How to make your burger low carb

Who can resist a good burger? Especially in the summertime, when burgers are so quick and easy to whip up on the barbie. With these easy tips you can enjoy a flavourful low-carb burger.

What can I use instead of a bun for a burger?

Traditional buns are high in carbs, so switch it out for one of these options:

Try burgers with a mushroom “bun” for a tasty change.
Find low carb buns made from almond meal and psyllium or cauliflower in your supermarket.
Use a large iceberg lettuce leaf to wrap around your patty.

Check your meat patty

Store bought burger patties often have breadcrumbs or other fillers that are high in carbohydrates. Instead, look for ones labelled keto or make your own. If making your own, use quality mince that contains at least 20% fat. Fat gives flavour, keeps the patty moist and helps it bond together so you don’t need to add breadcrumbs. Or, skip the mince completely and use steaks, chicken or fish fillets instead. Don't forget to add dried herbs and spices or low carb sauces for extra flavour.

Low carb sauces

Sauces can contain a lot of sugar and therefore carbs. Whether adding sauce to flavour your patties or to the burger, choose low carb and low sugar sauce options from the supermarket.

Low carb burger toppings

Create more layers of flavour with these low carb topping ideas:

Crispy bacon
Slices of avocado
Whole fried egg
Cheese
Low carb versions of your favourite sauce such as tomato and BBQ sauce
Mayonnaise flavoured with garlic or fresh herbs. Try adding wasabi or horseradish for an extra zingy sauce
Low carb pickles. Alternatively, make your own pickles by marinating cucumbers in white vinegar and your favourite sugar substitute for 10 minutes

Low carb sides

Keep the whole meal low carb with these low carb side ideas.

Kale chips: Toss pieces of kale in oil and salt, bake at 170 degrees for about 10 minutes to make crispy kale chips.

Zucchini chips: Slice zucchini into thick cut chip size, toss zucchini in egg whites and coat with almond flour and parmesan cheese. Panfry with a little oil until crisp.

Serve with slaw dressed with vinaigrette or a dressing made with low carb mayonnaise.

Skip the guesswork

Take the easy road and click to get this great low carb burger recipe with smoky BBQ and a mushroom bun! With only 6.2g of carbs per serve, it's a fantastic option.

More low carb recipes

Check out more delicious low carb recipes below! Don't forget that you can save them to your ecookbooks using your free myfoodbook account. Why not create your own low carb cookbook today? Sign up here if you don't have an account yet!