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Keto Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette

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This Keto Parmesean Garlic Vinagrette made with MCT Oil will boost your ketone production and... even better... tastes amazing.

Did I mention it only takes 5 minutes to make? Easy!

To whip up this creamy, indulgent Parmesan garlic keto salad dressing, you'll need a few simple ingredients. Most can be found around your house, but if you're new to Keto cooking & baking there are a few ingredients you'll need to special order.

Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette_1200x630

I created this keto salad dressing after returning from vacation where I had what I assume was a non-keto version. Conversations with my cousin who is a chef made me realize that sugar is hiding in everything... especially salad dressings.

So, I set out to create my own version. I had wanted to experiment with using MCT oil as a base for salad dressing and I felt this was the perfect opportunity.

I set to work, blending the neutral flavored MCT oil with a little tangy vinegar, a bit of sweet from Bocha Sweet...and my secret ingredient to make the flavor pop--- Dijon mustard.

Now, let's talk more about the ingredients you need to make this keto salad dressing perfectly every time...

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Ingredients for Keto Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette

This keto recipe isn't one where you want to reach for the cheap ingredients because your result will end up 'meh'. This is a place to use high quality ingredients for a full-flavor keto salad dressing that will have you looking forward to your daily bowl of greens.

Bocha Sweet is my favorite sugar substitute and you can only find it online. Order it with any of the links on this page, you won't regret spending a little extra on something that tastes so close to real sugar. And if you're still hesitating... it's a superfood and very good for your body. So order and feel GOOD about eating something sweet for once!

For the Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar, make sure you read the ingredients list and the nutrition facts. I was surprised to find hidden sugar in both dijon and in vinegars. One really needs to be careful here.

I've linked a few safe options for you to order in case you prefer to skip doing the research yourself.

Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette_pinterest 1000 x 1500

Video Tutorial: Keto Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette

Watch how easy it is to make this keto salad dressing with MCT oil in the video below. Then head on over to YouTube and subscribe to my channel! I post a new video each week.

Check out my YouTube channel “Tara's Keto Kitchen”! 

I share new videos and recipes every week. Subscribe so you're notified by YouTube when the recipes post.

Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette_pinterest 1000 x 1500

Keto Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette

MCT oil makes the perfect base for this keto salad dressing. Boost your ketone production + look forward to your daily greens.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side
Cuisine: Keto
Keyword: keto salad dressing, mct oil salad dressing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Tara Wright

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition Information is estimated, final results will depend on the specific ingredients you use.
Tip: To make this dressing hold together better simply add ¼-½ tsp xanthan gum and blend it in. I recommend starting with the lowest amount and adding just a touch more until you get the right consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Other Keto Salad Recipes

This isn't my only keto salad dressing recipe... check out a few other keto recipes here.

Keto Cucumber Salad

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keto cucumber salad shown in a bowl ready to eat

Crunchy, sweet, satisfying...the three words that best describe this keto cucumber salad. Whipping this up takes ten minutes or less.

It's a treat to crunch on right away and becomes even better over the following days.

The vinegar marinade will preserve the cucumbers and this will last weeks in your fridge... if you don't eat them all first.

The best part... this keto recipe uses only 5 ingredients and has a net carb count of only 1g per serving. One recipe yields 8 total servings.

Keto Cucumber Salad

On a sweltering hot summer day, you just want something cool and refreshing to crunch on. This keto cucumber salad delivers the perfect crunch and balance of sweet and tart flavors.

It will quickly become a favorite keto recipe and is an excellent way to use up that fresh summer-time produce.

Do you garden? or prefer visiting the local farmers market for your favorite produce? or have friends that load you up with fresh summer vegetables?

I'm missing gardening these days and can't wait until we're able to move to the country and grow all the fresh, organic produce I can dream of.

For now, we have friends that load us with produce and we visit our local farmers market regularly.

