How to make Empanadas – Part of being a professional eater is going to restaurants, having a delicious meal, and then trying to recreate it at home. That is what I did here. We recreate two types of empanadas from the Crossroads Collective’s Triciclo Peru in Milwaukee.
I love their Sweet Potato empanadas. I made a version of their Sweet Potato empanada, as well as a beef empanada. Once you get the crust taken care of, you have a blank canvas to add whatever flavors you like.
Use Pre Made Pie Crust Dough for Empanadas
I take some shortcuts and make these empanadas with premade pie crust dough. This premade pie crust tasted just fine. You can’t argue with flavor! I would recommend using store-bought dough (Pie Crust) when making empanadas. This is “Cooking Secrets for Men”, not a baking channel.
This step saves a lot of time in the kitchen. You only have to cut out the crusts and you are ready to cook! Traditional empanada dough is much less flaky than pie crust. However, it can be pretty difficult to get just right. There is a specific tenderness that soaks up the filling without becoming soggy in the process, and that’s very hard to duplicate.
You can easily use pie crust and find them at your local supermarket. They might not have a fully authentic flare, but it’ll save you the extra struggle of making them at home.
Equipment
- No special equipment needed
Ingredients
Beef Empanada Ingredients
- 1 package of pre-made pie crust
- 1/2 lb of ground beef
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 1/2 medium diced bell pepper any color
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Salt & pepper
- 1 cup Mexican blended cheese
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Sweet Potato Empanadas Ingredients
- ½ of a sweet potato cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Blanched collard greens leafs or similar leafy green veggie
- 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
- 1 egg, beaten for the egg wash
Yellow Pepper Sauce
- ¼ cup Mayo
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- 2 tbsp Yellow Pepper paste or similar hot sauce
- 1 tsp Minced garlic
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Beef Empanadas
- Preheat oven to 375*
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large skillet cook ground beef, onions and bell pepper until beef is cooked through
- Drain any excess fat.
- Add cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder to beef mixture and cook for 2 minutes
- Remove from hot burner
- Let mixture cool before filling the empanadas
- Roll out pie crust
- Using a 4” bowl trace circles onto the pie crust with a paring knife.
- With leftover pie crust, mix together and roll out and continue cutting circles, until all dough is used.
- Lay a pie crust circle down on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Add 2 – 3 tbsp of filling to each crust circle.
- Top with 1 tsp of Mexican/Taco/Southwest cheese.
- Fold pie crust circle in half, keeping the filling inside, and press edges down with a fork.
- Beat egg in a small bowl and brush on top of each empanada.
- Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauces, salsas and/or guacamole.
Sweet Potato Empanadas
- Preheat oven to 375*F
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare sweet potato. Peel and cut into small cubes
- Steam the sweet potato (or microwave) until soft.
- Melt butter in a sauté pan
- Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Add parmesan cheese and garlic. Sauté 1 more minute
- Let mixture cool before filling the empanadas
- Add 2 – 3 tbsp of filling to each crust circle & top with 1 tsp of Gouda Cheese
- Fold pie crust circle in half, keeping the filling inside, and press edges down with a fork.
- Beat egg in a small bowl and brush on top of each empanada.
- Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauces, salsas and/or guacamole.
Yellow Pepper Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients and whisk together
- Adjust for heat and taste
Video
Nutrition
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Not Compensated by: Crossroads Collective – https://crossroadscollectivemke.com/
Not Compensated by: Triciclo Peru Empanadas – https://www.facebook.com/tricicloperumke/
If you liked our recipe for Homemade Empanadas, you should try our recipe for Candied Orange Chicken Stir-Fry You may be interested in some Dominican Empanadas (Postellios)
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I do love empanadas! I confess I don’t think I’ve ever tried to make them though. Rather just bought the kits out of supermarkets. Thanks for the video!
Great re creation!
Whatever is the easiest works for me. You know, Cooking Secrets for Men, we like easy!
Love the empanadas from Triciclo Peru