Filipino Empanada

This Filipino Empanada is a deliciously fried pastry stuffed with a savory vegetable filling that makes a scrumptious side dish. It’s so hearty, easy to cook, and vegetarian-friendly!

Looking for more Filipino dishes? Try my refreshing Atsara (Pickled Green Papaya), Bagoong (Vegan Fish Paste), Grilled Eggplant in Coconut Milk, or my Vegetable Lumpiang Shanghai!

What is Empanada?

Empanada is a half-circle shaped pastry with a savory filling. Its name comes from the Galician verb empanar which means “enbreaded” or wrapped in bread. It’s usually made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat or vegetables, and then baking or frying the dough.

Its origin is unknown but is believed that it originated in Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. Then the dish was carried by the Spanish colonists to Latin America and the Philippines.

The Filipino empanadas are usually filled with ground meat, potatoes, spices, and raisins. In this recipe, the soft pocket of dough is filled with a savory and healthy vegetarian filling. Yum!

Tips and Procedures:

• Avoid putting too much filling on the dough that would cause your empanada to burst open or explode .
• These empanadas can be made in advance. Just refrigerated the cooked empanadas for up to 3 days. Then reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven when you are ready to eat.
• Veggie empanadas filling alternate combinations: onion and cheese empanadas mushroom empanadas, vegetarian empanadas sweet potato and more.
• Storage: It’s best to freeze the empanadas before frying because the dough tends to lose it’s flakey texture. Make sure to place parchment paper between the empanadas so they don’t stick to each other. Then simply fry when ready to eat.

How to Make Empanada:

Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:

Vegetable Filling:

• vegan oyster sauce 
• black rice vinegar 
• chili sauce 
• vegetable oil 
• onion
• shiitake mushrooms
• carrot
• garlic
• potatoes
• cabbage
• water
• salt and pepper

Empanada Dough:

• egg 
• water
• distilled white vinegar 
• unbleached all-purpose flour 
• salt 
• cold unsalted butter 

For the vegetable filling: 

In a small bowl, add oyster sauce, black rice vinegar, chili sauce and mix, set aside. In a large pan over medium-low heat, add oil, then sauté onions, mushrooms, and carrots for 2 minutes. Season with salt and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring continuously: 

Add the garlic, potatoes, cabbage, half-cup of water, and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Add the sauce mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook further to combine the flavors, about 2 minutes, set aside to cool completely for 30 minutes:

To make the dough:

In a small bowl, beat one egg, water, and vinegar, set aside. In a large bowl, add flour, salt and mix with a whisk. Then add the cold butter, mix until it resembles a coarse meal:

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix and knead for 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap, refrigerate for 1 hour:

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough and cut the dough into several pieces using any kind of round cutter with a diameter of 6 inches. To assemble the empanada. Place the empanada disc on a clean surface. Place a tablespoon of the filling at the center of the empanada disc:

Seal the empanadas by folding them to form a half-moon shape and press the edges and crimp to seal the edges or use a fork:

Brush the empanadas with the egg wash, then allow to sit for 2 minutes. In a deep pot over medium-high heat, add oil about 3 inches deep. Test the oil if it’s hot by dipping a wooden spoon and if it bubbles it’s ready. Then fry the empanadas until golden brown, about  3-5 minutes:

Place the empanadas on a plate lined with a paper towel and repeat the frying process with the rest of the empanadas. Serve with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions: