11 Keto Korean Foods (With Recipes & Weight Loss Tips)

Korean food is an extremely versatile cuisine that contains tons of delicious foods and snacks that are both healthy and delicious.

However, it’s hard to know which foods are good for someone who is committed to a Keto diet and wants to stay away from sugars and carbs. 

In this blog we have come up with a list of our favorite Korean foods that are Keto friendly and really fit into any fitness goal out there.

We’ve attached the nutrition facts within every segment of the article and a recipe that you can follow if you’re interested in cooking up these dishes yourself. 

Koreans love their meats and vegetables so this article is filled with our top 11 foods that we believe are the best that Korea has to offer.

Let’s get into this. 

11. Bulgogi

If you know anything about Korean food or Korean BBQ then you’ve definitely heard of the almighty bulgogi.

Bulgogi is a mixture of either sirloin or strip steak that has been shredded and marinated in a soy sauce and garlic solution.

It’s definitely a staple of Korean food and has cemented itself as one of the most popular meets that Asian food has to offer. 

Bulgogi, however, can be marinated in a lot of sugar which may allow the carbs to rise in each bite that you take.

In order to combat that, we’ve found a recipe online that allows for the use of honey instead of sugar.

This will lower the carb amount while still keeping that awesome flavor that bulgogi has to offer. Here is the recipe down below. 

Let’s take a look at the calories and see what goes into a typical serving of bulgogi. 

For every 8 grams of fat, there are 5 grams of carbs and 16 grams of protein.

Not bad at all for anyone trying to reach their Keto goals as there are only 5 grams of carbs per 16 grams of protein.

Since you can comfortably eat 30-40 carbs in a day, the 5 grams of carbs won’t catch up to you. 

10. Korean BBQ Duck (오리구이)

Korean BBQ duck is actually a very traditional dish that not many restaurants serve here in LA.

It’s usually marinated in a spicy sauce made from Korean chilis and Korean chili paste.

What’s amazing about this dish is the combination of wrapping each piece of duck to a lettuce wrap filled with green onions and garlic.

It’s really amazing what you can do with this meat as it goes well with so many different types of vegetables. Here is a recipe for how you can cook it at home. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and what goes into a typical Korean BBQ duck.

For every 28 grams of fat there are 0 grams of carbs and 19 grams of protein. Not bad considering that the carbs are 0 while the proteins are at 19.

Although this ratio is great, what makes this fattening is, well, the 28 grams of fat that go into a serving.

This is a delicious meal, however, it can be a little fattening so don’t overdo it on this one! 

8. Pork Wrap Bossam  

Pork Wrapped Bossam is another example of a Korean dish that implements a lot of great veggies into the mix.

The pork alone is fine but, what makes this a full and satisfying meal, is the lettuce wrap that follows with each bite of pork you take.

Here is a recipe for you to try to make at home. It’s super simple and is great to enjoy with friends and family. 

Let’s take a look at a standard Pork Wrap Bossam dish. 

For every 25 grams of fat, there is 1 gram of carb and 14 grams of protein.

Same as the dish before, there are a ton of fats when eating Korean pork so take it a little easy on this dish and focus on getting your veggies in.

It’s much more satisfying and filling with the pickled veggies and there is a ton of different combinations you can conjure up to make each bite more interesting.

7. Gyeran Jjim (Korean Steamed Egg) 계란찜

If you’ve been to a Korean restaurant before then you’ve definitely tried the Korean Steamed Egg.

What makes this egg so special is the seafood undertones that it is cooked with.

Korean chefs usually use a type of dashi made from anchovies or mackerel and flavor the eggs with a dried shrimp that is crushed to a powder.

It’s really amazing when you add these two and you can really taste the depth of flavor every bite you take.

Here is a simple recipe for you to try at home. 

Now, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. 

For every 10 grams of fat, there are 2 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein.

There is a great ratio of macronutrients and so much room to eat a lot of this dish.

It’s usually served as a side dish or appetizer but you should definitely be adding this to your list of dishes you can eat on it’s own. 

6. Tteok Galbi

Tteok Galbi is an amazing dish that takes galbi and adds a fun twist to it. This is like the Korean version of an American smash burger.

It’s crispy, fatty, and has that awesome Galbi marinade that showcases the meat so well.

This is a very traditional dish and is rarely found in restaurants here in LA, so making the dish might be your only option if you seek it out.

Here is a simple recipe you can follow so you can eat to your heart’s content! 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts.

For every 15 grams of fat, there are 2 grams of carbs and 16 grams of protein. Pretty awesome and easy to fit into a Keto diet.

Tteok Galbi is usually enjoyed with a bowl of rice and with a ton of side dishes called banchan.

If you’re going Keto, however, the best way to enjoy this dish is to wrap it in lettuce and put kimchi and chili paste into the wrap and eat it in one whole bite.

It’s traditional and is a great way to get your fibers in without eating too much fat.

Although 70% of your diet should come from fats on a Keto diet, it doesn’t mean that you can go overboard with it.

It’s relatively easy to get your fats in and even easier to overeat them. So just eat these meats with caution and don’t forget about your higher protein meals! 

5. Steamed Beef Brisket With Bean Sprouts

Although the best way to eat Brisket is usually grilled on at a typical Korean BBQ restaurant, sometimes steaming it with bean sprouts might be a great option that you can make in the safety of your own house. What’s great about this dish is the amazing flavors that you get from the chive and the garlic mixture.

It’s not your typical brisket dish as there are so many different flavors that come with the dish.

If you’re a fan of sesame oil and enoki mushrooms, then you should definitely try it out as these are loaded with both of those flavors.

Here is a recipe that you can try at home for your next meal.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and see what goes inside a typical Steamed Brisket dish. 

