Want to make your soup tastier, healthier, and prettier? Here are 65 soup garnishes, toppings, sprinkles, and drizzles that are perfectly keto-friendly. Learn what makes a garnish keto-approved, how to choose keto garnishes for your soup, and other uses for these crunchy, creamy, tangy, tasty keto accompaniments.

I used to think garnishes were big sprigs of parsley tossed unceremoniously on the edge of a plate to add a bit of color. They were more of a distraction than anything. I mean, no one ever ate the parsley, did they?

When I started watching Food Network and began eating at restaurants more high-end than Denny's, I was introduced to the world of real garnishes. Things like microgreens drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette, finely chopped herbs that are meant to be eaten, crispy fried tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cheddar atop a bowl of chili.

So today I am sharing 65 keto-friendly garnishes that not only make your soup prettier but also boost the nutrition content and make your soup ridiculously tasty.

Toss the notion of a sprig of parsley as the only type of garnish and enter the colorful and flavorful world of keto garnishes.

And PS, these garnishes can be used on foods other than soup. Use these keto garnishes to make meat and seafood dishes, omelets, stews, and vegetable more appealing.

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

See how these keto-friendly garnishes made these soups look super appealing?

What are garnishes?

The word garnish means "a decoration or embellishment for something, especially food." Garnishes are usually herbs, greens, veggies, oils, nuts, or seeds.

Garnishes can be as simple as tossing chopped green onions on your scrambled eggs, or it could be elaborately carved radishes or edible flowers.

Why add a keto-friendly garnish to your soup?

Garnishes make your soup and food visually appealing.

Remember when your elementary school had grilled cheese and tomato soup day? The soup might have tasted good (I thought Dover Elementary School in Westlake, Ohio made kick-ass tomato soup) but it probably looked a little boring.

No shade, because school cooks don’t have the budget or the time to make lunchtime pretty.

Now imagine that same bowl of tomato soup with a few fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan on top. Suddenly your soup more colorful, more flavorful, and more appealing. By adding a few simple ingredients you have “elevated the dish” as they say on Food Network.

We eat with our eyes first, so garnishes make mealtime more fun.

Garnishes enhance the flavor of your dish.

A few bacon crumbles add saltiness and fat to a bland creamy cauliflower soup, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar may add a bit of much-needed acid to a soup.

Well-chosen keto garnishes make your soup taste better.

Garnishes add nutritional value to your meal.

Microgreens add color and texture to a keto soup, but did you know microgreens are super healthy?? (If not, check out this post: Are Microgreens Keto? 10 Ways to Eat Microgreens)

Many popular garnishes like herbs, chopped or sliced veggies, extra-virgin olive oil, capers, or toasted walnuts add vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and healthy fats to your dish.

Not only are those artfully arranged basil leaves and Parmesan shavings adding color and interest to your tomato soup, but they are also boosting the health benefits.

Garnishes can help you identify what you are eating.

If I gave you a bowl of creamy white pureed soup would you know if it was potato, cauliflower, or mushroom soup by sight alone?

Imagine that white cauliflower soup topped with a few small pieces of raw or roasted cauliflower and a dash of smoked paprika. It’s as if the bowl has a nametag saying “I’m cauliflower soup.”

Garnishing a dish with one of its ingredients helps your family or your guests know what to expect.

Related: Enjoy delicious, healthy soups (and lose weight fast) on Dr. Kellyann’s 5 Day Cleanse and Reset

“When life hands you lemons, either make a keto-friendly margarita or use them as a garnish.”

— The Keto Minimalist

What makes a keto-friendly soup garnish?

Garnishes can be keto foods like herbs, nuts, seeds, low-carb veggies, and oils.

A garnish is keto-friendly if it is low in carbs. Even better if a garnish is high in fat too.

Because garnishes are not the main part of the meal, you won’t be eating much in one sitting. So garnishing a bowl of keto chili with a corn tortilla chip probably isn’t a big deal. But with so many keto-friendly soup garnishes, why add extra carbs?

Avoid high-carb soup garnishes if you follow a keto diet.

If you are a low-carb eater, avoid garnishes like croutons, tortilla strips, roasted corn, crackers, breadsticks, potato chips, or dried fruit which are definitely not keto.

How to choose which keto-friendly garnishes to use with your soup?

You don't have to be a chef to choose colorful and flavorful keto garnishes, but do try to channel your inner Bobby Flay. Ultimately what you use to garnish your meal should taste good to YOU.

Tips for choosing keto garnishes for soup:

Use herbs and spices that are already in your recipe. I love making a pumpkin turmeric soup and I garnish with a little sour cream topped with a sprinkle of turmeric. No worries about flavor clashes.
Dollops of sour cream, crème fraîche, or a drizzle of heavy cream pair well with spicy soups, stews, and chilis.
Use garnishes with contrasting colors. (Garnishing green broccoli soup with chopped green pepper and fresh parsley would be like keto camouflage.)
Use care when garnishing with spicy flavors, particularly if your keto soup is spicy too. Try a pinch of red pepper flakes, OR a few thin slices of fresh jalapeno, OR a teensy drizzle of Szechuan chili oil.
If you use a salty garnish like bacon or smoked nuts, avoid other salty garnishes like Parmesan cheese or capers.
Add texture to a creamy soup with a crunchy garnish.
Bacon goes with everything in my not-so-humble opinion.

