42 Low Carb Pumpkin Recipes You HAVE To Try This Fall

Once again we’re making our way back into pumpkin and pumpkin spice season, which is an exciting time for many. Without a doubt, pumpkin is one of the key flavors of fall, yet the vegetable has more to offer than just its taste.

Instead, pumpkin is also an especially healthy food, offering a range of health benefits and being a good source of nutrients. This includes the fiber, vitamin A and potassium that you find in pumpkin, in addition to plant-based compounds like carotenoids and phytosterols. These are also highly relevant to your health.

Pumpkin is also incredibly versatile. That versatility makes it a powerful option for cooking and is partly why you find pumpkin in both sweet and savory dishes.

With this post, I’m highlighting a range of low carb pumpkin recipes, which can help you take advantage of the taste profile of pumpkin in a (mostly) healthy way.

I’ve chosen to focus on low carb pumpkin recipes because many people ​do turn to a low carb or even a ketogenic diet as a way to stay healthy or lose weight. This type of diet can be powerful and it is also something that can easily be a lifestyle, rather than just a diet that you follow for a short period of time.

But, don’t worry if you’re not following a low carb diet.

All of the recipes on this list are appealing in their own right and are well worth trying. In most cases, you wouldn’t even notice that these recipes are low carb.

So, let’s dive in, shall we?

One food choice that people often find themselves missing on a low carb diet is bread, but this Keto Pumpkin Bread Loaf is the perfect remedy for that issue. Not only does the bread look great (and probably tastes amazing as well), but it’s also a great way to get your fall flavors, regardless of the time of the day. I can easily imagine this bread as a fast breakfast when you’re rushing out the door or as part of a more complex lunch.

The end result of this recipe is a fairly dense loaf of bread that is a little bit like a protein bar. That’s not a bad thing though, especially if you happen to be short on time or just want something a little bit different. The author does note that you can add pistachios on top but doing so means more carbs and the end product doesn’t taste as good. Besides, if you’re a fan of pumpkin, you don’t want anything drowning out that flavor.

These Pumpkin Cookie Balls are a not-too-sweet low carb option for a pumpkin-based dessert. In fact, these cookie balls are a pretty healthy all round option for a desert, averaging 65 calories a piece along with 1.1 g of protein. ​Their appearance is fun as well. The cookie balls end up looking like mini pumpkins. This would make them perfect for a party or some other type of event.

I’m not a huge bagel fan myself but these Low Carb Pumpkin Bagels were simply too good to pass up. Their color alone is beautiful and you could probably tell they are pumpkin-based just by glancing at them. Because of the nature of the recipe and ingredients, the author does recommend refrigerating them overnight to help retain their shape. So, if you’re going to make them, it’s best to plan ahead. Still, the end result is certainly worth the effort.

These bagels are also a good choice simply because they check so many nutritional boxes. In particular, they are free from grains and from nuts, while the author also provides paleo and dairy free options. As such, you can eat these on almost any type of diet. That’s great if you have a fussy household or deal with multiple dietary restrictions.

For any pumpkin pie fans, this Pumpkin Pie Frozen Custard has to be tried to be believed. The dessert is perfect for the end of summer and the beginning of fall when the days are still fairly warm and the season for pumpkin flavors is just beginning. But, let’s be honest, frozen desserts can still be appealing even in the middle of fall or winter.

Now, this recipe is designed for an ice cream maker and it relies on pumpkin spice rather than pumpkin itself, so it isn’t a good choice for everyone. However, I’ve included it on this list simply because it is so appealing. Additionally, there are still some health benefits to be had, especially as the recipe makes use of eggs, cinnamon and ginger.

While we’re on the subject of frozen desserts, here’s another option. This time, the recipe is for Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream. Additionally, the recipe does make use of actual pumpkin (pureed) as an ingredient. You can also make the recipe with or without an ice cream maker and the site contains instructions for either approach.

The recipe is one that might seem complicated at first but when you get down to it this ice cream is surprisingly easy to make. Just be warned, it is a very appealing treat so you may end up eating more of it than you intended to.

Pumpkin pie is one of the classic recipes for fall so I had to include at least one example on the list. In this case, the recipe is for a Crustless Pumpkin Pie, so you get all of the wonderful pumpkin flavors with fewer potential areas for carbs. The lack of crust also makes this an exceptionally easy recipe to make and it only involves 5 ingredients.

So, the recipe ends up being a great option for those of us who are good cooks, as well as those who aren’t very good at following recipes. Plus, from the end product, you wouldn’t even realize that this is such a simple recipe to create.

