Is There Any Chinese Food That's Low-Carb? Yes, And Here's Your Guide

October 18, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2021 survey, over half of Americans are actively trying to limit their carbohydrate intake. For those on a low-carb diet, navigating a Chinese restaurant menu can feel challenging, but the good news is that there are many delicious choices to satisfy your cravings while still staying on track.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of low-carb Chinese food, offering specific menu recommendations, essential ordering strategies, and dishes to avoid for a diet-friendly dining experience.

Key Points

Embrace Stir-Fries: Prioritize dishes with lean proteins and lots of vegetables, asking for light or minimal sauce.
Beware of Sauces: Many restaurant sauces, especially thick and sweet ones, are loaded with hidden sugar and starch. Request them on the side or avoid them entirely.
Choose Steamed over Fried: Opt for steamed or boiled options like fish, chicken, and vegetables instead of heavily breaded and deep-fried dishes.
Ditch the Rice and Noodles: These are the primary sources of carbs. Replace them with extra vegetables, lettuce cups, or cauliflower rice.
Order Egg-Based Dishes: Egg drop soup and Egg Foo Young are naturally low-carb, as long as you're mindful of the sauce and avoid fried components.
Customize Your Order: Don't be afraid to ask for modifications, such as omitting breading or requesting extra vegetables instead of rice.

Navigating a Chinese Menu for Low-Carb Options

When ordering Chinese food on a low-carb diet, the key is to look beyond the obvious carb-heavy staples like rice, noodles, and fried appetizers. Many dishes are naturally low in carbohydrates and rich in protein and vegetables. By making a few simple modifications and choosing wisely, you can enjoy a flavorful and satisfying meal without compromising your dietary goals. Focus on steamed, boiled, or lightly stir-fried dishes, and always be mindful of hidden sugars and starches in sauces and marinades.

Delicious Low-Carb Chinese Dishes to Order

Here is a list of some of the best menu items for a low-carb diet:

Egg Foo Young: This is essentially a Chinese omelet, packed with eggs and vegetables like cabbage, bean sprouts, and onions. You can add your choice of meat, such as pork, chicken, or shrimp. Just be sure to get the sauce or gravy on the side, as many restaurant versions contain cornstarch and sugar.
Egg Drop Soup: A simple and classic starter, this soup consists of broth and beaten eggs. Ask for it without cornstarch or with a keto-friendly thickener like xanthan gum if they use it. Skip the crunchy wonton strips, which are high in carbs.
Steamed Seafood or Meat with Vegetables: This is one of the safest and healthiest options. Ask for steamed fish, shrimp, or chicken with a side of steamed vegetables like broccoli or bok choy. You can season it with a little soy sauce, which is very low in carbs.
Beef and Broccoli: A popular stir-fry dish, beef and broccoli can be a great low-carb choice. The key is to ask the restaurant to use a light sauce and hold the cornstarch. You can also specify that you do not want the beef 'velveted' in a starchy marinade.
Moo Shu Pork: This dish features shredded pork, eggs, and vegetables like cabbage and mushrooms, stir-fried together in a light sauce. Order it without the traditional pancakes and use a smaller amount of the sauce, as some can be slightly sweet. For a fun, low-carb alternative, serve it in lettuce cups.

What to Avoid on a Low-Carb Diet

Certain dishes and preparations are notorious for their high carb content. The main culprits are sugar and starch, which are used to thicken sauces and batter fried foods.

Sweet and Sour Dishes: The sauce in these dishes is loaded with sugar.
Breaded and Fried Meats: General Tso's chicken, orange chicken, and sweet and sour pork get their crispy coating from flour or cornstarch.
Thick, Sticky Sauces: Hoisin, oyster, plum, and duck sauces often contain high levels of sugar and starch.
Rice and Noodles: This includes fried rice, white rice, brown rice, and all noodle dishes like chow mein and lo mein. You can replace these with steamed vegetables or cauliflower rice.
Wontons, Dumplings, and Egg Rolls: The wrappers for these appetizers are made from flour and are high in carbs.

Making Low-Carb Chinese Food at Home

Cooking your own Chinese food at home gives you complete control over the ingredients, ensuring your meal remains low-carb. Use fresh, whole foods and keto-friendly sweeteners and thickeners to create delicious meals.

Keto Kung Pao Chicken: Create a spicy, nutty sauce with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a sugar substitute. Stir-fry chicken, bell peppers, and chili with peanuts for a flavorful dish.
Low-Carb Fried Rice: Use riced cauliflower as a base and stir-fry it with scrambled egg, onions, and your favorite low-carb veggies like bok choy or mushrooms. Season with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.
Beef with Broccoli: Prepare a simple sauce with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a low-carb thickener like xanthan gum. Stir-fry thinly sliced beef and blanched broccoli florets.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Sauté ground chicken with water chestnuts and onions. Season with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Serve the mixture in large, crisp lettuce leaves.

Comparison Table: Low-Carb vs. High-Carb Chinese Dishes


Low-Carb Options	High-Carb Counterparts	Key Differences
Beef with Broccoli (Light Sauce)	General Tso's Chicken (Breaded/Fried)	Beef is not breaded; sauce contains less sugar and no starch.
Egg Drop Soup (No Starch)	Wonton Soup (Wonton Wrappers)	Broth-based soup without carb-filled wonton wrappers.
Moo Shu Pork (No Pancakes)	Chow Mein (Noodle-Based)	Served with lettuce cups instead of flour pancakes or noodles.
Steamed Fish with Veggies	Sweet and Sour Chicken	Steamed cooking method with simple seasoning vs. deep-fried with sugary sauce.
Egg Foo Young (Gravy on Side)	Fried Rice (Rice-Based)	Egg-based dish with meat/veg vs. carb-heavy rice dish.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, you can absolutely enjoy delicious and satisfying Chinese food while sticking to a low-carb diet. The key is to be an informed diner, focusing on protein and vegetable-heavy dishes and avoiding the sugary sauces, breaded meats, and carb-filled fillers that are common in Americanized versions. By choosing wisely from the menu or preparing your own meals at home, you can savor the rich flavors of Chinese cuisine without derailing your diet. Embrace steamed and stir-fried options, get sauces on the side, and don't be afraid to customize your order for a healthy and fulfilling experience.

Visit this guide to learn more about eating healthy at Chinese restaurants.

Frequently Asked Questions

The lowest-carb Chinese dishes include Egg Foo Young, Egg Drop Soup, steamed seafood with vegetables, and protein and vegetable stir-fries with light sauce. The key is avoiding sugary glazes, thickeners, and breading.

To order low-carb takeout, ask for steamed or lightly stir-fried dishes, request sauces on the side, and substitute rice or noodles with extra steamed vegetables. Always clarify that you want no hidden starch or sugar in the sauce or marinade.

Yes, many Chinese food sauces contain hidden carbs from added sugar and starch, which is used for thickening. Avoid thick, sticky sauces like hoisin, plum, duck, and sweet and sour sauce.

For a low-carb meal, you should avoid standard rice and noodle dishes. Opt for steamed vegetables or cauliflower rice as a base for your entrees instead.

Yes, Egg Foo Young is an excellent low-carb option, as it is an egg-based omelet filled with vegetables and protein. Just be sure to ask for the gravy on the side to control your carb intake from thickening agents.

To make low-carb Chinese food at home, use riced cauliflower instead of rice, zucchini noodles or shirataki noodles instead of egg noodles, and create sauces with low-carb ingredients and thickeners like xanthan gum.

Avoid appetizers such as egg rolls, wontons, fried wontons, and dumplings, as their wrappers are typically made from flour. Steamed seafood or a simple egg drop soup are better choices.