How to Bake Empanadas

Empanada, a Spanish dish that has made its mark all across the globe now, has two main variants. One is a fried version, and the other is the baked version. A question comes to mind, how to bake empanadas?

People are readily embracing the baking method to avoid extra oil consumption so that they can relish the empanadas to their heart’s content. So, embrace the health trend and learn how to bake empanadas.

How To Bake Empanadas?

Empanadas are nothing but flavorsome more miniature homemade pies. Furthermore, by baking, you can make many empanadas at once compared to the deep-frying process and can enjoy them without any guilt.

Learn how to bake empanadas perfectly and store them for 5-7 days in the fridge.

Step 1: Prepare the Dough for Empanadas

1. Get some flour in a bowl.
2. Add baking powder, salt, and egg to it.
3. Add cold cubes of butter to the bowl.
4. Use hands to mix all of these ingredients with flour properly.
5. Add little water at small intervals until you make a dough out of it.
6. You can use a food processor to speed up the process.
7. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator overnight.

Tip!

Leaving the dough to rest overnight will help it relax and lose the stretchiness property.

Step 2: Prepare the Filling for Empanadas

You can fill empanadas with chicken, pork, vegetables, cheese, beef, and so on, along with some vibrant seasoning. It solely depends on your own choice. You can check out this link to learn about various empanada fillings.

Furthermore, you can also combine simple sauce and cheese or go for a beef & chicken combination to bring out different tastes. The steps below are for fillings with beef as a prime ingredient.

1. After the dough is put to rest, take another bowl for the fillings.
2. Stir water and flour until the flour dissolves.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet at medium heat.
4. Sauté onion in cooking oil for around 5 minutes, until it softens.
5. Add ground beef to the container over the stove.
6. Now, add cumin, paprika, and olives to it.
7. Cook and stir the mixture for around 7 to 10 minutes until the beef changes its color to brown.
8. Pour the flour & water mixture into the beef mixture.
9. Stir to coat it evenly.
10. Add raisins into the mixture.
11. Now, stir it again to cook for about 5 minutes, until the raisins start to plump.
12. Fold eggs onto the beef mixture.
13. Season it with salt & pepper.
14. Keep it aside to cool down, and store it in the refrigerator just like the dough.

Step 3: Roll Out the Dough

1. Take the dough out from the refrigerator.
2. Place it on a surface with flour sprinkled over it.
3. Please press down the dough with your hands to flatten it.
4. Use a rolling pin for further flattening of the dough to around 1/8 inches of thickness.
5. Use a cookie cutter or a bowl to cut shapes out of the dough.
6. The circles cut from the dough should be of 3 ½ or 4-inch diameter.

Step 4: Fill the Empanadas

1. Take the filling out of the refrigerator, and separate it to uniform filling proportions.
2. Place the appropriate quantity of filling at the center of each circle.
3. The margin of the circles should be clean to avoid leaks or mess.
4. Avoid overfilling the dough circles, as it will be challenging to seal the empanadas.

Step 5: Seal the Empanadas

1. Dip your finger in a water bowl.
2. Run your fingers around the edges of the dough circle and dampen it.
3. Fold it in half and enclose the filling.
4. Press firmly over the edges.
5. Lengthen them and make them thin while pressing together.
6. Give this step a little time to avoid oozing out of the filling inside the oven.
7. Now, braid the edges as per the texture you want. (Use forks for the purpose)

Step 6: Baking of the Empanadas

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place all the sealed empanadas over a baking sheet.
3. Brush them generously with a well-prepared egg wash. (mix egg yolk with little water)
4. Coat the egg wash over all the visible areas of empanadas.
5. Place them inside the oven, and let them bake until they puff up and are brownish in color.
6. They are ready to be served when warm, or you can also eat them at room temperature.
7. You can store them in the refrigerator to enjoy later.
8. Reheat them in the microwave after you take them out of the refrigerator.

This video provides you with the detailed process of making baked empanadas.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Can I Perfectly Reheat the Empanadas?

You can perfectly reheat the empanadas using a toaster oven, convection oven, microwave, air fryers, and a deep fryer or skillet. This article will help you out regarding the reheating processes.

How Long Can I Keep Empanadas at Room Temperature After Baking Them?

Empanadas should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. It is because the room temperature is often between 40 degrees to 140 degrees F.

And, during this temperature, the bacteria growth rate is high, making them unsafe for consumption. Therefore, it is better to store the empanadas in the refrigerator after they cool down.

What Is the Shelf-Life for Empanadas After They Are Baked?

The shelf-life for empanadas after they have undergone baking is around seven days in the refrigerator. It is better to finish them up before a week, as the taste and freshness would start to deteriorate.

Conclusion

It’s a preconceived notion among people that baking empanadas may reduce the overall taste. Instead, baking offers healthy as well as tasty alternatives to frying. Moreover, baking opens you to exploring other recipes as well, such as baked chicken breasts or ham and cheese sliders.

So, what are you waiting for? Go! Start the baking process and enjoy eating them without thinking about your diet.