Is Parmesan cheese keto?
Keto-friendly 0.3 g net carbs per two tablespoons grated (10 g) — 2% of a 20 g keto day.
Short answer: Yes. Two tablespoons grated (10 g) of parmesan cheese: 0.3 g net carbs — 2% of a strict 20 g keto day — with 2.6 g fat and 3.6 g protein.
Log parmesan cheese in KetoraFree. Weigh it once and Ketora remembers your portion.
Parmesan is a long-aged, very high-protein cheese with little lactose left. Baked into crisps it replaces crackers, and grated it replaces breadcrumbs.
How parmesan cheese fits a keto carb budget
On a 20 g day you could eat about 66.6 servings before reaching the limit — in practice parmesan cheese will never be what pushes you over.
Worked example. 10 g of parmesan cheese = 0.3 g total carbs − 0 g fibre = 0.3 g net carbs, 2.6 g fat, 3.6 g protein and 39 kcal.
Buying a packaged or flavoured parmesan cheese product? Run its label through the net carb calculator — added sugars change the picture quickly.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per two tablespoons grated (10 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 392 kcal | 39 kcal |
| Fat | 25.8 g | 2.6 g |
| Protein | 35.8 g | 3.6 g |
| Total carbohydrate | 3.2 g | 0.3 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Net carbs | 3.2 g | 0.3 g |
Where the energy comes from:
How to eat parmesan cheese on keto
- Bake small piles at 200 °C for 5 minutes for crunchy cheese crisps.
- Mix with crushed pork rinds as a breadcrumb coating.
Keto recipes with parmesan cheese
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
- Zucchini Noodles with Garlic and Parmesan
- Keto Creamed Spinach
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Keto Zucchini Lasagna
- Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Keto Alfredo Sauce with Zoodles
- Almond Flour and Flax Keto Crackers
- Crispy Keto Onion Rings (Oven or Air Fryer)
- Parmesan Crisps (Keto Chips)
Compared with other dairy foods
Parmesan cheese ranks #5 of 10 dairy foods in our database by net carbs per 100 g (lowest first). Full-fat, unsweetened dairy fits; milk sugar (lactose) is the thing to watch.
| Food | Net carbs / 100 g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | 0.7 g | 0.7 g |
| Cheddar cheese | 1.3 g | 0.4 g |
| Mozzarella | 2.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Heavy cream | 2.8 g | 0.8 g |
| Cottage cheese | 3.4 g | 3.8 g |
| Greek yogurt (plain, full-fat) | 4 g | 3.4 g |
See all dairy foods ranked by net carbs →
Frequently asked questions
How many net carbs are in parmesan cheese?
Parmesan cheese has about 3.2 g of net carbs per 100 g (3.2 g total carbohydrate minus 0 g fibre), and about 0.3 g per two tablespoons grated (10 g).
Can you eat parmesan cheese on keto?
Yes. A typical serving uses 2% of a strict 20 g net-carb day.
Values are per 100 g of the raw or stated food, rounded, from USDA FoodData Central. Brands and varieties differ — check the label for packaged products.