How to Stay Keto at Red Lobster

When it comes to the Red Lobster restaurant, people talk about the buttery biscuits and, of course, the tasty lobster and flavorful flaky fish. If you’re following a keto way of eating or you’re just low-carb, you might wonder what you should order at Red Lobster. The good news is there are lots of delicious, satiating, low-carb options at this popular seafood restaurant, including the seafood! Whether you’re in the mood for a steak, lobster tails, or surf ‘n’ turf, Red Lobster has you covered, keto-style! Let’s look at the most suitable menu items for a ketogenic diet.

How to Stay Keto at Red Lobster

Keto Starters

Let’s start with the starters. You probably correctly assumed that you can’t have the lobster pizza because of the grain-based crust or the mozzarella cheese sticks because of the breading. The mozzarella sticks appetizer, for example, has 56 grams of net carbs, which will undoubtedly leave ketosis in the past. On the other hand, you can enjoy the following appetizers:

Escargot (when available) – 26 grams of net carbs
Seafood stuffed mushrooms – 23 grams of net carbs ^[1]

In general, avoid hand-breaded and fried starters, as these use grain-based flour and could impede ketosis.

Red Lobster Soups

Unfortunately, the lobster bisque is a little too high in carbs for most keto dieters, with just over 26 grams of net carbs for just one bowl of soup. A smaller portion size of one cup of the lobster bisque comes in at 14 grams, which may be more suitable for some keto dieters.

One cup of the New England clam chowder has 10 grams of net carbs (one bowl is 21 net carbs), making it the most suitable for keto; however, many keto dieters may find that 10 grams is a lot of carbs to use for just one small cup of soup, especially if your daily allowance is closer to 20 grams of net carbs. That means you’ve already used half of your daily allowance on a small cup of soup. ^[2] ^[3]

What About Bowls?

Of course, traditional pasta is off the keto menu due to the high carb count. For example, the Cajun chicken linguini alfredo bowl has a whopping 101 grams of net carbs, which will widen the eyes of most keto dieters looking to keep their carb count below 20-50 grams of net carbs for the entire day.

However, you can enjoy a classic Caesar salad bowl, which clocks in at around 15 grams of net carbs, or a classic Caesar salad bowl with chicken, which has 16 grams of net carbs. You also have the option to add salmon or shrimp to your salad bowl, which all have similar carb counts.

Entrees at Red Lobster

If you come to Red Lobster for the seafood, you’ll be pleased to know you can indulge in plenty of keto entrees, from crab legs to shrimp skewers.

Here are the top keto seafood entrees:

Canadian snow crab legs – 1 gram of net carbs
Grilled salmon – 1 gram of net carbs
Grilled shrimp skewers – 3 grams of net carbs
Classic live Maritime lobster – 1 gram of net carbs
Stuffed live Maritime lobster – 17 grams of net carbs
Maritime lobster tail – 1 gram of net carbs
Lobster, shrimp, and salmon – 5 grams of net carbs
Lobster-topped stuffed tilapia – 15 grams of net carbs
Tilapia and scallops – 5 grams of net carbs
Full portion of New Orleans salmon – 9 grams of net carbs
Twin lobster tails – 1 gram of net carbs

Here are the most keto-friendly surf and turf and steak options:

Surf and turf Maritime lobster and sirloin steak – 1 gram of net carbs
Sirloin steak – 1 gram of net carbs
Filet mignon steak – 1 gram of net carbs
New York strip steak – 1 gram of net carbs

Party platter low-carb option:

Savory garlic shrimp party platter – 6 grams of net carbs

LobsterFest low-carb selections:

Maritime lobster tail duo – under 1 gram of net carbs
Lobster and shrimp topped sirloin – 12 grams of net carbs

The surf and turf shrimp and sirloin meal has 32 grams of net carbs and the ultimate feast has the same carb count of 32 grams. The Seafarers Feast comes in at 35 grams of net carbs, which might also be too high for many people following a ketogenic diet. These dishes are higher in carbs because they have Walt’s Favorite breaded and fried shrimp, which isn’t ideal for keto. You may be able to swap out the fried shrimp for the grilled shrimp to lower the carb count of those dishes.

Sides at Red Lobster

Green beans are the most keto-friendly side at Red Lobster, with only 7 grams of net carbs. A side of coleslaw has 12 grams of net carbs, which might work for some keto dieters.

You can usually add a small side salad, and a side of broccoli might also be available in some locations.

The crispy Brussels sprouts might sound like they would work for keto, but they have a surprising 42 grams of net carbs just for one serving, which is probably due to the soy-ginger sauce. It isn’t clear if you can order the Brussels without the sauce or how much that would lower the carb count, so you’re better off going with the green beans or broccoli and a small side salad (most keto dieters remove the croutons).

What about the biscuits?

Unfortunately, one single signature Red Lobster biscuit has 16 grams of net carbs, and they’re made of refined grain-based flour, so they’re likely to push you out of ketosis.

Keto-Friendly Dressings and Condiments

Lots of the dressings and condiments at Red Lobster are keto-friendly, with the best option being melted butter, which has zero grams of carbs and plenty of flavor!

Other great keto condiment choices are:

Blue cheese – 2 grams of net carbs
Caesar dressing – 1 gram of net carbs
Marinara sauce – 4 grams of net carbs
Pico de gallo – 2 grams of net carbs
Ranch dressing – 2 grams of net carbs
Sour cream – 1 gram of net carbs
Tartar sauce – 4 grams of net carbs

Red Lobster’s Thousand Island dressing comes in a little higher, with 6 grams of net carbs, which most keto dieters would say is a lot for a condiment–we suggest you steer clear and stick with lower-carb dressings and sauces.

Desserts

You probably already know the desserts are off the keto menu. For example, the Brownie Overboard has an almost unfathomable 116 grams of net carbs for one single dessert! That’s before you add the carbs for your meal, starter, and beverages. Until Red Lobster appeases keto dieters with a keto-friendly dessert, try one of these delicious dessert recipes from Ketogenic.com instead.

Choosing Keto Beverages

Many of the sugary drinks at Red Lobster aren’t a reliable option for keto, but you can go for:

Water – 0 grams of net carbs (ask for a slice of lemon)
Coffee – 0 grams of net carbs
Hot or iced unsweetened tea – 0 grams of net carbs
Diet Coke – 0 grams of net carbs

Alcohol

Most alcoholic drinks and cocktails at Red Lobster won’t work for keto, but you may be able to find a glass of lower-carb wine or ask for a classic margarita on the rocks without any agave or added sugar or sweetener. You could also ask for a simple vodka or tequila with club soda and a slice of lime. A light beer has about 6 grams of net carbs. Check out our informative article for more info on drinking alcohol on a keto diet.

Steph Green

Steph Green is a content writer specializing in and passionate about healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. Steph has worked with marketing agencies, written medical books for doctors like ‘Untangling the Web of Dysfunction,’ and her poetry book ‘Words that Might Mean Something.’ In 2016, after four years of struggling with her own health problems and painful autoimmune disease, Steph developed a life-changing and extensive knowledge of keto, nutrition, and natural medicine. She continues on her healing journey and enjoys helping others along the way.