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Get It NowYou’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 stir fry 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.
Get The Best Almond Flour For Empanadas Here
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, and cumin.
- 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 beef and 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 other keto 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 – Try fresh tomato salsa, sour cream, chimichurri sauce, or even guacamole.
Tools To Make Keto Empanada Dough
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- 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.
Keto Beef Empanadas Recipe
Keto Empanadas Recipe (Chewy & Crispy!)
Keto empanadas feature a delectably chewy, crispy keto empanada dough, plus savory beef and veggie filling. These low carb empanadas have 2.7g net carbs each!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Empanada dough:
Filling:
For frying:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Dough:
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In a food processor, pulse the almond flour and egg, until uniform.
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In a medium bowl in the microwave, or a double boiler on the stovetop, melt the mozzarella cheese, until smooth.
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Add the melted mozzarella to the food processor. Process until a uniform dough forms.
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Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the dough. Process until well incorporated.
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If the dough is sticky, form into a ball and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or until no longer sticky.
Filling:
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers. Cook for 4-6 minutes, until soft and starting to brown.
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Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef. Season with sea salt. Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for 5-7 minutes, until browned.
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Add the chili powder, paprika, oregano, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Allow the filling to cool for at least 10-15 minutes, until it’s warm but no longer hot. (It’s also fine if it cools to room temperature.)
Assembly:
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Place the ball of dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Flatten into a disc, then roll out to 1/8 inch (3.17 mm) thickness.
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Use a small bowl or round glass container (I used the inner rim of these containers, they are the perfect size!) to cut circles, about 4 inches (10.2 cm) in diameter. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle, fold in half, and seal the edges. Crimp edges with a fork by pressing down with the tines, then pull slowly outward. (If the dough sits out too long it may get too sticky to crimp; if this happens, you can chill seal all the empanadas and then chill them for 15 minutes before crimping.)
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Repeat with the remaining pieces. When you’ve run out of dough to make circles out of, form a ball with what is left, roll out again, and repeat to make more circles.
Frying:
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, until shimmering.
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Working in batches, add the empanadas in a single layer without touching. Cover and cook for 1-3 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Flip and repeat on the other side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 empanadas
Notes: Nutrition info includes half the oil, the other half gets left behind in the pan.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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49 Comments
Barbara G
1I used the dough with my own chicken filling. This was delicious! The texture was great. I used a little coconut flour to get rid of the stickiness and to dust the rolling pin and silicone mat. I did not feel deprived at all. Will be making this frequently.
Amal Dahro
0May I use pillsbury pie crust instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amal, You can, but they won’t be keto friendly anymore.
Amal Dahro
0Can you Bake these instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amal, Yes, but they don’t get as golden and crispy.
Giselle
0Hi! Maya, thank you for all that you do! Has anyone tried this with coconut flour yet? I’m allergic to almond. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Giselle, 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.
Crystal
0Could these be baked and not fried?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Crystal, You can bake them, but they will be soft and doughy instead of crispy.
Jen
0These were surprisingly really good!! I didn’t have beef so I used chicken but everything else the same. I dipped the empanadas in sour cream mixed with 1 tsp of salsa. Also, I used non-stick foil on top and bottom to roll the dough and it did not stick to it.
Ciana
0Not a good dough recipe. No matter what I tried the dough kept just breaking apart every time I tried to lift it off the wax paper, I couldn’t even fold it to make the empanada. I even added and extra two cups of almond flour to the dough and it still just crumbled apart. Followed the recipe to a T. Would not recommend. Ended up wasting an entire container of GOOD Mozzarrella and a bag and a half of alone flour.. which is not cheap!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ciana, Sorry to hear you had issues with the dough. It sounds like it was too sticky, so in this case you’d need to refrigerate it until no longer sticky. Spraying the parchment paper with oil can also help. Adding extra almond flour definitely won’t help, so at that point you’re no longer following the recipe.
Cassie
0Just FYI, the containers you link to are currently a listing for rectangle click tops. My guess is you’re wanting discs.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cassie, Yes, you should use round glass bowls when shaping the dough.
Brenda Campagna
0This turned out so good! I thought the texture and taste were fantastic.
Malinda
0Could not get the dough to work even after more than an hour in the fridge. Was so sticky I couldn’t cut out shapes, just stuck to the parchment paper. Would love some suggestions. Ended up wading up dome dough and sticking some filling in the wad and frying. The few I could get that way were tasty but wasted most of the dough due to not being able to get if off the paper or off my hands.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Malinda, Sorry this recipe didn’t meet your expectations. Did you follow the recipe as written or did you make any substitutes?
Malinda
0Followed recipe exactly.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Malinda, It sounds like the dough was still too sticky. You may need to refrigerate it for longer if it’s still sticky. Spraying the parchment paper with oil spray can also help.
Heather
0These are so delicious!! My husband and kids raved!
Margaret
0Yum, yum, yum!! These were a hit! Of course, mine doesn’t quite look like the picture. I couldn’t get 1 1/2 tbsp in them but did manage 1 tbsp. I might have been making the dough rounds a little small. It was a little too sticky to flute but the edges pinched shut just fine. I have dumpling molds but the dough was just a touch too sticky to use them. Next time I might try dusting with a little flour first. Wonder if this dough would be good for potstickers. These are great with avocado slices and sour cream.
Amirah Queen
0Omg😍 Those are just amazing. I can’t believe how good they are and so filling. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Thank you so much Maya. You are a blessing ❣️
Kim
0The great flavor just was hard to get 1 1/2 tablespoon in for filling and when folding they kept breaking and the crimp was not easily done but overall great flavor may try again with some adjustments.
Laura
0So good. First recipe using fathead dough that he liked
Alicia
0Question. Has anyone tried baking these instead of frying? I know it won’t be the same, but I don’t like frying instead and stinking up the place.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Alicia, You can bake them, but they will be soft and doughy instead of crispy.
Laura
0I did 350 degrees for 20 min. Great texture.
Debbie Wickwire
0Air fry is a great idea! How long did you cook them in the air fryer?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Debbie, I have not tried air frying these. I imagine it would work. Please let us know how they turn out if you decide to try it.
Swathi
0This Keto empanadas looks yummy
Paula
0On my menu! They are so good!
Kristyn
0Grew up eating empanadas! They are my favorite, but my mom would only make them around the holidays. I am excited to make these & eat them anytime I want!
Natalie
0That’s the perfect filling for empanadas!! I am excited to give these a try! Sound & look delicious!
Katie
0Sometimes with keto it’s hard not to get bored of the same foods over and over again. This helps breaks things up, and they’re delicious too!
Deeba Kalanchvi
0I Love your keto recipes!
Beth Sachs
0We all loved these empandas, even my fussy 6 year old! Thanks for a great recipe.
Sarah Holt
0Yum these empanadas were so good, will for sure be remaking!
Christina
0This is a new favorite. So Good!
Pam
0The whole family loved these empanadas. I can’t wait to make them again.
Melanie
0I love that these are low carb… I thought I would never eat empanadas again while I’m watching my weight. Love your recipe, thank you!!
Scarlet
0Wow. I never thought of trying keto empanadas but they came out great and are super delicious. Almond flour is amazing!
Amy L Huntley
0Who knew that you could make keto empanadas?! The flavor and texture were perfection. I love that you can fill them with whatever you prefer or have on hand. My kids even had seconds. Win, Win!
Mirlene
0This was so delicious. My family ask for it over and over again.
Tash
0Sooooo good. Everyone loved em! I had a bit of difficulty of them sticking to the pan so I instead opted to air-fry. Quickly crisped and delicious.
Kelly
0Any tips on using the air fryer on these?!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kelly, I have never used an air fryer for this recipe but if you try please let me know the results.
Suzanne K Fox
0My husband puts this in the top 5 of keto dinners. I did tweak the crust a little. I used 2 cups of mozzarella and one cup of Mexican blend cheese rather than 3 cups of mozzarella. As a result I only had to use one egg and also added about a quarter extra cup of almond flour.
The dough rolled out very well and it did only take about a half hour to make. I wanted to also add that this dough could be used for many other fillings and still be delicious.
Niki
0I grew up eating empanadas in venezuela. Love them. I cant stand peppers tho- any substitutions? How many is condidered a serving?
Thanks!
Niki
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Niki, I hope you love this recipe! If you don’t like peppers, feel free to omit them. If you would like to replace them with something else, you can add a small tomato for a completely new flavor!