My girls love cucumbers, but I find them a little boring on their own. Which is why I decided to modify an old family recipe into a keto version. My great-grandma used to dress cucumbers up this way and I just couldn't get enough.

Eating a bowl of this keto cucumber salad really takes me back and has me missing her. I was so fortunate to be able to grow up next-door to that amazingly hard-working woman.

Keto Cucumber Salad

Ingredients for Keto Cucumber Salad

You need just a few simple ingredients to mix up this keto cucumber salad.

You can make the salad with two large cucumbers or if you already know you love it, double the batch and make more.

Keto Cucumber Salad

Keto Sugar Substitutes

What about using _______ instead of Bocha Sweet?

Well, if you want that perfect tasting sugar substitute, reach for the Bocha Sweet. It's the best tasting and healthiest option out there. But, it is a little pricey.

So, I'm often asked what some other options are.

I am passionate about avoiding splenda (sucralose), aspartame and saccharin. There are many reasons these options aren't great for you and many sides to the argument. I used to drink a lot of these through diet soda and sugar-free lemonade mixes. As a test, I gave them up for a full year and then had a drink with splenda in it. The next day I was sick sick sick with the worse headache... After some time, I repeated the experiment with the other two. I felt terrible for a few days and had a dull headache. Could it be that these had contributed to my past terrible migraines? Probably.

I suspect that these artificial sugars have negative health consequences for the vast majority of us. If we want to help our body stay healthy, I recommend avoiding splenda, aspartame and saccharin.

So... what do I recommend as a sugar substitute?

Read more about sugar substitutes on my blog post here.

Tutorial Video: Keto Cucumber Salad

Now that you have the ingredients in hand, watch as I mix up this keto cucumber salad. You'll see just how easy it is.

Did you know I'm on YouTube?? Check out my YouTube channel “Tara's Keto Kitchen”! 

I share new keto recipes every week. Subscribe so you're notified by YouTube when new keto recipes post. You don't want to miss a thing so hurry on over and click that subscribe button 🙂

Now for a few recommendations...

Keto Cucumber Salad

Keto Cucumber Salad

This keto salad is the perfect way to satisfy that crunchy,sweet,tangy craving that hits on a hot summer day. It's also a great way to dress up the cucumbers you harvested from your garden. You can enjoy this keto recipe right away or let it marinate for a few hours to a few days. The flavor will intensify as time passes.
4.34 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: Keto
Keyword: cucumber, keto vegetable recipe,low carb vegetable recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Tara Wright

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut up the vegetables in very thin slices. You can do this by hand or use a mandoline to get perfectly thin slices without great knife skills.
  • Next, combine the vinegar, dill, bocha sweet and salt and stir together until combined. Taste the dressing to make sure it's sweet enough. Feel free to add another tablespoon of Bocha Sweet if needed.
  • Finally, toss the cucumbers and onions into the dressing.
  • Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make sure you stir the cucumbers every day or so if you aren't going to eat these right away or made a large batch in advance. I like to store these in a mason jar.

Notes

Note: Nutrition facts are estimates. The information presented here includes the onions but does not include the sugar alcohols from Bocha Sweet because they are not processed by the body. To lower the carb count further you can omit the red onion. 
Recipe updated 9/30/19 to include 1 Tbsp MCT oil to bump up the good for you fats 😉

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

How To Get Perfectly Sliced Cucumbers

I've show slicing by hand, but that can be awkward and time consuming...and if you don't have the patience (Me...most of the time) then you may end up with unevenly sliced cucumbers.

To get perfectly sliced cucumbers, every single time...we like to use our mandoline. We use this handy kitchen gadget for everything from veggies to cheeses.

Our mandoline really makes life easier and gives consistent results. You can even peel the cucumber with it.

Of course, you can also slice your cucumbers by hand. I'm using a Cutco Chef knife.

Other Keto Salad Recipes

Here's a few other keto salad recipes we hope you'll enjoy.

Mock Keto Potato Salad
Is there anything like a mustardy, homemade potato salad at a bbq or family gathering? After switching to keto I was determined to figure out an alternative to traditional carb-loaded potato salad. This mock keto potato salad is the perfect substitution.
Check out this recipe
Mock Keto Potato Salad on a plate
Keto Asian Coleslaw
This crisp, full-flavor keto coleslaw will become a family favorite. It's easy to make and keeps in the fridge up to five days.
Check out this recipe
Asian Coleslaw3_Blog post 1200 x 675
Keto Coleslaw Recipe (2 Net Carb)
Creamy with the perfect balance of tanginess to sweetness. This Keto Coleslaw Recipe reminds me of the slaw my great-grandma used to make...minus the sugar of course!
Check out this recipe
Recipe Card 1200 x 1200_Keto Coleslaw Recipe

Keto Asian Coleslaw

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This crisp, lightly sweet keto asian coleslaw is a great addition to your weekly meal plan.

I created this recipe after we went out to dinner and I saw an Asian inspired coleslaw as a side on the menu. Intrigued, I took a bite of my friend's side (she ordered it) and found the taste to be amazing. I knew I had to replicate it in my keto kitchen.

This recipe has a net carb count of 3 net carbs per serving which comes from the cabbage & red pepper. By omitting the red pepper you can reduce the carb count some. Scroll down to the recipe card for more details.

Your New Favorite Way To Eat Cabbage

After a few trial and errors I found the best flavor came from a blend of MCT oil (known to increase ketone production) and nutty sesame oil. Then, I sprinkle in some seasonings to round out the flavor.

This keto asian coleslaw dressing can also be used as a salad dressing to dress up your favorite greens.

But, I prefer it drizzled onto cold, crisp cabbage. Then, I top my keto asian coleslaw with some sesame seeds (toasted if I haven't been lazy) and some slivered almonds.

I can't wait for you to try this!

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Ingredients for Keto Asian Coleslaw

Here's a few of my favorite ingredients for this keto recipe….

But first, an important note on the rice wine vinegar. Most of what you'll find on store shelves contains added sugar. You can order a sugar-free option, request your story carry it or substitute another option such as regular white vinegar. Always read the label and ingredients list 🙂

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Tutorial Video: Keto Asian Coleslaw

Check out my YouTube channel “Tara's Keto Kitchen”! 

I share new videos and keto recipes every week. Subscribe so you're notified by YouTube when the recipes post.

Asian Coleslaw3_Blog post 1200 x 675

Keto Asian Coleslaw

This crisp, full-flavor keto coleslaw will become a family favorite. It's easy to make and keeps in the fridge up to five days.
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Keto
Keyword: keto appetizer, keto salad dressing
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinating time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Tara Wright

Ingredients

Dressing

Instructions

  • Mix the dressing ingredients
  • Toss on salad.
  • Allow salad to sit for 5-10 minutes or chill until ready to serve.
  • Top with sesame seeds, slivered almonds & vegetables of choice.
  • Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge up to five days.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Vitamin C: 40.9mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Other Keto Recipes

Mock Keto Potato Salad

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Mock Keto Potato Salad on a plate with title

BBQ season just isn't complete without a keto potato salad recipe.

As summer warmed up...I found myself thinking about potato salad. A long time favorite, I was missing it being on the keto diet for over a year now.

On my morning walk, I found myself thinking about cauliflower. Could I use cauliflower as a replacement for potatoes in my old potato salad recipe?

In my opinion, the perfect potato salad is creamy.... as you take the first bite the flavors of mustard and dill pickles dance on your tongue. As you chew, the softness of the potato is balanced by the satisfying crunch of celery and dill pickles.

As I took my first bite (feeling a bit skeptical), I was overjoyed with the textures and flavors of the salad... But, even better... the cauliflower I used instead of potatoes worked perfectly.

