Keto Empanadas Recipe (Chewy & Crispy!) | Wholesome Yum (2024)

You’re going to love these low carb keto beef empanadas! The keto empanada dough is a variation of my popular fathead dough, and we fry it to make it golden and crispy. I can’t wait for you to try them out.

Ground beef is a great dinner option, as it cooks quickly and can be turned into so many meals! And who doesn’t have some ground beef that needs to be used in the freezer?! Mexican ground beef casserole or ground beef zucchini stirfry are some great keto dinner options to try.

Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour is a must for these keto empanadas. I can confidently say that this is the BEST almond flour! I know because I tested a TON before finding the perfect one that was up to my standards.

This one is super finely milled and blanched, so that your keto empanada dough has the ideal consistency. Skimping on your almond flour can lead to a gritty or mealy texture in the final dish.

Ingredients For Keto Beef Empanadas

These fathead empanadas are made with basic ingredients you probably have if you keep your keto pantry well stocked…

Keto empanada dough ingredients

• Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – See above for why you need to use this flour!
• Eggs – Use large eggs, not medium or jumbo.
• Mozzarella cheese – You can buy pre-shredded for convenience, or shred it yourself.
• Xanthan gum – Optional, but highly recommended for the best low carb empanada dough texture – it helps make it a bit chewy.
• Olive oil – For frying. Avocado oil will work as well.

Empanada filling ingredients

• Veggies – Bell peppers and onions (use white or yellow).
• Ground beef – I recommend using grass-fed beef, and typically get 85/15.
• Spices – Chili powder,paprika,dried oregano, andcumin.
• Sea salt

How To Make Keto Empanadas

These low carb empanadas come together in four steps: keto empanada dough, filling, assembly, and frying:

Make keto empanada dough:

• Pulse. Pulse almond flour and eggs in a food processor.

• Melt. In a medium bowl, microwave mozzarella and stir until smooth.

• Mix. Add mozzarella to food processor and process until a dough forms. Sprinkle xanthan gum over dough and process until incorporated.

• Chill. If dough is sticky, form into a ball and refrigerate.

Make filling:

• Saute veggies. Saute onions and bell peppers, until starting to brown.

• Brown meat. Add ground beefand season with salt. Cook until browned, breaking apart with a spatula.

• Season. Add chili powder, paprika, oregano, and cumin, and cook until fragrant.
• Cool. Allow the filling to cool until it’s warm, but not hot.

Assemble almond flour empanadas:

• Roll our dough. Place dough between parchment paper and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut circles. Use a small bowl or glass container (I used this one – the inner rim is the perfect size!) to cut out 4-inch circles.

• Fill. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling onto half of the circle…

Fold in half and seal edges with a fork. Repeat to use up all the dough and filling.

TIP: When you run out of room to make circles in the dough, make a ball, roll out again, and repeat.

Fry:

Heat oil in large skillet until shimmering. Fry empanadas in a single layer until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to paper towels to drain and repeat with remaining empanadas.

Low Carb Empanadas FAQs

Are empanadas keto?

No, most empanadas are not keto, as they are made with white flour dough.

These empanadas are keto and low carb because they are made with a keto empanada dough.

Are empanadas gluten-free?

No, most empanadas are not gluten-free, since they are made with flour.

This keto empanada dough is made with blanched almond flour, which gives it the texture of white flour, but is a nutritious, gluten-free option.

Can I use coconut flour?

Possibly, but you won’t be able to replace the almond flour 1-to-1. I haven’t tried it, but you can try replacing the 1.5 cups almond flour with 1/2 cup coconut flour (1/3 the amount), and may need to add an extra egg. You’ll end up with a smaller total volume of dough, so will get fewer empanadas as a result.

Keto Empanada Recipe Storage Instructions

Can you make these ahead?

Yes, you can make the empanadas ahead, but I would wait to fry until right before serving, so they are nice and fresh. Here’s what to prep:

• Make dough and store in refrigerator.
• Make filling and store in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before filling.

Store any leftover keto friendly empanadas in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Can you freeze empanadas?

Yes, you can freeze empanadas for 2-3 months.

How to reheat keto beef empanadas:

Reheat the empanadas in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot.

What To Serve With Keto Empanadas

Fathead dough empanadas are very filling and don’t need much to make them a meal. Try adding…

• Salad – A green salad is often the perfect pairing, but you can also try some of my otherketo salad recipes. A couple of my faves are creamy cucumber salad or tomato avocado salad.
• Cauliflower Rice – Super simple to make and easy to customize.
• Roasted vegetables – Less traditional, but I think adding veggies is always a good thing. Skip the balsamic when pairing them with empanadas.
• Sauces – Tryfresh tomato salsa, sour cream, chimichurri sauce, or even guacamole.

• Food Processor – A food processor is a must for your keto kitchen! Use it for everything from fathead dough to keto hummus.
• Large Skillet – Use a nonstick skillet to prevent the keto beef empanadas from sticking to the side of the pan.
• Round Glass Containers – These are a good size for cutting the low carb empanada dough recipe into circles.