Made with green plantains and stuffed with melty cheese, Ecuadorian Empanadas de Verde are a beloved snack from Ecuador’s coast. They’re usually fried to crispy perfection, but they come out beautifully in the air fryer, too!
I already love empanadas in just about any form, but empanadas with a plantain dough? I’m obsessed. The green plantains create a dough that’s naturally gluten-free, perfectly crisp on the outside, and subtly savory, making it the ultimate pairing for melty cheese. Empanadas de verde are a traditional food typically found on the coast, but you can find them all over the country! It’s one of those recipes that is totally unique, but so worth it to try.
What are empanadas de verde?
In Ecuador, there are two essential types of empanadas:
- Empanadas de verde, made with green plantain dough and typically filled with cheese or shrimp.
- Empanadas de viento, made with wheat flour dough and puffed up in hot oil, often dusted with sugar after frying.
Empanadas de verde are my personal favorite and I think they are probably the best empanadas out there. The dough is naturally gluten-free and crisps up beautifully when fried or air-fried.
Jump to:
- What are empanadas de verde?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Ecuadorian Green Plantain Empanadas
- How to Make Empanadas de Verde in the Air Fryer
- Tips for Success
- Filling Ideas
- How to Serve Ecuadorian Empanadas de Verde
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Ecuadorian Recipes to Try
- Ecuadorian Green Plantain Empanadas Recipe
Ingredients
You just need a handful of ingredients to make this Ecuadorian empanadas de verde recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Green plantains: Look for firm, unripe plantains with no yellowing—these are starchier and hold together best for the dough.
- Salt: Adds flavor to the boiling water and enhances the plantain dough.
- Cooking water: Helps soften and bind the mashed plantain dough without making it sticky or gummy.
- Butter: Adds richness and improves the dough’s texture.
- Shredded mozzarella: Melts beautifully, but you can also use queso fresco or your favorite melty cheese.
- Oil spray or frying oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado or canola—spray for air frying, or enough to deep-fry if using the traditional method.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Ecuadorian Green Plantain Empanadas
Step 1 - Prep the Dough
Prep the plantains: Peel and slice the plantains into small chunks. Boil water in a large pot and cook the plantains in salted water until fork-tender.
Mash: Transfer the cooked plantains to a mixing bowl and mash until smooth. Alternatively, pulse in a food processor for a smoother texture. I find the dough a lot easier to deal with and fry when I use a food processor.
Knead: Add a splash of the cooking water and a bit of butter to the mashed plantains. Knead until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Step 2 - Assemble the Empanadas
Shape the dough: Form the dough into balls. If the dough is sticky, put a little oil on your hands. Place each of the balls of plantain dough between two pieces of parchment paper or inside a plastic bag that’s been cut open on the sides. Flatten into a disk using a rolling pin, tortilla press, or a flat object like a cutting board.
Fill and seal: Add a spoonful of shredded cheese to the center of each round disc. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape. Use a bowl or your fingers to press and seal the edges.
Chill: Place the assembled empanadas on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 3 - Fry & Enjoy
Fry: Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add 3–4 empanadas at a time and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the oil is hot before frying.
Serve: Enjoy warm with tomate de arbol ají on the side.
Pro Tip! Once green plantain is cooked, it is much more enjoyable to eat while warm. So serve the fried Ecuadorian empanadas right away, or reheat them in the air fryer or a warm oven before serving.
How to Make Empanadas de Verde in the Air Fryer
If you don't want to fry your empanadas, feel free to make them in the air fryer! Here's how to do it:
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C).
- Spray the tops of the empanadas with oil and place in a single layer in the basket.
- Air fry for 15 minutes, until golden and crispy. No need to flip them!
Tips for Success
- Use a food processor for the smoothest, most elastic dough. When I don't use the food processor, the dough tends to fall apart when frying. So I highly recommend using the food processor, or opting to air fry your empanadas if you don't have an air fryer!
- If the dough feels sticky, oil your hands instead of adding flour!
- Chill the empanadas before frying or air frying so they hold their shape and don’t burst open.
Filling Ideas
- Cheese: Mozzarella or melty white cheese works well here.
- Shrimp: Sauté chopped shrimp with garlic, salt, green onion, and cumin. Let cool before using.
- Ham and cheese: Not traditional, but some diced cooked ham mixed with melty cheese would be delicious!
How to Serve Ecuadorian Empanadas de Verde
- For breakfast: With a fried egg on top and a hot cup of coffee.
- As a snack: With ají de tomate de árbol (tree tomato hot sauce), some cabbage curtido or a simple tomato-onion curtido.
Storage
Uncooked empanadas:
- Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months. Air-fry from frozen at 350°F for 18–20 minutes.
Cooked empanadas:
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 380°F for 5 minutes or in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer until heated through!
Frequently Asked Questions
No—ripe plantains are too soft and sweet. You need the starchiness of green plantains to form a sturdy dough.
Yes! Brush with oil and bake at 425°F (218°C) for 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway.
They may not have been chilled long enough before cooking, or the dough may have been too dry. Add more cooking water if the dough feels crumbly.
A neutral spray oil like avocado or canola is best. Avoid extra-virgin olive oil, which can smoke or burn at high heat. If you use a cooking spray, just make sure that it won't ruin your air fryer basket! It all depends on the brand of your air fryer, so google it before using it.
More Ecuadorian Recipes to Try
- Ecuadorian Fish Ceviche
- Encocado de Camarón
- Llapingachos
- Arroz con Camarones Recipe
- Ecuadorian Lentils Recipe
Ecuadorian Green Plantain Empanadas Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 green plantains
- water for boiling reserve some for later
- salt to taste, add to the water while boiling and to the dough
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Oil for frying use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prep the plantains: Peel and slice the plantains into small chunks.
- Boil: Cook the plantains in salted water until fork-tender.
- Mash: Transfer to a food processor and pulse until you end up with a dough. You can also mash the mixture, but I find the dough a lot easier to deal with and fry when I use a food processor. If you can't mix the dough in a food processor and prefer to mash it, they will cook better in the air fryer.
- Mix the dough: Transfer the dough to a bowl. Add a splash of the cooking water and a bit of butter to the mashed plantains. Knead until the mixture is smooth and well combined, about 4-5 minutes.
- Shape the dough: Form the dough into balls. If the dough is sticky, put a little oil on your hands. Place each one between two pieces of parchment paper or inside a plastic bag that’s been cut open on the sides. Flatten into a disk using a rolling pin, tortilla press, or a flat object like a cutting board.
- Fill and seal: Add a spoonful of shredded cheese to the center of each disk. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape. Use a bowl or your fingers to press and seal the edges.
- Chill: Place the assembled empanadas on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Fry: Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add 3–4 empanadas at a time and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the oil is hot before adding the empanadas to the bowl.
- Serve: Enjoy warm with ají or a tangy tomato and onion salad on the side.
Notes
- Place the assembled empanadas in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with spray oil on the top.
- Air fry at 380 degrees for 15 minutes or until crispy and warm!
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