Recipes

Vegan Empanadas

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 30 minutes

| Cook Time: 30 mins

| Total Time: 1 hour

You may need: Patagonia Sunset

Discover The Recipe

Empanadas are savory, filled hand pies or turnovers originally from Spain that were brought to the New World colonies. Empanadas are common snacks , sold at bakeries throughout Spanish speaking South America as grab-n-go lunches for busy people during the work week, but are just as often cooked at home as comfort food, too. 

In this recipe, we offer a vegan empanadas recipe easy enough to make at home but delicious and comforting enough to make your family and friends think these come from a bakery. We season the mushroom based filling with our Chilean-style Patagonia Sunset spice blend. This blend is slightly smoky, with savory flavors from onion and roasted garlic, and is balanced with nutty and herbal notes, including from boldo leaf, an herb native to Chile that is used like bay leaf.

Ingredients

  • Vegan Empanada Filling:

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  •  4 cup mushrooms, chopped

  • 2 tsp Piquant Post Patagonia Sunset spice

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Vegan Empanada Dough:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 

  • 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened plant based milk (like almond milk or soy milk)

  • 1/4 cup warm water 

Notes

Empanadas are a very popular form of street food across Latin America, and our version uses our Patagonia Sunset spice mix to achieve a unique South American flavor. 

If the dough seems wet while you are kneading it, feel free to add a little flour to give the dough a firmer texture. 

If you want an extra golden finish to the empanadas, brush them with a little olive oil before baking! 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and add the onion and minced garlic. Cook about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened. Add the Piquant Post Patagonia Sunset along with the salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well combined. Set aside. 

To make the empanada dough, combine the flour, baking powder, sea salt and coconut oil. Stir until the mixture is dry and crumbly. Add the plant based milk and mix. Slowly add the warm water and mix until a soft dough is formed. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on a floured surface.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/8” thickness on a floured surface. Cut 4” diameter circles. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center of the circle and fold over to close the empanada. Wetting the edge helps the empanada stay shut. Use a fork to press into the edge of the empanada to seal it. Makes 12 empanadas.

Place all the finished empanadas on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden. Serve with your favorite salsa as a tasty treat or appetizer. 

Alternatives & Substitutions

  • Simple fillings of all kinds are used in these yummy hand held pies-they’re often filled with meat, but are easy to adapt to a vegetarian version! Our version of this popular South American dish has mushrooms in the filling, but it’s also very popular with beef. Here’s a recipe to try that features beef. Be sure to check out our Costillar de Chancho (South American Ribs), and Pastel de Choclo (Chilean Shepherd's Pie) as well. Delicious!

    Another of our fantastic vegan recipes that feature Patagonia Sunset is Locro de Zapallo(Andean Pumpkin Stew)

  • If you want a quick shortcut for the dough, feel free to use frozen puff pastry. Although puff pastry is usually made with butter, there are vegan options available in most grocery stores!

  • Our quick and easy filling is very simple, but you can add the quintessential South American additions of raisins and olives to make it even more authentic.

  • Empanadas are popular in many different countries! Here’s a Panamanian version to enjoy.

  • If you’re looking for a wonderful sauce to accompany these empanadas, try our chimichurri

  • Be sure to leave comments and feedback on your meals and experiments in the comments for others to read.

  • Post pictures of your masterpiece meal on social media and tag us. We repost!

Vegan Empanadas

Serves

4

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hour

Piquant Post spice you'll need: Patagonia Sunset

Ingredients

  • Vegan Empanada Filling:

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  •  4 cup mushrooms, chopped

  • 2 tsp Piquant Post Patagonia Sunset spice

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Vegan Empanada Dough:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 

  • 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened plant based milk (like almond milk or soy milk)

  • 1/4 cup warm water 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and add the onion and minced garlic. Cook about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened. Add the Piquant Post Patagonia Sunset along with the salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well combined. Set aside. 

  2. To make the empanada dough, combine the flour, baking powder, sea salt and coconut oil. Stir until the mixture is dry and crumbly. Add the plant based milk and mix. Slowly add the warm water and mix until a soft dough is formed. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on a floured surface.

  3. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/8” thickness on a floured surface. Cut 4” diameter circles. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center of the circle and fold over to close the empanada. Wetting the edge helps the empanada stay shut. Use a fork to press into the edge of the empanada to seal it. Makes 12 empanadas.

  4. Place all the finished empanadas on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden. Serve with your favorite salsa as a tasty treat or appetizer. 

Notes

  • Empanadas are a very popular form of street food across Latin America, and our version uses our Patagonia Sunset spice mix to achieve a unique South American flavor. 

  • If the dough seems wet while you are kneading it, feel free to add a little flour to give the dough a firmer texture. 

  • If you want an extra golden finish to the empanadas, brush them with a little olive oil before baking! 

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