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Sour Cream and Onion ‘Pasta’ over Low Carb Noodles

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Low in carbs but bursting with sour cream and onion flavour!

A keto friendly ‘pasta’ sauce recipe inspired the classic sour cream and onion chips served over low carb cabbage or zucchini noodles

Just 10.5g net carbs per serving!

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Seriously do it.

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Who doesn’t love a good pasta dish. I don’t think you can ever have too many pasta recipes. I could easily eat mountains of pasta coated in a delicious rich and meaty sauce 7 nights a week, and before I cut carbs out if the equation there were times that I did.
 
In university it was common for me to make a huge batch of sauce, a massive pot of noodles and eat that for days on end. Or even worse, I would eat most of it in one go. As I am sure you know, it isn’t that hard to overeat traditional pasta. I wish I had known how to make low carb cabbage noodles back then.
 
Pasta dishes are among my all time favourites and not something I am willing to give up completely. There are so many varieties to choose from I never get tired of coming up with new pasta recipes. I just wish I’d had the foresight to swap out the carb filled spaghetti noodles with a some sliced cabbage noodles or zoodles long before I actually did. 
 
Sour Cream and onions Sauce with Zoodles

This recipe for Low Carb Sour Cream and Onion ‘Pasta’ is something I came up with special for the girlfriend. See, she loves sour cream and onion chips, and sometimes those cravings can be hard to manage. So the moment she exclaimed “I miss sour cream and onion chips”, my creative juices started flowing. 

There are of course there are plenty of keto friendly chips I could season up, but I wanted to make a special recipe using one of her favourite dishes, pasta, with one of her favourite flavours, sour cream and onion, and then I added bacon, because as I have said many, many times, bacon is delicious. 
 

The trick to getting this low carb sour cream and onion ‘pasta’ just right is developing each layer of flavour, and then bringing those flavours together in your sauce so that every bite of your low carb pasta is packed with sour cream and onion flavour. 

Developing Each Layer of Flavour

The Onion Flavour

The onion flavour in this low carb pasta recipe comes from onions (surprise!). Caramelizing your onions will maximize the sweet onion flavour, and bring out such a wonderful colour and texture.

The onions turn a beautiful golden brown, and the lose a lot of their bite and bitterness. Instead the natural sugars present in the onion are putting their best foot forward and giving us that wonderful sweet onion flavour. 

Sour Cream and Onion 'pasta in a bowl
Properly caramelizing the onions, just like we did for the Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak ‘Pasta’, and working them into the sauce is the key to the pleasant onion flavour in your sour cream and onion pasta sauce.
 
After your onions are caramelized, set aside one third for topping, and run a knife over the rest until they are minced. Make many small cuts over and over until the onions are almost a caramelized onion paste which can be worked smoothly into your sauce. 

Aren't Onions High in Carbs?

Compared to some keto friendly vegetables I suppose they are on the high side. A medium onion about 2 1/2″ [6.5 cm] diameter, or 110g onion contains around 8.5g net carbs.

But have you ever heard of someone having a weight problem due to onions?
 
I for one eat a lot of onions, they are a staple when cooking Indian chicken curry Yet I have had plenty of success over the years with low carb and keto eating.
 

I suppose if the extra carbs in an onion started messing with your satiety and appetite, which in turn caused you to overeat something else, you may have a problem.

Sour Cream and Onion Pasta with zoodles

Are Onions keto friendly?

If you have a specific reason for maintaining a strict state of ketosis such as therapeutic ketosis you may want watch your intake from things like onions. But outside of that, I don’t really see the problem in using onions. The flavour is well worth it and no one gets fat from eating onions.

But don’t take my word for it, or anyone else, try it for yourself and see. If you like onion try having them, did everything blow up? If no then you are fine, if yes, well then now you know going forward.

How to Cook Bacon for Low Carb Sour Cream and Onion 'Pasta'

I almost always use the same method to cook my bacon. On a baking sheet, in the oven, starting from cold. Just like I mentioned in my BLT Keto Coleslaw recipe,  it yields perfect results every time. Flat, evenly browned crispy bacon.
 
The fat renders off onto the tray where it can be collected or added into what you are cooking, but you get to control the amount of bacon fat in your dish. It also frees up your hands, and you stove top which allows you to get on with the rest of your low carb dinner.