With all the pumpkin-flavored sweet treats out there, it’s easy to forget the savory options, like this Creamy Pumpkin Curry. My favorite thing about this recipe is probably the bright color, as it’s a great way to liven up a meal. Much of that color will come from the pumpkin itself but some will also be connected to the use of turmeric powder.

Regardless of where the color comes from, this recipe is amazing and is certainly worth trying out, especially on crisp nights in fall and winter.

I had a lot of trouble picking a pumpkin recipe from this particular site because there were multiple options that could have worked equally well on this list. However, I picked the Chia Pumpkin Pudding mostly because chia seeds have been pretty popular lately and chia puddings are a pretty healthy and tasty option normally. Adding pumpkins into the mix just makes the pudding that much better.

Another plus is that this is a very simple recipe to make. It also doesn’t use all that many ingredients and you’ll probably have most of them in your cupboard already, especially if you make other types of low carb recipes.

My favorite thing about this Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse is the way that it looks visually, although I have to admit that the flavor seems like it would be wonderful as well. The recipe itself just involves a handful of ingredients and is extremely easy to create, as you’re mostly just blending everything together.

The end result is the mousse that you see in the image, which really is everything that mousse should be and a welcome break from chocolate mousse that seems to be everywhere. Besides, it’s pumpkin season, so pumpkin-flavored everything really is a must.

When making these lists, I typically try not to include the same dish more than once. But, this Chia Pumpkin Pudding is an exception to that rule, mostly because it is very different than the previous chia pudding that I mentioned. As the image shows, this recipe also has the advantage of working for people on a Paleo diet, as well as for those who are avoiding dairy products and grains.

Beyond all of those benefits, the recipe is surprisingly healthy and even the whipped cream is healthy, as it isn’t whipped cream in the traditional sense.

Pancakes have always been one of my favorite options for breakfast but most of the time they aren’t an especially healthy choice. These Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes are an exception to that rule, as they manage to be low in calories and are free from refined sugars too.

However, the really impressive thing about these pancakes is that they also manage to be high in fiber and protein. High protein is a great option for breakfast food, because it means that the pancakes are going to keep you feeling full for much longer than regular food would. Besides, don’t they just look amazing on the plate?

Speaking of breakfast foods, these Paleo Pumpkin Waffles are another choice, especially for those of you that prefer waffles to pancakes. The one catch here is that the recipe does require a waffle iron but that was pretty much a given and if you like waffles, you’re going to have a waffle iron.

Based on the recipe, the waffles seem like they would be fairly easy to make and most of the ingredients are fairly common as well. You don’t have to be Paleo to eat these waffles either, as most Paleo food ends up tasting good to just about everyone.

Protein smoothies can be great for pretty much any time of the day and this Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie are no exception to that rule. Personally though, I think this smoothie would be just right for breakfast and the perfect way to get your day going on a good note. Besides, the flavor is much more interesting than what you typically find with protein smoothies and is a must for any pumpkin lover.

On a side note, the author does also offer the nutritional information for this recipe if this is something that you tend to pay close attention to.

Beyond just roasting pumpkin, there tend to be relatively few low carb dinner recipes that take advantage of pumpkin flavors. However, this Pumpkin Soup with Curry and Coconut is a good savory choice. I really love the flavors in this particular recipe, especially as curry and coconut tend to work together really well anyway.

I always imagine this type of recipe as an entrée in the dead of winter but, really, it is something you could prepare any time of the year. And, the soup is a perfect example of the fall flavors that so many of us love.

While we are on the topic of soups, have you ever noticed how almost all pumpkin soups tend to rely on a creamy texture? Well, that isn’t the case with this Turkey Sausage, Kale and Pumpkin Soup. Here, pumpkin doesn’t really influence the texture of the soup and it is just one flavor of many.

That’s not a bad thing though and you’re getting a pretty hearty soup with a number of healthy ingredients. In many ways, the soup may end up being more satisfying than the traditional creamy pumpkin soup. Besides, it can be nice to try something different every once in a while.

These Pumpkin Pie Bars would make the perfect dessert option for after dinner, especially if your dinner included one of the soups above. As the author notes, this is a dessert, so it’s still relatively high in calories and relies on fat rather than carbs for richness. That’s not a bad thing and honestly fat tends to be demonized and isn’t nearly as bad as most people assume.

Besides that, you’ll often notice that desserts that rely on fat tend to be more satisfying than those that do not. So, you end up eating less overall and most of the time you won’t end up craving another slice soon after you are done.

This final entry to the list is another type of snack that you might be familiar with: Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes. I love the way that these ones are presented in the image because they really are so seasonal. However, you don’t have to wait until Christmas to make them. Instead, they are the perfect fall snack or treat. The small size of the cupcakes is also very appealing, although you could also use larger muffin cups if you wanted to.