Keto Condiments and Sauces: What's Low-Carb? (25 Ranked)

Most fat-based condiments are keto-friendly: mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, pesto, ranch, and oil-based dressings all run 0-3g net carbs per serving. The condiments that wreck a keto day are the sweet ones, ketchup, barbecue sauce, teriyaki, honey mustard, and standard sriracha, where sugar is a main ingredient. As a rule, if a sauce tastes sweet, assume it is not keto until you check the label.

Net carbs are total carbohydrates minus fiber, the number that actually affects ketosis. Below, common condiments are ranked from lowest to highest net carbs. Want to check a specific one fast? Look it up in the keto food database, or drop a whole plate into the Is My Meal Keto? checker.

Best keto condiments

These sit low enough in net carbs that a normal serving fits an everyday keto plan:

• Yellow mustard, 0g net carbs. Essentially free; use it liberally.
• Cayenne hot sauce, 0g net carbs. Vinegar and pepper, nothing else.
• Dijon mustard, 0.5g net carbs. Sharp flavor for pan sauces and dressings.
• Whole grain mustard, 0.5g net carbs. Same low count with more texture.
• Aioli, 0.5g net carbs. Garlic mayo that lifts almost anything.
• Hollandaise sauce, 0.5g net carbs. Butter and egg yolk; a keto classic over eggs.
• Hot sauce, 1g net carbs. Most vinegar-based hot sauces are near zero.
• Buffalo sauce, 1g net carbs. Hot sauce plus butter, made for wings.
• Blue cheese dressing, 1g net carbs. Creamy and low-carb; check the label for added sugar.
• Caesar dressing, 1g net carbs. Real Caesar is oil, egg, and anchovy.
• Oil vinaigrette, 1g net carbs. Oil and vinegar is the safest dressing there is.
• Chipotle mayo, 1g net carbs. Smoky heat with no sugar spike.
• Pesto sauce, 1g net carbs. Basil, oil, cheese, and nuts, great on protein or zoodles.
• Tamari (soy sauce), 1g net carbs. Gluten-free tamari is a touch lower than standard soy.
• Fish sauce, 1g net carbs. A little adds huge umami to stir-fries.
• Worcestershire sauce, 1g net carbs. Small amounts are fine despite trace sugar.
• Keto gravy, 1g net carbs. Thickened with cream or xanthan gum instead of flour.
• Mayonnaise, 1.5g net carbs. Pure fat; a keto staple for dips and dressings.
• Ranch dip, 2g net carbs. The thicker sour-cream version of ranch.
• Sriracha mayo, 2g net carbs. Mayo dilutes the sugar of straight sriracha.
• Salsa verde, 2g net carbs. Tomatillo-based and lower than red salsa.
• Mustard (prepared), 3g net carbs. Any plain prepared mustard is a safe bet.
• Italian dressing, 3g net carbs. Fine unless it is a sweetened "creamy" version.
• Alfredo sauce, 3g net carbs. Cream, butter, and parmesan; skip the pasta.
• Guacamole, 3g net carbs. Avocado-based and rich in healthy fat.
• Tartar sauce, 3g net carbs. Mayo plus pickles; watch for sweet relish.
• Ranch dressing, 6g net carbs. The highest-carb pick here, so keep pours honest.

Fine in moderation

These are workable in a measured tablespoon but climb fast if you pour freely:

• Salsa, 5g net carbs. Fresh tomato salsa is fine in a small scoop.
• Soy sauce, 5g net carbs. Standard soy is higher than tamari; go easy.
• Thousand Island dressing, 5g net carbs. The ketchup base adds sugar.
• Marinara sauce, 6g net carbs. Choose a no-sugar-added jar and keep portions small.
• Flour gravy, 3g net carbs per serving, but it stacks up over a full plate.
• Hummus, 8g net carbs. Chickpea-based, so treat it as an occasional dip.

High-sugar ones to skip

Sugar is a leading ingredient in these, and one serving can blow a keto day:

• Teriyaki sauce, 6g net carbs per tablespoon, and rarely just one.
• Cocktail sauce, 8g net carbs. Ketchup with horseradish, so mostly sugar.
• Honey mustard, 10g net carbs. Plain mustard is keto; honey mustard is not.
• Sriracha, 19g net carbs. Sugar is second on the label; reach for plain hot sauce.
• Ketchup, 25g net carbs. Roughly a quarter sugar by weight.
• Barbecue sauce, 40g net carbs. The single worst offender on any condiment shelf.

How to keep condiments keto

Three habits keep sauces from sabotaging you. First, default to fat-based over sweet: mayo, mustard, oil, butter, and cream sauces are almost always safe, while anything built on ketchup, honey, or sugar is not. Second, read the label, "low-fat" dressings usually replace fat with sugar, so full-fat is the keto choice. Third, when you want a sweet or sticky sauce, buy a no-sugar-added version or make your own with a keto sweetener.

Pair these with the right foods for an easy plate. See our guides to keto cheeses, low-carb vegetables, and keto baking swaps, or browse the full keto food lists and recipe library.

Not sure a sauce fits your macros? Run the plate through the Is My Meal Keto? checker, then build a full day of low-carb meals with the Keto Day Builder.