Baked Filipino Meat Empanadas
These buttery turnover pastries filled with meat and vegetables make a great snack or appetizer! This Filipino-style meat empanada recipe with pork and beef makes a big batch of baked goods that will last you for days. This post also helps you break down how to make savory Filipino empanadas so that it feels easy and straightforward.
Disclosure
The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.
Ingredients
Empanada Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated white sugar see note below
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup unsalted butter sliced in small pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup water
Meat Filling
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 1 medium potato diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cubed chicken bouillon or powder
- 1 cup water more as needed
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch mix in 2 teaspoon water
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Other
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water or 1 more tablespoon for thinner egg wash
Instructions
Make Filling
- Cook the garlic and onions in a deep pan with the neutral oil on medium heat until soft and glassy. Add the ground pork and cook to brown it. Add the chicken bouillon. Add the diced potato, carrot, and frozen peas. Let cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the water and continue to cook on low heat for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Then add the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch plus 2 teaspoon water) to thicken the sauce. Remove from the heat and let cool in a large bowl. Cover and place in fridge to cool overnight.
Make Dough
- Add flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder to a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients to mix together.
- Add sliced pieces of butter and gently toss the pieces in the flour. Then rub them together with the flour until you get a dry shaggy looking dough.
- Add eggs and mix in a third of the measured water. Use a spatula to mix everything together. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Wrap in cling wrap and place in the fridge to rest overnight.
Assemble Empanadas
- Split the dough in half and work with one half at a time to make the empanada wrappers. Dust some flour on a flat surface. Then roll out the dough to about ⅛ inch (3mm) thick. Cut out circles between 4.5 - 6 inches in diameter (12-15 cm). Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Make one empanada at a time by placing a piece of circle-shaped dough on a flat surface. Place a spoonful of the cooled filling on one circle.
- Then fold one side of the circle over the other side.
- Close the empanada by pressing a fork down along the edge of the empanada to crimp them closed. Once you made all the empanadas, place them in the fridge to rest for at least twenty minutes.
Bake Empanadas
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Make an egg wash by whisking the egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Set it aside.
- Bake the empanadas for twenty minutes until light brown. Then pull out the empanadas and brush egg wash on top of each one.Place back in the oven to continue baking for another 5 minutes. Note: If you want dark golden empanadas, repeat this step for a second time.
- Allow to cool for at least 10-15 mins before serving. Filling may be hot!
Nutrition
Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 641IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg