Low Carb Italian
Table of Contents Low Carb Italian Appetizers Italian Cheese Ball 6 Warm Caprese Stack 7 Italian Stuffed Brie 8 Pizza Dip 9 Lasagna Soup 10 Baked Ricotta with Sun Dried Tomatoes 11 Low Carb Italian Main Meals Italian Chicken Roll Ups 13 Spaghetti and Meatballs 14 Cauliflower Pizza Crust 15 Crab Florentine Bake 16 Italian Baked Chicken Thighs 17 Spaghetti Squash with Burrata 18 Eggplant Cheese Melts 19 Chicken Breasts with Spinach and Prosciutto 20 Cheese Stuffed Meatballs 21 2
Lasagna 22 Pasta Bake with Chicken 23 Zucchini Carbonara 24 Low Carb Italian Sides and Sauces Sautéed Zucchini with Lemon and Basil 26 Spaghetti Squash Bake 27 Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Salad 28 Buttery Zero Carb Noodles 29 Alfredo Sauce 30 Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce 31 Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce 32 Read More 33 25 recipes 3
Introduction One of the first objections I often hear to a low carb diet is oh but I couldn t give up pasta and pizza! Obviously there is a LOT more to Italian cuisine than these two popular dishes but many of them do include carbohydrates. This book will help you create delicious recipes for you to enjoy and still get your fix of wonderful Italian food. The 25 recipes are conveniently divided into appetizers, main meals, sides, and sauces. Each recipe page is printer-friendly, with a handy list of ingredients and easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Buon appetito! 4
Low Carb Italian Appetizers 5
ITALIAN CHEESE BALL Serves 8 2 (8 oz) bricks of cream cheese (softened) ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil 2 tbs chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1 tbs Italian seasoning 1 tsp onion powder 2 green onions (finely chopped) salt and black pepper (to taste) 1 cup shredded Parmesan Mix everything together in a large bowl apart from the Parmesan. Form the mixture into a large ball. Place the Parmesan in a bowl and roll the cheese ball around in the Parmesan to coat it completely. Store in the fridge (covered in plastic wrap) until required, removing 15 minutes before serving. 3.6g net carbs per serving 6
WARM CAPRESE STACK Serves 2 1 beefsteak tomato 1 fresh mozzarella ball 4-6 large fresh basil leaves (plus extra for garnish) black pepper 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp olive oil Preheat the broiler. Cut the tomato and mozzarella into slices. Place two tomato slices on a baking sheet (lined with a silicone mat or foil). Add layers of basil, mozzarella and more tomato, finishing with mozzarella. Grind black pepper over the stacks and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese has started to melt. Transfer to two serving plates. Whisk together the balsamic and oil, then drizzle it over the top of each stack and serve. 6g net carbs per serving 7
ITALIAN STUFFED BRIE Serves 6 1 oz wheel of Brie 3 tbs sun dried tomatoes ½ tsp minced garlic 6-8 fresh basil leaves black pepper oil from the tomato jar (as needed) Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, black pepper and a little of the oil from the tomatoes to a food processor and blend until a paste has formed. Add more oil if the mixture is too dry. Slice the Brie horizontally, and spread the paste onto the lower half. Return the upper half of the Brie, wrap everything up and place in the fridge. Remove from the fridge at least 5 minutes before serving. 1g net carbs per serving 8
PIZZA DIP Serves 4 ¼ cup cream cheese 8oz low carb / sugar free tomato pasta sauce ½ cup shredded cheese Spread the cream cheese over the base of an oven-proof dish. Cover with tomato pasta sauce, then sprinkle with the cheese. Place under a broiler and cook until melted and bubbly. Carb count varies depending on the pasta sauce used. 9
LASAGNA SOUP Serves 4 1 tbs olive oil 1 lb ground beef 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp Italian seasoning 3 cups beef stock or broth 8 oz tomato sauce 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 small low carb tortillas (3g net carb each if possible) ½ cup shredded cheese Add the olive oil and beef to a large pan and cook until the meat has browned. Add the onion powder, Italian seasoning. Add the beef stock, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Cut the tortillas into small strips and add them to the soup with the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted. Serve, garnished with extra cheese and sour cream if desired. 6.5g net carbs per serving 10
BAKED RICOTTA WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES Serves 6 15oz ricotta ¼ cup shredded Parmesan 2 tbs sun dried tomatoes (chopped) 4 rashers cooked bacon (chopped) black pepper (to taste) red pepper flakes (optional) Preheat the oven to 375F. Mix all the ingredients together, check for seasoning. Place into an oven proof dish and smooth over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly. 4.4g net carbs per serving 11
