Authentic Argentinian Vegetarian Empanadas, Three Ways (V/Vegan)
Authentic Argentinian vegetarian empanadas are a joy to make and an even bigger joy to eat - just wait until you break one of these gorgeous babies in half! NOTE: Goya makes great empanada disks, but if you cannot find them or prefer fresh, you can make your own following the recipe below.
Authentic Argentinian vegetarian empanadas are a joy to make and an even bigger joy to eat - just wait until you break one of these gorgeous babies in half! NOTE: Goya makes great empanada disks, but if you cannot find them or prefer fresh, you can make your own following the recipe below.
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- the juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoons salt
- sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 onions (sliced into crescents)
- 1 cup gouda cheese (shredded)
- 1 pound mushrooms (sliced)
- 4 leaves
- 1 onion (chopped finely )
- 1 sweet potato (shredded)
- 1/2 cup lentils (cooked)
- egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp of milk or non-dairy milk
- Carbohydrate 23.4141430852722 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 10.577017374544 g
- Fiber 0.97335974002364 g
- Protein 3.14639708729928 g
- Saturated Fat 0.809133507971482 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (90g)
- Sodium 409.777790436289 mg
- Sugar 22.4407833452486 g
- Trans Fat 0.231746465567943 g
- Calories 202 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- To make dough: Combine the flour with the salt in a large bowl.
- Add the oil and the water and knead until dough forms.
- If the dough requires, add more water.
- Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- For onion and cheese vegetarian empanadas: preheat a large pan to medium heat.
- Add 2 TBs grapeseed oil.
- Sautee onion until it turns golden, 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and season with oregano, salt & pepper.
- Set aside.
- When making empanadas, layer 1 TB of onion mixture per empanada and top with a sprinkle of cheese.
- Seal empanada and set aside.
- Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
- For mushroom and kale vegetarian empanadas: preheat a large pan to medium heat.
- Add 2 TBs grapeseed oil.
- Sautee mushrooms until they begin to brown, 10-15 minutes.
- Add kale and garlic, mix well to combine and sautee an additional 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and season with lime, salt & pepper.
- Set aside.
- When making empanadas, layer 1 TB of mushroom & kale mixture.
- Seal empanada and set aside.
- Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
- For sweet potato and lentil vegetarian empanadas: preheat a large pan to medium heat.
- Add 2 TBs grapeseed oil.
- Sautee onion until it turns golden, 10 minutes.
- Add sweet potatoes, lentils and seasonings.
- Cook until sweet potatoes cook fully, about 15 minutes.
- When making empanadas, layer 1 TB sweet potato and lentil mixture per empanada.
- Seal empanada and set aside.
- Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
- When ready to bake, arrange empanadas on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Brush tops with egg wash, and sprinkle sesame seeds (optional).
- Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes
Empanada pastry demands precise hydration ratios, meaning that doubling a batch requires careful measurement rather than estimation. When multiplying the flour and oil proportions for larger crowds, add cold water incrementally to prevent the dough from turning overly sticky, which makes crimping the edges difficult. The dough relies on a short resting period in the refrigerator for ten minutes to relax the gluten strands, allowing the disks to stretch without tearing under the weight of the fillings.
- Scale fillings independently of the dough to prevent moisture imbalance; wet vegetables like mushrooms require adequate pan time to drive off water before sealing.
- Maintain a ratio of one tablespoon of filling per disk to ensure structural integrity during the 400°F baking process.
- Store unbaked assembled empanadas in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours, or freeze them directly on a parchment-lined sheet before transferring to a freezer bag.
Leftover baked pastries regain their flaky texture when reheated in a conventional oven rather than a microwave. Keeping the internal filling completely cool before sealing prevents the pastry fat from melting prematurely on the counter.
