3 Keto-Friendly Orders from Pizza Hut(Plus What to Avoid)
Lots of people think that the keto diet is best suited for those who are willing to cook every meal at home. Not so! With some creativity and careful planning, you can stay on keto at any restaurant, including those carb-packed pizza joints like Pizza Hut. In the article we’ll scour the Pizza Hut menu for three keto-friendly gems hiding behind the pies! (Please note the following abbreviations: NC = net carbs, F = fat, P = protein)
1. Chicken Wings with Sauce and/or Rub
If you’re a chicken lover, then the keto diet may just be your very best friend. Just a quick search for “keto recipes” on Google and you’ll be pummeled with recipe after recipe featuring chicken as the main ingredient. It’s no wonder that chicken wings, a staple at Pizza Hut’s Wing Zone locations, made the top spot on our list of keto-friendly order options. But diner beware…not all wings (or sauces) are made equal, so it’s important to know before you go.
Start with the traditional BONE-IN wings (0g NC, 4.5g F, and 9g P) for 0 net carbs per wing! That’s right…zero, zilch, no carbs…so go ahead and order that 12- piece guilt-free.
Keep it at 0 net carbs per wing by adding a cajun style (0g NC, 0g F, 0g P), lemon pepper (0g NC, 0g F, 0g P), or ranch rub (<1g NC, 0g F, 0g P) or tossing in the Garlic Parmesan Sauce (0g NC, 7g F, <1g P).
For just 2 total net carbs you can add a side of Bleu Cheese (2g NC, 23g F, 1g P) , Buffalo Ranch (3g NC, 30g F, 1g P), Garlic (2g NC, 10g F, 0g P), or Ranch Dipping Sauce (2g NC, 22g F, 0g P).
What to avoid: The boneless wings add 4-6 net carbs per wing to your order, so definitely stick with the bone-in wings only. Also, almost all of the wing sauces PIzza Hut offers add 2+ net carbs per wing, so going with the Dipping Sauces instead is a much better carb investment.
2. Just the Pizza Toppings, Please!
Perhaps the easiest way to stay on Keto at Pizza Hut is to just order the same pizza you normally would, and then just eat the toppings and sauce. Obviously the total net carb, fat, and protein count for this method would vary greatly from pizza to pizza, and also requires some caution, because some toppings are much more keto-friendly than others. As a rule of thumb, stick with veggies that grow above ground. For the sauce, go for a cheese, cream, or tomato based sauce. Try out the following pizzas from Pizza Hut, but remember, toppings only! (this method works great if you have a crust-loving loved one in the house):
- Buffalo Chicken
- Bacon Cheeseburger
- Meat Lovers
- Garden Veggie
- Italian Meatball
- Chicken Bacon Parmesan Supreme
- Bacon Spinach Alfredo
- Supreme
- Good ol’ pepperoni
What to avoid: The crust! All traditional pizza crusts, including thin crusts, are loaded with carbs, so completely skip the crust from any Pizza Hut pizza. BBQ sauce is also featured on many of their pizzas, but most BBQ sauces are loaded with sugar, so opt for a cheese or tomato based sauce instead. Also avoid most root veggies, although a few onions should be okay.
3. Salads
Oh, what would the Keto diet be without a trusty old salad? Just like some many other restaurants out there, salads at Pizza Hut offer the keto dieter an easy way to eat out and stay on track. Visit a Pizza Hut dine-in location and dig in to their salad bar. If you’re lucky enough to live near a location that offers the Hawaii Garden Salad (Entree portion: 6g NC, 0.5g F, 4g P; Side portion: 1g NC, 0g F, 1g P), Hawaii Caesar Salad (Entree portion: 3g NC, 2.5g F, 4g P), or the protein-packed Hawaii Chicken Caesar Salad (Entree portion: 5g NC, 4.5g F, 19g P), they’re all awesome keto-friendly choices.
What type of dressing will keep your carb count low? Pizza Hut offers several salad dressings in 1 serving packets and cups. Just dip your salad into the dressing instead of drowning it in it, and you’ll be able to stay on target and satisfied. Opt for these lower carb salad dressings (all nutrition info is per serving):
- Bleu Cheese Marzetti packet (2g NC, 21g F, 1g P)
- Buttermilk Ranch Marzetti packet (2g NC, 22g F, 0g P)
- Light Italian Marzetti packet (2g NC, 1g F, 0g P)
- Royal Caesar Marzetti packet (2g NC, 18g F, 1g P)
- Thousand Island Marzetti packet (6g NC, 21g F, 0g P)
- Balsamic Vinaigrette cup (Entree portion: 7g NC, 21g F, 0g P; Side portion: 4g NC, 10g F, 0g P)
- Creamy Italian cup (Entree portion: 3g NC, 37g F, 0g P; Side portion: 2g NC, 18g F, 0g P)
- Ranch cup (Entree portion: 4g NC, 23g F, 2g P; Side portion: 2g NC, 11g F, <1g P)
- Romano cup (Entree portion: 6g NC, 33g F, 2g P)
What to avoid: There are a lot of salad toppings that are very poor choices for keto dieters. Steer clear of any bread items, such as croutons or crackers. Root veggies like carrots can add unwanted carbs. Also skip the dressing on your salad and always order it on the side – it’s easier to keep track of how many servings you’ve had that way.