Low Carb Italian Main Meals 12
ITALIAN CHICKEN ROLL-UPS Serves 2 ½ cup cream cheese 2 tbs chopped sun-dried tomatoes ½ tsp Italian seasoning 1 lb thinly sliced chicken breasts 8 oz canned tomato sauce ½ tsp dried oregano ½ cup grated cheese fresh oregano or basil, chopped (for garnish) Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare the filling for the chicken roll-ups by combining cream cheese, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Place a spoonful of the mixture at the end of thinly sliced chicken breasts. Roll them up and place them in a baking dish that you have sprayed with some olive oil. Mix together the tomato sauce with the dried oregano and pour it over the chicken. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until an internal temperature of 180F has been reached. When the chicken is at 170F or so, sprinkle with grated cheese, then return to the oven until the chicken has finished cooking. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken when serving. Garnish with chopped fresh oregano or basil. 8.4g net carbs per serving 13
SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS Serves 4 4 packets zero-carb shirataki noodles (Angel Hair Miracle Noodles or similar) Meatballs: 1lb ground pork 1lb ground beef 2 eggs ¼ cup shredded Parmesan 1 tbs Italian seasoning Sauce: 15 oz canned tomato sauce 1 tbs Italian seasoning 1 tsp onion powder Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large bowl, add together all the meatball ingredients and mix well. Form the mixture into small balls (about 40), and place on a baking tray lined with a silicone mat or foil. Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked. Add the sauce ingredients to a large pan, bring to the boil, then keep warm. Prepare the noodles as per the pack instructions (draining and leaving them in a bowl of boiling water). Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and turn to coat. Drain the noodles, serve, and add the meatballs and sauce. Garnish with extra cheese if desired. 7.2g net carbs per serving 14
CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST Serves 2 1 lb finely chopped cauliflower 1 egg white 1 cup shredded cheese ¼ cup flaxseed meal 1 tsp onion powder ½ tsp dried oregano salt and black pepper Cook the cauliflower until very tender. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix to combine. Spoon the mixture onto a baking pan lined with a silicone mat. Press it into an even circle. Bake for 15 minutes. Invert a pizza pan over the top, then flip the pizza base onto the pizza pan. Bake for another 5 minutes. Add the desired toppings (not included in nutritional data) and cook as needed. 7.1g net carbs per serving 15
CRAB FLORENTINE BAKE Serves 2 10oz box of frozen spinach 2 tbs butter 1 tbs flour ½ tsp minced garlic ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup water 2 tbs white wine 2 tbs Parmesan (shredded) 8 oz crab meat salt and pepper (to taste) Preheat the oven to 350F. Cook spinach according to instructions. Drain thoroughly, then spread over the base of a small baking dish. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add garlic and flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add the cream, water and wine, and cook until thickened, stirring regularly. Add the Parmesan and crab, stir well and check for seasoning. Pour the mixture over the top of the spinach. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through and bubbly. 7.2g net carbs per serving 16
ITALIAN BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS Serves 2 ½ cup shredded Italian cheese 1 tsp dried oregano ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (finely chopped) 1 tsp onion powder black pepper 2 tbs unsalted butter (melted) 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin removed) red pepper flakes (optional, to taste) Preheat the oven to 375F. Mix together the cheese, herbs, onion powder, red pepper flakes (if using) and black pepper. Place the melted butter onto a plate. Dip a chicken thigh into the butter, then into the cheese mixture. Place in a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken thighs. Press any remaining cheese mixture on top of the chicken. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until chicken has reached internal temperature of 165F. Remove cover for last 5-10 minutes of cooking time. Less than 1g net carbs per serving 17
SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH BURRATA Serves 2 1 medium spaghetti squash 1 tbs olive oil 5 oz cherry tomatoes 1 tbs olive oil ½ tsp garlic paste 8 oz burrata (drained and roughly torn) fresh oregano leaves (to garnish) Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the spaghetti squash into rings, then scoop out the seeds and discard them. Place the rings onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast the squash for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, additional olive oil and garlic paste to a small baking tray, and stir well. Add the tomatoes to the oven and roast at the same time as the squash for another 10 minutes. Remove the squash and tomatoes from the oven. Use a spoon to remove the squash from the skin, placing the flesh into a large bowl. Add the tomatoes and the burrata. Gently toss everything together, then transfer to serving plates. Garnish with oregano leaves and generously season with black pepper. 10.1g net carbs per serving 18
EGGPLANT CHEESE MELTS Serves 2 1 medium eggplant olive oil spray 1 tbs tomato paste 10-12 fresh basil leaves 4 slices prosciutto ¼ cup shredded cheese Slice the eggplant and lay the slices on a silicone mat or baking sheet. Spray with olive oil spray. Place under a broiler for 3 minutes, flip the slices over and broil for another 3 minutes. Spread a thin layer of tomato paste on each eggplant slice, then place basil leaves over the top. Place slices of prosciutto on each slice of eggplant then cover with shredded cheese. Place under the broiler again for 1-2 minutes until cheese has melted. 7.5g net carbs per serving 19
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH SPINACH AND PROSCIUTTO Serves 2 2 chicken breasts (skin removed) 1 tbs olive oil ½ red onion, chopped ½ tsp paprika 2 cups baby spinach ½ cup cream cheese 2 medium slices prosciutto (chopped) Preheat the oven to 380F. Place the chicken breasts in the oven on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cook for 20 minutes. While chicken is baking, sauté the red onion and paprika in olive oil in a large frying pan until the onion has softened. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the spinach has wilted and a sauce has formed. Slice the chicken breasts length-ways and load them up with the topping. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. 5.4g net carbs per serving 20
CHEESE STUFFED MEATBALLS Serves 6 10 oz ground pork 20 oz ground beef 2 large eggs ¼ cup grated Parmesan 1 tbs Italian seasoning salt and pepper 3 cheese string sticks, cut into small pieces Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large bowl, mix together the pork, beef, egg, Parmesan and seasonings. Take a small handful of the meat mixture and place a piece of the cheese string inside. Form the meat around the cheese in a ball shape. This recipe makes approximately 24 meatballs. Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet lined with foil and cook for 15-20 minutes until the meat is cooked and the cheese has melted. 0.8g net carbs per serving 21
LASAGNA Serves 4 1 lb ground beef ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp dried oregano ¼ cup red wine 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes salt and pepper (to taste) 4-6 low carb tortillas ½ cup cream cheese ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup water 1 egg yolk salt and pepper (to taste) ¼ cup shredded cheese Preheat the oven to 375F. Sauté the beef with the onion powder, oregano, and paprika until the meat is browned. 22
Add the red wine and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a little of the tomato sauce to the base of a baking dish, then layer low carb tortillas then tomato sauce. Finish with tortillas. Make the white sauce by adding the cream cheese, cream and water to a saucepan and cooking over a low heat until the cream cheese has melted. Temper the egg yolk by adding a little of the cream sauce to it, mixing well, then adding the yolk back into the cream mixture. Stir constantly over a low heat for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the white sauce over the lasagna, then bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese on top, then bake for another 5 minutes. 12.9g net carbs per serving 23
PASTA BAKE WITH CHICKEN Serves 2 2 bags low carb shirataki pasta (ziti) (each bag 7oz) 1 tbs olive oil ¼ cup diced onion 1 tsp garlic paste 8 oz tomato sauce ½ tsp dried oregano salt and black pepper 1 cup shredded cheese (divided) 9oz cooked chicken (sliced or chopped) Preheat the oven to 350F. Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly. Place in a bowl and cover in boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes then drain. Set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion has softened. Add the tomato sauce, oregano, salt and pepper. Add HALF of the cheese, and stir into the sauce until it has melted. Add the cooked chicken and drained pasta to the sauce, and stir well. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly. 11.4g net carbs per (large!) serving 24
