Yes, You Can Still Have Cheesy Waffles While Doing Keto—Here’s How

by Emily Laurence, October 15, 2018

Photo: Well+Good Creative

Avocados and eggs are the go-to breakfast heroes of the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet. But sometimes, a girl just wants to bite into a perfectly pressed waffle—flour be damned. Fortunately, there's a way to do it without breaking ketosis (the metabolic process in which your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates—AKA the keto diet's goal).

"One the best gifts I ever received from Matt was a waffle iron when we first moved into our new apartment one year after starting our ketogenic food blog," says Megha Barot, who recently released the cookbook Keto Made Easy with her partner, Matt Gaedke. "I made dessert protein waffles every night for two months until I realized that savory waffles could be the perfect way to incorporate waffles into my day," she says.

Their secret to keeping it low-carb: combining coconut flour with grated zucchini. "The coconut flour is perfect for binding all the ingredients together because it's very absorbent, which perfectly contrasts the moisture in the zucchini," Barot says. "It also add s a hint of coconut flavor, which pairs well with the zucchini and cheddar flavors!"

Barot offers up some pro tips on getting the texture just right saying, "the best way to ensure you get a nice crispy waffle is to remove as much moisture out of the zucchini as possible by draining it in a colander and then ringing out any excess liquid using a kitchen towel." She adds that if your batter looks too watery, just add a little more coconut flour.

Ready to get cooking? Keep reading for the recipe and to watch a short video to see how it's done.

Savory zucchini cheddar waffles

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Prep Time

10 minutes
Cook Time

18 minutes
Servings

waffles

Ingredients

For garnish (optional)

Sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
minced fresh chives

Instructions

Preheat the waffle iron on the medium setting.
Using a vegetable or cheese grater, grate the zucchini into a large colander set inside of a bowl. Squeeze the excess water out of the grated zucchini using your hands and drain.
Add the eggs and cheese to the drained zucchini and combine with a fork. Add the coconut flour, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and use the fork to combine once more.
Open the waffle iron and grease the top and bottom with coconut oil spray.
Using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, scoop out some of the batter, place it in the center of the waffle iron, and close the lid. Cook the waffle for four to four-and-a-half minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through. Use a fork to lift your waffle off the iron and set on a plate.
Repeat with the remaining batter, making a total of four waffles. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and/or minced chives, if desired.

Recipe Notes

For more keto-approved recipe ideas, check out this vegan pesto sauce and this slow cooker ratatouille.