These keto calzones are stuffed to the gills with a cheesy spinach artichoke filling. They make a fabulous vegetarian side dish, appetizer, or even a light lunch!
Behold once again the versatility of fathead dough! It’s the perfect crust for keto pizza, it makes great keto bagels, and now you have before you some delicious keto calzones.
Pure magic, my friends. Alchemy. Turning the lowly shredded mozzarella cheese into the low carb comfort food we all find ourselves craving.
It’s truly a blessing to be able to indulge those cravings once in a while without knocking ourselves out of the game, is it not? To all the haters who say keto is restrictive, I present Exhibit A: buttery, delicious keto spinach artichoke calzones.
Nut-Free Fathead Dough
Most fathead dough recipes contain copious amounts of almond flour, which can makes it quite heavy and calorie dense. I also find that the standard recipe tends to spread quite a bit during baking. And of course, since it’s almonds, it’s not great for anyone with a nut allergy.
This keto calzone recipe uses a coconut flour based fathead dough, so it’s completely nut free. It’s the very same recipe that I developed for my chewy keto bagels, and I also used it in my keto cinnamon rolls.
Some readers worry that the coconut flavor will be overpowering but most people, me included, don’t find that to be the case. The cheese tends to negate that flavor. If you are worried, try adding some garlic powder to your dough, to help cover the taste even more.
Do be sure to choose a good coconut flour for this. I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill, but I’ve also had good luck with King Arther Flour.
How to make Keto Calzones
Don’t be intimidated! This is an easy recipe that results in a buttery, low carb calzone the whole family will love. A few tips for getting it right:
Squeeze out the spinach
You really want to release as much moisture as possible from the spinach. If too much moisture is left in the filling, it will make the crust soggy. It may also cause the crust to split at the bottom.
Make the filling
Prepare the filling before you start working on the crust, so that it’s ready to go right away. Fathead dough can toughen up a bit as it sits so you want to work quickly once it’s made.
Dust your work surface
I recommend using a silicone mat on your counter to roll out your dough. Make sure you dust it lightly with a bit more coconut flour, as it will help the dough release after rolling.
For this recipe, I split the dough in two so that I had two calzones. You could make one large one if you prefer.
Leave a border
You always want to leave a border around the edge of the dough, when spreading on the filling. I recommend at least 3/4 to 1 inch. This allows you to pinch the edges of the dough together and seal in the filling.
Cut some slits
As with conventional calzones and filled pies, you want a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Again this helps to keep the crust from getting soggy.
Brush with butter
I found that brushing the crust with a little melted butter before baking made it become a beautiful golden brown. I also sprinkled a little sea salt on. So good!
Can you make keto calzones in advance?
Yes you can! They warm up quite nicely. Wrap them tightly and store them in the fridge, then let them come to room temperature and gently warm them in the oven.
I have not tried freezing this particular recipe but I have frozen others. That should work as well. Again, wrap them tightly and let them thaw completely before warming them.
Can you use other fillings?
Absolutely! There are many delicious ways to fill your keto calzones. There is a recipe for Sausage and Broccoli Calzones in my book, The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking.
And I have a very old recipe with a different crust for low carb ham and cheese calzones. That would be delicious as well – be sure to use this crust for a better keto version!
More delicious keto spinach recipes
- Keto Stuffed Chicken
- Salmon Salad with Avocado and Spinach
- Creamy Chicken Skillet with Bacon, Spinach, and Feta
- Keto Spanakopita
- Spinach and Feta Lamb Sliders
- Easy Creamed Spinach with Bacon
Keto Calzone Recipe
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Crust
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 6 ounces shredded mozzarella
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp flaked sea salt
Instructions
Filling
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, spinach, artichokes, and garlic until well combined. Add the egg, cream, salt, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread a silicone mat on a work surface and lightly dust with coconut flour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, place the mozzarella. Heat on high in 30 second increments until very melted and can easily be stirred together.
- Working quickly, add the flour, then add the egg. Use a rubber spatula to stir together and knead up against the sides of the bowl until cohesive.
- Turn the dough out onto the prepared work surface and divide evenly in two. Working with one half at a time, cover with parchment paper and roll out into a circle about 7 to 8 inches in diameter.
- Spread half of each circle with half of the filling, leaving a 3/4 inch border. Use an offset spatula or sharp knife to loosen the uncovered half of the dough. Carefully fold over the filling, and pinch the seam together to seal. Place the calzones on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the calzones with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sea salt. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 slits into the tops of each.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the calzones are golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Nutrition
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I was so excited for this until I saw that a serving is 1/3 of one pie. I would probably eat both pies in one sitting 😭
Do I weigh the spinach before squeezing out the liquid?
Would konjac glucomannan work as opposed to the xanthan gum?
This is seriously my favorite dough and calzone recipe. I made it tonight for the third or fourth time and once again, it did not disappoint. The dough is so easy and quick to put together. This time I brushed the top with egg and sprinkled on Parmesan cheese then baked in the air fryer. A-mazing! It browned up beautifully, and it is so much lighter and tastier than using almond flour that I ate the whole thing! Fabulous recipe! Thanks Carolyn for another great one! 😊❤️
Sounds great!
this looks amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. going on the to do list!
Really like this calzone recipe but I get a hint of that xantham gum taste which I don’t love. I will try it again with the konjac gum to see if it is better. But this is definitely a keeper!
My family LOVED this recipe and could not believe the amazing texture of this dough! Thank you so much! Will be making this frequently.
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to make it. The link to the Ham & Cheese version isn’t working – it just links back to the spinach & mushroom version – I’d live to do the ham and cheese ones too but I can’t find the recipe on your site. Please help?
Thank you – i LOVE your recipes!
The crust on that was not as good so I removed it. I am working to have only the best recipes on my site.
I’m going to try to make these with feta and spinach like Spanakopit!!!
TY for working out the exact ingredients, especially with the cost of groceries these days. Lol I can’t tell you how many times I found a keto recipe, followed and starting eating only to be like NOPE and trashed the entire meal. I can honestly say I have never tried any of your recipes and thrown one bite awsy!!!
I second that Christine/Carolyn! All your recipes are good in that you explain why you have used certain items, and why they work, etc. And love your macro count at the end. THAT really helps!
Was wondering if I make 6 smaller individual “pastries” instead of 2 big ones with this recipe, would the baking time still be the same?
Was looking through the comments if anyone has tried it this way.
I am sure baking time would change but I can’t guide you as to how long.
Great recipe! Just made it last night for the family, and they all loved it!!