Empanada
A filled turnover of pastry, baked or fried, found worldwide.
An empanada is a baked or fried turnover made from pastry wrapped around a filling. This dish appears in Spain, Portugal, other parts of Southern Europe, North Africa, West Africa (where it is called a meatpie in Ghana and Nigeria), South Asia, Latin America, and the Philippines. The term comes from the Spanish verb *empanar*, meaning to coat with bread, and translates as “breaded”—that is, wrapped or coated in bread. To prepare them, dough is folded over a filling, which can include meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, and then the turnover is either baked or fried.
The exact origins of empanadas are unknown, though they are believed to have emerged in the 7th century in Galicia, a region in northwestern Spain. A reference to an empanada appears in the *Cantigas de Santa Maria* (around 1282), describing a man who took a chicken leg from a pasty. Jewish rabbinic texts from the same period, including works by Asher ben Jehiel, Yom Tov of Seville, Aaron ben Jacob, and Jacob ben Asher, mention “inpanada” and “panada” as bread products filled with fat, meat, or fish. A 1520 Catalan cookbook, *Llibre del Coch* by Robert de Nola, includes recipes for empanadas filled with seafood, covering Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian cuisines.
In Argentina, empanadas are common at parties and festivals, served as a starter or main course. Specialized shops offer many flavors and fillings. Regional variations abound: Salta’s *salteñas* are small, juicy, and spicy, with potatoes, peppers, and ground chili, and are also popular in Bolivia. Jujuy’s version adds peas and garlic, with its filling called *recado* and its closing method *simbado*. La Rioja includes hard-boiled egg, red bell pepper, olives, and raisins. Jujuy itself has two types: *criollas* and *arabes*. Santiago’s are considered especially juicy, while Catamarca’s are similar but smaller. Tucumán is known for the empanada creole, and an annual National Empanada festival takes place in Famaillá. Famaillá’s empanadas use *matambre* fried in good fat, competing with *entreveradas* (mixed-grated) that combine *matambre* with chicken breast, garlic, ground chili, hard-boiled egg, and cumin. Mendoza’s are large with olives and garlic. San Juan’s have more onion, making them juicier and slightly sweet, often with olives and added fat. San Luis’s are big, seasoned with oregano and hot pepper, and kneaded with pork fat. Córdoba features a version called “Pastel Federal” or *empanadas de Misia Manuelita*, historically filled with pears boiled in wine with cloves; today they are less sweet, but sugar is traditionally sprinkled on top. Traslasierra adds carrots and potatoes. In the Litoral region, where immigrants from various countries settled, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Corrientes fill empanadas with river fish like *surubí* (catfish) or *dorado*, or with white sauce and Goya cheese. In Patagonia’s Cordillera, lamb is used, and on the coast, seafood. In Buenos Aires, the Creole empanada is so significant that the Argentine Ministry of Culture has declared it a Cultural Heritage of Food and Gastronomy.
In Belize, these turnovers are called *panades*. They are made from *masa* (corn dough), typically stuffed with fish, chicken, or beans, deep-fried, and served with a cabbage or salsa topping. *Panades* are often sold as street food.
In Brazil, a *pastel* (plural: *pastéis*) is a thin-crust pie in a half-circle or rectangle shape, filled with various ingredients and fried in vegetable oil until crispy and brown. Common fillings include ground meat, mozzarella, Catupiry, heart of palm, codfish, cream cheese, chicken, and small shrimp. Sweet *pastéis* filled with guava paste and Minas cheese, banana, or chocolate also exist.
Traditional Chilean styles include *empanada de pino*, which can be fried (*fritas*) or baked (*de horno*), filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs. Cheese-filled empanadas with crimped edges are deep-fried. Other flavors and fillings include shrimp and cheese, crab and cheese, neopolitan, spider crab and cheese, and seafood.
Colombian empanadas are a traditional fried pastry popular across the country. They are typically made with a cornmeal-based dough and filled with seasoned meats (beef, pork, or chicken), potatoes, rice, and vegetables. They are deep-fried until golden and crispy, often served as street food, appetizers, or snacks, accompanied by lime wedges and *ají*, a spicy Colombian sauce of chili peppers, herbs, and vinegar. The use of cornmeal distinguishes them from similar pastries in other Latin American countries that use wheat flour. Different regions have their own variations; for example, in the Andean region, the fillings and preparation methods differ.