Getting Saucy

Now that you have developed the different layers of flavour needed for your sauce, it’s time to bring them together and finish off your low carb sour cream and onion pasta sauce.

Sour Cream and Onion Pasta with cabbage noodles on a fork
The sauce for your low carb ‘pasta’ is based off of sour cream. Sour cream carries the flavours of the rest of the sauce beautifully while still underlining every bite with a hint of rich sour cream flavour.
 
It all comes together very easily as well. Once your sauce ingredients are cooked to your liking, you know, the bacon is crispy and crumbled, the onions are golden brown and caramelized, the garlic is cooked off and the aroma is filling the kitchen, you just need to throw everything in with the sour cream and let everyone get acquainted for a bit over a low heat.
 
A gentle simmer is the perfect environment to get everybody in the pot familiar, and working together to make a sauce that is low in carbs, but high in flavour. You could say it’s a keto pasta lovers dream, and a sour cream and onion addicts saving grace.
 

How to assemble your sauce

Start the sauce by cooking off some minced garlic in some butter/oil/fat. I like to use some bacon fat for added flavour.
 
Once the garlic has cooked down a bit the garlic smell should be strong (1-2 minutes sizzling don’t let it get dark or burn), add the sour cream, butter, stock/water, minced caramelized onion paste, crumbled bacon, salt and pepper to taste.
 
Bring it to a gentle simmer for 5-10 minutes until the consistency is right for a pasta sauce. If it’s too thin let it simmer longer, if it is too thick, add more water or stock to thin it out.
 
It shouldn’t be as thick as sour cream, but it should be thick enough to coat the spoon and therefore your low carb noodles.
 
While your sauce is simmering you can get to work on your keto pasta noodles.
Sour Creama nd Onion Pasta from the top

Is There Such Thing as Low Carb Pasta Noodles?

Since traditional flour pasta is out of the question for anyone looking to cut carbs, we need to find a low carb stand in that will get the job done. 

Let’s really think about what it is we need from a pasta noodle.  

Most of the time what we are really after is a sauce vehicle to shovel all that wonderful flavour filled, meaty, cheesy, rich sauce into our food holes.

Once you realize that’s all you really need from pasta noodles, finding a suitable keto friendly pasta is no problem.
 

Store bought low carb pasta noodles

Among the various store bought low carb noodles there is one I have tried so far that I really like and that is Zeroodles. Some of the variations feel a bit starchy but over all they are a very good and simple low carb noodle option.
 
But I hardly ever buy store bought keto noodles because it so easy, not mention tasty, to make at home. 

Homemade Low Carb Pasta Noodles

Sour Cream and onions pasta with zoodles angle

A common choice of low carb noodle is zucchini noodles, also known as zoodles. 

If the Low Carb Spaghetti with Colossal meatballs recipe taught us anything, it’s that zucchini makes great keto friendly pasta noodles. If you like zucchini that is, and if you have a spirializer so you can make your own zucchini noodles at home.

But what about a low carb noodles that you can make at home if you don’t like zucchini, or without any special equipment?

How to Make Low Carb 'Pasta' Noodles Without Special Equipment

There are low carb noodles you make right at home without any extra fancy equipment. Unfortunately you do need to own a knife.
 
What’s that? Oh you do own a knife because they are a super common part of a kitchen? Ok perfect, then you can make your own low carb cabbage noodles at home!
 
Cabbage noodles are my absolute favourite sauce vehicle for making low carb pasta. They are delicious even on their own, and cabbage has a wonderful texture that holds onto the sauce beautifully.
 
Low carb sour cream and onions pasta with cabbage

What Type of Cabbage to use for Cabbage Noodles

Savoy cabbage has loosely packed leaves that come off one by one and they are soft and malleable making them much easier to work with and get consistent noodles with than other types of cabbage.

While common white cabbage may be great for recipes like the BLT keto coleslaw, its too fragile for making keto noodles. 

Savoy cabbage has a good shape, structure and texture for making noodles. 

