Filipino Empanada Stuffed Pastry (Printable)

Golden handheld pastries with savory meat and vegetable filling

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
05 - 1/2 cup cold water
06 - 1 large egg

→ Filling

07 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2/3 lb ground pork or beef
11 - 1 small potato, peeled and diced
12 - 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
13 - 1/2 cup green peas
14 - 1/2 cup raisins
15 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
16 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
20 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

→ Assembly

21 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
22 - Vegetable oil for frying

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add beaten egg and cold water, mixing until dough forms. Knead briefly, shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ground meat and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon. Stir in potato, carrot, green peas, and raisins. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, salt, and paprika to the skillet. Mix thoroughly and continue cooking until vegetables are tender and flavors are well combined, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in chopped hard-boiled eggs. Allow filling to cool completely.
04 - Preheat oven to 375°F or heat oil to 350°F for frying. Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into 5-inch rounds. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of filling on each round, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold dough over to form a half-moon shape and press edges firmly with a fork to seal. Brush tops with beaten egg if baking.
05 - For baking: Arrange empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. For frying: Cook in batches in hot oil for 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels if frying. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The contrast between that shattering flaky crust and the savory sweet filling inside is absolute magic
  • These freeze beautifully and make you look like you spent hours when it was really just a Sunday afternoon project
  • The raisins might seem unusual but trust me—they're the secret that makes people ask what's different about yours
02 -
  • Hot filling will melt your dough and create holes so let it cool completely before assembling
  • Don't overfill these or they'll burst while cooking—2 tablespoons is the sweet spot
  • Seal edges really well with the fork twice if needed because there's nothing sadder than leaked filling
03 -
  • Work quickly with the dough because warmth makes it sticky and difficult to handle
  • Use a 5 inch bowl or cutter to make perfectly uniform rounds every time
  • Let baked empanadas cool on a wire rack not directly on the counter so bottoms stay crispy

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