- origin
- Unknown, but often associated with Galicia, a region in northwest Spain; earliest documented references date to the mid-13th century
Quick Facts
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Galicia
- Associated Cuisine
- Argentine / Chilean / Colombian / Cuban / Ecuadorian / Filipino / Galician / Mexican / Minahasan / Nicaraguan / Peruvian / Salvadoran / Sardinian / Sicilian / Spanish / Uruguayan / Venezuelan
- Course
- Appetiser, main course
- Main Ingredient
- Meat, cheese, corn, or other ingredients
- Variations
- Pastel, pasty, Sri Lankan patties
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The origin of empanadas is unknown, but they are often associated with Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. An empanada is also mentioned in the Cantigas de Santa Maria 57:VI (c. 1282), where a pasty containing a chicken leg is described. Rabbinic Jewish books from the same period mention "inpanada" and "panada" as bread products containing fat, meat, or fish. A 1520 Catalan cookbook includes recipes for empanadas filled with seafood. The name comes from the Spanish verb meaning to bread, or coat with bread, and translates as "breaded." An empanada is a baked or fried turnover made by folding dough over a filling, which may include meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, then cooking it by baking or frying. They are common in Spain, Portugal, other Southern European countries, North African countries, West African countries (where they are known as meatpies in Ghana and Nigeria), South Asian countries, Latin American countries, and the Philippines. In Argentina, empanadas are often served at parties and festivals, with each region having its own variant; for example, those from Salta are small, juicy, and spicy with potatoes and peppers, while those from Jujuy add peas and garlic. In Belize, they are made with masa, stuffed with fish, chicken, or beans, and deep-fried. Brazilian pastéis are thin-crust, half-circle or rectangle pies fried in vegetable oil. Chilean styles include baked or fried versions filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs, as well as deep-fried cheese-filled ones. Colombian empanadas use a cornmeal-based dough and are deep-fried until golden, often served with lime and spicy sauce.
Reader's Guide
Empanadas are a significant and widespread food item, appearing in many cultures with local variations. In Argentina, they are often served during parties and festivals, with each region having its own characteristic variant, such as the small, juicy salteñas of Salta or the large empanadas of Mendoza that include olives and garlic. In Belize, they are known as panades, made with masa and typically stuffed with fish, chicken, or beans, and deep-fried. In Brazil, a similar fried pie is called pastel, with fillings like ground meat, mozzarella, or heart of palm. Chilean styles include empanada de pino, filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs, and cheese-filled empanadas that are deep-fried. Colombian empanadas are made with a cornmeal-based dough and often served with lime wedges and ají sauce. Ecuador's 'empanada de viento' is filled with cheese and deep-fried, becoming hollow. El Salvador makes empanadas with plantain dough, often filled with vanilla custard. In France, chaussons and rissoles are similar baked or fried pastries. Galician empanada, a popular dish in Galicia, is prepared with fillings like seafood, meat, or chicken, and its history dates back to the Visigothic era in the 7th century. The empanada's adaptability and portability have made it a staple street food and festive dish across many regions.
Did You Know?
- The name 'empanada' comes from the Spanish 'empanar', meaning to wrap in bread or pastry.
- An empanada is mentioned in the Cantigas de Santa Maria, a 13th-century collection of songs.
- In Belize, empanadas are called panades and are made with corn dough.
- Galician empanadas are a traditional dish, but no 12th-century sculpture of one exists on the Portico of Glory in Santiago de Compostela.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an empanada?
An empanada is a stuffed pastry turnover made by folding dough over a filling and then cooking it. The name traces back to the Spanish verb empanar, which essentially means to wrap or coat in bread.
What fillings go inside an empanada?
Classic fillings include meat, cheese, tomato, and corn, though the specific ingredients shift depending on the local tradition. There is no single fixed recipe, so regional variations are extremely common.
How are empanadas cooked?
They can be either baked or fried after the dough is sealed around the filling. Which method is used often depends on the region and the cook's personal preference.
Where in the world are empanadas commonly eaten?
They are a familiar street food across Spain, Portugal, Southern Europe, North Africa, West Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Philippines. In West African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria, they are sometimes called meatpies.
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