Related: I garnished my soups and bone broth when I did Dr. Kellyann’s 21-Day Bone Broth Diet!

65 Keto-Friendly Soup Garnishes that are Ridiculously Tasty

Now it’s time to get cooking (and garnishing) with 65 garnishes that are keto-friendly.

65 Keto-Friendly Soup Garnishes and Toppings that are Ridiculously Tasty:

Chopped raw nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts.
Pork rinds, whole or crumbled.
A dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, or full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Pickled red onions or other pickled vegetables.
Parmesan salad crisps like these.
Ground spices like regular or smoked paprika, turmeric, curry powder, nutmeg, or cinnamon.
Bacon crumbles.
Toasted or smoked nuts, with or without salt or added seasonings.
Seasoned mayonnaise or aioli, either purchased or homemade.
Toasted sesame oil.
Seeds like pumpkin (pepitas), and sunflower seeds, either raw or toasted.
Mushrooms, raw or cooked. Think white button mushrooms, enoki, morel, or portobello.
Sliced or chopped avocado.
Toasted unsweetened coconut.
Mini pepperoni or regular pepperoni sliced into thin strips.
Spiced sprouted sunflower seeds like these from Pimp My Salad.
Crunchy keto snack mix like NuTrail Keto Snack Mix. It's a combo of almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, pepitas, and to top it off delicious Cheddar Cheese Puffs This is great on salads as a crouton substitute.
Baked kale chips.
Nori or toasted seaweed.
Chopped green onions (I always keep green onions on hand and add them to EVERYTHING).
Freshly snipped chives.
Gourmet mustards.
Thinly sliced or chopped raw veggies like red onion, green pepper, shaved carrot, jalapeno pepper, red, yellow, or green bell pepper, or radishes.
Microgreens. See this post for serving ideas.
Chopped fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, basil, and dill. Fresh is best, but in a pinch, you can use dried.
Cooked or roasted veggies.
Finishing salts (taste your soup first and be careful not to overdo it!) Finishing salts are larger crystals, usually of sea salt, designed to add texture and taste to a finished dish.
Slivered almonds.
Halved cherry tomatoes.
Chopped roasted red pepper.
A tiny drizzle of Szechuan Chinese chili oil. I am addicted to this stuff and I make my own. (You can find the recipe here and it’s so easy to make!) Warning, it's hot but oh so good!
Edible flowers like dandelion, hibiscus, or lavender.
A drizzle of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Herb-infused oils. They are decadent, add so much flavor and keto-friendly fat, AND the bottles are beautiful to display on a counter. I buy mine from Amazon.
A few drops of soy sauce - use sparingly!
Hot sauce. There are so many fun varieties on the market.
Grated or shredded cheese. Think Parmesan, extra-sharp cheddar, gouda, Swiss or even shredded cheese blends like Italian or Mexican.
Cheese crumbles like blue cheese, feta, and gorgonzola.
A few perfectly cooked shrimp.
A little mound of real crabmeat (not krab which is not keto).
Kimchi.
A halved soft-boiled egg (think of the presentation at a high-end ramen restaurant).
Chopped hard-boiled egg.
A little mound of shredded chicken, beef, or pork.
Capers.
Fresh ground black or tri-colored peppercorns.
A splash of lemon or lime juice.
Sprouts, like alfalfa, pea, or mung bean.
A drizzle of vinegar. Balsamic, herb-infused vinegar, red wine, or other flavored vinegar.
Pinch of red pepper flakes (use caution if you are serving those who don’t like spicy food).
A spoonful of pesto (homemade or store-bought).
Squash blossoms, raw or fried.
Salsa or pico de gallo.
A scoop of guacamole.
Chopped or sliced green or black olives.
Sriracha sauce (use sparingly).
Grated fresh ginger.
Finely chopped lemon, lime, orange peel, or any citrus zest.
Thinly sliced garlic fried in butter until golden brown.
Caramelized onions.
Olive tapenade.
Truffle oil.
Shaved truffles (if you are really fancy!)
Caviar or salmon roe.

You can find some keto-friendly soup garnishes (and other keto pantry staples) on Amazon and have them shipped right to your door. See: 182 Keto Pantry Foods You Can Order From Amazon To Save Time And Money

Other uses for keto-friendly soup garnishes.

Garnishes are not just for soup. You can use any of these 65 keto-friendly garnishes to enhance flavor, boost nutrition, and make other types of keto dishes more visually appealing.

In real talk, you can wow yourself, your family, and friends when you up your garnish game.

Use keto-friendly garnishes on:

salads
scrambled or fried eggs
fish or seafood
beef, chicken, pork dishes
roasted, steamed, or stir-fried veggies
mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice

I hope you found this decidedly non-minimalist list of keto soup garnishes helpful. Use it as inspiration to make your soups (and salads, veggies, and main dishes) prettier, tastier, and healthier!

Bon appétit

—The Keto Minimalist

Struggling with keto?

If you are not losing weight, or can't shake the keto flu, or are not getting the results you want, check out the Keto Resources page. It has links to helpful keto content. 😊

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