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Diet & meal · 27 recipes

Low-Carb Appetizer Recipes

Low-Carb appetizer ideas — lower-carb dishes that still eat like a full meal. Every recipe below is from the Delicious.com kitchen, with full method, macros and a one-tap grocery list.

Kohlrabi 'Maultaschen' with Spinach-Quark Filling & Riesling-Mustard BrothIntermediate
Appetizer

Kohlrabi 'Maultaschen' with Spinach-Quark Filling & Riesling-Mustard Broth

Swabian ravioli, with thin kohlrabi in place of pasta

240 cal · 13g protein · 40 min
vegetarianlow-carbgluten-free-option
Pepper Shrimp Endive Spoons with Mango-Lime SalsaEasy
Appetizer

Pepper Shrimp Endive Spoons with Mango-Lime Salsa

Jamaican-style garlicky chili shrimp in crisp endive boats

260 cal · 26g protein · 16 min
gluten-freehigh-proteinlow-carb30-minute
Piri-Piri Shrimp Endive Boats with Orange & MintEasy
Appetizer

Piri-Piri Shrimp Endive Boats with Orange & Mint

Spicy shrimp and juicy orange in crisp, edible spoons

197 cal · 24g protein · 18 min
high-proteingluten-freedairy-freelow-carb
Kohlrabi 'Ravioli' with Hazelnut-Chive Quark & Riesling-Apple DressingIntermediate
Appetizer

Kohlrabi 'Ravioli' with Hazelnut-Chive Quark & Riesling-Apple Dressing

Pickled kohlrabi slices folded around whipped quark, no pasta needed

332 cal · 12g protein · 35 min
vegetariangluten-freelow-carb
Langostinos en Carpaccio Blanco con Gel de Pomelo y Aire de Cilantro QuemadoSophisticated
Appetizer

Langostinos en Carpaccio Blanco con Gel de Pomelo y Aire de Cilantro Quemado

Paper-thin langoustine carpaccio with pink grapefruit gel and charred cilantro air

191 cal · 2g protein · 50 min
high-proteingluten-freepescatarianlow-carb
Smoked Eel & Charred Apple Tartare with Crispy Pumpernickel Tuile & Horseradish MousseSophisticated
Appetizer

Smoked Eel & Charred Apple Tartare with Crispy Pumpernickel Tuile & Horseradish Mousse

Luxurious cold preparation with bracing acidity and textural layers

456 cal · 17g protein · 70 min
low-carbelegant-appetizergluten-free-option
Shrimp Aguachile Cucumber CupsIntermediate
Appetizer

Shrimp Aguachile Cucumber Cups

Hollowed cucumber cups filled with their own green chile broth

154 cal · 9g protein · 25 min
gluten-freedairy-freelow-carbhigh-protein
Pan-Seared Scallop & Charred Shishito with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze & Crispy Phyllo CrunchSophisticated
Appetizer

Pan-Seared Scallop & Charred Shishito with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze & Crispy Phyllo Crunch

Sweetly seared diver scallop atop collapsed charred shishito peppers, finished with tart molasses and shattered phyllo tuile

494 cal · 10g protein · 44 min
paleoketo-adaptablehigh-protein
Marinated Yellowtail Crudo with Burnt Orange Zest, Black Garlic Oil & Pomegranate CaviarSophisticated
Appetizer

Marinated Yellowtail Crudo with Burnt Orange Zest, Black Garlic Oil & Pomegranate Caviar

Raw fish cured in citrus with umami depth and jewel-toned fruit

461 cal · 30g protein · 25 min
paleoketoraw
AioliEasy
Appetizer

Aioli

Silky garlic mayonnaise for dipping and spreading

258 cal · 1g protein · 10 min
gluten-freeketo
Air Fryer CauliflowerEasy
Appetizer

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Crispy, seasoned, and perfectly tender inside

95 cal · 2g protein · 25 min
vegetarianlow-carbketo-friendly
Air Fryer TofuEasy
Appetizer

Air Fryer Tofu

Crispy edges, tender center, seasoned throughout

114 cal · 9g protein · 35 min
veganvegetarianketo-friendlygluten-free
Air Fryer ShrimpEasy
Appetizer

Air Fryer Shrimp

Crispy, juicy, restaurant-quality in 10 minutes

130 cal · 23g protein · 20 min
ketopaleoseafoodquick
Garlic Butter ShrimpEasy
Appetizer

