Golden Corral KETO Friendly Options for 2023 (Low-Carb Buffet?!)

written by

Husein Gradasevic

research-based

When your cravings are at their peak, and you want to get the most bang for your buck, look no further than Golden Corral! They have an all-you-can-eat buffet with a diverse range of food options. The immense variety makes sure that there is something for everyone inside – whether you are keto, vegan, paleo, etc.

So what’s keto-friendly at Golden Corral?

Golden Corral has an endless number of low-carb options that fit into the keto carb limit. Examples include BBQ beef, Country-Style Steak, BBQ chicken thighs, bacon, and more. If you follow the basic keto principles (like no bread, minimum sauces, nothing sweet), you can have virtually anything at this buffet place!

Dining out on keto can be a risky endeavor, especially at restaurants like Golden Corral – where you have tons and tons of options to choose from. A simple mistake here can cost you your hard-earned ketosis!

That’s where I come in! In this article, I’ll take you through EVERYTHING keto at Golden Corral. You’ll not just find the least-carb options, but also discover some common pitfalls to avoid here on keto!

Table of Contents

How To Survive Keto at Golden Corral Buffet

Golden Corral empowers you with the “freedom” to eat what you love! Their buffet has almost 150 different options that cater to the varying needs of their customers.

It’s pretty easy to find a keto-friendly dish at Golden Corral. They have over 50 low-carb dishes in all the sections ranging from Beef to Bread, Chicken, and even Seafood. So, finding one that’s good enough for you shouldn’t be a problem.

All of the meat options like beef/chicken/turkey come in plenty of variations. For example, a 4 oz beef cheeseburger contains 42g of carbs. On the other hand, a bacon-wrapped Sirloin Filet has only 1g of net carbs per piece.

Another example: The braised beef and veggie bowl has 31g carbs whereas the Garlic Herb Butter Sirloin will set you back by just 1g of carbs!

You see, all the meat options are extremely low-carb by default. It’s what you add to them that determines their fate on the ketogenic diet (e.g. breading, sauces, dressings, etc.)

The huge variety of food options also brings along a greater risk on a low-carb diet. So here’s what you should COMPLETELY AVOID when enjoying your keto buffet at Golden Corral:

All kinds of food with a breaded outer crust. If it tastes crunchy and a bit on the sweeter side, I’d stay away from it!
No bread, bun, tortillas, chips, etc.
Watch out for sugary sauces such as BBQ sauce, Italian Red sauce, Cranberry sauce
No beans, rice, noodles, potatoes, mac & cheese
No fruit-based salads – go for veggies instead
Starchy and sugary veggies like beans, corn, peas, etc.
All kinds of desserts – this is a no brainer for a ketogenic diet!

Also, Golden Corral serves some pretty enticing beverages. Most of the drinks are typically sweet and come with a lot of carbs. So, they aren’t really good for you as someone on a Keto diet. Stick to unsweet tea, diet coke, and water!

Nonetheless, if you’re the adventurous type and would like to have something with more carbs, you can get away with some smart portion control.

For instance, having one portion of Mandarin Orange Pork, which has 30g of net carbs, would mean compromising your diet plan. But if you are REALLY craving a bite, go and have it! (Make sure you appropriate a few carbs in this indulgence from your daily quota!)

Pro Tip: Whenever you are craving something carb-dense in a restaurant, make it a rule to have it AFTER your low-carb meal. By that time, you’d generally be full and might even give it a pass!

Without any further ado, let’s look at all the keto-friendly options available at Golden Corral.

Also Read: Tijuana Flats Low-Carb Options

Golden Corral Keto-Friendly Options

There are so many keto-friendly options at Golden Corral. Thus going through all of them would take nearly an eternity (Yeah, they’re that keto-friendly!). So, I have compiled a few of the best low-carb options on the menu, just for you.

#1. BBQ Beef:

Carbs: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 0g
Total Fats: 5g
Protein: 18g
Calories: 120Kcal

One of my favorites on the menu is the 85g portion of BBQ beef. With zero carbs, perfect spicing, and a delicate tenderness, it’s a go-to for a delicious experience.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Gluten Free options at Golden Corral

#2. BBQ Beef Ribs (Boneless)

Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 9g
Total Fats: 8g
Protein: 23g
Calories: 200Kcal

Who doesn’t love ribs? Golden Corral’s Barbequed beef ribs hit that spot we all desire while adding a few carbs to our systems.

#3. Beef Liver and Onions

Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 8g
Total Fats: 10g
Protein: 23g
Calories: 220Kcal

Beef Liver always has this distinct taste that makes it irresistible. With just 8g of net carbs, Golden Corral’s beef liver helps you stay within your carb limit and still enjoy the great taste.

#4. Country Style Steak

Carbs: 8g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 7g
Total Fats: 12g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 180Kcal

The Country Style Steak is one of my favorites on the menu. There’s something homely about this proteinous, low-carb dish that makes me enjoy it so much. Perhaps it’s the spicing and unique steak taste.

#5. Creamed Chipped Beef

Carbs: 8g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 8g
Total Fats: 12g
Protein: 7g
Calories: 170Kcal

Golden Corral’s creamed chipped beef is a true delicacy. It still maintains its deliciousness with only 8g of carbs which is quite remarkable.

