Ordering Mexican Food While On Keto: What To Know

Mexican food is a delight for the senses, but it can be a challenge to navigate the menu when you're on a keto diet. The good news is that it's not impossible, and with a few simple swaps, you can still enjoy the flavours of Mexico without compromising your dietary goals. The key is to be mindful of the carbs that can be found in tortillas, rice, beans, and starchy vegetables. So, what should you order when dining at a Mexican restaurant while staying keto?

First, it's essential to skip the tortilla chips and opt for healthier alternatives like pork rinds, celery, or jicama sticks for dipping. Guacamole is your best friend—it's packed with healthy fats and low in carbs. Fajitas are another excellent choice; just ditch the tortillas and load up on the meat, veggies, and toppings like sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Salads are also a safe bet, but be sure to skip the tortilla shell and starchy veggies.

When it comes to mains, look for grilled meat or seafood dishes. Carne asada, grilled chicken, and camarones al ajillo (garlic shrimp) are tasty options. If you're craving something spicy, go for chorizo or pollo asado, but remember to skip the tortillas and opt for lettuce wraps or a side salad instead.

For a satisfying keto-friendly meal, you can also try a burrito bowl without the rice and beans, loaded with meat, cheese, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. And don't forget to pair your meal with a keto-friendly drink like tequila with club soda and lime or a low-carb beer.

So, there you have it! Ordering keto at a Mexican restaurant is all about making smart choices and knowing what to ask for. With these tips in mind, you can enjoy a delicious Mexican meal while staying true to your keto diet.

Keto-friendly Mexican ingredients

Mexican cuisine is known for its bold flavours, vibrant colours, and varied textures. While the traditional dishes are often carb-heavy, there are plenty of keto-friendly Mexican ingredients that can be used to create delicious, low-carb meals. Here are some key ingredients to look out for when ordering keto-friendly Mexican food or cooking at home:

Meats and Proteins

• Steak, especially carne asada, a marinated and grilled cut of beef.
• Chicken, such as chicken enchiladas or fajitas.
• Seafood, including shrimp, scallops, squid, and fish. Ceviche, a seafood salad, is a great option.
• Pork, like carnitas, a slow-cooked, shredded pork dish, or al pastor pork, a thinly sliced, marinated pork shoulder.
• Eggs, such as huevos a la Mexicana, scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes, and peppers.

Dairy

• Cheese, especially queso fresco, a fresh white cheese, and shredded cheese for toppings.
• Sour cream, preferably full-fat.
• Guacamole, made from smashed avocado and providing healthy fats and fibre.

Vegetables and Herbs

• Low-carb vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers (especially bell peppers), jalapeños, radishes, zucchini, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
• Fresh herbs like cilantro, used to add flavour without carbs.

Sauces and Seasonings

• Salsa fresca, also known as pico de gallo, a fresh tomato-based salsa.
• Guacamole, a dip made from avocado and providing healthy fats.
• Sour cream, for added creaminess and flavour.
• Chimichurri, an herb-based sauce.
• Spices and seasonings like chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Drinks

• Traditional herbal teas like hierba buena (mint tea), limon (lemongrass), poleo, and damiana.
• Café de olla, a spiced Mexican coffee without milk or sugar.
• Alcoholic drinks like tequila with club soda and lime, vodka soda with lime and mint, or low-carb beers.

Remember, when ordering at a Mexican restaurant, it's important to be mindful of hidden carbs in sauces and avoid high-carb ingredients like tortillas, rice, beans, and starchy vegetables. With these keto-friendly Mexican ingredients, you can create delicious, flavourful meals that fit your dietary needs!

What to avoid

When ordering keto-friendly Mexican food, there are several things to avoid.

Firstly, it is important to avoid tortilla chips, tortillas, and other carb-heavy foods such as rice, beans, corn, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. This means saying no to dishes like tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and enchiladas. It is also important to be mindful of sauces and condiments that may contain hidden flour or sugar, such as queso and cooked salsa.

Fruits and fruit-based dishes should also be avoided, especially tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, bananas, and plantains. These are often found in cocktails, desserts, and even some savoury dishes like salsa and mole sauce.

Alcoholic drinks can also be a pitfall, as many are mixed with sugary syrups and mixers. Avoid margaritas and daiquiris, and opt for straight tequila, low-carb beer, or a cocktail made with tequila, club soda, and lime.

