Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (2024)

This website contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

This homemade empanada dough recipe is quick and super easy to make in the food processor. Then fill your empanada with any filling you desire: ground beef, chicken, pork, veggies or cheese and bake.

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (1)

If you never had an empanada, you are missing out! This delicious baked appetizer is made with a flaky dough and filled with savory or sweet flavors.

There are many types of dough for empanada: sweet, fried and gluten free a few of the options, but this recipe for homemade empanada dough is for baking savory fillings.

If you need a recipe for savory filling, why not try my favorite – Sausage and Bacon or with a ground beef Argentinian filling. It also goes really well together with Chicken Tinga leftovers.

How to Make Empanada Dough

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (2)

Making homemade empanada dough is extremely easy and quick. Simply mix all ingredients in a food processor until the dough is uniform and doesn’t stick to the hands and in 10 minutes you will have homemade empanada dough that is the perfect for baking.

You can also make this dough by hand, it will just take a little more effort to knead it to the right point.

This dough can be used right away or frozen to be used later.

Where are empanadas from?

Empanadas are widely available throughout Latin America and other parts of the world with a Spanish influence, but are thought to have originated in Spain. It makes sense right? The Spanish are masters of small plates (tapas) and snacks (pinchos).

Empanada fillings differ from country to country as the locals put different spins on this classic dish.

You can find Argentinian, Colombian, Filipino, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Brazilian empanadas and much more!

Can you freeze empanadas?

Yes! Just place unbaked sealed empanadas in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place it in the freezer until frozen solid. Make sure the empanadas are not touching to avoid sticking. Once frozen, place empanadas in a freezer bag.

When you are ready to bake, simply place frozen empanadas directly in the oven.

Frozen empanadas will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

How do you seal empanadas?

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (3)

You can use your fingers to seal the homemade empanada dough, use a pie press or a fork. If the dough is not sticking together, you can brush a little water or egg white on the edges and seal the dough that way.

Once the edges are sealed, fold the edges onto itself and pinch it so that a rope-like pattern forms.

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (4)

How to you keep empanadas crispy?

To keep the baked empanadas crispy, just make sure to cool them before refrigerating and reheat using the oven, not the microwave.

How far in advance can you make empanadas?

You can make the dough or the raw empanada and freeze it. (see notes above)

Freshly made, dough and empanada filling will last 2-4 days in the fridge stored separately in an airtight container. Wrap the dough in plastic.

Should I refrigerate empanadas?

Yes. If you have leftovers or if you are not ready to assemble or bake

What goes with empanadas?

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (5)

Empanadas are a great appetizer or main dish. If serving as an appetizer, you don’t need any sides. If serving as a main dish, a side salad is the perfect side dish.

Some people like to eat empanadas with a sauce like chimichurri or salsa, but plain is just as delicious.

How long does empanadas last in the fridge?

Baked empanadas will last 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Unbaked, it can be frozen and will last up to 3 months. (see instructions above)

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (6)

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Empanadas Dough Recipe

This homemade empanada dough recipe is perfect for baking. Ready in just 10 minutes in the food processor, it can be used right away or frozen. Use any savory filling you like.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Latin American

Keyword: appetizers, dough recipe, easy, empanadas, for baking, homemade

Servings: 16 empanadas

Calories: 169kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 ounces unsalted butter 6oz = 1 stick + 2 tbsps (cold cut into pieces)
  • 3/4 water
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

Making the dough

  • In a food processor, add the flour, salt and butter and pulse to incorporate the butter.

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (7)

  • Add 1 egg and 1/2 cup of water. Reserve the other egg for a egg wash. Pulse again until a dough forms.

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (8)

  • Add more water if the dough does not stick together or crumbles when pressed against fingers.

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (9)

  • Use it right away or divide in two and wrap it in plastic and put in the fridge.

Rolling out the dough

  • In a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to strecht the dough (the thickness of an US nickel).

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (10)

  • With a cutter or medium bowl, cut circles 5 inch in diameter.

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (11)

  • Use a tablespoon to fill the empanadas, fold it over and press the edges.

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (12)

  • Fold the edges on top of itself, pressing down to make a rope like crust edge. (see pictures for detail)

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (13)

Baking the empanadas

  • Preheat oven to 400F or 200C.

  • Place empanadas on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the empanadas with egg mixture and bake for 20 minutes at 400F.

    Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (14)

Notes

The dough can be refrigerated for a couple days. No need to bring it up to room temperature before rolling it out.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

If you liked this recipe, you might also like Beef Gyudon!

What recipe should I make next?

For more recipes, click here or follow my Recipe Board on Pinterest.

Don’t forget to follow my travel or lifestyle accounts on Instagram and to subscribe to my YouTube channel for videos.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also want to make these:

  • Carne Asada Recipe
  • Easy Instant Pot Black Beans
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Homemade Burrito Bowl
  • 5-Ingredient Guacamole
  • Black Bean Dip
  • Homemade Empanadas Argentinas
Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (15)
Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (16)

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:

This website contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe for Baking - Good Life Xplorers (2024)

FAQs

Which dough is best for empanadas? ›

Empanada dough is less flaky than pie crust (although you can substitute frozen pie crust dough in a pinch). It has a more tender texture that soaks up the filling without becoming soggy. This dough can be used for baked or fried empanadas, which are both great handheld dishes.

