The mini pork empanada, a quintessential Latin American appetizer, offers a crispy, golden crust with a savory, meaty filling. With its versatility, it can be enjoyed as a snack, party food, or even a main course. Preparation of this delicious treat involves creating a flavorful filling of seasoned ground pork, aromatic spices, herbs, and delectable vegetables, all encased in a flaky, tender dough. Whether you prefer the traditional method of frying or the convenience of baking, mini pork empanadas promise a delightful culinary experience with every bite.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
EASY MINI PORK EMPANADAS
Provided by Lori
Time 38m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- When the pan is hot, pour in the oil then add the pork, breaking the meat into small crumbles.
- Then add the jerk seasoning, thyme and garlic. If using sausage, add 1 tablespoon of jerk seasoning. If using fresh ground pork, add two tablespoons of jerk seasoning.
- Stir and cook until pork is fully cooked. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Lightly beat an egg in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, use a rolling pin to slightly stretch a single puff pastry sheet, leaving it about 1/4-inch larger all around.
- Using a 3-inch cutter, cut rounds out of the dough. Place the cutter as close as possible to the previous cut edges to maximize use of the dough. You should be able to cut 9 to 11 rounds from each sheet.
- Then brush a bit of egg wash around the edges of the cut dough, place one level teaspoon of cooked pork in the center, fold the dough over and seal it with a fork. Transfer to a parchment-covered baking sheet and cover with a dish towel to keep moist. Repeat until all the cut round have been used.
- Repeat the process with the remaining puff pastry sheets.
- Bake for 18 minutes or until empanadas are puffed and golden brown.
- Serve warm, either plain or with your choice of salsa or sour cream.
MINI PORK EMPANADAS
Don't even think of getting your pork empanada appetizers from the freezer section, please! Not when you can make these tasty minis at home.
Provided by My Food and Family
Categories Home
Time 1h40m
Yield 40 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Beat cream cheese spread and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, mixing well after each addition. Shape into ball. Refrigerate 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, brown meat with onions in large saucepan. Stir in bouillon and spices. Remove from heat. Add potatoes; mix well. Cool completely.
- Heat oven to 400ºF. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use 3-inch cutter to cut dough into 40 rounds, rerolling dough scraps as necessary.
- Spoon 1-1/2 tsp. meat mixture onto center of each dough round; brush edge with egg. Fold in half; press edges together with fork to seal. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cut small slits in tops to vent; brush with remaining egg.
- Bake 18 to 20 min. or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 70, Fat 4 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Sodium 70 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 4 g
PORK EMPANADAS
Tender pork turnovers. Filling can be used for almost anything else, such as taco filling. Can be frozen baked or unbaked. The pork and the empanada dough can be made ahead of time.
Provided by Michele O'Sullivan
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 3h45m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- To make the filling: Place pork in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. While pork is cooking, prepare dough.
- To make the dough: Sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening to the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and 1/2 cup milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place in a container, cover, and refrigerate.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- After the pork has simmered for 1 1/2 hours, remove from liquid. Place pork in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until meat shreds easily with fork. Remove from oven (keep oven turned on) and shred into small pieces. Add salsa to shredded pork.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- On lightly floured surface, flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to make a 5-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough circle. Brush edges of dough with milk. Fold dough over filling. Pinch edges together. Crimp with fork to seal.
- Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining empanada dough. Leftover filling can be frozen or used in tacos, tamales, or burritos.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove to rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 209.3 calories, Carbohydrate 15.4 g, Cholesterol 40.6 mg, Fat 12.6 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 8.5 g, SaturatedFat 4.7 g, Sodium 270.2 mg, Sugar 1.2 g
BARBECUE: MINI PULLED PORK EMPANADAS RECIPE
There wasn't anything not to love here. The pulled pork was as smoky and tender as always, with the added tang and spice from the sauce, and the empanada crust was flaky and crisp. They'd be perfect for this weekend's couch marathon, AKA the Oscars.
Provided by Joshua Bousel
Categories Appetizer Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres
Time 3h
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Process the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 6 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 16 pulses.
- Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl. Working with 1/4 cup of water at a time, sprinkle the water over the flour mixture and stir it in using a rubber spatula, pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl to form a dough, until no small bits of flour remain (you may not need to use all of the water).
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Press each dough half into a cohesive ball, then flatten the ball into a 6-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm but not hard, about 2 hours.
- While the dough rests, place pulled pork in a small bowl and add enough vinegar sauce until meat is very moist (you may not need the entire 1⁄2 cup of sauce).
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into an 18-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 18 rounds and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, discarding the dough scraps. Place a heaping tablespoon of pulled pork to the middle of each round. Seal dough around filling, using tines of a fork to crimp edges shut. Repeat with second disk of dough and second prepared baking sheet.
- Brush empanadas with the egg. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, switching and rotating the trays halfway through the baking time. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with a bowl of barbecue sauce, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 393 kcal, Carbohydrate 46 g, Cholesterol 73 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 12 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Sodium 595 mg, Sugar 9 g, Fat 17 g, ServingSize 8-10, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
MINI CHICKEN EMPANADAS
Refrigerated pie crust makes quick work of assembling these bite-sized appetizers loaded with chicken and cheese. I've made them several times since receiving the recipe from a friend. -Betty Fulks, Onia, Arkansas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 45m
Yield about 2-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pie crust into a 15-inch circle. Cut with a floured 3-in. round biscuit cutter., Place about 1 teaspoon filling on 1 half of each circle. Moisten edges with water. Fold pie crust over filling. Press edges with a fork to seal., Transfer to greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 81 calories, Fat 5g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 10mg cholesterol, Sodium 108mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
ARGENTINEAN-INSPIRED BEEF MINI EMPANADAS
This recipe makes a delicious, lightly spiced filling, stuffed with little bites of soft egg, salty olives, and tender meat and veggies. My filling made quite a bit more than I needed for the amount of dough I had, so we used the leftover meat the next day in a loose meat sandwich which was also completely tasty! Feel free to double the dough if you want to use more of the meat mixture up in these empanadas. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, such as queso, sour cream, salsa, etc.
Provided by Rebekah Rose Hills
Categories Empanada Recipes
Time 2h5m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Prepare filling: Cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large, nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables are tender and beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Add olives, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in chopped eggs.
- Scrape mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, 1 to 2 hours; this ensures the dough will not be soggy when the empanadas are baked.
- Prepare dough: Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Whisk cold water, egg, and vinegar together in a small bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and blend with a fork. Use your hands to finish blending the ingredients until they come together in a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut circles, rerolling the scraps as necessary. I got about 18 circles.
- Hold each circle in your hand and place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Gently fold the ends over the top and press to seal all the way around. Reserve extra filling for another use.
- Set empanadas on a baking sheet. Press around the sealed edges with a fork if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on the bottoms, about 18 minutes. Flip and bake until the other side is browned, about 5 more minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 535.3 calories, Carbohydrate 39.9 g, Cholesterol 188.8 mg, Fat 31.9 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 21.4 g, SaturatedFat 15.4 g, Sodium 1050.5 mg, Sugar 2 g
Tips:
- Prep the Filling First: Before you start assembling the empanadas, make sure the pork filling is cooked and cooled. This will save you time and prevent the empanadas from becoming soggy.
- Use a Sharp Knife: When cutting the dough, use a sharp knife to ensure clean, precise cuts. This will help prevent the edges of the dough from becoming ragged or torn.
- Don't Overfill the Empanadas: When filling the empanadas, be careful not to overfill them. Too much filling can make the empanadas difficult to seal and may cause them to burst during frying.
- Seal the Empanadas Properly: To ensure that the empanadas are sealed properly, use a fork to crimp the edges together. This will help prevent the filling from leaking out during frying.
- Fry the Empanadas in Hot Oil: When frying the empanadas, make sure the oil is hot enough. This will help create a crispy, golden brown crust.
- Drain the Empanadas on Paper Towels: After frying the empanadas, drain them on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
Conclusion:
Mini pork empanadas are a delicious and versatile appetizer or snack that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With their crispy crust and flavorful filling, these empanadas are sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy recipe, give these mini pork empanadas a try!
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