Creamy Veggie Spaghetti (Keto Friendly)

I can’t deny that I haven’t dreamt of a creamy pasta while on a keto lifestyle. Yes, I have enjoyed the occasional zoodles when those cravings hit but nothing compares to the creamy, carby pasta goodness.

I have done a ridiculous amount of Google search to find the closest thing to spaghetti, and a lot of the research pointed to konjac/shirataki noodles. Trusty old Google tells me that konjac root is the primary ingredient in the noodles, which is made into flour that can then be shaped like noodles or rice. It is similar to potato but without the starch and sugar. I found this blog very useful for a detailed review on konjac noodles.

Imagine my joy when I found the konjac noodles in the supermarket aisles! With negligible amounts of carbs, these noodles are a ketoer-who-loves-a-bowl-of-pasta’s dreams come true. It is stupid easy to cook; the brand I buy, Slendier, takes 1 minute to cook upon steeping in hot water. The brand’s offerings include konjac rice, angel hair pasta, spaghetti and a whole heap of bean noodles. Oh, the endless possibilities of making interesting low-carb meals!

So, if you’re wondering about the taste, it’s tasteless but the good news is it takes on the flavours of whatever you combine it with. It does have bit of a fishy smell that you can get rid of with a good rinse.

I can safely say this is the kind of stuff that keto pasta dreams are made of! I’ve satiated my creamy pasta cravings with this super simple konjac spaghetti. You can whip up this delicious meal in less than 15 minutes to tackle those pasta cravings. Gluten-free, keto and low carb compliant, this creamy pasta ticks a lot of those nutrition boxes.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Konjac spaghetti – 250 g
Red capsicum (cubed) – 50g
Yellow capsicum (cubed) – 50g
Brussels Sprouts – 30g, halved and bottom end trimmed
Baby corn (chopped into chunks) – 7 pieces
Spring onion (sliced)– 1
Black olives – 30g
Garlic (finely chopped) – 3 cloves
Butter – 1 tblspn
Cream – 2 tblspn
Salt and pepper – As required
Pasta seasoning – 1 tspn
Chilli flakes (optional) – 1 heaped tspn
Chopped chives (optional) – 1 tblspn

Directions

Prep: Cook noodles according to packet instructions and set aside.

Melt butter in a pan.
Add chopped garlic and spring onions. Sauté until slightly golden.
Add the Brussels sprouts and cook it for 3-4 minutes until the outside starts to brown.
Toss the baby corn and sauté until cooked.
Add the capsicum and cook for another 2 minutes. The idea is to cook it just right so avoid cooking it for longer.
Add salt, pepper and pasta seasoning. Mix well.
Stir in the olives and give it a mix.
Pour the cream and mix to combine the ingredients.
Allow the sauce to simmer for a minute or two.
Toss the cooked noodles into the pan and mix until it is coated with the sauce.
Serve warm with a sprinkle of chilli flakes and chopped chives.

Tips:

These proportions are suited for ketogenic and low-carb lifestyles. Adjust the quantities to suit your dietary needs.
I didn’t have parmesan cheese in hand, a generous sprinkle before serving would make this dish extra delicious.
Add other vegetables like asparagus and mushrooms in addition to the suggested ones in the recipe or as a variation with other combinations of vegetables.
You could optionally roast the vegetables in an oven at 180°c for 15 minutes and then add it after sautéing the garlic and spring onions.