This cheesy keto breadstick recipe offers a low-carb substitute for bread or pizza crust. With just a few simple ingredients—cauliflower, cheese, eggs, and herbs—you can whip up a batch and dig in with your dipping sauce.
If you’re trying to dial down the carbs, also see How to Quit Sugar.
Low-Carb Bread Alternative
These cheesy breadsticks are not truly bread at all. And, if you’re going low-carb, that’s a good thing.
There are just 5 ingredients: cauliflower, zucchini, eggs, cheese, and seasoning (herbs, spice, salt, pepper—whatever you like) and they take about 45 minutes total from start to finish, including baking time.
I’ve been eating low-carb and no sugar (keto) for about five years now and it’s recipes like this that satisfy carb cravings.
You can use the breadsticks as the foundation for a homemade pizza, or cut them up as dippers.
I like to make big batches and freeze a bunch for later.
How to Make Cheesy Keto Breadsticks
If you want to jump to the recipe, click here.
The preparation will take about 20 minutes and baking takes about 25 minutes.
I’ll show you the steps.
Step 1 – Assemble Ingredients and Preheat Oven
Get your supplies ready and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C or gas mark 4).
Step 2 – Chop & Mince Veggies
The recipe works with cauliflower, zucchini, or a combination of both.
There is no need to peel the zucchini. Just wash it, chop it into chunks, and toss the ends into your compost bin.
Next, run all the chopped veggies through a food processor, using a chopping/mincing blade. It takes just seconds to do each batch.
Step 3 – Remove Water from Veggies
Both cauliflower and zucchini naturally contain a fair amount of water and we need it removed.
I use a potato ricer. This is a kitchen gadget that squeezes out liquid. Fill the potato ricer cup with minced veggies, hold it over a bowl, and press the handle down. Liquid will ooze out.
The amount of liquid you see in the glass came from approximately 6 cups of veggies.
If you do not have a potato ricer, you can also place the minced veggies in a clean dish towel and squeeze like the dickens to release the water.
If you’re not convinced you’ve got most of the water out, do it again. Otherwise your breadsticks will be mushy.
Step 4 – Combine Ingredients
For every 2 cups of minced veggies (water removed) you will use 1 egg and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Additional cheese will be melted on top later.
Dried herbs and seasonings can be added now. Options include Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, sage, coriander) or a taco blend.
Fresh herbs are added after baking.
Stir briefly to combine. Do not over-stir. We don’t want mush.
Step 5 – Spread onto Parchment on Baking Sheet
Spread mixture onto parchment paper on a baking sheet, making it about 1/4-inch thick (.6cm). A bit thicker is fine too: it will just take a little longer to bake.
Step 6 – Bake at 350°F (180°C or gas mark 4)
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until underside looks toasted and top becomes golden.
Step 7 – Add Cheese and Bake for 5 More Minutes
Add as much cheese as you want to the top and return to oven until cheese is melted. You can increase the heat at this point to speed it up. Just do not go beyond the temperature limit listed on your parchment paper (mine says 420°F maximum which is just under 220°C or gas mark 7).
Here it is with the cheese melted on top:
Let’s pause a moment for those who love cheese.
Step 8 – Allow to Cool for 5 Minutes, Cut, and Serve
After cooling for 5 minutes, cut into breadsticks. To avoid scratching your baking pan, use pan-friendly kitchen shears instead of a pizza wheel / cutter.
CRISPY TIP: If there is some moisture on the underside of the breadsticks, you many want to toss them into a heated, non-stick frying pan on the stove top for a few minutes. This will quickly evaporate any remaining water and make the underside nice and crispy.
Step 9 – Serve with Dip
Breadstick dip options include guacamole, salsa, or ranch dip (sour creme, dill, parsley).
If you love fresh herbs, add some favorites like basil or rosemary.
I love having these with a salad after a work day in the garden. It’s a satisfying but not-too-heavy meal with lots of garden goodness inside.
Recipe
Cheesy Keto Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 1 large Cauliflower large
- 4 Zucchini medium, optional
- 3 Eggs large, beaten
- 4 cups Cheese shredded, set aside 2 cups
- Seasoning herbs, pizza spice, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C or gas mark 4).
Prepare Ingredients
- Remove any leaves and chop cauliflower into small chunks.
- Wash zucchini, cut off ends, and chop into small chunks. I don't peel it.
- Run cauliflower and zucchini chunks through food processor using mincing blade. Just takes seconds: do not over do it.
Remove Water From Veggies
- Place minced veggies in potato ricer and squeeze out water and dump squeezed veggies in large mixing bowl. Discard water.
Mix Ingredients
- Measure total amount of minced veggies for reference.You want to use approximately 1 egg and 1 cup of cheese for every 2 cups of veggies.
- Gradually combine beaten eggs, grated cheese, and minced veggies. Do not over-stir.
- Add any herbs or spices as desired.
Bake
- Spread mixture approximately ¼-inch thick (.6 cm) on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake on middle rack for approximately 20-25 minutes until underside looks toasted and top becomes golden.
- Remove from oven and add cheese as topping if desired. Return to oven and increase temperature to speed it up. Remove from oven when nicely melted.
- Allow to cool for five minutes, then cut into breadsticks with kitchen shears or pizza wheel. For extra crispy breadsticks, toss in frying pan until desired crispness achieved.
Serve and Store
- Use whole thing as keto pizza crust or breadsticks for dipping.Dipping options include guacamole, salsa, or ranch dip (sour cream, dill, parsley). Top with fresh chopped herbs. Store in airtight container in fridge up to 7 days or freeze for 3 months.
Notes
- No need to peel zucchini unless you insist.
- If you do not have a potato ricer, you can also place the minced veggies in a clean tea towel and squeeze out the water that way.
- The cheese amount is up to you: 4 cups is just a suggestion. Also, you can bake all the cheese within the breadsticks or also use some on top.
- For extra crispy breadsticks, after baking, place in frying pan with medium heat until perfect.
- Nutritional values are approximate only.
Equipment
Nutrition (per serving)
I hope you’ll try the recipe. Sticking to a low-carb food plan is much easier when the food is delicious.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
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Melissa J. Will says
I love these breadsticks as dippers or use the whole thing as a keto pizza crust.