Filipino Empanada Stuffed Pastry (Print Version)
Golden pastries with savory meat and vegetable filling, seasoned with traditional Filipino spices.
# What You Need:
→ For the 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
→ For the Filling
07 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2/3 pound 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
→ For Assembly
21 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
22 - Vegetable oil for frying or baking
# How To Make:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the 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. Add ground meat and cook until browned. Stir in potato, carrot, green peas, and raisins. Cook for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Mix well and cook until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs. Let cool completely.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F if baking, or heat oil to 350°F if frying. Roll out chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 5-inch rounds. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of filling onto each round. Fold over to form a half-moon shape and seal edges by pressing with a fork. Brush tops with beaten egg if baking.
04 - For baking: Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. For frying: Fry in batches at 350°F until golden and crisp, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels if frying. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of savory meat filling with sweet raisins creates that perfect sweet-savory balance Filipino cuisine does so well
- These freeze beautifully and reheat like magic, making them ideal for meal prep or unexpected guests
02 -
- A cold filling is absolutely critical, I once rushed this step and ended up with empanadas that burst open in the oven
- The dough must rest for thirty minutes minimum or it will keep shrinking back while you try to roll it
03 -
- A little splash of vinegar in the frying oil makes the crust even crispier
- Let the filling sit overnight in the refrigerator, the flavors meld together beautifully