Finally, be cautious when ordering appetizers and side dishes, as these can often be carb-heavy. Avoid dishes like tamales, empanadas, pupusas, and churros. Instead, opt for simple meat or seafood dishes, and ask for low-carb vegetables or a side salad.

Alcoholic drinks

When it comes to keto-friendly alcoholic drinks, the best options are hard liquors like vodka, rum, tequila, gin, brandy, and whiskey, which have zero carbs. These can be combined with low-carb mixers like soda water, unsweetened iced tea, lemon or lime juice, or diet soda. Light beers are also a good option, as they usually have a low carb count, and you can also try light seltzers, which are essentially spiked flavoured seltzer water with no added sugar.

When it comes to wine, drier options are better, as they have fewer carbs per ounce than sweeter wines. Varietals like sauvignon blanc, Italian pinot grigio, and pinot blanc are good choices, as they contain around 1 gram of carbs per ounce or less. Cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and merlot are also good options. Champagne and prosecco are also good choices, but go for brut rather than extra dry or sweet, as it has a lower carb count.

There are also some good keto-friendly cocktail options. Mojitos are a popular choice, as they are low in carbs, but you need to leave out the sugar. You can also try a skinny margarita, skinny pina colada, keto mudslide, skinny raspberry lime rickey, low-carb strawberry daiquiri, low-carb raspberry sangria, and tequila lemonade.

When it comes to drinks to avoid, mixed drinks that contain simple syrup, agave, margarita mix, sweet and sour mix, vermouth, bitters, or ginger beer are all high in carbs. Drinks with soda, tonic water, or juice are also bad choices, as are sweet wines like riesling, moscato, port, sherry, and dessert wines. Liqueurs like triple sec, amaretto, cointreau, and kahlua are loaded with sugar, and hard ciders and wine coolers are essentially spiked fruit juice. Sangria is also a bad choice, as it contains added fruit, sugar, and juice.

Low-carb substitutes

When eating at a Mexican restaurant, it's best to avoid the tortilla chips and opt for healthier alternatives like guacamole with low-carb vegetables such as jicama, celery, cucumbers, radishes, or romaine lettuce spears for dipping.

If you're craving something crunchy, bring your own pork rinds or ask the waiter if they have chicharrones (pork rinds). You can also substitute rice with cauliflower rice or chickpea rice.

For those who enjoy a good drink with their meal, it's best to avoid fruity alcoholic beverages and opt for tequila with soda water and lime, a low-carb beer, or a sugar-free margarita.

When it comes to the main course, there are plenty of low-carb options to choose from. Fajitas, for example, can be made keto-friendly by skipping the tortillas and using lettuce leaves instead. You can also load up on the guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

If you're in the mood for something spicy, try the Camarones al Ajili (garlic shrimp) without the rice. This dish is typically prepared in a butter-based, low-carb sauce and is sure to satisfy your cravings.

For a more traditional option, go for the Carne Asada. This dish is usually marinated and grilled steak served with tortillas. Simply skip the tortillas and add toppings like sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, and red onion for a delicious keto-friendly meal.

If you're a fan of seafood, try the Ceviche. This refreshing dish consists of citrus-marinated seafood served with chopped raw vegetables. It's packed with protein and other nutrients, making it a healthy and tasty choice.

Another great option is the Pollo Asado, which is grilled chicken that can be a fantastic substitute for Chimichangas or Flautas.

So, the next time you're dining at a Mexican restaurant, don't be afraid to make some substitutions. With these low-carb alternatives, you can enjoy your favourite Mexican dishes while sticking to your keto diet.

Salads

If you're unsure whether the dressing is keto-friendly, ask for lime wedges and oil. Make a quick vinaigrette by squeezing the lime over the salad, drizzling with a generous amount of oil, and sprinkling with salt (and pepper, if you like). Toss and enjoy.

Some Mexican restaurants offer taco salads, which are a great alternative to traditional tacos. You get all the wonderful flavours without the shells. You can also ask for a grilled chicken salad with cheese, oil, and vinegar.

• Tomatoes: halved grape tomatoes or diced tomatoes
• Avocado: diced or sliced
• Cheese: shredded cheddar, cotija, queso fresco, manchego, or cheese whisps
• Olives: black or green
• Jalapenos: fresh or pickled
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Lettuce: romaine, iceberg, or spring mix

Frequently asked questions