carbohydrates.
On top of that, pasta made from refined wheat flour is low in fibre and micronutrients. Fibre is essential for healthy digestion and lasting satiety. Its absence makes traditional pasta a poor choice if you're looking to manage your weight or keep your energy levels stable throughout the day.
The 5 best low-carb pasta alternatives
There's plenty of choice — from vegetables to specialist products. Here are the five alternatives that score best on taste, nutritional value and everyday practicality.
🥒 1. Zucchini noodles (zoodles)
Carbohydrates: ±3 g per 200 g | Calories: ±35 kcal per serving
Slicing zucchini into thin strips — using a spiraliser or julienne peeler — produces noodles that work surprisingly well under a bolognese or pesto sauce. The texture is lightly crisp if you stir-fry them briefly (2–3 minutes), or tender if you blanch them.
Tip: Sprinkle a little salt over the zoodles after cooking and pat them dry. This prevents your dish from turning watery.
🍜 2. Shirataki noodles
Carbohydrates: ±1 g per 200 g | Calories: ±10 kcal per serving
Shirataki are made from konjac flour and consist of more than 97% water and soluble fibre (glucomannan). They contain virtually no carbohydrates or calories, making them the most radical alternative on this list. The texture is slightly more elastic than pasta, but they absorb sauces well.
Tip: Rinse shirataki thoroughly under cold water, then dry-fry them in a hot pan without oil — this improves the texture and removes the neutral odour from the packaging.
🎃 3. Spaghetti squash
Carbohydrates: ±7 g per 200 g | Calories: ±42 kcal per serving
Spaghetti squash gets its name from the flesh, which naturally separates into long, stringy strands after cooking — just like pasta. The flavour is mildly nutty and pairs beautifully with tomato sauce, pesto or roasted vegetables. It's also rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene.
Preparation: Halve the squash, remove the seeds, brush with olive oil and roast for 35–40 minutes at 200°C (400°F). Then use a fork to scrape out the strands.
🌿 4. Hearts of palm noodles
Carbohydrates: ±2 g per 200 g | Calories: ±30 kcal per serving
Made from the inner core of the palmito plant, these noodles are naturally low in carbs, gluten-free and high in fibre. Their texture most closely resembles al dente pasta and their flavour is neutral — making them an excellent match for bold, flavourful sauces. Available in jars or vacuum packs.
Tip: Warm them directly in the sauce rather than cooking them separately — they absorb the flavours much better that way.
🍝 5. Low-carb pasta (specialist product)
Carbohydrates: ±10–15 g per 60 g dry | Protein: ±12–18 g per serving
For those who want to enjoy the familiar texture and convenience of pasta, without the carbohydrate load of the regular variety. Low-carb pasta is made from lupin flour, lentil flour or konjac and contains significantly fewer net carbs than standard pasta — plus more protein and fibre. It cooks exactly the same way, and the result is hard to tell apart from the original.
Discover our low-carb tagliatelle:
View low-carb tagliatelle →Quick overview: carbohydrates per serving (200 g cooked)
| Alternative | Carbohydrates | Calories | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular pasta (reference) | ±55 g | ±260 kcal | — |
| Zucchini noodles | ±3 g | ±35 kcal | Light summer dishes |
| Shirataki | ±1 g | ±10 kcal | Keto & calorie-conscious |
| Spaghetti squash | ±7 g | ±42 kcal | Hearty winter sauces |
| Hearts of palm noodles | ±2 g | ±30 kcal | All classic pasta sauces |
| Low-carb pasta | ±10–15 g | ±130 kcal | Authentic pasta experience |
Recipe: Spicy Thai Bowl with Greek pasta (orzo)
Now that you know the alternatives, it's time to put one to use. This recipe was originally made with low-carb Greek pasta (orzo) — the rice-shaped pasta that fits perfectly into a Thai bowl. You can also try it with shirataki for an even lower carb count.
Spicy Thai Bowl
Ingredients for 1 person
- 60 g low-carb Greek pasta (orzo)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 50 g peas
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Fresh coriander and lime juice to garnish
Method:
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat.
- Add the garlic, pepper, carrot and peas. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the cooked pasta and stir well to combine.
- Mix the soy sauce, fish sauce and sriracha in a small bowl.
- Push the pasta to one side of the pan and scramble the egg on the other side.
- Pour the sauce over everything and stir to combine.
- Serve in a bowl garnished with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime juice.
Nutritional values (with low-carb pasta): ±539 kcal — 31% carbohydrates, 36% protein, 29% fat.
Tip: If you swap the low-carb pasta for regular rice or standard pasta, the carbohydrate percentage rises to around 50% and protein drops to around 14%. The dish will taste just as good, but your satiety will be much shorter-lived — making a post-meal snack far more likely.
Why choose low-carb pasta?
Replacing traditional pasta with one of the alternatives above brings concrete benefits — especially if you do it regularly:
- More stable blood sugar: Fewer fast carbs means fewer spikes and crashes, and therefore less energy slumps after meals.
- Feeling fuller for longer: More fibre and/or protein slows digestion and keeps hunger at bay for longer.
- Fewer total calories: Many alternatives contain significantly fewer calories per serving, without having to reduce your portion size.
- Richer in micronutrients: Zucchini, squash and hearts of palm provide vitamins and minerals that are absent from white pasta.
- Gluten-free: Zucchini noodles, shirataki, spaghetti squash and hearts of palm noodles are all naturally gluten-free.
