The Best Weird Low-Carb Food Combos, Explained

Ahhhh, nothing like some creamy, rich cottage cheese and….hot sauce? While it may raise a few eyebrows, hot sauce and cottage cheese is a big social media trend right now, with people swearing the pairing is delicious.

It got us thinking: what makes something like peanut butter and pickles or hot sauce and cottage cheese an ideal weird food combo? And can these unexpected food combos spice up a low-carb snacking menu, or even full meals? 

Why Weird Food Combos Work

Humans crave versatility in our diet. We desire the full spectrum of gastronomic diversity: sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, sour, rich, gelatinous… you name it. In fact, a varied diet is good for your health, which is why it has inspired dietary fads like "rainbow plate" diet system.

So weird food combos work primarily because they contrast differing notes in flavor or texture that we crave, but don’t often see in a single dish. Some people also subscribe to the "flavor pairing" theory, where foods with similar key underlying aromas pair well,  like cherries and black olive, even if they seem very different at first glance.  

The Best Low-Carb Weird Food Combos to Try

Peanut Butter & Pickles

This one's a classic in the world of weird food combos, because it's so, so wrong, and yet so right. Sweet, meet salty. Creamy, meet crunchy. Peanut butter is moderately low in carbs and contains both fiber and healthy fats. And pickles are a great low-carb option as long as you are choosing pickles that do not use sugar. So if you’re craving a weird food combo, this is a great option to start with.

Avocado & dark chocolate

For many people trying to maintain a low-carb, low-sugar diet, dessert is one of the trickiest cravings to satisfy. Dark chocolate, which is subtle, sweet, smooth, and full of antioxidants, is a classic low-carb sweet treat for a reason. But what if you want a more filling dessert option? Enter avocado, which has sweet undertones itself, making it pair well with the chocolate, and is packed with healthy fats to fill you up and give you energy.

Cottage Cheese & Hot Sauce

The rise of cottage cheese queso, buffalo dips, and more have made this one go viral. Cottage cheese is a rich, low-carb treat, and its versatile creaminess means it can be used as a base ingredient for sweet or savory foods. This surprising combo is on the savory side, with the cottage cheese not only serving as a base, but providing a cooling element in case the hot sauce is too spicy.

Bacon & Peanut Butter

Ever had an Elvis sandwich? Famously, Elvis Presley loved peanut butter sandwiches with banana and bacon. Health food? No. Tasty? Yes, actually. Of course, neither bread nor bananas are particularly low carb… but bacon and peanut butter are an incredible high-protein, fat-right combo on their own. Try dropping them on your next chaffle. The smoky saltiness of the bacon combines with the sweet creamy (or crunchy, if you prefer) peanut butter for a flavor bomb fit for,  well, a King.

Tuna & mustard

Feeling a bit French, but don't want the carb bomb that is a baguette? While tuna with mustard may be an unusual food combo for Americans, in France, it's part of a classic summer dish. Salade Nicoise, the traditional French salad made with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and more, is dressed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette that makes the fish and vegetables even livelier. The best part? Between the fish and eggs, it's protein-rich and filling, while still being low on carbs.

Cucumber & Peanut Butter

The perhaps more elegant cousin to pickles and peanut butter, try peanut butter with plain cucumber. The restrained sweetness of cucumber (did you know that they're technically melons?) pairs well with the rich flavor explosion of peanut butter to balance it out, for a surprisingly refreshing treat.

Pork Rinds & Guacamole

This unusual combo is an excellent alternative to nachos. This tangy, salty treat is a study in texture contrasts, with smooth, creamy guacamole set off by crispy, crackly pork rinds. Odd? Maybe, but undeniably tempting.

How to Choose Low-Carb Food Combos

One of the great things about unusual food pairings is the power to make substitutions, so you can use a high-protein, or high-fat base for your combo, like cheese, meat, or avocado. As with all low-carb cooking, try to keep starch and sweets to a minimum, and use strong flavors like vinegar, hot sauce, or low-carb fruits like berries to give your combo a kick in the tastebuds.

Final Thoughts

While experts like the team at Virta will help you come up with a food plan that works for you, the actual details of individual dishes and snacks are often up to you. So go wild trying new weird and wonderful flavor combos, as long as they meet your goals! You never know when you'll stumble upon a new surprise hit.

‍

‍