Is empanada dough the same as pastry dough? ›

While pie dough is designed to be flaky, empanada dough is meant to be more tender. Pastry for empanadas has a higher flour-to-fat ratio, making it sturdy and perfect for wrapping around meaty fillings. Some recipes use lard or an additional egg as the fat source, but our recipe keeps it simple and easy with butter.

What is a substitute for Goya empanada dough? ›

Store Bought Empanada Dough

If you're really in a pinch, you can find empanada dough at the store or online. If you can't find it in a store locally and don't want to purchase online, I recommend using store-bought pie dough.

What is Goya empanada dough made of? ›

Ingredients. WHEAT FLOUR, MARGARINE (PALM OIL, RAPESEED OIL, WATER, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES OF FATTY ACIDS), WATER, SALT, WHEAT GLUTEN, PRESERVATIVES (CALCIUM PROPIONATE AND SORBIC ACID), MONOGLYCERIDES OF FATTY ACIDS, CITRIC ACID AND L-CYSTEINE. CONTAINS: WHEAT.

Which is better baked or fried empanadas? ›

Both cooking methods produce delicious empanadas. If you want a healthier merienda, bake them in the oven. If you're working with less time, frying them is the way to go. Try both and ask your loved ones to vote on their favorite.

What pastry is empanadas made from? ›

Sugar – Yes we need some sugar in this recipe. I used brown sugar today as the molasses notes cooks down and add complexity to our dish. Puff pastry – Believe me you'll want to use store bought for this recipe, it'll save you time and energy. Egg – We're using an entire egg for an egg wash to top our Beef Empanadas.

Is Goya empanada dough-puff pastry? ›

GOYA® Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking are versatile and convenient puff pastry discs, ideal for creating sweet or savory recipes with a gourmet touch.

What are traditional empanadas made of? ›

Empanadas have their origin in the Spanish action Empanar connoting “wrap in bread.” Traditional empanadas hence are simply beef stuffing wrapped in pastry dough. Beef empanadas are small palm-sized meat pockets. They resemble the Arabian Samosas and Italian calzones.

Is empanada dough-puff pastry? ›

Enjoy homemade recipes with the delicious and convenient GOYA® Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking. This flaky round pastry comes ready to make wonderful empanadas, cakes, tarts, and endless recipes.

Can you buy dough for empanadas? ›

Here's a delicious, flaky wrapper that's perfect for capturing all your favorite flavors: GOYA® Empanada Dough. Our line of ready-to-use flour dough discs are the #1 ingredient for preparing a wide variety of empanadas, a favorite in Latin America and around the world.

Why does my empanada dough keep breaking? ›

Making Empanada pastry from scratch

– Cold dough is harder to screw up – The dough is easier to work with and more forgiving the colder it is. You can tell when it's not cold enough because it will stretch and break more easily.

Is Goya empanada dough baking or frying? ›

Prepare flavorful homemade empanadas easily with convenient GOYA® Tapas Criollas – Dough for Turnover Pastries, which are perfect for baking or frying. They have a round disk shape and are made from wheat flour and margarine.

Can Goya empanada dough be baked? ›

Making homemade empanadas is super fun and easy with our GOYA® Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking. These round dough discs come ready to be stuffed and baked. Simply add your favorite ingredients, sweet or savory, and get ready to enjoy a flavorful and authentic empanada!

What does egg do to empanada dough? ›

Texture: The empanada dough is to die for. It's buttery with the perfect amount of crunch and interior softness. The chorizo adds bits of meatiness, the potato adds starchy softness, while the eggs add fluffiness.

What is the difference between baking and frying empanada dough? ›

Baked empanadas are easier because you can bake a whole ton at once and certainly lighter without all that deep fried goodness but they don't have quite the same flavor as the fried version. So I leave it up to you! Don't skip the egg wash if baking because it is what helps give the empanadas their color!

Is Goya empanada dough puff pastry? ›

GOYA® Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking are versatile and convenient puff pastry discs, ideal for creating sweet or savory recipes with a gourmet touch.

Is empanada dough the same as pizza dough? ›

Pizza dough and empanada dough are different for one significant reason: Pizza dough uses yeast to allow it to rise, whereas empanada dough does not. Empanadas don't require resting time or lots of kneading. In fact, the less you work the dough, the better, as it leaves the pastry tender and flaky.

Is empanada dough the same as dumpling dough? ›

Dough: Empanadas are typically made with a wheat-based dough that is rolled out and folded over the filling. The dough is often enriched with ingredients like eggs or lard to give it a tender texture. Dumplings, in contrast, can be made with a variety of dough types depending on the cuisine.

What is the most common empanada? ›

The most iconic variety being the oven-baked empanada de pino, which is filled with ground beef, minced onion, half or a quarter of a hard-boiled egg, and a single unpitted black olive. Empanadas in Chile are eaten year-round and are either oven-baked or deep-fried; the latter is a popular street food.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Last Updated:

Views: 6415

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Birthday: 1998-01-29

Address: Apt. 611 3357 Yong Plain, West Audra, IL 70053

Phone: +5819954278378

Job: Construction Director

Hobby: Embroidery, Creative writing, Shopping, Driving, Stand-up comedy, Coffee roasting, Scrapbooking

Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.