Savor the crunch and spice of the most perfect keto beef Empanada you ever had. Are they actually low-carb? Yes, they are! But you'll never be able to tell.
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Low-carb taco Tuesday
Honestly, any day is a perfect day for Mexican food. But my family absolutely loves taco Tuesday. This is one of those recipes that I can eat with my family and they don't even know it's Keto.
We all snack on them together. They make the perfect lunchtime treat or even a keto-friendly side dish.
What are Keto beef empanadas?
These are named after the Spanish verb "empanar" which means to coat or wrap in bread. They look like hand pies and are usually filled with meat and spices.
My empanadas are filled with ground beef, onion, sazon seasoning, and queso fresca.
They are unforgettable!
How to make Keto empanada dough
These empanadas are low-carb and high-protein. They are made with the following keto ingredients:
- Eggs
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Cream Cheese
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Psyllium Husk Powder
- Xanthan Gum
- Baking Powder
After you put the ingredients together for the crust, there are just a few more steps to do before you have these perfect little treats.
Roll and cut the dough
The secret to flaky, delicious empanadas, is to roll the dough out nice and thin. Then, use a floral cookie cutter, like I did in the picture above.
If you use a round cookie cutter with ridges, it will give your empanadas their traditional edges.
Fill with meat and cheese
Then, just fill them with the meat, onion, and queso fresco. Queso fresco is a soft, fresh, Mexican cheese. You might have to buy it at a Mexican grocer.
If you can't find any, feta cheese is a good substitute.
Brush egg on top
Before you bake them, brush some of the beaten egg on top. This will help them crisp up and make the crust even flakier. Don't skip this step, trust me.
Then, just bake them! The most difficult part of this recipe is finding the ingredients. Everything else is simple.
What is Xanthan Gum?
You will need to use xanthan gum in the dough. It is an ingredient that stabilizes, thickens, and prevents separation. It's used in lots of gluten-free recipes like this one because the flour doesn't have the sticking power of gluten.
It's keto-friendly and very important to this recipe. Without it, the crust isn't the same.
What is Psyllium Husk Powder?
Psyllium Husk powder is made from Plantago ovata seeds. It's a soluble fiber, so it will give bulk and thickness to the crust.
Where to Buy Sazon Seasoning
Look for Sazon seasoning in the Mexican foods section of your grocery store. Most chains will carry it, including Wal-Mart. It should be located by the taco shells and salsas.
Can you freeze them?
Yes, these will store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Here's how to freeze them properly so they don't turn into one huge ice block.
- Let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Place the empanadas, on the baking sheet, into the freezer.
- Keep them in the freezer until they are completely frozen, for about 3-5 hours.
- Place the frozen empanadas in a zippered plastic bag.
- Keep the sealed bag in the freezer.
When you are ready to eat them, just put them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then heat them in the oven.
What to serve with
Serve these with your favorite low-carb Mexican recipes. Here are some of my personal favorites:
📋 Recipe
Keto Beef Empanadas
Ingredients
- 2 eggs - one whole, one beaten
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 oz cream cheese - softened
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tbsp psyllium husk powder
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt + more to taste
- pepper to taste
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ cup onions - chopped
- 1 tsp Sazon seasoning
- ¼ cup queso fresco - crumbled
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat. When almost cooked through, add in salt and pepper to taste, the sazon seasoning and the chopped onions. Stir to combine, and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, apple cider vinegar, cream cheese, almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium husk powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, pinch of salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Beat on high until a thick dough forms, and the ingredients are well combined.
- Place the ball of dough in the center of a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough, and roll it out into a thin layer. You do not want the dough to be too thick, but try not to roll it so thin that it tears easily when you work with it.
- Use a jar, cup or cookie cutter to cut out circles that are several inches across from the dough. Keep rolling out the dough and cutting new circle shapes until all of the dough has been used.
- Place a tablespoon of meat filling in the center of each dough circle, and sprinkle with some queso fresco crumbles.
- Place your finger in the beaten egg, and run it along the bottom rim of the dough circle.
- Fold the top half of the circle over onto the bottom half with the filling securely in the middle. Pinch the edges of the dough circle closed so that it forms a half circle empanada.
- Repeat steps 6-8 until all circles have been filled. You should have enough dough to make 10 small empanadas.
- Place the filled empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet, and brush with the egg wash.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
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