ZUCCHINI CARBONARA Serves 1 1 medium zucchini 1 tbs olive oil ¼ cup onion (chopped) 4 rashers bacon (chopped) 1 egg black pepper ¼ cup Parmesan (shredded) 1 tbs heavy cream (optional) Make the zucchini into "zoodles" by using a spiralizer or julienne peeler. Sauté the onion and bacon in olive oil until the onion has softened and the bacon is cooked but not crispy. Add the zucchini noodles and continue to sauté until they are cooked through. In a small bowl, beat the egg, black pepper and cream (if using). Pour the mixture into the pan and toss to coat. Stir frequently until the egg is cooked. Add the Parmesan cheese and serve. 8.7g net carbs per serving 25
Low Carb Italian Sides and Sauces 26
SAUTÉED SQUASH WITH LEMON AND BASIL Serves 2 1 zucchini (sliced) 1 yellow squash (sliced) 1 tbs olive oil ½ lemon (juice only) 6-8 fresh basil leaves (torn) salt and pepper Add the olive oil to a large pan and place over a medium heat. Add the zucchini and squash and sauté until cooked, turning occasionally. Squeeze the lemon over the vegetables and add the basil leaves. Stir to mix, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. 5.5g net carbs per serving 27
SPAGHETTI SQUASH BAKE Serves 4 1 medium spaghetti squash ¼ cup cream cheese 2 tbs sun dried tomatoes (chopped) salt and pepper 1 cup pork rinds ¼ cup Parmesan (grated) Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the squash into slices, remove the seeds, then roast for 25-30 minutes until tender. Scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl. Add the cream cheese, tomatoes and seasoning, then stir well. Crush the pork rinds to crumbs then mix with the Parmesan. Spoon the spaghetti squash mixture into a baking dish then cover with the pork rind mixture. Return to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. 6.5g net carbs per serving 28
ROASTED RED PEPPER AND MOZZARELLA SALAD Serves 4 2 red bell peppers (halved, seeds and stalk removed) 2 cups arugula 5-6 fresh basil leaves (torn) 1 ball buffalo mozzarella 2 tbs olive oil (divided) 1 tsp anchovy paste 4 green onions (chopped) 1 tbs red wine vinegar Place the red peppers on a baking pan cut side down. Broil until the skin has blackened. Place the peppers in a sealable plastic bag for 5 minutes. Remove from the bag. Peel off the skin and discard. Chop the peppers into small strips. Add the arugula, basil leaves and peppers to a serving bowl. Tear the mozzarella up, pat with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Add to the bowl. In a small frying pan, sauté 1 tablespoon of the oil and the anchovy paste for 1 minute. Add the green onions and red wine vinegar. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining oil. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately. 5.7g net carbs per serving 29
BUTTERY ZERO CARB NOODLES Serves 1 7oz pack of Fettucine Miracle Noodles (or similar zero carb brand) 1-2 tbs unsalted butter Parmesan (shaved or shredded) black pepper Drain and rinse the noodles in cold water. Transfer them to a bowl, and cover with boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain again. In a sauté pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the noodles and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the butter has been absorbed. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the Parmesan, black pepper and basil, if using. Less than 1g net carbs per serving (whole recipe) 30
ALFREDO SAUCE Serves 4 1 oz butter 1 cup heavy cream salt and white pepper (to taste) ¾ cup Parmesan (grated or shredded) Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the cream, white pepper and salt. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan, ¼ cup at a time, stirring to incorporate. Makes about 1¼ cup. 9.5g net carbs for entire recipe. 2.4g per serving based on four servings. 31
SLOW COOKER BOLOGNESE SAUCE Serves 4 2 tbs olive oil 1 lb lean ground beef 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp Italian seasoning 14.5oz canned diced tomatoes 8 oz tomato sauce 3 bay leaves salt and pepper (to taste) Add oil to a large pan and add the beef, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Brown off the meat. Drain the meat, discarding the liquid. Add the meat to the slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. Stir well. Cook on high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 8 hours. 6.9g net carbs per serving 32
CREAMY SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE Serves 2 1 tsp olive oil 2 oz onion (finely chopped) ½ tsp garlic paste 2 tbs sun dried tomatoes (chopped) ¼ cup heavy cream salt and black pepper Add the olive oil to a small skillet and place over a low-medium heat. Add the onions, garlic paste and tomatoes, and sauté until the onions have softened. Add the cream, and cook for a few minutes until bubbling, and the sauce has thickened. Check for seasoning, add salt and black pepper as necessary. Serve over grilled chicken. 4.6g net carbs per serving 33
Read more! Want more low carb recipes? Check out the blog www.stepawayfromthecarbs.com 34