8 Must-Try Empanada Recipes

8 Empanada Recipes for Pure Pastry-Wrapped Enjoyment

Updated on June 30, 2023

Sweet potato cheesecake empanadas at Boricua Soul — Photo: Lauren Vied Allen

Empanadas are tasty baked or fried hand pies beloved in Spain, Latin America, and beyond. From classic flaky beef empanadas to sweet, rosy-hued cherry empanadillas, here are our favorite empanada recipes from chefs José Andrés, Katie Button, Francis Mallmann, and more.

01 of 08

Empanadillas Gallegas

These handheld versions of empanada Gallega, the large savory pie from Galicia, Spain, are stuffed with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped olives. Chef Katie Button mixes the filling with sofrito and wraps it up in a pastry dough enriched with lard, which she says makes an incredibly flaky crust.

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02 of 08

Cherry Empanadillas

This delicious cherry filling will convince you that empanadillas aren't just for savory fillings. Pastry chef Paola Velez's empanadillas are fried until golden brown, then glitzed up with a pretty pink glaze.

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03 of 08

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Empanadas

Puerto Rico and the American South intersect deliciously in this unique dessert empanada from Boricua Soul in Durham, North Carolina, which combines the flavors of marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole with spiced pumpkin cheesecake, encasing it all in caramel-drizzled, crisp pastry.

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04 of 08

Open-Faced Crab Empanadas

Chef José Andrés says: "I love America! Without a doubt, one of my favorite American ingredients is blue crabs, a true delicacy! And a great value, I think." This recipe is his twist on the traditional Basque txangurro (crab simmered with tomato), crossed with a Galician empanada.

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05 of 08

Spinach and Green Pea Empanadas

Chef Mauricio Couly uses a mix of spinach, fava beans, green beans, and a good amount of mint. He makes his own paprika-spiced empanada dough; store-bought empanada wrappers (available in the freezer section of many supermarkets and specialty food stores) work well, too.

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06 of 08

Tuna and Green Olive Empanadas

This recipe is made easy with the use of store-bought puff pastry. You'll end up with more filling than is needed for the empanadas — use the leftover to top crostini or toss with pasta.

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07 of 08

Mini Panamanian Beef Empanadas

Ground beef and cilantro fill these flaky, savory small-scale pastries. They can be baked instead of fried if you prefer.

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08 of 08

Beef and Onion Empanadas

These traditional Argentine empanadas from chef Francis Mallmann are filled with a mixture of ground beef, smoked paprika, green olives, and cumin, then baked until golden.

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