Keto Tostadas
Published November 24, 2022 • Updated February 20, 2026
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Crispy fried tostada shells made with protein powder and almond flour, not cheese. Top with seasoned beef, lettuce, and cheese for only 2.4g net carbs each.
When my family wants Mexican food, tacos are the usual request. But there are nights when I want something different, and that is where these crispy tostada shells come in. The shells are made with almond flour and protein powder instead of cheese or wheat, and they fry up with a satisfying crunch that holds up under a pile of toppings.
I tested a lot of low-carb tostada shell recipes before landing on this combination. Cheese shells (like fat head dough) get crispy but have a distinctly cheesy flavor that competes with the toppings. Store-bought low-carb tortillas can work, but they never get truly rigid and crunchy the way a real tostada should. The protein powder is what makes the difference here. It dries out during frying and creates a shell that shatters when you bite through it, just like the corn-based ones you remember.
The dough comes together in about two minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients, add hot water, and you have a pliable dough that presses flat in a tortilla press or rolls out between parchment paper. I make eight shells per batch, which feeds our whole family with extras for the next day. Each shell has only 2.4g net carbs, so you can load them up without worrying about your daily count.
For the meat, I use a pound of ground beef with homemade taco seasoning because most store-bought packets contain sugar and cornstarch. You can swap in ground turkey, shredded chicken, or even seasoned pork if you want to mix things up. Top everything with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and homemade guacamole for the full tostada experience.
How to make low-carb tostadas
These low-carb tostadas come together in about 35 minutes from start to finish.
- Cook seasoned beef. Brown one pound of ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add taco seasoning and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Make tostada shell dough. Whisk almond flour, protein powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl. Pour in hot water and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Press into tortillas. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Press each one flat using a tortilla press lined with parchment paper, or roll between two sheets of parchment to about 5 inches across.
- Fry the shells. Heat 1/4 inch of avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat (around 350F). Fry each tortilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and rigid. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Assemble. Spread seasoned beef on each shell, then pile on shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salsa.
Key ingredients and substitutions
The shell dough uses a combination of ingredients that mimic the texture of a traditional corn tostada without the carbs.
- Avocado oil for frying. Any neutral, high-smoke-point oil works (olive oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil). You need about 1/4 inch of oil in a 10-inch skillet.
- Ground beef is the classic tostada protein. Ground turkey, ground pork, shredded rotisserie chicken, or seasoned fried chicken all work as substitutes.
- Taco seasoning adds all the flavor to the meat. Store-bought packets often contain sugar and cornstarch, so I use homemade keto taco seasoning instead.
- Almond flour provides the base structure for the shell. Use finely ground blanched almond flour (not almond meal) for the smoothest texture.
- Protein powder is what makes these shells actually crispy. Use an unflavored, low-carb whey or egg white protein powder. It absorbs moisture during frying and creates that rigid, shatter-when-you-bite crunch.
- Xanthan gum binds the dough so it holds together when you press and fry it. Without it, the tortillas will crumble apart in the oil.
- Hot water activates the xanthan gum and makes the dough pliable enough to press flat.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil, more for frying shells -
1 pound ground beef
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2 tablespoons taco seasoning
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1 ⅓ cup almond flour
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2 tablespoons unflavored low-carb protein powder
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1 tablespoon xanthan gum
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½ teaspoon salt
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6 tablespoons hot water
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tortilla press
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Make taco meat
In a large skillet, add avocado oil and heat over medium high heat. Add ground beef, break up with a spatula and let cook until browned. Stir in taco seasoning and pour in 1/4 cup of water. Turn down heat to low, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ¼ cup water
Tostada shell: dry ingredients
To a small bowl, whisk together almond flour, protein powder, xanthan gum and salt.
- 1 ⅓ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons protein powder
- 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon salt
Tostada shell: finish dough
Stir in hot water and mix until a dough ball forms. Divide the dough into 8 even balls.
- 6 tablespoons hot water
Press into tortillas
Using a tortilla press or a rolling pin, place a ball of dough in between two parchment circles and press or roll out to a thin circle.
