Indian cuisine is one of the most beloved food cultures in the UK, and the good news is that many classic Indian dishes are naturally compatible with a ketogenic diet. Rich curries, tandoori meats, paneer dishes and spiced vegetables offer extraordinary flavour alongside keto-friendly macros.
Many Indian dishes are excellent for keto as written: Tandoori chicken or lamb, chicken tikka (without the marinade sugars), saag (spinach curry), palak paneer, lamb rogan josh, chicken or lamb jalfrezi, fish curry, keema (mince curry), achari dishes, and most dry-spiced grilled meats. These dishes focus on protein and fat with minimal carbohydrates.
Butter chicken (murgh makhani) is keto-friendly — just omit the sugar that some recipes add to the sauce. Dal makhani is borderline due to lentils, but a small portion may fit. Biryani becomes keto with cauliflower rice. Most curry sauces are low-carb — just watch out for added flour and sugar in restaurant versions.
Stock up on: ghee (clarified butter — perfect for Indian cooking), paneer (full-fat Indian cheese, ~3g carbs per 100g), thick yoghurt for marinades, coconut cream for rich sauces, all the aromatic whole spices (cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves), and ground spice blends (garam masala, tandoori masala, biryani masala — check for added starch).
Replace naan and roti with: keto flatbreads made from almond flour and psyllium husk, coconut flour rotis, or simply use large lettuce leaves to scoop up curries. These substitutes work surprisingly well and significantly reduce the carb content of your Indian meal. Explore our keto main dish recipes and keto lunch ideas for South Asian-inspired low-carb meals.