Perfectly Imperfect Empañadas

savory and delicious, these are the perfect cocktail party appetizer!

. . .

this is when you want to prepare something fast and easy, but also impress your guests.

no details, please, straight to the recipe ➪

This appetizer is easy enough to make, so really anyone can prepare it. At the same time it is delicious and the perfect finger food for parties.

Empañadas are thought to originate from Spain, but are actually widely popular in Argentina. They are hand-sized pocket of dough that vary in shape depending on the type of filling it contains - from savory to sweet. I chose to create a somewhat traditional, but mostly seasonal, type of filling - onions, pepper and potatoes. The accompanying chimichurri sauce goes with pretty much anything, since it makes everything taste even better!

As for the dough, I decided to use store-bought to make the process even easier. A lot of the puff pastry dough that is sold in the stores is vegan, because they do not use actual butter, but be sure to always check the ingredients (but also do not get scared of the ingredients - this is definitely something to enjoy on occasion and not as part of your daily menu :))

requires a simple list of ingredients:

onion
garlic
small peppers
potatoes
parsley
vegetable stock
spices

preparation details

For ease of cooking, prepare all your ingredients ahead of time, the so-called mise-en-place (from french “everything in its place“). I find that by doing this everything goes smoother and is a sure way to ensure you are not missing any ingredients.

Adding the dry ingredients to the sautéed veggies 2-3 min. prior to adding the vegetable stock, helps release their flavors, while the Tamari sauce not only does it deepen the overall flavor, but adds enough saltiness so that you no longer need to use salt.

Using puff pastry helps speed-up the process, just be sure to defrost it enough so you do not experience any breakage (like I did :)). As for the filling, I like chopping the veggies in all different shapes and sizes, but if you want them chopped more uniformly that is also fine. It is important not to overfill the empañadas so you can close and press them properly to avoid them splitting during the bake.

Pressing with the fork not only does it help seal it properly, but also gives it a nice visual effect. My skills here produced shapes that were far from perfect, but they were delicious and that is what counts :)

Coating them with almond milk at the end ensures that they get that nice golden brown color when baked, so do not skip that step.

The Chimichuri Sauce on top of the empañadas is the perfect topping - it brings freshness while creating a balance between the savory, slightly spicy filling, the dough and the sauce. Any leftover chimichurri sauce can be stored in a glass jar in the fridge and used on roasted veggies, on avocado toast or eat it straight from the jar to keep humans at a safe distance (just kidding … maybe ;))

recipe

Perfectly Imperfect Empañadas

Savory and delicious, these are perfect appetizers for any cocktail party … even if it is a party of one!

{vegetarian & vegan friendly}

Author: The Kitchen Plot

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 60 min.

Overall Time: 70 min.

Serves: 8 empañadas

Perfect for: party bites, snack

Keeps for: outside - 3 days

Method:

Place a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the onion and cook for 3-5 min., stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Add the garlic and let cook for another 2-3 min. If it starts sticking, just add a splash of white wine or a bit of vegetable stock for deglazing.
Add the peppers, potatoes, dried herbs and mix well. Cook for another minute, then add the Tamari sauce and continue cooking for 2 min.
{Now is the time to pre-heat your oven to 360F convection/180C fan and line a baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper}
Add the vegetable stock to the pan and cook for 15-20 min., until the potatoes are cooked through. If the pan starts sticking, just add a bit more vegetable stock.
Using 4 in. diameter cookie cutter cut out 8 rounds from the puff pastry (I used the remaining puff pastry and created some odd shaped empanadas, but were eaten just the same :)) and place on the baking sheet.
Place 1 Tbsp of the filling at one end, then fold over the other end so you get a half-moon shape. Using a fork, press down along the edge to seal down the puff pastry.
Brush the empanadas with almond milk and bake for 20-25 min. until golden-brown.
In the meantime, you can prepare the chimichurri sauce.
The impañadas taste best served straight out of the oven, but they also taste great at room temperature.
Bon appetit!