Keto Saudi Arabian foods

From WikiMD's WELLNESSPEDIA

Saudi Arabia, located in the heart of the Middle East, boasts a rich culinary heritage influenced by Arab and Bedouin traditions. While many traditional Saudi dishes are rich in carbohydrates due to the extensive use of rice and grains, there are several that can be adjusted or are inherently suitable for the keto lifestyle. Let's explore these dishes and learn how to prepare them in a keto-friendly way.

Shawarma (use keto bread)

Main Dishes[edit]

Keto Kabsa
Kabsa, a spiced chicken and rice dish, can be made keto-friendly by replacing rice with cauliflower rice. The chicken is seasoned with traditional spices like coriander, black lime, and bay leaves.
Keto Shawarma
While shawarma is typically served in a bread wrap, you can enjoy this spiced meat dish without the wrap or use lettuce as a low-carb alternative.
Keto Mutabbaq
A popular stuffed pastry, Mutabbaq can be made keto by using almond or coconut flour for the dough and filling it with minced meat and spices.

Side Dishes[edit]

Keto Hummus
Traditional hummus is made from chickpeas. For a keto version, you can prepare a similar dip using cauliflower or almond butter, flavored with tahini, garlic, and lemon juice.
Keto Tabouleh
Replace the bulgur wheat in this refreshing parsley and mint salad with hemp seeds or finely chopped cauliflower. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, and a lemony olive oil dressing to complete.

Desserts[edit]

Keto Halwa
While traditional halwa is carb-heavy, a keto version can be made using almond flour, ghee, saffron, cardamom, and a keto-friendly sweetener like erythritol or stevia.

Beverages[edit]

Keto Qahwa (Arabic Coffee)
Qahwa, or Arabic coffee, is inherently keto-friendly. It's a lightly flavored drink with cardamom and can be enjoyed without sugar or with a keto sweetener.

Using Local Ingredients for the Keto Diet[edit]

Saudi Arabia has an abundance of nuts, seeds, and herbs, which are keto-friendly:

Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are frequently used in Saudi cuisine and are excellent for the keto diet. Herbs: Mint, parsley, and coriander can be generously added to dishes for flavor without any significant carb addition. Meats: Lamb, chicken, and beef are staples in Saudi cuisine and are keto-compliant.

Keto Middle Eastern Recipes[edit]


Category Southwest asia (middle east) keto recipes not found



The world’s largest collection of keto-friendly foods

🥑 Ketogenic basics

Ketogenic dietketo friendly foodsFood listHigh-protein foods
W8MD liquid diet plan

🥗 Low-carb groups

Low carb foodsBreads & cerealsFruits & vegetablesDairyEggs & meatsBaked foodsLow carb fast foods

🔤 A–Z recipes

Browse 20,000+ keto recipes

🌱 Special diets

Vegan keto recipes

🍽️ By meal type

BreakfastLunchDinnerSnacksDesserts SaladsSoupsSeafoodBone brothGlobal dishes

🥩 By ingredient

EggsChickenBeefPorkSeafood VegetablesDairyMushrooms BreadPastaRiceMore ingredients

🍔 Restaurants

Keto friendly restaurant foods McDonald'sStarbucksChick-fil-ATaco Bell Wendy'sDunkinBurger King

🌍 Cuisines

Regional foods AfricanAsianEuropeanAmericas MediterraneanMiddle EasternCaribbeanMore cuisines

📊 Popular & lists

Lists of keto prepared foodsTop 100Popular recipes Keto food categoriesKeto recipe categories

⏱️ By cooking time

<15 mins30 mins60 mins>1 hour

Ad. Transform your health with W8MD Weight Loss, Sleep & MedSpa

W8MD's happy loser(weight)

Tired of being overweight?

Special offer:

Budget GLP-1 weight loss medications

  • Semaglutide starting from $29.99/week and up with insurance for visit of $59.99 and up per week self pay.
  • Tirzepatide starting from $45.00/week and up (dose dependent) or $69.99/week and up self pay

✔ Same-week appointments, evenings & weekends ✔ Tele visits available with certain limitations Learn more:

Advertise on WikiMD


WikiMD Medical Encyclopedia

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Content may be inaccurate or outdated and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical decisions. Verify information with trusted sources such as CDC.gov and NIH.gov. By using this site, you agree that WikiMD is not liable for any outcomes related to its content. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.