What’s a good substitute for bread, especially if you’re on a gluten-free diet?

So, you’ve been loving keto, but you still miss the convenience and taste of bread? Never fear! Thanks to the wealth of keto recipes, and some clever culinary hacks, you have plenty of options to substitute when that hankering comes to visit.

Good Substitutes for Bread

The best ways to replace bread can be with:

• Thick cuts of turkey or roast beef
• Iceberg lettuce leaves
• Thinly sliced vegetables
• Portobello mushrooms
• Deli cheese slices
• Sausage or hamburger patties
• Egg white protein
• Gluten-free breads that are made using almond flour or coconut flour

Wondering how these substitutes can best be used? Check out the next two sections below.

Bread Substitutes without needing to Bake

Want something bread-like without baking? We’ve got you covered! There are plenty of options to turn your favorite keto foods into a handheld meal. 

Wraps or Tortillas

Thick cold cuts like turkey or roast beef can be used to replace wraps and tortillas. They can even be baked or air fried to make them crisp.

Large outer leaves of iceberg or romaine lettuces can also be used as wraps for burgers, sandwiches, and more—like in our Lettuce Wrap Shrimp Tacos. Green leaves like cabbage and collard greens can be lightly steamed until flexible and used to wrap all kinds of fillings. 

Thinly sliced vegetables like jicama and daikon radish can be used for wraps and sandwiches. Use a mandolin or slicer to cut thin slices from the widest section of the vegetable. Cut bell peppers or cucumbers in half and remove the seeds to make holders for tuna salad or egg salad. 

Pizza Bases

Use portobello mushrooms as pizza bases. (See our Keto Pizza Portobello for an example!)

Outer Sandwich Layers

Thick deli cheese slices make a delicious outer layer for cold cuts, vegetables, chicken salad, fried eggs, or sausage. You can even use it to hold hot dogs! Try a cheese like mild cheddar or colby sliced about 1/8-inch thick. 

Stack two patties of sausage or burgers and pile the toppings between for the ultimate protein sandwich experience. Make a bacon egg and cheese on two sausage patties or the ultimate mushroom and Swiss burger between two thin hamburgers. The sky’s the limit. 

Keto Bread Substitute Recipes

Did you know you can use Keto Chow to make breads, waffles, rolls, mug breads, scones, and biscuits? Here are just a few of the recipes we offer to bake all your favorites.

• Everything Bagel Chaffle
• Cheesy Garlic Mug Bread 
• Drop Biscuits
• Keto Dinner Rolls
• Low-Carb Pumpernickel Bread
• Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
• Egg White Protein Wraps

Plus, don’t forget to try wellness expert Maria Emmerich’s PSMF Bread!

In Conclusion

The key to keto is to enjoy all the nutritious, delicious, satisfying foods you can eat and forget about the foods you can’t. There are so many fun and creative ways to make keto work for you when you let your imagination run free!