Healthy, Low-Carb Options for Making Nachos Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Diets Low-Carb Healthy, Low-Carb Options for Making Nachos By Laura Dolson Laura Dolson Laura Dolson is a health and food writer who develops low-carb and gluten-free recipes for home cooks. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 26, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Medically reviewed by Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print wsmahar / Getty Images Salty chips, cheese, spicy salsa, guacamole, cilantro, sour cream and maybe some refried beans or ground meat—these are mostly low-carb options and are not what makes nachos a high-carb food. Tortilla chips can be a significant source of carbohydrates in a small serving. Depending on the type you choose, one serving (roughly 8-12 chips) provides about 18 grams of carbohydrates. While the chips are not necessarily a high carbohydrate food, if you plan on eating multiple servings or would like to reduce your carbohydrate intake further, you can choose to find a tortilla chip alternative instead. Just as with pizza, the toppings are fine and low-carb; it is the base that trips up carb-watchers everywhere. Check out the following base substitutions that might work out for you and your tastes. Baked Cheese Chips You can make oven baked crisp chips out of almost any kind of hard cheese that has the ability to melt. However, keep your serving size in mind as cheese chips are rich in calories and fat. You may only need to eat around 2-4 chips to feel satisfied, especially if you are topping them with other filling ingredients such as avocado, shredded cheese, meat, and veggies. Vegetable Chips You can substitute vegetables like eggplant, zucchini/other summer squash, and celeriac (celery root) for starchy foods, like carb-loaded corn or flour tortilla chips. There are several methods to make the chips, such as frying, baking, and using a dehydrator. Baked chips are trickier to make than frying. The chips might be less crisp than frying, but the trade-off is that will be less greasy. Methods of preparing vegetable chips Steps to take using eggplant, squash, and celeriac Fried Use a mandolin or other slicer to cut the vegetables thin. Use oil with a high smoke point, like avocado, corn or canola oil, and make sure the oil is at least 300 F (especially since eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge). The hotter the oil, the less greasy the chips will be. Oven-baked Lightly oil the veggie pieces to preventing sticking to the pan. Line a baking pan with parchment or a silicone mat. Eggplant can be cut in 1/4-inch slices, baked in a 400 F oven for about 20 minutes (flip halfway through). If chips are soggy, even though browned, turn off the oven and let the chips sit and dry out. Zucchini has a higher water content, so the slices must be baked on low for longer. Set the oven to 225 F for one to two hours. Zucchini needs to partially dehydrate before starting to brown. Dehydrated Slice as thinly as possible. Toss in a little oil, any kind, and salt. Dehydrate at about 135 degrees for 6 to 24 hours. To test if they are done, allow a few to cool for 30 to 60 minutes. Fully dehydrated vegetables will store for many months at room temperature. Broiled Vegetables Some vegetables may not work well as chips, but can still work for nachos. For example, you can cut bell peppers into any size you like and then broil them. Broiling is much quicker than making chips. Small to medium-sized bell peppers can be cut, then baked for 10 minutes at 375 F. Sprinkle the peppers with cheese and broil until the cheese is bubbly and the peppers are slightly charred. Cabbage is another vegetable that can work well with nacho toppings. Tear pieces of cabbage, and sprinkle those pieces with cheese. Then, broil the cabbage until the cheese is bubbly, and there is a little char on the edges of the cabbage. Fried Tofu If you like tofu, you can make fry tofu chips, melt cheese over them in the oven or microwave, and top them with your favorite nacho fixings. Low-Carb Tortillas Another option to try as the base of your nachos is buying low-carb tortillas from the market, cutting those tortillas into chip-sized triangles and then frying them. You can also make low-carb tortilla chips at home from ingredients such as flaxseed meal and almond flour. A full batch takes just 30 minutes to prepare. Accompaniments for Nachos Good accompaniments for nachos like refried beans, guacamole or bean dip do not have to break the carb bank. The following list of side recipes can help round out your meal plan. Super-Easy Guacamole Sugar-Free Margaritas (with or without the tequila) By Laura Dolson Laura Dolson is a health and food writer who develops low-carb and gluten-free recipes for home cooks. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles Taco Bell Nutrition Facts: What to Order & Avoid Taco Bueno Nutrition Facts: What to Order & Avoid Del Taco Nutrition Facts: What to Order & Avoid 7-Day Plant-Based Meal Plan Ideas: Recipes & Prep 7-Day Low-Carb Meal Plan Ideas: Prep & Recipes 8 Creative Ways to Eat a Pineapple Finding Low-Calorie Mexican Food at Your Favorite Spot 6 Creative Air Fryer Recipes Chili's Nutrition Facts: What to Order & Avoid 11 High-Calorie Snacks for Smarter Weight Gain 1-Week Gluten-Free Meal Plan: Recipes and Meal Prep 7-Day Pescatarian Meal Plan Ideas: Recipes & Prep The Best Frozen Meals, According to a Dietitian 1-Week Flexitarian Meal Plan Ideas: Recipes & Prep Foolproof Ways to Make Vegetables Taste Good 7-Day, 1,300-Calorie Meal Plan: Recipes & Prep When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All