The 4-1-1 on cabbage noodles

Pros
  • Cabbage noodles do not become mushy
  • They do not make the sauce watery
  • Cabbage is very cheap and lasts a long time in the fridge
  • No special equipment required, just regular old knife
  • They are a delicious treat in their own right even without sauce
  • The texture of savoy cabbage holds onto sauce better than real pasta noodles
  • Cabbage is low in carbs compared to flour pasta
Cons
  • They taste like cabbage which some may not like
  • The can only be as long as a piece of cabbage
  • They need to be hand cut which can be inconsistent and time consuming

How to Cut Savoy Cabbage for Low Carb Cabbage Noodles

  1. Carefully peel off individual leave while trying to keep the full leaf in tact
  2. Remove any portion of the stem that appears overly tough or woody
  3. Place cabbage leaf in front of you with the stem direction from left to right. Starting from the closest edge roll away from you to make a 2″ inch cabbage tube
  4. Slice across the tube making 1/4″ thick noodles
  5. Pan fry on medium heat with butter, salt, and pepper until the soften and begin to brown. Usually 8-10 minutes.
Savoy Cabbage Leaf being folded
Stem direction left-right, roll the leaf away from you
Savoy cabbage leaf sliced into noodles
Slice at least 1/4" thick noodles
Savoy cabbage noodles in a skillet with butter
Pan fry you low carb noodles in butter until trender and beginning to brown
Savoy Cabbage Noodles ready to eat
When your cabbage noodles are tender and limp they are ready to eat

It really is that simple to make low carb noodles at home without any special equipment. No excuses here, it’s just too quick, and too delicious. 

How Many Carbs are there in Cabbage Noodles?

Savoy cabbage contains around 2g net carbs per cup chopped. Compare that to ‘normal’ dry flour pasta at almost 66g net carbs per cup, you can see how much of a difference there is!

A serving of cabbage noodles for me is anywhere from 2-3 cups of cabbage depending on how filling and hearty the low carb sauce is. Now let me tell you, this meal is hearty, it will fill you up and leave you satisfied!

The Low Carb Grocery

The Carb Option

Are you cooking for the whole family? Maybe a non-keto loved one or you live in a household where you are the only one trying to cut carbs, and every one else is eating “normal”. What should you cook when you are the the only one eating low carb or keto?
 
This sour cream and onion pasta sauce may be a low carb sauce, but it will surely please anyone when served over traditional pasta noodles.
 
Just another reason pasta dishes are so versatile, you can make one sauce, a pot of traditional pasta, and a single serving of cabbage noodles, or zoodles, and the whole family can enjoy the same meal together!
 
Before the girlfriend also jumped aboard the low carb train with me, I was frequently cooking dishes like this pasta for both of us.
 
Low carb noodles for me, all carb noodles for her. 
 
Don’t let a mixed household be a barrier to you achieving success with your keto lifestyle. There are many dishes such as this ‘pasta’ that you can enjoy with the whole family.

Time to Dive in!

I hope that you enjoy the mouthwatering flavours in this Low Carb Sour Cream and Onion ‘Pasta’ as much as I did!

If you want to get other yummy things right to your inbox, consider diving into our gang using the form right below. I’m just on the other side of that reply button and I would love to hear from you!

Sour Cream and Onion Pasta top down

Enjoy!

Eat Smarter, Live Better

Low Carb Sour Cream and Onion 'Pasta' with Cabbage Noodles

Low carb sour cream and onions pasta with cabbage
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 400 kcal
Rate this Recipe
A low carb sour cream and onion sauce with low carb noodles such as zoodles or fried cabbage noodles.

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Equipment

  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Fry pan or Skillet
  • Sauce Pan
  • Spiralizer (optional for making zoodles)

Ingredients
  

Sour Cream and Onion Sauce

  • 10 slices (80g) cooked bacon crumbled or sliced bite size
  • 1 large (150g) onion caramelized and minced
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) cooking oil/fat
  • 2 cloves (10g) garlic finely diced
  • ¾ cup (180g) sour cream
  • ¼ cup (55g) butter
  • ¼ cup (60g) stock/water
  • 2 stalks (15g) green onion/scallion finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoon (15g) fresh parsley finely chopped
  • salt & pepper to taste

