Looking for a delicious meal that's both fun to make and perfect for sharing? Our homemade empanada recipe offers a flavorful escape into culinary delight any day of the year. Ideal for family gatherings, festive holidays like Cinco de Mayo, or simply a cozy night in, these empanadas will become a go-to favorite. Read on to learn how to craft these delightful treats that everyone will love.
I am Spanish and one of the foods I love making in my home is empanadas. I learned how to make empanadas at a very young age with my grandmother. She has been gone for several years, but her recipe lives in my heart. Now I’d love to share a modified version, which is a little on the healthier side. Everyone loves them - Enjoy!
Homemade Empanadas
First, preheat oven to 450 degrees
Then you will need:
- Empanada discs - they can be found in the international section of the frozen food aisle – they are round in shape kind of like a tortilla but frozen
- 1 pound of lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 can of red beans
- Shredded cheese
- Sofrito - optional and also found in the international frozen food section, it is a thick mixture of cilantro, green peppers, garlic, onion, and olive oil
- Adobo - also optional, but authentic
- Salt / pepper to taste
- Small can of tomato sauce
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons of water or milk
- A dash of olive oil
- Round perforated pizza pan - it helps cook the empanadas evenly so they won’t need to be turned
Macaroni tip: Want to make it vegetarian or vegan? Swap out the meat for tofu or your favorite plant based meat
Sandra Kuczynski |
What you do:
- Mix eggs and milk in a bowl, set aside.
- Heat sofrito in a hot skillet then add ground meat for browning, season with adobo and / or salt / pepper and add half of the can of the tomato sauce.
- Once the meat is cooked through, drain the excess fat and add the beans - Let cool.
- On a cutting board, place a disc, then add a spoonful of mixture to the center with some cheese, being careful not to overfill. Fold over - like a half moon, then crimp the edges of the empanada with a fork, then brush with a little of the egg mixture.
- Lightly grease the pizza pan with olive oil, then place the empanadas on it.
- Bake in oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
This is a great recipe if you want the children to help. The less healthier version of this recipe, and what most prefer, is deep frying in a pan of oil until both sides are golden brown.
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