Garlic Butter Shrimp

Pan-seared shrimp in a garlicky butter sauce

292 cal · 35g protein · 18 min
seafoodlow-carbrestaurant-style
Smoked Eel & Apple Tart with Horseradish CreamSophisticated
Appetizer

Smoked Eel & Apple Tart with Horseradish Cream

Crispy pastry, delicate smoked fish, sharp finish

886 cal · 23g protein · 40 min
low-carb
Crispy Kofta Phyllo Tartlets with Pomegranate Gastrique, Whipped Labneh & Burnt Walnut CrumbSophisticated
Appetizer

Crispy Kofta Phyllo Tartlets with Pomegranate Gastrique, Whipped Labneh & Burnt Walnut Crumb

Spiced lamb hidden in golden pastry pockets, opened at fork

1124 cal · 38g protein · 70 min
high-proteinlow-carb
Gochugaru Squid & Charred Cucumber SaladEasy
Appetizer

Gochugaru Squid & Charred Cucumber Salad

Spicy, tender cephalopod with cool, pickled crunch

452 cal · 38g protein · 15 min
seafoodspicylow-carb
Pan-Seared Diver Scallop & Charred Ginger-Soy EmulsionEasy
Appetizer

Pan-Seared Diver Scallop & Charred Ginger-Soy Emulsion

Tender scallop with crispy brown-butter crust, aged soy reduction, and pickled ginger soil

289 cal · 10g protein · 22 min
high-proteinlow-carbgluten-free
Crispy Shallot & Mitmita-Spiced Shrimp Cornets with LabnehIntermediate
Appetizer

Crispy Shallot & Mitmita-Spiced Shrimp Cornets with Labneh

Golden frico cornets filled with paprika-chili shrimp and whipped yogurt cheese

349 cal · 38g protein · 28 min
high-proteinlow-carbgluten-free
Camarones al Ajillo con Tostadas de PanEasy
Appetizer

Camarones al Ajillo con Tostadas de Pan

Garlic shrimp, crispy toast, smoked paprika oil, fresh lemon

713 cal · 40g protein · 13 min
high-proteinlow-carbgluten-free-adaptable
Seared Razor Clams with Charred Garlic, Cilantro & Warm Chili OilEasy
Appetizer

Seared Razor Clams with Charred Garlic, Cilantro & Warm Chili Oil

Portugal's beloved navalha clams, spring reimagined

338 cal · 2g protein · 16 min
high-proteingluten-freeketo-friendly
Grilled Scallop Skewers with Umeboshi-Wasabi DrizzleEasy
Appetizer

Grilled Scallop Skewers with Umeboshi-Wasabi Drizzle

Seared sweet scallops, pickled plum, peppery wasabi

206 cal · 21g protein · 12 min
paleoketogluten-freequick
Mitmita-Spiced Beef Tartare on Charred Injera Crisps with Pickled Red OnionIntermediate
Appetizer

Mitmita-Spiced Beef Tartare on Charred Injera Crisps with Pickled Red Onion

Raw beef tartare with Ethiopian chile-garlic heat, crispy injera shards, and tart pickled onion

166 cal · 1g protein · 23 min
paleolow-carbraw
Jambu-Crusted Seared Scallop with Yuca Purée, Black Garlic Emulsion & Toasted Coconut SoilSophisticated
Appetizer

Jambu-Crusted Seared Scallop with Yuca Purée, Black Garlic Emulsion & Toasted Coconut Soil

Jambu's numb-spice electrifies a golden scallop; umami depths unfold

626 cal · 6g protein · 48 min
high-proteinlow-carb-adaptablepescatarian

Good to know

How long do these take?

Half are done in about 25 minutes. The quickest is around 13 minutes and the longest about 48 minutes, so there is something here whether you have a spare hour or twenty minutes.

Is every recipe here low carb?

Every recipe in this collection is written without ingredients that break a low carb diet. We cannot vouch for the brands in your cupboard or for cross-contamination in your kitchen, so check labels as you normally would.

How many calories are in these?

Most land between 130 and 626 calories a serving. Every recipe shows its own calories plus protein, carbs and fat, calculated per serving rather than per batch.

Do these come with a grocery list?

Yes. Any recipe here can be added to a grocery list that adds up quantities across everything you have chosen and sorts it by aisle, so two recipes needing onions become one line.

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