For every 29 grams of fats, there are 6 grams of carbs, and 33 grams of protein.

Pretty amazing source of protein and great for anyone trying to eat a healthier option for dinner.

With the mixture of tons of veggies you know that you’re getting all of your fibers which will thus aid in the fat loss process by keeping you nice and full.

I totally recommend this dish for anyone trying to get slim or cut down on a few pounds. 

4. Korean Style Steamed Seafood 

This dish is on the higher end of the Korean food spectrum. It’s very similar to Hot Pot except the broth is usually just water mixed in with some Konbu so there isn’t really much fat added to the meal.

You can usually find a mixture of shrimp, lobster, crab and octopus mixed into this dish and it can either be served spicy or just savory.

There are also a ton of vegetables that can range from mushrooms, cabbage, onions, kimchi, and chives.

Also, with any Korean food out there, this dish is swimming in garlic for all of you garlic lovers out there.

You should definitely try this out next time you’re in the mood for some seafood! 

Top 5 Korean style seafood dishes in LA

Here are the calories for a typical Steamed Seafood Platter

For every 6 grams of fat, you consume 9 grams of carbs and 12 grams of protein.

Although the carbs are a little higher on this one, they all really come from the variety of vegetables you find in the dish.

There are 2 grams of fiber so you can find yourself eating a net carb intake of 7 grams.

This is a great meal and, if you’re looking for a lower fat option for your lunch or dinner, then this is the dish for you.

Check out the link above to see the restaurants that serve these platters and where we like to get this amazing seafood dish. 

3. Braised Beef Shortribs- Galbi Jjim

Up next we have Galbi Jjim which is a very  Korean soup that has a lot of spice in it. If you love savory and spicy soups with robust pieces of short rib inside of it, then this is definitely the dish for you.

Again, with any hearty soup, Koreans love to pair it with rice and a ton of other vegetables.

Our tip here is to simply drink the soup and pick out the pieces of short rib to eat with a salad or the banchan.

If you’ve been to a typical Korean BBQ restaurant before, then you’ve probably tried the savory salad that comes with the meal.

It can be a little excessive but, if you’re serious about sticking to your keto diet, then definitely get the meat and mix it into this salad.

We know that it’s a big ask but your fitness goals are important too! Here is a recipe that you can follow along that is Keto friendly but still delicious. 

Let’s take a look at its calorie contents and see what goes inside a typical Gabli Jjim. 

For every 22 grams of fat, there are 8 grams of carbs and 17 grams of protein. This is great to eat as a whole meal on it’s own.

The tip that we keep constantly giving throughout this article is to always have ssam (a piece of lettuce that you can wrap your beef around) and this is no different.

You’re probably sick of hearing about it but it is the best way to have an awesome meal and while not leaving unsatisfied.

Koreans have kimchi fridges but, what’s less talked about, is actually our basket of ssam that we always keep in for dire emergencies. 

2. Ginseng Chicken Soup (삼계탕)

Ginseng Chicken Soup is a medicinal soup that usually features an entire chicken in the middle of it!

If you’ve been to a traditional Korean restaurant recently, you’ve probably seen a picture of this soup but were too afraid to get it.

I get it. It’s a bold move to get an entire chicken served to you and can be daunting to order.

However, if you do ever muster up the courage to get one of these amazing dishes, you’ll find that it’s actually just an amazing dish if you’re craving a nice warm soup that will keep you wanting more.

There is a really deep umami flavor that comes with this dish which comes from the ginseng, black pepper, rice vinegar, and the chives.

It’s a really complex dish  that feels like it soothes your soul.

Basically the Korean soul food option that is really famous but hardly ordered. If you want to try making it for yourself then try out this recipe that we found online. 

Let’s take a look at the calorie facts and see what goes inside our Ginseng Chicken Soup 

For every 3 grams of fat, we consume 4 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein.

It’s our first dish in this article that features a higher protein amount than fats!

What earned this number 2 spot is how healthy this dish is for you. While most Korean Keto options have a ton of fat (which explains it’s awesome flavor) this dish is delicious and stays within the boundaries of a really great low carb meal.

The chicken provides a ton of protein and is simmered in a ton of medical herbs and spices. What more can you ask for? 

1. Spicy Braised Chicken (닭볶음탕)

Earning our number one spot we have Spicy Braised Chicken which is a dish that I, and many other Korean Americans, have grown up eating.

If you’re a fan of eating spicy foods then this is definitely the dish for you.

It’s made by boiling the chicken in a chili paste and garlic mixture and then simmered for hours to make the chicken fall apart from its bone. If you like your chicken baked usually and are skeptical on how that sounds, then you should definitely give this a shot as words can’t really describe how awesome this dish really is.

After you simmer the chili paste mixture for hours, it becomes more of a glaze that coats the chicken.

You end up with this super flavorful chicken dish that you can eat on a regular basis: weekend or weeknights. Here is a recipe that shows the traditional form cooked.

There are potatoes in this recipe but feel free to omit them when you make your keto version. 

Now, let’s take a look at the calorie count of Korean Spicy Braised Chicken. 

For every 6 grams of fat, there are 6 grams of carbs, and 17 grams of protein.

Along with it’s amazing texture and flavor, you get an awesome, protein-packed meal that is low on the fats and suitable for any fitness goal.

This dish means a lot to me as it carries a lot of nostalgia and is one that I recommend the most for anyone who wants to take a step into some Korean cuisine.

Keto or not, you should definitely try this out and enjoy it for your next weekend meal. 

There it is

11 delicious keto friendly meals that all come from Korean cuisine and are perfect for most fitness goals.

Make sure to check out our other articles if you’re looking for healthier versions of Asian foods. 

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