These empanadas are a popular snack in Colombia and are served by most Colombian restaurants in the USA. Traditionally, these delicious fritters are made with shredded pork and beef, but in my family we always make them with ground meat. Serve them with ají and lime wedges on the side.
In Colombia, empanadas are also sold outside of the churches. They are usually small and just have potato filling, a great alternative for vegetarians and absolutely delicious. For the vegetarian version of this empanadas recipe, follow all the directions just omitting the beef and pork.
Ingredients
(About twenty, 3 inch empanadas)
Vegetable oil for frying
Lime and ají for serving
Dough or Masa
1 ½ cups precooked yellow cornmeal (masarepa)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ tablespoon sazon Goya with azafran
½ teaspoon Salt
Filling
2 cups peeled and diced white potatoes
1 chicken or vegetable bouillon tablet
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped white onions
1 cup chopped tomato
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 chopped garlic clove
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ pound ground pork and beef
Directions to prepare the dough:
1. Place the masarepa in a large bowl. Add the sazon Goya and salt and stir to mix well. Add the water and oil and mix to form dough. Pat the dough into a ball and knead for 2 minutes or until smooth. Cover with plastic and set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to make the filling, cook the potatoes in a pot with water and the bouillon tablet for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain and gently mash the potatoes. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, green onions, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes.
4. Add the ground pork and beef. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is fairly dry.
5. Transfer the meat mixture to the mashed potatoes bowl and mix well to combine.
6. Break small portions of the dough, about 1 ½ tablespoons each one, and form each portion into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands.
7. Place the balls of dough between two pieces of plastic and roll each out very thinly to form a circle. Remove the top plastic and place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each.
8. Then using the plastic underneath, fold the dough over to enclose the filling, forming a half circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork.
9. Fill a large pot with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat to 360° F.
10. Carefully place 3 or 4 empanadas at the time in the heated oil and fry for about 2 minutes until golden on all sides.
11. Using a slotted spoon transfer the empanadas to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with ají and lime wedges on the side.
Related posts:
Carolina
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 5:24 PM:
Erica,
You are my Hero! Thank you for sharing your recipes. Since I found this blog, I have been making delicius Colombian dishes for my husband and son…We love it. No hay nada como el sabor de COLOMBIA. Sigue compartiendo tus recetas…no sabes cuanto lo apreciamos
Erica
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 6:23 PM:
Hi Carolina,
Thank you so much for the nice comment! I am glad you like the blog.
momgateway
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 6:56 PM:
…been wanting to try out Colombian recipes. Empanadas are my favorite!
Oysterculture
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 6:57 PM:
When we were lived in DC, there was a local chain called Julie’s Empanadas and I loved going there, I thought they were the perfect snack – nice and contained. Now I can try my own.
Velva
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 7:18 PM:
Those empanadas look wonderful!!!
Monica Wong
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 8:30 PM:
Hi Erica,
This is a delicious snack!
Cathy
on Jul 14th, 2009
@ 10:05 PM:
I love empanadas! Yours look delicious – high time I tried making some.
Felisha
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 1:04 AM:
I have made several empanada recipes. I will def. have to try yours. These look amazing
Since they are so much work, I usually make a lot, and freeze the others for a quick snack 
I love how you have a pic of each dish for the imagination!!
Pilar-Lechuza
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 1:14 AM:
En España les llamamos empanadillas( las empanadas son más grandes) pero se llamen como se llamen nos encantan en casa. Probaré tu receta y ya te contaré el resultado.
un abrazo
Sophie
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 4:47 AM:
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,…your empanada’s look so tasty & colourful!!
I so digg them!
I will try them tomorrow, so Thanks for this yummie recipe, Erica!
Erica
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 7:11 AM:
Thank you for visiting!
Kim
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 8:00 AM:
Yum- they looks perfectly crispy and delicious. I wish I could come by and have some : )
Hélène
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 12:17 PM:
How delicious they look. I have never eaten Empanadas before.
Cynthia
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 12:46 PM:
I can never get enough of these goodies!
John
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 12:51 PM:
Those look fantastic–so perfectly golden brown!!
My Carolina Kitchen
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 4:08 PM:
I haven’t had Empanatas since we lived in Texas way back when. My favorite was stuffed with beef, English peas and flavored with rosemary. I can still taste it but I’ve never been able to re-create it. Think I’ll have to give your recipe a try. Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories.
Sam
zerrin
on Jul 15th, 2009
@ 5:57 PM:
Fantastic empanadas! I want to squeeze lemon on that halved piece. Erica, I think you’ll make me a fan of Colombian dishes. Your recipes are definitely appealing to my appetite!
nora@ffr
on Jul 16th, 2009
@ 12:13 PM:
finally my kids are loving columbian dishes.. taste rili good.. thanx erica
Soma
on Jul 16th, 2009
@ 3:23 PM:
I like empanadas tho i have never ventured to make these at home.. thanks for the recipe. I had once had pineapple filled ones. & loved it..are the sweet once traditional too?