Fry tostada shells
To a medium skillet, add enough avocado oil to fill the bottom of the skillet 1 cm from the bottom (just enough so the tortilla will submerge while frying) and heat over medium heat. Once oil is hot, peel off the parchment paper from each side of tortilla and place in the oil. Press down tortilla with a spatula and let fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip over and fry the other side for 1-3 minutes until golden brown, hardened or almost hardened. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to dry. Repeat with remaining shells.
- Avocado oil for frying
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my keto tostada shells not crispy?
Three things cause soft shells. First, the oil is not hot enough. It should be around 350F (use a thermometer or test with a small piece of dough, which should sizzle immediately when dropped in). Second, the shells were not fried long enough. Each side needs a full 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden brown. Third, the dough was rolled too thick. Press or roll the tortillas to about 1/8 inch thick so they can cook through completely before the outside burns.
Can I bake these tostada shells instead of frying them?
You can bake them at 375F for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. They will get firm and lightly crispy, but they will not have the same deep crunch that frying produces. If you bake them, brush both sides with a thin layer of oil before putting them in the oven. For the crispiest results, frying is the better method.
What protein powder works best for keto tostada shells?
Use an unflavored, unsweetened whey protein isolate or egg white protein powder. Avoid plant-based protein powders (pea, hemp, soy) because they absorb too much water and make the dough gummy instead of crispy. The protein powder should have fewer than 2g carbs per serving. I use whey isolate, which gives the cleanest flavor and the crispiest shells.
How do I store and reheat leftover tostada shells?
Store the fried shells in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, place them in a 350F oven or toaster oven for 3 to 5 minutes until crispy again. Do not microwave them because they will turn soft and chewy. You can also re-fry them in a skillet with a small amount of oil for about 1 minute per side.
Can I make the tostada shells ahead of time?
Yes. Fry the shells, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each shell to prevent sticking. They keep at room temperature for 3 days. When you are ready to eat, reheat in a 350F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. I often make a double batch of shells on Sunday so weeknight assembly takes under 10 minutes.
Made these Tuesday and my 12-year-old stacked his shell like he was trying to break it. Ground beef, extra cheese, lettuce piled way too high. Shell held up through the whole thing. He's already asking when we're having them again.
Four or five batches in and the shells still crack right when you bite them. Took two tries to get the tortilla press down, but these are a weeknight regular now. Worth it.
That crack is the whole point. Tortilla press took me a few rounds too before I stopped overworking the dough.
Will unflavored whey protein work for the shells or do I need a specific low-carb protein powder? Don't want to mess up the dough on my first try.
I've never made anything like this before and honestly I was nervous going in (never worked with xanthan gum). The part where the hot water goes in and it just pulls together into a ball was kind of a relief. Fried them up and they got genuinely crispy, not soft-and-flat like I expected. Ate mine with the seasoned beef on top and it felt like an actual meal.
Protein powder is why it actually crunches instead of just crisping on the edges. First time I made these I ate three.
I've been making keto tortillas for years and always swap xanthan gum for psyllium husk since I buy it in bulk anyway. Would that work here in the shell dough, or does xanthan gum do something specific during frying that psyllium husk won't replicate? I've had great results with psyllium in baked keto dough but I've never tried it in anything fried before.
The frying is where psyllium gets tricky. Xanthan gum sets almost instantly when it hits hot oil and that's what creates the crunch on these. Psyllium absorbs differently (great for baked stuff, agreed) but in a fryer I'd worry it stays soft or turns greasy. I'd keep the xanthan here.
The shells get so crispy. Way better than store-bought low carb shells.
The hot oil makes such a difference. Store-bought ones are baked so they never get that deep crunch.
Taco night solved. 2.4 carbs.
Right? These make it into rotation fast.
Would like to try this without paying $30 for protein powder for one of the ingredients listed as I don't use it. Any other options?
Unfortunately, the protein powder is a necessary ingredient to get the tostadas crispy when cooked.
Can I add corn tostada flavoring to this recipe? And how many drops should I use? Thank you love your recipes||
Yes, you can! I've done it before with the oooflavoring drops. I usually do 1-2 dropperfuls and taste the dough