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This vegetarian empanadas recipe uses a simple dough and is stuffed with sweet potatoes, peppers, black beans, corn and spices.
When I'm craving something vegetarian, sweet potatoes are a go-to for me - from sweet potato fajitas to sweet potato chili.
But what about empanadas? I'm sure your first thought is beef, as that's the most popular. As with any dish, you can adapt it and not only make it healthier, but even tastier.
While the filling is amazing with the various vegetables like sweet potatoes and corn - oh and cheese, to me it is the dough that makes these vegetarian empanadas.
It is quite simple to make and very similar to pie crust if you've ever made your own. It create a light and flaky crust that just melts in your mouth when you bite into it.
These vegetarian empanadas work great as an appetizer or as a meal. And I highly recommend making some cilantro chimichurri to dip. It just puts the dish over the top.
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Ingredient Notes
- Empanada dough - homemade dough is quite easy and so tasty but pre-rolled pie crust works.
- Veggies - the combination of sweet potatoes, onion, peppers and corn adds flavor, texture and also makes the vegetarian empanadas filling.
- Spices - where a lot of the flavor comes from.
- Black beans - gives you needed protein as this is a vegetarian dish.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I like sweet potatoes, you can use Russet potatoes or butternut squash.
- I like black beans for the protein, but garbanzo or cannellini beans are good substitutes.
- Pepper jack cheese is my go-to for Mexican-inspired dishes but you can use anything from cheddar to Monterey jack to mozzarella.
Step-by-Step Photos
Make the empanada dough by pulsing the butter and flour before adding the remaining ingredients. Turn dough on surface and form into ball, cutting in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least 1 hour.
Roast sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper at 425°F for 20 minutes. While roasting them, sauté the onion and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat with some olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a minute and then mix in spices, black beans and corn, cooking for another 5 minutes.
Mix in the sweet potatoes, cheese and lime juice with the veggies, letting cool to room temperature. Take the empanada dough out of the fridge and roll to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut into circles about 5 inches in diameter.
Put about 2 tbsp of filling the center of each circle. Dab some water around the edge and fold so it sticks together. Press the edges and crimp with a fork. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with some egg wash. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes.
While the empanadas are baking, make the cilantro chimichurri if using. You know the vegetarian empanadas are ready when they're golden brown.
FAQs
Empanadas mean "to wrap in bread" in Spanish. It is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling. It can be sweet or savory, but is typically savory.
While the dough is easy enough to make if you're short on time you can use a pre-rolled pie crust. Canned biscuits or crescent rolls pressed and rolled thin also work.
Yes. You can make the dough and filling and store in the fridge for up to 1 day. You can also assemble the unbaked empanadas and cover in plastic in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the vegetarian empanadas to baking sheet and reheat for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is warmed through. If they are starting to brown, just cover with aluminum foil
Bake vs Fried
I personally like baking these empanadas as they are a little healthier and you don't have to deal with the oil, but you can also fry them.
Add oil to a deep pan or pot so that it reaches 1 inch in depth. Heat oil to between 365°F. Fry in batches, 3 at a time, 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Best Side Dish Options
Empanadas are one of those meals that work great as an appetizer or main course. There are quite a few recipes that work great with these vegetarian empanadas besides just cilantro chimichuri including:
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use an empanada dough press to make life easier when filling and folding.
- If the dough is becoming a little warm due to being out too long when adding the filling, just place the filled empanadas back in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
- Use an egg wash on the outside of the dough to get the empanadas golden brown.
- Leftover vegetarian empanadas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Similar Recipes
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Vegetarian Empanadas
Ingredients
Empanada Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup ice cold water
Filling
- 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½" cubes (about ½ lb)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- ½ lime, juiced
Cilantro Chimichuri
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes coarse meal, about 15 pulses.
- In a small bowl, combine egg and water. Add the egg mixture to food processor and pulse until it starts to clump together. DO NOT pulse until ball is formed. It should be crumbly with large clumps of dough.
- Turn dough only a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Cut in half and flatten each ball slightly to form a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dice sweet potatoes into ½ inch cubes and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes until tender and toss halfway through.
- While sweet potatoes are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, onion and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes. Mix in spices. Add drained black beans and corn and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the roasted sweet potatoes, cheese and lime juice. Mix well. Let cool to room temperature.
- When ready to make empanadas, reduce oven to 375°F. Roll out dough to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut into circles about 5 inches in diameter using a ring cutter or small bowl.
- Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle. Put some water around the entire edge, so once folded it will stick together. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Crimp with a fork. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- While empanadas are baking, mx all ingredients for the chimichurri together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavors into the oil before using.
Notes
- Use an empanada dough press to make life easier when filling and folding.
- If the dough is becoming a little warm due to being out too long when adding the filling, just place the filled empanadas back in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
- Use an egg wash on the outside of the dough to get the empanadas golden brown.
- Leftover empanadas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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