Nellson Najar
on Jul 16th, 2009
@ 9:17 PM:
Is a pleasure to have new recipes. I am very please to find your page, my wife now (she is american) is preparing a lot of your recipes. Thanks.
lisa (dandysugar)
on Jul 18th, 2009
@ 10:09 AM:
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. I love columbian empanadas but I have not tried making them yet. These sounds perfect, can’t wait to try your recipe!
Scott
on Jul 19th, 2009
@ 11:43 AM:
A lifesaver! I have two Colombian boys staying the summer with me and they miss their empanadas. I cook a lot of Colombian meals, but have never found a good recipe for the dough! Muchas gracias!
Erica
on Jul 24th, 2009
@ 5:18 PM:
Thank you everyone for the comments!
Viviana
on Jul 25th, 2009
@ 12:55 PM:
Thank you so much for publishing traditional Colombian recipes. I’m Colombian, also from Medellin but born & raised in NJ. Unfortunately I really don’t have the patience for cooking. But as a mother of two boys I am now desperate that they know about their mothers food & culture (their father is american). Yours is the only website that has the great pictures to describe the food. They totally remind me of my mothers cooking!!!!! Great job Paisa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ps: would you be able to in the future to put the recipes in printable format?
Erica
on Jul 25th, 2009
@ 1:36 PM:
Hi Viviana,
Thank you so much for the nice comment! That is my next step.
sandra g
on Aug 25th, 2009
@ 2:21 PM:
Hola!, made your empanadas last night, they were awosome, by the way I’m dominican and my husband is peruvian, he said they’re great, I’ll will try making more of your foods, they all look yummy. Love sandra.
Erica
on Aug 25th, 2009
@ 6:19 PM:
Hola Sandra,
Thank you for your feedback!
Elisa
on Sep 9th, 2009
@ 10:52 PM:
Erika, super buena la página tuya, cada vez nos sorprendés más. Por lo menos tengo una prima que heredó el talento culinario de la familia por el lado de la mamita y mi mamá. Podrias incluir la receta de las empanadas de iglesia que aunque son más sencillas son deliciosas para los que no nos gusta la carne. Felicitaciones por todos los comentarios
Erica
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 7:17 AM:
Hola Elisa,
Ojala algun dia pueda ser tan buena en la cocina como tu mamá y la mamita. La verdad es que lo disfruto mucho. La receta de las empanadas de iglesia esta incluida en ese post.
Gracias por tu mensaje….Parece que lo tengo en la sangre
Gracias de nuevo significa mucho para mi recibir mensajes bonitos de mis amigos y familia, por que todas esas memorias son las que escribo en este blog.
Las recuerdo mucho.
Melanie
on Oct 17th, 2009
@ 11:19 AM:
It is now cold in NYC and these empanadas give warmth to a cold day. Thanks.
Susan at SGCC
on Oct 17th, 2009
@ 12:02 PM:
I just recently discovered your blog and I love it! Your recipes are fantastic! I look forward to trying some of them out.
Erica
on Oct 17th, 2009
@ 3:34 PM:
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the wonderful comment!
Erica
on Oct 17th, 2009
@ 3:34 PM:
Thank you, Melanie.
Roberto
on Nov 11th, 2009
@ 1:13 PM:
Hola soy Puertorriqueño (casado con una Caleña) y me encanta la comida colombiana. Te felicito por tu blog, por fin encuentro un lugar de recetas colombianas con ingredientes que se pueden conseguir en usa. En la forma que explicas las recetas es excelente (sencillo y al punto), ademas el incluir fotos de los ingredientes ayuda a la hora de buscarlos en el supermercado…
Cuando publicas la receta de la torta negra? Mi esposa a cada rato me menciona que se comeria una torta negra pero en Atlanta es dificil conseguir un lugar que la hagan, ademas me encantaria darle la sorpresa un dia y prepararsela…muchas gracias y muchas felicitaciones nuevamente..tu blog esta brutal!!!
R
Erica
on Nov 11th, 2009
@ 2:17 PM:
Hola Roberto,
Gracias por tu comentario! La receta de la torta negra es algo que voy a publicar pronto, no se cuando pero estoy trabajando en eso.
Keri
on Nov 12th, 2009
@ 3:36 PM:
All of your recipes sound delicious! My husband is from Cucuta, Colombia and misses Colombian food. These all sound relatively easy to make. Can’t wait to try them!!
Respondon
on Nov 17th, 2009
@ 10:26 PM:
I probably won’t be able to make them like Empanadas Colombianas of Calle 53 in Galerias, if they’re still there, but this recipe looks like my best shot!
Respondon
on Nov 19th, 2009
@ 9:32 PM:
By the way, if you live in Washington you can get real colombian empanadas at La Calena bakery in Montgomery Village MD:
They’ll even give you little aji containers. You’re on your own for the lime, though. Their real business is roscones and other Colombian baked goods, which I’m not especially fond of, but the empanadas are very good and they don’t freeze too badly if you blot them first.
Vanessa
on Nov 25th, 2009
@ 4:49 PM:
This recipe is perfect, they came out delicious, I would recommend to anyone to follow your recipe.
Erica
on Nov 25th, 2009
@ 7:15 PM:
Vanessa-Thank you so much for your feedback!
Martha
on Nov 30th, 2009
@ 3:51 PM:
Tu blog esta super chevere. Podrias poner unos Buñuelitos? Para navidad.
Gracias
Caroline
on Dec 11th, 2009
@ 7:24 PM:
I am Filipina, and my husband is Mexican. Empanadas are eaten in both of our cultures, and its neat to see (and eat!) different variations. Mexican empanadas are filled with fruit; Filipino empanadas are filled with ground beef, potatoes, and other vegetables.
I ate Colombian empanadas at a Hispanic heritage festival (many years ago), and I’ve been looking for the recipe since. I bought masarepa the other day, and I can’t wait to try this. Thank you so much for sharing!
Nancy
on Dec 14th, 2009
@ 7:43 AM:
Por fin, durante a;os trate de prepararlas, pero solo con tu receta fue posible que mis hijos las comieran y me dijeran, estas si son empanadas Colombianas mami. Gracias mil !!!!!!!!!
Erica
on Dec 14th, 2009
@ 8:14 AM:
Nancy- Muchas gracias por tu comentario! Me alegra que te gustaron
Caroline
on Dec 15th, 2009
@ 6:54 PM:
Hi Erica, this is Caroline (the author of the comment posted on December 11). I finally made empanadas con aji last night, and we loved it! My husband was very happy. Thanks again.
Rob
on Dec 21st, 2009
@ 5:58 AM:
Question ?
Added 2 cups of water to the Dough or Masa and it was very soft.I mean kinda like oameal soft. Let it stand 20 minutes but still very soft. Paniced and added more precooked yellow cornmeal (masarepa) to make it thicker. Was i wrong by adding more cormeal or did i worry for no reason ?
Thanks
Erica
on Dec 21st, 2009
@ 7:57 AM:
Rob-That was perfect!I do the same thing with my masa when is thin.
Rob
on Dec 22nd, 2009
@ 5:50 AM:
Thanks for the reply Erica !
My main concern was when i tried to fold the meat in the masa it seemed like the masa would rip and tear and not hold the meat inside.
Will try it again like you suggest.
Have a Merry Christmas !
Milena McComas
on Dec 23rd, 2009
@ 12:40 AM:
Dear Erica,
Just wanted to share with you that thanks to this recipe “quede como una reina”. As you know, these days we Colombians celebrate the “novena”, it was at my house today and I made the empanadas and the rice pudding… everyone was literally licking their fingers!!!
Thank you ver much for these wonderful recipes!
Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful Happy New Year!!
Erica
on Dec 23rd, 2009
@ 9:06 AM:
Milena-Thank you so much for the feedback and the wonderful comment!
Dulce Maria
on Jan 8th, 2010
@ 10:39 AM:
I just found out your recipe in this web very exicited to know that our Empanadas are well recognized.
I lived in Miami starting a minicompany that making empanadas of meat and chiken just to find some information, if you let me know if you by any chance know any restaurants or private company want to get involved with me for large orders, at the presente time I have only few merchants wants to expand.
thanks very much.
Dulce
Carmen
on Jan 21st, 2010
@ 11:52 AM:
Wow, I am so glad I just found your website. I have searched high and low to find the real deal Colombian empanadas like the ones I have had with my mother’s family in Colombia. These look almost identical to the favorites I come back to when I am in Medellin. I watched them being in made in Medellin at my mother’s house and they did not use bell pepper, so might omit that. Thank you so much!
C
on Jan 27th, 2010
@ 12:57 PM:
Hi Erika, great recipe. I do have a question though. Can you bake the empanadas instead of deep fried them? if yes, then at what temperature oand and for how long? Thanks!
Erica
on Jan 27th, 2010
@ 2:08 PM:
C- You can try baking them. In Colombia we always fry them.
Torie
on Feb 6th, 2010
@ 1:00 PM:
Yum! Thanks for a great recipe! I made these for a party, and they were a hit. Best empanadas I’ve ever made!
Erica
on Feb 6th, 2010
@ 2:07 PM:
Torie- Thank you so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it.
Claire
on Feb 24th, 2010
@ 12:39 PM:
I made these last night and we loved them! They were crispy and perfect!
connie caballero
on Feb 24th, 2010
@ 12:48 PM:
Would you recommend a certain oil as mine we very oily but delicious.My son loved them
Erica
on Feb 24th, 2010
@ 2:18 PM:
Connie- Just vegetable oil, but it has to be at the right temperature. Drain them on paper towel.
Enith
on Mar 5th, 2010
@ 6:32 PM:
Hola Erica, yo soy Cartagenera Y me encanta que tengas estas resetas en Ingles para todos los estrangeros gue les gustan nuestra comida Colombiana.FELICITACIONES!!!!