What Condiments Are Keto? + The Best Low Carb Sauce Recipes

What condiments are keto? When selecting a condiment, whether store-bought or homemade, always check the ingredients list to make sure there are minimal carbohydrates. The good news is there are a lot of different condiments to choose from on the ketogenic diet. Here you’ll find a list of the best keto condiments to the worse ones, plus easy recipes for your favorite condiments and the store-bought versions.

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Selecting Keto Condiments & Hidden Sugars
Keto-friendly condiments
Not low-carb condiments
Best Homemade Low Carb Sauce Recipes
Best Store-Bought Low Carb Sauces
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Selecting Keto Condiments & Hidden Sugars

The best way to select low carbohydrate condiments for the keto diet is by checking for hidden sugars on the nutrition label or ingredients list. Examples of hidden sugars include maltodextrin, molasses, ethyl maltol, maltitol, evaporated cane juice, cane sugar, agave nectar, dextrose, fructose, maltose, fruit juice concentrate, brown rice syrup, malt syrup, corn syrup, date syrup, barley malt, galactose, and glucose. Wow! That is a lot of names for sugar.

Hidden sugars are important to find on any food label when you’re on a low-carb diet because of the FDA rounding rules. For carbohydrates, if it’s less than .5g, it will be expressed as 0g. In condiments with serving sizes of 1-2 tablespoons, those incremental carbs can be more impactful than you think, especially if you’re making a recipe with several cups of dressing or sauce.

For example, Taco Bell Hot Sauce (although one of my favorites) contains maltodextrin and other additives with little nutritional value. The serving size is only 1 teaspoon. The nutrition label shows 0g carbs. Most people will use way more than 1 teaspoon which can add up quickly. Think of that 1 teaspoon having .5g carbohydrates. It changes your perspective on which hot sauce to reach for, right?

Keto-friendly condiments

Here is a list of the best keto condiments to add flavor to your favorite meal. The numbers represent grams of total carbs per 100 gram (3½ ounces).

Butter (0g carbs)
Olive Oil (0g carbs)
Coconut Oil (0g carbs)
Avocado Oil (0g carbs)
Sesame Oil (0g carbs)
Mayonnaise (1g carbs)
Apple Cider Vinegar (1g carbs)
Aioli (2g carbs)
Tabasco / Hot Sauce (2g carbs)
Ranch Dressing (4g carbs)
Caesar Dressing (4g carbs)
Fish Sauce (4g carbs)
Soy Sauce (5g carbs)
Blue Cheese (5g carbs)
Sour Cream (5g carbs)
Tomato Sauce (6g carbs)
Bearnaise (6g carbs)
Cream Cheese (6g carbs)
Chimichurri (6g carbs)
Yellow Mustard / Dijon Mustard(6g carbs)
Salsa (7g carbs)
Lemon Juice (7g carbs)
Tzatziki (7g carbs)
Guacamole (8g carbs)
Pesto (8g carbs)
Italian Dressing (9g carbs)
Thousand Island Dressing (9g carbs)
Lime Juice (9g carbs)
Alfredo Sauce (9g carbs)

As you can see, it’s best to stick with condiments that contain healthy fats and very little added sugar with simple ingredients. Next up, check out the condiments on the other end of the spectrum. Those condiments that have the highest amount of carbs.

Not low-carb condiments

This is a list of condiments that are not low carb. It’s always best to be aware, but not to worry, there are many keto-friendly recipes for the best condiments. Some of these can be consumed in moderation according to your macros. Of course, you can also add these to larger recipes like chili where the added carbs will be negligible per serving. The numbers represent grams of total carbs per 100 gram (3½ ounces).

Tartar Sauce (14g carbs)
Miracle Whip (15g carbs)
Teriyaki Sauce (16g carbs)
Balsamic Vinegar (17g carbs)
Hummus (19g carbs)
Tomato Paste (19g carbs)
Yum Yum Sauce (20g carbs)
Worcestershire Sauce (20g carbs)
Sriracha (20g carbs)
Coconut Aminos (20g carbs)
Tahini (22g carbs)
Steak Sauce (22g carbs)
Miso (26g carbs)
Cocktail Sauce (28g carbs)
Ketchup (28g carbs)
Sweet Pickle Relish (36g carbs)
Gochujang (40g carbs)
Barbecue Sauce (41g carbs)
Honey Mustard (44g carbs)
Wasabi (46g carbs)

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Best Homemade Low Carb Sauce Recipes

But what if you still need your favorite condiments? There’s a keto version for that! Yes, that means you’ll have to make some homemade sauces or pick up the sugar-free version from the grocery store. Here are a few easy keto recipes for condiments that are usually high carb that taste like the real thing:

1. Keto Ketchup Recipe: Add to small saucepan 14 ounces Diced Tomatoes + 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar + 1 minced Garlic Clove + ¼ teaspoon Dijon Mustard + ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder + ⅛ teaspoon Ground Allspice + ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt + ⅛ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper + 1 tablespoon Golden Sugar-Free Sweetener + Heat on low heat for 30 minutes + Stir frequently until sauce thickens + Blend with immersion blender (1.3 carbs per 1 tbsp)

>Use this sauce with easy 3 ingredient chicken nuggets!

2. Keto BBQ Sauce Recipe: Add to small bowl 4 tablespoons Brown Sugar-Free Sweetener + ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar + 1 cup Sugar-Free Ketchup + 1.5 teaspoons Liquid Smoke + 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce + 1 tablespoon minced Garlic + 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce + Mix well (1 net carb subtracting sugar alcohols per 1 tbsp)

3. Keto Steak Sauce Recipe: Add to small bowl ½ cup Sugar-Free Ketchup + 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar-Free Sweetener + 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar + 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice + 1 tablespoon minced Garlic + 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard + 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce + ½ teaspoon Sea Salt + ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper (1 net carb subtracting sugar alcohols per 1 tbsp)

4. Keto Fry Dipping Sauce Recipe: Add to small bowl ¼ cup Tomato Sauce + ½ cup Mayonnaise + 1 teaspoon Pickle Juice + 1 teaspoon Sugar-Free Sweetener + 1 teaspoon No Salt Seasoning + ½ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt + Mix well (1 net carb subtracting sugar alcohols per 1 tbsp)

>Use this dipping sauce with crispy, delicious jicama fries!

5. Keto Honey Mustard Recipe: Add to small bowl 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard + ½ cup Mayonnaise + 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar + 1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard + 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder + ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika + 2 teaspoons Sugar-Free Sweetener (1 net carb subtracting sugar alcohols per 1 tbsp)

>More side dishes and sauce recipes

Best Store-Bought Low Carb Sauces

If you don’t have time to make your own keto-friendly sauces, pick up any one of these sugar-free and low carb toppings at the grocery store, specialty store, or on Amazon.