Great Keto Bread Meets Mexican Keto: Sonora Keto Bolillos

In the world of food, usually the most delicious dishes are the ones that use fresh ingredients and are super simple.   

Are what food could combine “fresh and simple” better than hot, fresh-baked bread?  Picture steam coming out of the bread as it is torn apart with the smell of butter melting on top.  I can already smell it…

So really, what could be more simple, fresh and so delicious? 

WHAT MAKES FOR A GREAT KETO BREAD?

The problem for most folks on a keto diet is that good low-carb bread is hard to find.  What exactly is “good keto bread”, you say?  Well, it should have a bit of tenderness, not super-chewy, but not crumbly and falling apart.

In our experience (and probably yours too), we find a lot of keto bread recipes and mixes that are so crumbly you can’t butter them without them falling apart.

Great keto bread should also crisp on the outside when it’s baked, just like what you would see with a nice loaf of French bread. The crispiness doesn’t just add texture, it also adds flavor. I can already see the butter rolling off a crispy loaf of French bread or a pull-apart bolillo.

Next, it should actually taste like bread, right?  A warm, fresh roll always has that hint of yeast coming through in the smell.  The yeast is what makes the bread rise and it’s also what we’ve all become conditioned to smell and taste with great fresh bread. 

Finally, the way the bread is served, such as toasted with butter or used to make a sandwich, can also impact its taste.  So versatility is also super-important. 

So, basically great keto bread should taste like great “normal” bread.  It should pull apart with a soft and fluffy inside, a crispy outside, and smell and taste like what you’ve always been used to — a buttery piece of heaven!

However, in our experience, finding a recipe that doesn't taste like a keto “substitute” for bread is nearly impossible. After over four years of keto, we know — we‘ve been there.  We tried and tested dozens of recipes and only a few ever tasted like something more than just a filler.

Most keto bread recipes call for tons of eggs or tons of cheese.  They taste “ok", but they don't taste like real bread.  There’s a lot of crazy stuff out there. And it’s ok if you’re only on keto for short-term goal, but if you’re needing keto foods so support a long-term lifestyle goal then you really need authentic and flavorful low-carb options.

NOW LET’S TALK MEXICAN KETO BREAD: PAN KETO

First a quick Spanish lesson… The Spanish word for bread is “pan” (pronounced pahn) and what we’re going to talk about now is Mexican keto bread or “pan keto estilo Mexicano”.

In the world of Mexican and Latin American cooking, there are many types of breads from which to choose.  Probably the first breads that come to mind are the famous Mexican sweet breads like conchas, pan dulce, pan de muerto, and many more.  (By the way, Sonora™ Keto Pan Dulce mix makes great pan de muerto!  But we’ll save that for another post…)  

(Above: Obligatory photo of Sonora Keto Pan Dulce)

Then in the category of unsweetened breads you have many options as well. Those include bolillos, telera bread, pan de yema, and many more. Even tortillas can technically be considered a bread.  (Oh, and pardon another plug but Sonora™ Keto Tortilla mix makes the most excellent keto tortillas for your next plate of enchiladas or street tacos!)

However, today’s topic is about bolillos. This Mexican bread classic is basically miniature French bread loaves - French bread dinner rolls. Introduced to Mexico by Emperor Maximilian's chefs during the French invasion of Mexico, French bread became super-popular and was adapted into smaller loaves which we now call bolillos.

So when you hear “bolillos”, think “French bread” that is dinner roll-sized. 

OK, WHERE CAN I GET SOME GREAT KETO BREAD?

Sonora™ Keto Bolillo/French Bread mix is a super low-card bread that makes great low carb bolillos, keto French bread, keto dinner rolls and keto buns for tortas (Mexican sandwiches).  It truly is bread.  It truly tastes like bread, because it is bread.  Light, fluffy on the inside, and crispy on the outside.  Smells wonderful fresh out of the oven. This is bread!

(Above: Sonora Keto Bolillos made for tortas!)

One secret in this recipe is the use of vital wheat gluten. It's basically the sticky protein that's left after the carb-loaded starch is washed from wheat flour.  Using vital wheat gluten makes it possible to bind almond flour together without needing all of the eggs or cheese mentioned above.  Vital wheat gluten basically does the work that wheat flour would, but without all of the carbs.

Additionally, this mix uses yeast. That’s what makes the bread light and fluffy.

So it’s these two ingredients that make real bread taste like bread! And it’s what makes Sonora™ Bolillo mix taste great! (Note: Vital wheat gluten is gluten, so this isn't a gluten-free mix.)

When you taste the bread, which actually rises like real bread does, you'll agree it's worth the bake-time wait!  Beyond the flavor and texture, there’s also something else that sets Sonora™ Keto Bolillo mix apart.  It’s so simple — just add water!

How simple?  Just watch the quick how-to video here.

OTHER KETO BREAD MIXES REQUIRE EXTRA INGREDIENTS

Most keto bread mixes out there are mostly bags of almond flour.  Then you’re asked to add eggs, milk, or cream, etc.  By the time you’ve purchased all of the ingredients to use the “mix”, you could have bought the ingredients separately and made it from scratch!  That defeats the purpose of buying a mix because the goal is convenience.

Sonora™ Keto Bolillo or French Bread mix is off-the-charts easy.  Pour the mix in a bowl.  Add one cup of water.  Knead, let rise and bake!  (Oh, and eat!)  It doesn’t get easier to make than that!

And did I mention this mix is insanely versatile?  One bag of mix makes 8 bolillos, which are dinner roll portions.  Or you can make 4 super-filling sandwich buns (or tortas, as they’re called in Mexico).  You can also form the dough into a long loaf for buttered fresh French bread to enjoy with your next salad.  Or you can dry the slices out and make bruschetta!

If you’re looking for something slightly sweet with your coffee at breakfast, you can add a little bit of sweetener and maybe a dash of cinnamon for the most delicious keto breakfast bread around! Wait until you try this for keto French toast!

TASTES DELICIOUS AND HAS 1 GRAM NET CARBS

Ok, finally, let’s talk about what may be the best part.  Sonora™ Keto Bolillo/French Bread mix is super low-carb!  One Sonora™ Bolillo dinner roll-sized portion has one (yes one!) gram net carbs.  Most store-bought bolillos or similar portions of French bread have nearly 30 grams net carbs.

(Above: Sonora Keto Bolillos Nutrition Facts Panel)

Imagine that, you can eat one store-bought bolillo or dinner roll and blow your entire daily carb budget OR you can eat an entire bag of ours for 8g net carbs, haha!  Seriously though, these rolls are super-filling so you’ll probably have a hard time eating more than two. 

Well, when I first started writing this post I thought it would be short post.  How much can one say about bread?  Well, it turns out quite a bit!  

I've been on keto over four years.  I’m more than a little biased because I love Lupita’s cooking, but in my opinion this is the first keto bread mix that matches (probably even beats) traditional bread mix in terms of flavor and texture.  At one gram net carbs, it is massively keto-friendly.   The “just add water” simplicity is exactly what you want when you buy a mix.  It is extremely versatile.  Even better, it still tastes like bread two days later.

If you want to put it to the ultimate test, prepare some for your non-keto friends or family next time they’re over for dinner.  They will never believe you when you tell them it’s a keto bread mix. 

IF WE’RE GOING TO DO THIS, LET’S DO IT RIGHT

Oh, one last comment — I’m a realist and know you’re thinking “Wowzers, that bag of mix isn’t cheap…”  You’re right, it’s not.  It’s because it has a number of natural ingredients that aren’t inexpensive.  Almond flour, vital wheat gluten, dried eggs, dried cream, dried butter, etc. are not as cheap as what is in a can of biscuits.  To get this flavor and texture and provide a mix that just requires water takes a bit more effort.

So if you’re questioning the cost then maybe think about this way:  4 Subway French bread sandwiches cost nearly 2X more than the 4 delicious, low carb, French bread sandwiches you can make fresh at home.  Plus yours will have a fraction of the carbs…

Saludos!