#6. Basil Parmesan Flatbread

Carbs: 6g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 6g
Total Fats: 4g
Protein: 2g
Calories: 70Kcal

I usually take two slices of Golden Corral’s Basil Parmesan Flatbread occasionally. That way, I know I’m not exceeding my carb limit. Its relatively low carb content is due to the absence of yeast, which ferments bread and increases its sugar content.

#7. Bruschetta Bread

Carbs: 11g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 10g
Total Fats: 8g
Protein: 2g
Calories: 130Kcal

Bruschetta Bread is one of the delicious bread options at Golden Corral. A 43g size slice with some BBQ beef and a coke zero to wash it down should suffice for a hearty lunch.

Recommended: Lazy Dog’s Low-Carb Options

#8. BBQ Chicken Thighs (Baked Bone-in)

Carbs: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 5g
Total Fats: 24g
Protein: 28g
Calories: 350Kcal

Chicken thighs are nothing short of delicious. Highly proteinous and yummy, it barely has any carbs. Save for the spices used in making the dish, I’d have considered it a zero-carb option.

#9. BBQ Chicken Wings

Carbs: 3g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 3g
Total Fats: 12g
Protein: 15g
Calories: 180Kcal

Chicken Wings are one of Golden Corral’s masterpieces. With just 3g of net carbs per wing, you can even have four if you want and still stick to your diet.

#10. Carved Turkey – Dark Meat

Carbs: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 0g
Total Fats: 9g
Protein: 23g
Calories: 180Kcal

If you’re a fan of turkey, then you’ll love Golden Corral’s Carved Turkey. With approximately zero carbs and 180 Kcals, this dish is fantastic. The reason it’s so low in carbs is that turkey is mainly protein, so a serving contains a carb count so low that it’s negligible.

#11. Baked Fish

Carbs:1g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 1g
Total Fats: 8g
Protein: 20g
Calories: 150Kcal

I like eating fish, and Golden Corral’s baked fish always hits the spot. With just one gram of carbs and 150 Kcals, this dish is simply a keto-friendly powerhouse.

#12. Carved Salmon

Carbs: 1g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 0g
Total Fats: 6g
Protein: 15g
Calories: 130Kcal

Golden Corral’s Seafood typically has low carbs. With zero net carbs, the Carved Salmon is one dish I’d advise you to try. It’s spicy, feisty, and nothing short of wholesome.

#13. Broccoli Salad

Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 8g
Total Fats: 8g
Protein: 2g
Calories: 110Kcal

For someone looking forward to keeping a low carb value, I’d advise you to go for the Broccoli Salad. Some salads tend to be tricky as some of them can be pretty high in carbs, but with only 8g of net carbs, the Broccoli Salad is perfect.

#14. Chicken Salad

Carbs: 3g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 3g
Total Fats: 22g
Protein: 12g
Calories: 250Kcal

The chicken salad is perhaps the most delicious low-carb salad on the menu. It stays keto-friendly with just three grams of net carbs due to the fibrous veggies it’s made of. And because it’s based on chicken, it has a pretty impressive protein content.

#15. Tomato and Onion Salad

Carbs: 5g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 4g
Total Fats: 2g
Protein: 3g
Calories: 40Kcal

If you want something simple, low-carb, and low-calorie, then you should go for the Tomato and Onion Salad. The vegetable content — mainly tomato and onion slices with a few other greens — keeps the net carbs pretty low

#16. Chicken Noodle Soup

Carbs: 12g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 12g
Total Fats: 1.5g
Protein: 6g
Calories: 80Kcal

Golden Corral’s Chicken Noodle Soup doesn’t fall short of standards. With bits of spiced chicken, the noodle soup is pretty delicious and has a reasonable carb count of 12 grams.

#17. Vegetable Beef Soup

Carbs: 14g
Fiber: 2g
Net Carbs: 12g
Total Fats: 1g
Protein: 4g
Calories: 80Kcal

Typical vegetable beef soup is quite good, but Golden Corral upped theirs to the max while keeping it low-carb. Containing vegetables ranging from mixed greens to tomatoes, the soup is quite a healthy and wholesome meal.

#18. BBQ Pork

Carbs: 5g
Fiber: 1g
Net Carbs: 4g
Total Fats: 8g
Protein: 18g
Calories: 170Kcal

Who doesn’t love barbecued pork? Golden Corral’s comes spiced, delicately BBQed, incredibly yummy, and low-carb.

#19. Bacon

Carbs: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 0g
Total Fats: 30g
Protein: 25g
Calories: 400Kcal

Everybody loves bacon. And Golden Corral’s is so good that even the three-slice portion comes with zero carbs but is quite heavy on the calories with 400 Kcals!

#20. Italian Sausage with Onions and Pepper

Carbs: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 0g
Total Fats: 15g
Protein: 14g
Calories: 200Kcal

Italian Sausage is one of the many dishes you can make with pork, and Golden Corral is no novice in that area. With zero net carbs, the Italian Sausage is one of my favorites in the pork section.

Conclusion

Here you have it, folks. These are my top keto-friendly options at Golden Corral. As aforementioned, they have quite a lot of low-carb dishes — over 50! So, I had to show you just my top picks.

If you want more options, check out their full nutrition guide to know the exact carbs in every item.

Lastly, I’d rank Golden Corral as one of the best restaurants when it comes to diet-friendly options. Because of their wide range of low-carb dishes, it’s pretty easy for you or any other keto enthusiast to walk in and have a good meal without worries.

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