Mock Keto Potato Salad on a plate

Adjusting Keto Potato Salad To Your Preferences

The great news is that if you already have a potato salad dressing recipe you love, you could use it here and simply replace potatoes with cauliflower following my strategy!

Honestly, I was pretty skeptical about using cauliflower in place of potatoes in this recipe. Worried that cauliflower would lend an odd taste and not give a satisfied result...I sat down and did some good old Google research to see if anyone else had attempted this feat.

I found a few recipes that called for raw cauliflower and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to love that. Too much crunch-- potatoes in potato salad are soft and absorb the dressing... I wanted the same experience in my mock keto potato salad.

In the end, I steamed the cauliflower until fork tender and then spread it on a cookie sheet to cool a bit as I worked on the rest of the keto recipe.

I diced the rest of the veggies and mixed up my traditional potato salad dressing recipe; making sure to substitute a keto-friendly mayonnaise.

Finally, I mixed the still-warm cauliflower and fresh chopped veggies all together and allowed the mock keto potato salad to chill overnight.

keto potato salad shown in a white bowl with onion, celery and mayo behind it

Fun Additions

As I mentioned, this mock keto potato salad recipe is flexible to your individual tastes.

I love a mustardy dressing. If you aren't a big mustard fan, simply cut the amount of mustard in the dressing in half and increase the mayo by the same amount.

Don't like celery or eggs in your recipe? Simply omit them. Easy...

Now for a few fun additions you can play around with in this mock keto potato salad. My favorites were the addition of some crispy, crumbled bacon to the salad.

Another idea is to dice up some fresh green onions and sprinkle on top for an extra crunch.

What other ideas do you have for additions? Comment below and let me know.

Ingredients for Mock Keto Potato Salad

Here's a few things to peek at….

Tutorial Video: Mock Keto Potato Salad

Check out my YouTube channel “Tara's Keto Kitchen”! 

I share new videos and recipes every week. Subscribe so you're notified by YouTube when the recipes post.

Mock Keto Potato Salad on a plate

Mock Keto Potato Salad

Is there anything like a mustardy, homemade potato salad at a bbq or family gathering? After switching to keto I was determined to figure out an alternative to traditional carb-loaded potato salad. This mock keto potato salad is the perfect substitution.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Keto, Side, Side Dish
Cuisine: BBQ, Keto
Keyword: bbq, keto side, potato salad
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Tara Wright

Ingredients

Instructions

To make the Mock Keto Potato Salad

  • Rise the cauliflower and then cut it into small pieces. The cauliflower serves as a substitute for potatoes in this recipe. Cut them to the size you want the chunks to be in your keto potato salad.
  • Stovetop Method: Put about two inches of water in the bottom of the pan you’ll set your steamer basket on. Turn on heat to medium-high to bring water to a boil. Place the cauliflower pieces into a steamer basket. Steam for 4-7 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender. Be careful not to overcook.
    Mock Keto Potato Salad cooking cauliflour
  • Microwave Method: Place cauliflower in a glass bowl or steamer basket for the microwave. Cook on high for 3 minutes and check with a fork. Continue cooking in 1 minute increments until cauliflower is fork tender. Be careful not to over cook.
  • Once cauliflower is done cooking, immediately spread in one layer on a large cookie sheet to cool. Place the cookie sheet in your fridge or a cool spot for faster cooling.
  • Next, we are going to mix up the potato salad dressing in the bottom of the bowl that will hold the keto potato salad. In a large bowl, combine mayo, mustard, sea salt, pickle juice and optional white pepper. Stir until combined
  • Add the cooled cauliflower to the mixture and stir.
  • Add crumbled bacon, chopped hard boiled eggs, diced celery, chopped dill pickles and diced onion and stir until combined and all the ingredients are coated with sauce.
  • Chill for 1-2 hours before serving

Notes

Nutrition facts are provided as estimates.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 774mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.7mg

More Keto Recipes

Love salads? Me too! Here's a few of my favorite keto salad recipes for you to check out...

https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-salad-dressing-recipe-garlic-parm/
https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-cucumber-salad/
https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-asian-coleslaw/

Keto Coleslaw Recipe

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Featured Image 1200x600_Keto Coleslaw Recipe

In the hot summer months, I just love the creamy, crunchy, tanginess of chilled keto coleslaw.

