Thai keto guide
Navigable
202 dishes39 keto as served135 with a photo
Keto friendliness
Adapting Thai cuisine for keto is possible but requires constant vigilance for hidden sugars and starches in sauces, and necessitates specific modification requests.
Top ingredients
Excellent traditional keto ingredients include coconut milk, various meats and seafood, non-starchy vegetables, and fresh herbs like basil and cilantro.
Danger zones
The primary carb traps are pervasive added sugar in almost all sauces and curries, rice, noodles, and starchy thickeners found in many popular dishes like Pad Thai and curries.
Best for
This cuisine is best suited for experienced keto dieters who are adept at custom ordering and understand ingredient sourcing, or for home cooks.
What to drink
Drinks you will see at Thai restaurants, cafés and stalls, rated the same way as the food.
Order these
- KetoHot Black Coffee กาแฟดำร้อน (kafae dam ron) · 1g net carbs as usually served
- Ask firstFresh Young Coconut มะพร้าวน้ำหอม (maprao nam hom) · 8g net carbs as usually servedDrink half and eat the soft flesh with a spoon.
- Ask firstOliang (Thai Black Iced Coffee) โอเลี้ยง (oliang) · 20g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet.
- Ask firstLemongrass Pandan Drink น้ำตะไคร้ใบเตย (nam takrai bai toey) · 20g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet. Often premade sweet, so check first.
- Ask firstIced Black Tea ชาดำเย็น (cha dam yen) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet.
- Ask firstLimeade น้ำมะนาว (nam manao) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet. Or ask for soda water with fresh lime (soda manao mai sai nam tan).
- Ask firstButterfly Pea Lemonade น้ำอัญชันมะนาว (nam anchan manao) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet.
- Ask firstLime Iced Tea ชามะนาว (cha manao) · 30g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet. Some stalls premix it, so it may not be possible.
Skip these
- SkipThai Energy Drink (small bottle) เครื่องดื่มชูกำลัง (kreung deum chu kamlang) · 15g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order sugar-free energy drink instead.
- SkipBael Fruit Drink น้ำมะตูม (nam matoom) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order hot tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipRoselle Juice น้ำกระเจี๊ยบ (nam krajiap) · 28g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order iced black tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipThai Iced Green Tea ชาเขียวเย็น (cha khiao yen) · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order hot or iced green tea with no sugar instead.
- SkipThai Iced Coffee กาแฟเย็น (kafae yen) · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order Oliang with no sugar, or an Americano instead.
- SkipLongan Drink น้ำลำไย (nam lamyai) · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order water or tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipThai Iced Tea ชาเย็น (cha yen) · 40g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order iced black tea, no sugar (cha dam yen mai sai nam tan) instead.
- SkipFruit Shake น้ำปั่น (nam pan) · 40g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order fresh coconut, half instead.
- SkipPink Milk นมเย็น (nom yen) · 40g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order iced black tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipSugarcane Juice น้ำอ้อย (nam oy) · 60g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order fresh coconut water (a small amount) instead.
10 matching dishes
Gai Yang
Thai Grilled Chicken
Classic grilled chicken marinated in cilantro roots and garlic.…
3 net3 total0 fibre30 protein16 fat280 kcal
Pla Som Tod
Fried Sour Fermented Fish
A Northern and Northeastern Thai delicacy, featuring whole or filleted fermented fish (Pla Som) that is pan-fr…
3 net4 total1 fibre45 protein40 fat600 kcal
Ped Yang (Keto, No Sweet Sauce, Skin Removed)
Keto Roasted Duck (no sweet sauce, skin removed)
Juicy slices of roasted duck. To make it keto-friendly, it's essential to specify no sweet plum sauce or any o…
4 net5 total1 fibre60 protein35 fat600 kcal
Pla Nin Tod Kratiem Prik Thai
Fried Tilapia with Garlic and Pepper (No Batter)
A whole tilapia (or fillets) deep-fried until crispy, then topped with an aromatic stir-fry of crispy garlic a…
4 net5 total1 fibre60 protein40 fat650 kcal
Goong Yang
Grilled Prawns
Large fresh prawns grilled until perfectly cooked, often served with a spicy seafood dipping sauce (Nam Jim Se…
5 net6 total1 fibre60 protein30 fat500 kcal
Hoy Kraeng Luak
Blanched Blood Cockles with Keto Dipping Sauce
Fresh blood cockles lightly blanched to perfection, retaining their juicy texture. Served typically with a spi…
5 net6 total1 fibre40 protein20 fat350 kcal
Keto Gai Tom (No Rice)
Steamed Chicken with Ginger-Chili Sauce (Keto, No Rice)
Tender, succulent steamed chicken (often dark meat like thigh or drumstick for richer flavor and fat) served w…
5 net6 total1 fibre45 protein25 fat400 kcal
Pla Muek Yang
Grilled Squid
Tender squid, often scored and marinated, then grilled until perfectly cooked, served with a spicy, tangy seaf…
5 net6 total1 fibre55 protein20 fat400 kcal
KAsoon
Pad Pu Katiem Prik Thai
Stir-fried Crab with Garlic and Pepper (Keto Modified)
Fresh crab meat or whole crab stir-fried vigorously with plenty of fresh garlic and black pepper, creating an …
5 net7 total2 fibre40 protein30 fat450 kcal
KAsoon
Pla Muek Pad Prik Glua
Stir-fried Squid with Chili and Salt (Keto Friendly, No Sugar/Cornstarch)
Succulent squid stir-fried with fresh chilies, garlic, and a simple seasoning of salt and white pepper, offeri…
5 net6 total1 fibre40 protein22 fat370 kcal