Keto at Subway
Last updated September 8, 2026 · Compiled by the CarbMeNot Team
Yes, you can absolutely eat keto at Subway, but only if you ditch the bread. The single most important move is to order any sub as a "salad bowl" (also called a chopped salad) instead of on a roll or wrap. That swaps the highest-carb part of the meal for a bed of lettuce and lets you build a meal that fits a keto day.
Keto means staying under roughly 20-50g net carbs per day, and net carbs = total carbs minus fiber. At Subway, your carbs come almost entirely from the bread, breaded chicken, croutons, and sweet sauces, not from the meat, cheese, and most vegetables. Pile on the protein, add cheese and avocado, choose oil, vinegar, mayo, or ranch, and skip the sugary condiments. Build it that way and a Subway lunch easily lands in single-digit net carbs while still being filling.
What to order (per item, as modified)
Real menu items with the bun, bread, rice or sweet sauce removed — numbers are per item as ordered, not per 100 g.
| Order | Net carbs | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotisserie-Style Chicken Protein BowlProtein Bowl (No Bready Bowl), rotisserie chicken, oil & vinegar | — | — | — | — |
| Oven-Roasted Turkey Protein BowlTurkey Protein Bowl, no sauce | 7g | 560 | 38g | 42g |
| Grilled Chicken Protein BowlGrilled Chicken Protein Bowl, no sauce | 9g | 620 | 48g | 44g |
| Steak Philly Protein BowlSteak Philly bowl (includes cheese) | 11g | 630 | 43g | 46g |
| Roast Beef Protein BowlRoast Beef Protein Bowl | 11g | 610 | 48g | 42g |
| Tuna Protein BowlTuna Protein Bowl | 6g | 750 | 41g | 62g |
| Italian B.M.T. Protein BowlB.M.T. Protein Bowl | 11g | 820 | 40g | 68g |
| Black Forest Ham Protein BowlHam Protein Bowl | 11g | 580 | 36g | 43g |
| Chicken & Bacon Ranch Protein BowlChicken & Bacon Ranch bowl | 10g | 760 | 55g | 55g |
| Tuna Salad (chopped salad, no dressing)Tuna salad, no dressing | 6g | 410 | — | 32g |
| Oven-Roasted Turkey Salad (no dressing)Turkey salad, no dressing | 7g | 410 | — | 33g |
| Egg & Cheese, no bread (egg patty + American)Egg & Cheese in a bowl / no bread | 3g | 260 | 14g | 22g |
| Avoid: 6-inch Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken sub— | 51g | 430 | 29g | 11g |
| Avoid: Footlong Chocolate Chip Cookie— | 173g | 1330 | 14g | 61g |
| Avoid: Chocolate Chip Cookie— | 29.5g | 210 | 2g | 10g |
As served with the bun or bread (for comparison)
Protein Bowls = footlong meat portion + lettuce, spinach, tomato, onion, green pepper, cucumber, olives; NO cheese/sauce unless noted. Salads = 6-inch meat portion + veg + cheese, no dressing. Breads listed separately, so bunless is native to the PDF.
- 6-inch Artisan Italian Bread — reference (what you're skipping) — 38g net carbs, 210 cal as served · order: —
Sauces that are fine: Mayonnaise (0 g carbs), Olive Oil Blend (0 g carbs), Red Wine Vinegar (0 g carbs), Buffalo Sauce (0 g carbs), Yellow Mustard (1 g carbs), Peppercorn Ranch (1 g carbs), Baja Chipotle (1 g carbs), Roasted Garlic Aioli (1 g carbs), MVP Parmesan Vinaigrette (1 g carbs), Cheddar Cheese Sauce (1 g carbs). Skip: Creamy Sriracha (2 g carbs), Honey Mustard (3 g carbs), BBQ Sauce (6 g carbs), Subkrunch topping (6 g carbs), Sweet Onion Teriyaki (7 g carbs), Hot Honey Sauce (8 g carbs).
Source: official nutrition data (January 2026 (U.S. Nutrition Information PDF, page header)); modifications computed from published component values where the calculator does not offer them. Menus change — verify in store.
Tips
- Order it as a salad bowl (chopped salad), not a sub or wrap. The bread and the flatbread/wrap are the biggest carb load on the menu, so removing them is the whole game. Most locations charge about the same and pile your fillings over lettuce.
- Pick real meat, not breaded. Rotisserie chicken, steak, turkey, ham, bacon, tuna, and meatballs (without the sauce) are fine. Avoid the crispy/breaded chicken patty and the buffalo or sweet-glazed chicken, which add breading and sugar.
- Load up on free vegetables that are low-carb: lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, green peppers, banana peppers, jalapenos, olives, and pickles. Go easy on or skip onions, and skip the corn entirely since it spikes the carbs.
- Add fat to make it a real meal: double cheese, avocado, and bacon keep you full. These are where keto-friendly calories should come from once the bread is gone.
- Choose oil and vinegar, mayo, or ranch for dressing. Avoid sweet onion, honey mustard, teriyaki glaze, BBQ, and most 'sweet' sauces. Yellow mustard is fine; chipotle southwest and Baja are low but check since they vary.
- Watch the drink and sides. Skip the cookies, chips, and any sugary fountain drink. Go for water, unsweetened iced tea, or a diet soda instead.
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Frequently asked questions
- Can you order a Subway sandwich without the bread?
- Yes. Ask for any sub to be made as a salad bowl or chopped salad. The staff put all the same meat, cheese, and veggies into a bowl over lettuce instead of on a roll. This is the standard keto order at Subway and removes nearly all the carbs in one move.
- Is Subway tuna keto-friendly?
- Yes, Subway's tuna is mixed with mayo, which is keto-friendly and adds fat. Get it as a salad bowl with extra veggies and cheese. Just skip the bread and any sweet sauce on top, and tuna is one of the easiest low-carb picks on the menu.
- What sauces at Subway are keto-safe?
- Oil and vinegar, regular mayo, ranch, and yellow mustard are your safest low-carb choices. Avoid sweet onion, honey mustard, teriyaki, and BBQ, which are loaded with sugar. Chipotle southwest and Baja chipotle are usually low-carb but vary by location, so check if you're being strict.
- Is the Subway rotisserie chicken or steak keto?
- Yes. Plain rotisserie-style chicken and steak are mostly protein with very few carbs, so both are great keto bases. Just avoid the breaded crispy chicken patty and any sweet-glazed or buffalo chicken, which add breading and sugar. Build them into a salad bowl with cheese and veggies.
CarbMeNot provides general nutrition information, not medical advice. Values are estimates — verify before relying on them for any health decision. See our Medical Disclaimer.