“How could I not feature garlic snails (escargot) on my blog? While many cringe at the thought of eating snails, they were one of my favourite things to order in a restaurant when I was very young. My mom also prepared them often on Saturday nights. Back in South Africa, we could purchase them from the supermarket, but here in England they aren’t so easily available. I need to order them online. I even got the retro snail dishes #NERD. I infused the butter with garlic to avoid the chewing on clumps of garlic, which is a nifty little process to know. That is an optional step. Be sure to mop the butter up with a slice or two of keto bread. I have plenty on the site in the Breads recipe section on this site.” – Monya
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Fats of Life® is a keto and low carb recipe blog that I love to run as a hobby in my spare time. I am also the author of the best-selling Keto Kitchen Series of cookbooks. This includes my debut best-seller Keto Kitchen (2020). The fun and exciting Lazy Keto Kitchen (2021). And, the clever and inspiring Budget Keto Kitchen (2022). My 4th cookbook, Quick Keto Kitchen (2023) is as fantastic as the first three, and packed with spectacular, easy creations!
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The links above will take you to Amazon UK. For USA and other countries, see the global Amazon links here: Keto Kitchen ; Lazy Keto Kitchen ; Budget Keto Kitchen ; Quick Keto Kitchen.
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More on Keto Garlic Snails (Escargot)…
Escargot, or cooked land snails, is enjoyed as a delicacy in various cuisines and can also be incorporated into the keto diet. While they may not be a staple, they still offer some health benefits.

FOLLOW MONYA:
Escargot are low in carbohydrates, making them suitable for a low-carb diet. They are a good source of protein. The keto diet emphasises consuming healthy fats, and escargot contains some fat, including monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. This specific dish also features butter and cheese which contributes to fat intake.
Escargot are a good source of essential nutrients such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin B12. These nutrients are important for overall health, including energy production, bone health, and immune function.
Some people may be hesitant to try escargot due to personal preferences or cultural reasons – but they are delicious!

It is important to note that to maintain ketosis, it’s essential to track carbohydrate intake and ensure it aligns with your daily macro goals. Consulting with a healthcare professional is advised before making significant dietary changes. Scroll to the bottom to see the full macros and allergens for this Keto Garlic Snails (Escargot) dish, as well as all the Light Meals & Appetisers on Fats of Life®.
Keto Garlic Snails (Escargot)
Per serving
Ingredients
- 40 g (1.4 oz) unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 12 snails (escargot), drained from tin (remainder can be frozen)
- 40 g (1.4 oz) Gruyere cheese, finely grated (important that its Gruyere)
- chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Add the butter and chopped garlic into a small pan and melt the butter over a very low heat. Very lightly fry the garlic without colouring them. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the butter to infuse with the garlic flavour for 30 minutes.
- While the butter is infusing, preheat the oven to 200°C (fan oven). This is 220°C for conventional ovens (or 425°F / gas mark 7).
- If the butter has solidified while off the heat, return the pan to a low heat to melt again. Strain the butter, discarding the garlic and toss the snails in the melted garlic-infused butter.
- Place a snail into each groove of the snail dish and spoon a small amount of butter on top of each. Divide the grated Gruyere over each bowl and place in the oven until the cheese is crispy, approximately 10-15 minutes. (It is easier and safer to place the dishes onto a tray.)
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven and garnish each dish with finely chopped parsley.
- The Gruyere packs a mighty punch, so no salt is needed. I do not recommend doing this with any other type of cheese because Gruyere offers the most authentic flavour!

My name is Monya Kilian Palmer. If you loved this recipe, please follow and tag me @mkilianpalmer on Instagram so we can all see your lovely creations!
Nutritional Information per servingCalories 248Kcal / 1038kJ
Fat 24g
Carbohydrates 2g
Protein 5.9g
Allergens
Milk
Molluscs
See all the Light Meals & Appetisers on Fats of Life:






Disclaimer: The nutritional analysis, macro and allergen breakdown of the recipes on this site have been manually and carefully calculated using the cloud-based software NUTRITICS®. NUTRITICS® is fully approved by the relevant Trading Standards organizations and is EU and FDA-compliant. The macro calculations are provided as a courtesy to you based on the author's weighing of ingredients when creating the dishes. If Erythritol (a sugar polyol) has been used in any of the recipes, it has already been manually excluded from the final carbohydrate count. The author is a chef - not a medical professional - and this website has been designed to provide you with recipe ideas to suit the low carb lifestyle you have discussed with your GP.





7 Comments
I’ve had a similar recipe at a restaurant, using lobster. Would you still use the same method/ cook times? It was called Lobster Escargot!
Oooo, interesting! I think it will cook through fine if you chop the lobster meat in the same size as the little snails. The flavour will differ a little though: lobster is a sweet meat and snails are more umami. xxxx
I am going to take this as an appetizer to a friends house for 4 people. Would it be possible to have it all made and in my snail ramekins, then put the cheese on and place in their oven after drinks are served? I have enjoyed escargot at restaurants, but I have never made them myself. I don’t want to ruin the appetizer. Thank you for your help.
Jan
Hi Jan,
If it was me, I would pre make everything beforehand. In other words, 1 – make the garlic butter (keep in the fridge); 2 – open and drain the snails (keep in the fridge); 3 – grate the cheese (keep in the fridge). Then take all the little containers to your friends house and assemble there (you will need to re-melt the butter on the stove top. Follow recipe as normal, asking to use your friend’s oven, of course. xxxxx
Drop me a line if you have any questions or comments about this recipe. I will do my best to reply as soon as possible! Monya xxx
Thank you so much. I appreciate your advice.
Jan
Enjoy your dinner party! I would LOVE to see my friends, but we are still in lockdown:(