Cabbage Noodles

  • 7-8 cups (700g) savoy cabbage sliced into noodles
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) butter
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Line a baking sheet with foil and lay out bacon with minimal overlap, cook in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy and brown then crumble or slice into bite sized pieces

While the bacon is cooking caramelize your onions

  • Slice your onions into rings or half circles at least 1/4" [6mm] thick
  • Heat oil in a skillet or fry pan on medium heat and add onion slices and salt well. Cook for 10-15 minutes until onions are translucent and starting to brown, don't let them crisp too much, add oil as needed
  • Once onions have turned golden browned, and are translucent and limp, add 2 tablespoons water to the pan to water fry onions. Fry until the water is gone. The onions should be golden brown, soft and limp
  • Set aside one third of caramelized onions for topping. Run a knife over the remaining caramelized onions making small repeating cuts, mincing them into a smooth paste

Make the Sour Cream and Onion Sauce

  • Heat oil in skillet or fry pan over medium heat and add diced garlic, cook down the garlic until the garlic smell is strong (1-2 minutes sizzling don't let it get dark or burn)
  • Add sour cream, butter, stock/water, minced caramelized onion paste, crumbled bacon, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a gentle simmer
  • After 5 minutes check the consistency, if it's too thin simmer for longer, if it's too thick add water or stock to thin it out, see notes for tips on sauce consistency
  • Finish your sauce by adding finely chopped green onion and parsley just before serving, season to taste

How to Make Savoy Cabbage Noodles

  • Carefully peel off individual leaves of the savoy cabbage trying to keep them intact, remove the lower portion if the stem is tough and very woody
  • With the stem of the leaf horizontal in front of you (stem direction left to right), roll up the leaf into a cabbage tube, and slice off portions across the tube about 1/4" thick (think the size of linguine) or larger to make cabbage noodles see post above for how to cut cabbage into noodles
  • Heat butter or oil in a fry pan over med-high heat and saute cabbage until the cabbage becomes limp and starts to brown lightly. Usually 5 minutes but may be up to 10. Careful not to let the cabbage burn before it becomes tender, add a spoonful of water to the pan to slow the browning and speed the softening
  • Salt and serve with your yummiest low carb pasta sauce!

Prepare your Low Carb 'Pasta' Dish

  • Add desired amount of low carb noodles and coat with your sour cream and onion sauce. Additional caramelized onion, finely chopped green onion, crumbled bacon, or Parmesan cheese make great keto friendly toppings
  • Enjoy your low carb Sour Cream and Onion 'Pasta'

Notes

Sauce Consistency: The consistency should be like a traditional cream sauce you would find on pasta, thinner than sour cream, but thick enough to coat the noodles or a spoon. 
Perpendicular/Horizontal Stem: If the cabbage leaf is in front of you, the stem will be facing across from left to right. See full post above the recipe for more details about how to make cabbage noodles. 
Cooking your noodles: There is no danger in under or over cooking your cabbage noodles, you just want them tender enough to enjoy without them being to chewy or stringy. Try one and if you like the consistency and feel then they are ready. Browning them longer adds flavour to the cabbage. 
Onions are high in carbs!: If you are worried about the carbs in onions please read the post above the recipe for more information.
Low Carb Sour Cream and Onion 'Pasta' with crispy bacon is exactly what we all need in our lives! Share on X

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal

Nutritional information is calculated using the recipe calculator and verified database available from Cronometer. Although every reasonable effort is made to provide accurate information this estimate is provided as courteously and convenience only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe.

Try the free recipe calculator at Cronometer
Did you give this a try?Mention @yummyforadam or use #yummyforadam on instagram!
Looking for a different low carb recipe?Something you don't see here or looking for a low carb version of your favourite recipe? Let me know so I can get working on it! Contact me directly or leave a comment!
Keywords: bacon, Low Carb Noodles, Low Carb Pasta, zoodles

Nutrition Information:

Based on a single serving of low carb sour cream and onion pasta sauce over a bed of savoy cabbage noodles

Macros:

Calories: 344

Fat: 27 g

Net Carbs: 10.5 g

Protein: 12 g

Electrolytes:

Sodium: 450 mg

Potassium: 550 mg

Magnesium: 50 mg

Calcium: 120 mg

Track Your Nutrition & Health Data with cronometer.com

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