Fortunately, making your own is very easy with the right ingredients and a little know-how. My secret ingredient in this recipe is a new super-food sweetener called Bocha Sweet.

It's a granulated sugar substitute made from the Kabocha Pumpkin. These super-food pumpkins have a high pentose content. It turns out that pentose is REALLY good for our body! Pentose can be metabolized as a pure source of cell energy.

Even Better? It works great in this keto coleslaw recipe.

PLUS...Unlike other artificial and alternative sweeteners--pentose provides energy WITHOUT requiring insulin as a delivery mechanism!!

Bocha Sweet is a unique alternative to sugar and other alternative sweeteners that is also GOOD for your body! Have your sweets guilt-free while knowing you are doing something good for yourself.

Isn't that sweet?

Blog Post Image A 1200x600_Keto Coleslaw Recipe

Your New Favorite Keto Coleslaw

Are you thinking the carb count of this keto coleslaw is too high?

The carbs in this side dish come from the cabbage and not the dressing.

Recipe Card 1200 x 1200_Keto Coleslaw Recipe

The dressing by itself is approximately 98% fat, 1% carb and 1% protein.

Make sure you choose a sugar-free mayonnaise to keep added sugars as low as possible.

The majority of carbs from the cabbage are fiber — and the few added sugars found in cabbage should worry you too much.

Cabbage is a very healthy addition to your diet. Some would even call it a superfood! Overall, you can feel good about this keto coleslaw recipe turning up in your regular keto meal planning rotation!

Ingredients for Keto Coleslaw

Here's a few ingredients you'll need to make this keto coleslaw.

1 Pint 1000x1500_Keto Coleslaw Recipe

Why Bocha Sweet?

Our sugar substitute of choice is Bocha Sweet and there's good reason for this!

Bocha Sweet is extracted from the Kabocha pumpkin which has been a staple in the Japanese diet for centuries. Consuming Bocha Sweet on a daily basis helps to support longevity and supports healthy blood sugar levels.

Even better? It tastes almost exactly like real sugar. There's no thin flavor or metallic aftertaste. I think most of us are looking for something that tastes amazing because only a full, satisfying taste is going to work over the long-term.

So, if we are going to go to all the work to make these keto parfaits so we can please our tastebuds AND stick to our keto diet. Well, we want the result to taste GOOD not... just 'meh' and unsatisfying. For this reason plus the health benefits, we reach for Bocha Sweet every time.

Tutorial Video: Keto Coleslaw

Check out my YouTube channel “Tara's Keto Kitchen”! 

I share new videos and recipes every week. Subscribe so you're notified by YouTube when the recipes post.

Recipe Card 1200 x 1200_Keto Coleslaw Recipe

Keto Coleslaw Recipe (2 Net Carb)

Creamy with the perfect balance of tanginess to sweetness. This Keto Coleslaw Recipe reminds me of the slaw my great-grandma used to make...minus the sugar of course!
4.75 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Keto, Side Dish
Cuisine: Keto
Keyword: keto appetizer, keto side, salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Tara Wright

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended.
  • Toss with 8 cups of shredded coleslaw.
    coleslaw salad
  • Chill and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition facts are provided as estimates only.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Other Keto Dinner Recipes

https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-mashed-potatoes/
https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-french-cut-green-beans-with-sliced-almonds/
https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-jalapeno-poppers-a-keto-appetizer/
https://wholebodyliving.com/keto-cheesy-broccoli-casserole-low-carb/
https://wholebodyliving.com/mock-keto-potato-salad/